When should you ask for a partial refund on overcharged shipping?

[Shenanigans]

I bought two items from a seller and was charged $12 shipping when it actually cost $8.75. When I charge my buyers over $1.50 I always send a partial refund. I know packing supplies cost money so should I ask for a partial refund or just not worry about it?

I guess I'm not really happy with one of the items I bought and wish I could return it because I didn't know you actually had to mount it to the ceiling I assumed it was hooked to a fan, but there was no description and I didn't ask So it's my fault, but it states returns are only accepted if the item isn't as described. So I guess I'm stuck with something I'm not keen on

So I'm not sure if asking for a partial refund for shipping is ok in this case or if I'm just feeling buyer's remorse

[ponylady]

Hmmm..that's a tough call. 

I suppose your best course of action is to contact the seller and ask if she would be willing to accept a return? It never hurts to ask and the worst thing is they can say no. Although the way things are on eBay anymore, she most likely will be willing to accept it back. Just be aware you will have to pay return shipping most likely, leaving you out more money.

If that is not the route you want to take then the next option is to email and ask her about a refund on the difference in shipping. Again worse case scenario she can say no. But you won't know either way until you ask. 

[Shenanigans]

Thank you, Ponylady!

[NoDivision]

I usually let a few dollar slide. Anything around $5 I'll mark down the shipping cost ratings and maybe mention it in feedback. I've never asked for a refund, but I imagine if it was over by like $10 I'd be tempted.

[Shenanigans]

Yeah I've been thinking it over several days and have decided not to say anything because I don't want to cause drama and it's only a few extra dollars

[MsTwilight]

Was it an ebay sale? If so, Ebay will take 10% of that for the fees. So the seller may have padded their shipping costs  to cover the fee? Also there's Shipsaver insurance for about $1.00 or so depending on ending price. I wouldn't sell anything on ebay without it. (USPS insurance is utter junk.) So if that's the case the seller's handling fee was about $1.05 not bad and way cheaper than what Kohl's just charged me ... just a thought!

[Zombelina]

Was it an international sale? Coming at it from a Canada-to-US shipping perspective, I think up to $5 on top of the postage is justified. I just sold something on ebay for which I charged $19 shipping: postage was $15.50 and ebay's 10% fee on shipping was $1.90, so that left me $1.60 for packaging materials and the trip to the PO. I always worry that the buyer will be upset though, because the shipping cost isn't the same as the actual postage cost shown on the package... it's really kind of awkward all 'round!

[Prixton]

I agree that I also, as a seller, refund if the difference is more than $1.25, and I personally would ask for a partial shipping refund if I'd been overcharged by anything more than $2. Sorry but in these times a dollar is a dollar and I don't think it's justifiable to charge more than about a dollar for packaging/getting to the PO costs. (If you really live that far from a PO or if it's an item that requires extra packaging and you're up front with the buyer about those costs that might be different). That's just me though

[Zombelina]

The ebay fee on shipping really makes thing extra complicated and awkward, as I'd guess most buyer-only folks know that ebay takes a cut of the sale price, but not that they also take a cut from the shipping costs, and so that fee has to be built in somewhere as well.

And it's so relative to where an item is shipping from... everything is very expensive here in Canada compared to the States, so what a dollar actually covers is very different depending on perspective. I guess the only real answer is that it's a very case by case thing! But I don't think asking a seller politely about it if you feel you've been overcharged should ever count as drama, nor should it stir up any with a good seller

[Stormy31685]

Different sellers operate differently.  As was mentioned before, there are other factors that a buyer does not see - the eBay shipping fee, private insurance, supplies, etc.

As a buyer, I have both overpaid and underpaid for shipping on eBay.  At the end of the day I would ask myself this question if I were in this position:

Had the seller undercharged me for shipping, would I send them the amount they had to come up with out-of-pocket, or just give them a 5-star rating and be grateful for the item?

In this case though, if you are unhappy with the item, I would definitely contact your seller and see about a return.

Best of luck to you!

[LadyBird]

This is actually exactly why I stopped putting the cost of postage on packages. I was always really good about the fact that if it was $2 or more I'd ALWAYS refund the extra. More often than not I undercharged for shipping.

But I started getting people getting upset because I'd be off by some odd cents in shipping and they wanted a 36 cent refund or whatever. It ended up just becoming a huge hassle. I'm still really honest and if it off by more than $1.50 or so I always do the right thing and refund but it just saves me the hassle of having people wanting such a small amount refunded.

[Unicorn_pops]

I think anything overcharged by $2 should be refunded. I know a seller will have to pay out for supplies but most items I receive are "recycled materials" which is fine with me, I do it myself. But technically by ebay rules, you aren't aloud to overcharge shipping by saying its for ebay fees/ebay shipping fees or paypal fees. I've seen this more and more lately, I was overcharged $12 dollars on a purchase a few months back...that is just ridiculous.

[Shenanigans]

I think anything overcharged by $2 should be refunded. I know a seller will have to pay out for supplies but most items I receive are "recycled materials" which is fine with me, I do it myself. But technically by ebay rules, you aren't aloud to overcharge shipping by saying its for ebay fees/ebay shipping fees or paypal fees. I've seen this more and more lately, I was overcharged $12 dollars on a purchase a few months back...that is just ridiculous.

Yeah, the items arrived in a latex glove box so it was definitely reused And I thought it said so in ebay rules. Overcharging by $12 is ridiculous!

I maybe should ask for a partial, but I'm such a Fluttershy when it comes to things like this