"eBay shipping prices?" Topic

What happens if you win an auction on eBay. The add says that the winner pays all shipping costs, and at the bottom of the page the stated shipping is $10.00.

After the win, the seller tells you that the actual shipping is a WHOLE bunch more, and that he will not ship it until I pay the difference. He says that eBay put the price in there, and not him.

I have been watching this item, and it was up for auction before with the $10.00 USD shipping charge and did not sell. I bought it when he re-listed the item. Wouldn't someone realize that it was the wrong shipping costs on the re-listed item?

Can he change shipping prices after the auction is over???

As eBay says, placing a bid creates a binding contract. So does seller's offer to ship at $10. USD That doesn't mean you can't negotiate afterwards, however.

What's there to negotiate? I guess that you could ask for more, but am I required to give you more for shipping?

Ebay does force one to post a shipping amount, but Ebay never tells anyone what that amount should be. They decide. The seller is BS'ing you. Unfortunely, you are stuck with either paying him or not. These days complaining to Ebay about anything is pretty much worthless.

Well, since he can't leave feedback and you can, you may as well tell him it's $10 USD shipping or no deal. I don't think you could hit with a Non-paying Bidder if he's not holding up his end of the contract. It was his auction, he has to put in the shipping charge, he should try to get it right.

You can always renegotiate a contract. For example, I often negotiate a lower shipping amount after auction, for multiple auctions wins.

If the auction says $10 USD shipping, it's $10 USD shipping. Doesn't matter if he chose the amount or if it was generated automatically by ebay – if there was any issue about the shipping cost then this should have been stated loud and clear in the item description.

Stick to your guns, point out that your maximum bid was based on a total which included the stated shipping cost and that he is obliged to honour the contract you have formed.

If he hits you with a non-paying bidder notice, which he could well do because it's an automated function based on the simple fact of whether or not payment has been processed, complain to ebay. If, as Eclectic Wave suggests is likely, that doesn't work, pay the total through Paypal including only the item cost plus $10 USD shipping. If he refuses to ship following that payment, claim the money back through Paypal and leave him negative feedback (though it seems like a neg may be warranted whatever the outcome).

Make sure all your discussion with him is through eBay "My Messages" and not email. That way eBay can look at it when you complain.

soldieroftheline makes a very good point – it's good sense to always conduct all ebay business through their message service, for your own protection.

Darn. He was doing this all thru personal e-mails. Maybe I will start using the eBay ones.

It should still be okay, just re-state your case to him via an ebay message, maybe quoting his emails, so that you've got something to refer to if it comes to an ebay dispute resolution.

Any dispute is bound to come out in your favour anyway, so I wouldn't worry too much about it, and he can't even tarnish your record with a negative feedback. Your only decision is whether or not to gamble with sending him a payment (if you haven't already) but even then if things go sour you should be able to get a full refund from Paypal.