[SirCastor]

Okay, here's the deal.

Last week, I ordered an item off of ebay. In addition to the cost, I was charged $20 shipping on an item that cost at most $3.00 to ship with postage, and materials. Happens all the time, I know. I personally don't like this practice, but I don't do much on ebay so I don't complain.

This week, I got my item... actually, I got two of them. Two identical envelopes with two identical items. This item is not mine, so I'm not planning on keeping it. But I'm not about to shell out more of my money to set right a mistake that this guy made, even if it is just a couple bucks.

So the idea pops in my head. What if I charge this guy the same he charged me to ship this thing to me? $20. $20 to send it back to you, or I'll keep it and resell it myself.

The first question is a moral one. Is this wrong? At the end of the day, I realize that the only important thing is whether or not I'm comfortable with it. The second question is whether or not this guy could do anything about it? Is there potential for retaliation of any kind?

thanks

[olePigeon]

Since you already payed $20 for "shipping and handling" (a padded envelope), you've already payed for 5 of those. I'd just keep it. If he complains about it later or tries to charge, then tell him you'll ship it back to him for $20 shipping and handling, then send it to him in a 99 cent padded envelope.

[zerostar]

I think its perfectly fine to charge $20 shipping & handling to ship it back, after all you have to take your time out and ship it out to him. He felt fine ripping you $20 when it cost him $3 so why not return the favor?

[Dakar the Fourth]

Originally Posted by zerostar 

I think its perfectly fine to charge $20 shipping & handling to ship it back, after all you have to take your time out and ship it out to him. He felt fine ripping you $20 when it cost him $3 so why not return the favor?

Seconded. What's good for the goose... is a nice marinade and some time in the oven

[Mastrap]

Thirded. Look at it as a rare chance for divine retribution.

[♥]

Great karma. Charge him $20 to get it back.

Serves him right. Oh, and then report him to eBay for screwing people on mailing fees which, by the way, is apparently against the law. It's a form of postal fraud via eBay and that is why there are rules about actual charges for mailing charges on eBay and also why Paypal has a system set up for sellers so that they can easily (and honestly) charge mailing fees within Paypal.

Good luck.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by ♥ 

Serves him right. Oh, and then report him to eBay for screwing people on mailing fees which, by the way, is apparently against the law. It's a form of postal fraud via eBay and that is why there are rules about actual charges for mailing charges on eBay and also why Paypal has a system set up for sellers so that they can easily (and honestly) charge mailing fees within Paypal.

How is it fraud if you KNOW in advance (before bidding) how much they're gonna charge for shipping ?

-t

[Shaddim]

Your time is worth money, charge him $20 to send it back. Likely he'll tell you to keep it.

However, he may leave you negative feedback. It's something to think about.

[Person Man]

Originally Posted by turtle777 

How is it fraud if you KNOW in advance (before bidding) how much they're gonna charge for shipping ?

-t

I suspect it's more likely "attempted fraud" on the part of the seller. Not "postal fraud," but more a violation of the eBay rules. People do this because eBay doesn't take a "cut" of the shipping charges.

So, the logic is that "the item sold for $20," and it costs me $3.00 to ship it. But eBay takes $1.10 (arbitrary) of the $20, and PayPal takes $0.50 (arbitrary calculation of $0.30 + 1.3% of the item total) of the $23 total.

So, the net is such that I get $18.40 for an item that I think "should have sold for $25," so, I'm going to add a "handling charge" of $7.00 to the shipping cost to get a total of $10 for shipping and handling.

That breaks down to covering the $3.00 actual shipping cost, the $1.60 in fees to eBay and PayPal, the $5.00 difference between what the item sold for and what I think to should have sold for, and another $0.40 cents to cover the additional fee PayPal takes because their fee is now based on $30.00 and not $23.00. But I'm going to call it a nebulous "Shipping & Handling fee."

I can't really fault someone all that much for thinking that way when we see Apple do things like "You can get the Leopard Upgrade Free* if you bought Tiger 14 days before Leopard was released. *$19.95 shipping and handling"

It's the whole "two middlemen" thing that keeps me from selling much on eBay anymore. I don't mind paying eBay a fee for listing my auction, but then to pay PayPal a fee for handling the exchange of money? C'mon! If I do use eBay, I don't list PayPal as an accepted method of payment up front. It's only if the buyer makes a huge production out of my not accepting PayPal that I usually back down and accept PayPal.