Shipping Overcharger eBay User aaa41583

[babystarz]

First things first, does anyone recognize this eBay user's picture as being a former Arena member?  http://myworld.ebay.com/aaa41583/?_trksid=p4340.l2559 An Arena username immediately popped into my mind when I saw her picture, but I'd like outside confirmation on that as I can't be sure I'm remembering right, and I certainly don't want to be pointing fingers at the wrong person.


I'm asking because I was just ripped off by this seller. Based on the ponies I bought, I know she's a collector either way, which makes my interaction with her more upsetting.


I bid on two auctions of baby ponies and won them, totaling over $160 not including shipping for 19 baby ponies, some baby accessories and a couple of back cards. I sent a message right after the auction ended; asking if I could possibly get a combined shipping quote, because I knew that the cost of shipping them would not cost the $34 she was asking. I didn't hear back from her. A few days later I checked to see if she had changed the shipping price on my invoice and saw that she had lowered it to $20, so I went ahead and paid, although I was surprised by her lack of communication.


When I received the package, the sticker with the shipping price was for $10.56. Additionally, there were no packing materials in the box. She put the ponies in ziplock bags (a total of 4 baggies) and put them in a cardboard box with the back cards and accessories. She didn't include any padding or anything. So charging $9.50 for a cardboard box seems pretty excessive to me, not to mention the extra space in the box was worrying, but thankfully nothing was damaged during shipping. Also, a very cancery pony was put in a ziplock with a bunch of minty ponies, which I thought she should have known better than to do because even if she isn't who I think she might be, it's clear to me that she is a collector selling off her collection who was knowledgeable enough to identify the cancer in the description.

It looks like I'm not the only person she's done this to; she has bad feedback from someone else for overcharging on shipping by $20 (and for not accurately describing the condition of ponies). I'm holding off on leaving feedback myself while I explore my options, but I wanted to let people know about what happened because I don't want anyone else to have to deal with this.

At least I got some really good ponies, but I would not deal with her again.

[hokuspokus]

I'm sorry you had this bad experience

I don't know the seller. Your story makes me sad, though! Mostly because it's so unfair she overcharged you by that much.
I'm also not a big fan of seller with lack of communicating. I can totally understand you'll never do business again with this seller.

[Whoa1234]

It's your $9.50!!!
I'd open a claim to get the 9.50 and leave neutral feedback stating over charge and poor quality.

(Edit)
On further inspection, her feedback looks pretty solid.
And her shipping on the rest of her ponies and current listings looks normal.
I'd message her and explain that you're entitled to the $9.50 back because it went into her pocket, not into shipping your ponies. If she doesn't comply, then open up a claim and leave either neutral or negative feedback. (Depending on if the seller acknowledged the over charge or not).
I personally believe that one bad feedback isn't enough to condemn the seller as.
She's had 10 positive feedbacks since then.

[ClosetAvalanche]

Darn, I was watching one of their items, now I don't think I'll bid.

[Ringlets]

I'm sorry to hear this hun   the face looks familiar, but at this time of the morning my memory is not working so well - I'll have to get back to you on the ID.  Either way, thats a heck of a lot of money to charge for the box, without even any packaging materials... and yes she should have known better than to mix a cancerous pony in with mint ones
I think I would contact the seller again, let them know that the parcel has arrived safely and say something positive about the transaction( - like that you are happy with the ponies, the item was sent quickly etc ) , but there were a few things you found a little disappointing - the cancerous pony in with the mint ones, and also that you noticed that the shipping only came to $10.56 rather than the $20 you were charged.  Then see how the seller responds before leaving honest feedback.  Obviously if the seller will not give a partial refund on the postage, or ignores you, then mark down the star rating on those catagories.

[lovesbabysquirmy]

Thanks for the heads up.  I hope you are able to leave honest FB! 

[kCherry]

I agree with Ringlets; you should definitely try to contact her!! Charging you that kind of money for those kinds of shipping packing is just flat absurd!!! And I won't even GO into the cancerous pony mixed with the minty ones!

  At any rate, I can't say that I recognize her but my Memory is worse than Ringlets All Day, Every Day!! LOL Good luck with getting your shipping fees back and boil those Minty babies right away!!!!!

