Anyone with experience selling and buying on Ebay?

[rancher hicks]

So here's the deal.

I bid on and won a bookend. However the bookend was for my GD in another state. So I switched the shipping address to hers.

Now I do use paypal and I don't know whether the seller gets notified of this change through paypal or Ebay.

Anyhow and this has happened before, the item came to me. The seller did refund the full purchase price. Total $21 and some change.

I did receive the item but the shipping was less than what I was charged. No shipping charges were given until after I purchased the item.

Well I've been in contact with the seller and I offered to pay for the item less the shipping charges since I have to forward it to the GD's state.

I did not ask for a refund and wasn't aware the item was coming here until Ebay notified me of the refund. I don't know why the seller refunded the entire purchase. I didn't ask them to.

In one other transaction long ago the item came here and I forwarded it to my DIL only to find out it wasn't the item. I didn't open the box I just forwarded it on. In that transaction I was not refund the shipping as I recall. I should have been.

So here is my question. Do you think I should A. pay the seller only for the item less the shipping. B. pay the seller for the item and the shipping to me and pay to have it sent to my GD? C. just keep the item and the refund and let it go?

The seller was clearly upset about the mixup, but I was not at fault. I don't think it was fair to get on my case about how upset they were with this transaction and Paypal. After all if they're going to do business this way with Ebay and Paypal it should be up to them to know how things work am I right?

I got the item for $7.50 and $13+ in shipping. The starting bid was 99 cents. I told the seller they should keep their starting bid at the break even price. This way if they don't get as much as they'd like they at least would not be selling at a loss. Is the item worth $21? I suppose but I would not have bid on it for that price as it's just the one bookend. Not a set.

I don't sell on Ebay.... yet. I had other transactions where the charge for shipping was less than what I paid.

I expect I'll just pay for the entire transaction, but wanted to get your thoughts.

thanks

Rancher, never had trouble with paypal, Hicks

 

[Egghead_Jr]

When viewing an item details page just below photo and title area is postage/handing charge for item. Sometimes the seller lets ebay/USPS determine the postage based on buyers location. If that then there is a blue link saying "calculate".

Another way to view things, I tend to be searching for item so as finding different ones add to watch list. Once all in watch list you can click to view items in any order- ending soonest, lowest + shipping first, etc. With lowest + shipping they show up front postal charge without having to clik and view item details.


I'd pay the seller. Not their fault at all. They get your address from print out from ebay or viewing your shipping detail to hand write and send. Something went wrong and it was not their fault. Pay them via paypal and gift so no charge to you and learn from it. Send message to seller hat shipping will be changed and whatever else to ensure this doesn't happen. The seller gets the address from ebay, maybe you should contact ebay to find how to avoid this issue. It's happened to you several times.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Of note with Paypal and I've had issue with this is:

If you use a paypal debit card it is different entity than paypal itself. When changing addresses in paypal you also need to contact the debit card contact to change address there too. I separated and moved but things kept being sent to old address. Did not like that one bit. Took a long time and many calls to Paypal to figure it out. Called the Paypal debit card and was fixed instantly.

 

[rancher hicks]

There is the option to add alternate shipping addresses. Too the seller gets notified by pay pal that money had been deposited.

I was not aware that there were TWO paypals. In my experience you and add more than one card to your paypal account and I have in the past. You just pick which card you'd like to use. Same as with paying for other bills with checking accounts.

I will pay of course, but check with Ebay about this alternate address situation.