Wow - an eBay first (rant)

[scottglevy]

Unless this was clearly marked on the listing I'd say it's at best a questionable practice. I've never even heard of a seller doing this for any category of items unless they explicitly stated that it would be handled this way (which I have seen a few times).

Everyone chooses to handle things like this differently. If it were me, I'd probably ask for a refund of the postage due (again for the principle clearly not for the money) and if they refused I'd add a neg.

Best,
Scott

[I Only Smoke 4 the Cards]

Personally, I would ask for a refund. I would then wait until they gave me a refund and leave a negative feedback. I hate when people use feedback as a bargaining tool.

[ullmandds]

that's a load of scrap! Er I mean crap!

[Cardboard Junkie]

If they are a "major dealer", it was probably an error/oversight. I would ask for shipping costs to be sent, then leave a neutral feedback, Negative feedback seems too harsh. Give him a chance to make amends.

[Republicaninmass]

Originally Posted by Cardboard Junkie

If they are a "major dealer", it was probably an error/oversight. I would ask for shipping costs to be sent, then leave a neutral feedback, Negative feedback seems too harsh. Give him a chance to make amends.

What about the aggravation? Not all of us can take a 50 minute "bone cruise" to the post office

[Section103]

While I will never know exactly what happened, it seems reasonable that the USPS pulled the "too thin" ruling and charged me on the backend. The seller refunded me the $1.34 and Im happy enough with his actions. It was an unnecessary hassle for some pretty pedestrian cards, but I see no bad intent. Thanks for all of the discussion.

[D. Bergin]

As has been said, postal rates recently changed, overzealous employees who don't quite know the rules are quite common also.

It's happened to me a couple times over the years.

[slidekellyslide]

How were the cards sent? Why was postage due on them? I sell a lot of postcards and twice I've had buyers tell me they had to pay postage to receive the items...both times a post office employee determined that my package was too thin to be sent with tracking so they automatically upgraded my package to priority and forwarded them on as "postage due".

[Shoeless Moe]

Most likely an error.....if seller gives you the refund, then it's all good, however even if they do, I would note it when you leave "positive" feedback.....just in case seller is doing it consistently and trying to get away with it.

Positive feedback is left so it doesn't hurt the seller, but its noted what happened, should others buy from them, they will see it.

[bn2cardz]

I would say it is hard to blame the seller. They may have thought everything was right. Also there was a postage price increase so that could have thrown something off. I would give the seller the benefit of the doubt as I have had more issues with USPS than sellers.

[slidekellyslide]

My guess is that a postal employee somewhere along the way thought the postage wasn't correct. Did the seller fudge the weight to keep it under 13 ounces? Or like in my case did it slip through their little size tool they keep at the counter and determine it should not have been sent with tracking? Whatever happened I wouldn't be so quick to blame the seller.

[Sean1125]

Originally Posted by slidekellyslide

My guess is that a postal employee somewhere along the way thought the postage wasn't correct. Did the seller fudge the weight to keep it under 13 ounces? Or like in my case did it slip through their little size tool they keep at the counter and determine it should not have been sent with tracking? Whatever happened I wouldn't be so quick to blame the seller.

This is what likely happened.

Sometimes the stuff gets through and sometimes it doesn't... It depends if someone catches it or what the postal employee 'thinks'. You never have this problem if you deliver it to the post office, only drop it off with pre-paid.

I would see what the seller has to say...

[Stonepony]

Originally Posted by bn2cardz

I would say it is hard to blame the seller. They may have thought everything was right. Also there was a postage price increase so that could have thrown something off. I would give the seller the benefit of the doubt as I have had more issues with USPS then sellers.

1+

[Bocabirdman]

Originally Posted by slidekellyslide

How were the cards sent? Why was postage due on them? I sell a lot of postcards and twice I've had buyers tell me they had to pay postage to receive the items...both times a post office employee determined that my package was too thin to be sent with tracking so they automatically upgraded my package to priority and forwarded them on as "postage due".

This would be my guess

[Section103]

Good point and this is the weird thing....

Bubble Mailer with a Stamps.com label and -no- postage paid at all. I haven't used Stamps.com, but this would be pretty tough to do (I think) with Paypal mail services. Im starting to believe it was some sort of error or oversight, at least I hope.

[thecatspajamas]

Originally Posted by Section103

Good point and this is the weird thing....

Bubble Mailer with a Stamps.com label and -no- postage paid at all. I haven't used Stamps.com, but this would be pretty tough to do (I think) with Paypal mail services. Im starting to believe it was some sort of error or oversight, at least I hope.

Just because it does not show the postage amount does not mean no postage was paid. If they printed a Stamps.com label, they paid postage (I use stamps.com, so I know firsthand). The label won't print if it can't charge you for it.

My guess would be that it's the thickness issue, or possibly his scale was off (though with cards, it's hard to believe it would be THAT off). Definitely check with the seller, and with the post office as to why the postage due. There's no way that a regular seller is doing this as a routine procedure to save a few bucks on postage. If he were, his feedback would be lit up with negs and it would be pretty obvious from reading the comments.

[ooo-ribay]

Originally Posted by Bocabirdman

This would be my guess

or.....sometimes I place something onto the automated mailer and, following all directions, it determines the postage to be $X.....and the item makes it to it's destination. Later, I take the same item to a teller and they insist it has to go for $2X because of the thickness or some such other crap.

I kinda doubt the seller meant for it to arrive postage due.

[tachyonbb]

Never assume malice when simple incompetence will do.

I would assume it was a mistake, not a deliberate attempt to save a buck.