[babystarz]

Thanks for the heads up.  I hope you are able to leave honest FB! 

Me too, but she's only left me feedback for one of the auctions. I guess she's waiting on the other to see what I do. I wouldn't put it past her to leave a bad comment in retaliation even if she can't technically leave bad feedback. She hasn't exactly shown that she has scruples.


Edit: I have opened a case with eBay, since she never responded to my message about shipping. I figure she'll respond now since I alerted eBay about it. I remained pleasant and asked if I could please have my $9.44 in unused shipping money back.


2nd Edit: She responded

After you sent me the message, I promptly sent you the invoice at your request with a combined shipping discount, also at your request. You can check the invoice I sent you - in the messages section it said "combined shipping discount applied." I was able to fit them both in the same box, so hence the $14.00 combined shipping discount. You have to remember that the cost includes handling and materials, not just what the post office charges. I give a flat rate for my shipping and handling, which makes it easier for my lovely customers! Because it is a flat rate, I estimate the cost based on the most it could be, such as NY to LA. You live in MN, so the post office cost of shipping was less. Do you like the ponies? ~Alexis

Ok, so she did send an invoice in the box with the ponies, but I do not consider that a reply to the online message I sent on eBay?  Also, I do not understand her explanation about the "flat rate." If it's a flat rate, wouldn't it be the same price to ship the box anywhere? And even if it's not, she just gets to keep the money that she didn't spend because it was cheaper? And I'm really irked that she had the nerve to claim the $9.50 was for "handling and materials" when she didn't use any materials. Not even a little bubblewrap. She used 4 plastic baggies and put them in a box, which she taped. Let's round the cost of that up to a dollar. She paid herself $8.50 to pack a box.  

[Ringlets]

    ok.. I fail to follow her reasoning here - I guess I'll have to come back and re-read it in the morning . It does sound like she has decided to keep that extra money as a handling and packaging materials charge, but how can she justify that much, when she hasnt used anything except a box and a few bags? 

[Skeen]

She had an ID at the old Arena under the same name as her ebay but that's all I could glean.  She hasn't been active for a few years.

Don't back down.  As a collector, she knows better.

[NoDivision]

A lot of sellers have a flate rate that they issue for a certain type of item

For example, my parents sell a lot of shoes on ebay. Shoes, obviously, vary in size and weight. And the costs vary based on weight and on how far they are going, like your seller said. To my things easier, my parents charge a flat rate for shipping shoes - they do not weigh each pair individually and calculate individual prices. Because they do this, sometimes they end up overcharging by a couple of dollars and sometimes they actually end up undercharging.

That is the kind of "flat rate" your seller is referring to. However, I feel that as the price diference in significant (I think anything over $5 is significant and outside the margin of error) I think your seller should do the decent thing and refund at least part of that.

[Sarahlacewing]

I am concerned that ebay will not force a partial return since by paying for it you agreed to the charges.  Some people do charge outrageous shipping fees if they live in the country and have to drive far to fedex, or they just plain hope to bump up the final sale price of their auction.  I don't think there is an actual rule that states you have to combine shipping at all.  I agree you were grievously overcharged, I just don't know if there is really much you can do at this point other than give her bad marks and stars.

Edit: Ok looks like "Also, keep in mind that sellers aren't allowed to charge a separate fee for things like insurance, mileage, time spent at a shipping carrier, employee wages, or eBay and PayPal fees."

"Sellers can charge reasonable shipping and handling fees to cover the costs for mailing, packaging, and handling the items that they sell. However, charging excessive fees for shipping violates our selling practices policy."

[little.fox]

I do think that it's against eBay rules to charge anything but actual postage?

[ponylady]

Unfortunately there is no way for you to receive any sort of refund or reimbursement (unless the seller willingly agrees to this).  But there are other actions you can take to let eBay and it's buyers know that the seller overcharges.
I just posted this on another thread:

"You can report her to eBay for abusing the shipping and handling costs. 
Click the following link and Report the Seller to eBay -
scroll to the bottom of the page where it says "Contact Customer Service" -
report the seller for "excessive shipping" or "circumvention of eBay fees". "
 
And I recommend leaving a negative/neutral feedback comment (be sure to state that the reason for the negative/neutral is related to the shipping cost).
 

[Maniah]

How did the seller respond?