Is it possible to adjust/lower shipping on an ended auction on eBay?

[Loona]

Dear eBay sellers,

I would like to request your help regarding a recent (non-pony) purchase I have made. I was interested in an auction, but the postage was pretty high, so (having read several times that eBay sometimes calculates strangely high shipping costs) I contacted the seller and asked if the price is correct. The seller was happy to take the box to the post office and they gave her a much cheaper shipping quote. That price was OK for me, so I have bid and won. However, the price wasn't adjusted before the auction has ended, and now the seller says she is unable to change/lower it, because she gets the message that the item can only be ivoiced and shipped using the Global Shipping Program I would love to help her out (I feel she's not trying to cancel the auction because she doesn't like the final price, but she really doesn't know how this should be done), but I have never tried selling on eBay, and thus I don't know if/how it can be done. I have tried to do a search via Google, but I only found old discussions. I do know this was possible to modify/send a new invoice earlier, but things could have changed. Could you please help us out with this issue?

Thank you for your help in advance!

[Icecrystalline]

Yes, when they send you an invoice they can adjust the postage x

[Loona]

thank you for the reply Icecrystalline! this is exactly what I found, but only in topics that were at least half a year old, so I wasn't sure the information was still up to date.

does it work the same way for overseas auctions as well? I don't see why there would be a difference (especially because import charges, if ther are any, are calculated separately), but still... I'm just trying to find the logic in the whole situation... and I'm a little freaked out, because I was so happy when I won, and I'd be sad to see the purchase get cancelled*

*up to the point that I'm thinking that if the adjustment is not possible/the seller won't do it I might just accept the original, higher postage. though I really don't feel like paying almost twice the price (almost $42 instead of $26), especially because the package, coming from overseas, might get additional taxes as well.

[hathorcat]

Within the Global Shipping Program she cant change it - the price is calculated for her by ebay and therefore your seller is telling you the truth. If she was shipping out with the GSP she would be able to amend the invoice with a different shipping total.

I believe there is a way around it but it was a loop hole which could since have been changed. I think if you send her a request for an invoice, then that disables the GSP and she should be able to send an invoice with the different shipping total. If you do this you need to let your seller know she is opting out of GSP and therefore may be loosing her ability to track the item [depending on how she is shipping it] and she is taking on liability for non delivery.

I hope someone can confirm one way or the other if the latter is still possible or not. 

[Vertefae]

Sounds like a difference of shipping EMS vs Priority. She could also refund you the over charge on shipping as well.

[ponybanker]

hathrocat is right, I had this happen as well with the global shipping program. Well i originally said i wouldnt not ship to outside us but then told someone it was ok, but because i origially said no in the listing it wouldnt let me change it. So i had to relist item and change to global shipping program so the transaction could go through, it was a pain lol.

[ponylady]

Oh the good ole Global Shipping Program strikes again!!!

I know awhile back you were able to as a seller, even after the auction ended, change the shipping.  Here is a quote from a previous thread from Mikeysgrrl and Baby Mischief on how they got around it.

OMG! I think I found the answer in the last thread!
Here is a qoute from MikeysGrrrl:

- Navigate to your "Purchase History"

- Locate the item that you purchased from madseizon

- Click on the link that says "1 bid" (located to the right of the winning bid amount)
- Find your winning bid and click "More Actions"
- Then select "Request total"

- Confirm the items and your address on the next screen and continue

 

By following these instructions, your seller will be able to issue an invoice with the shipping cost for the service they choose. This may lead to lower prices and/or more convenience for you and the seller.

I just did this and I think it worked, now I am just waiting for a response from the seller!

Post Merge: February 05, 2014, 11:31:08 AM

UPDATE:
It worked!!! So if you are ever in my situation, just follow the steps and everything will work out, no need calling ebay or relist the item! Im so happy!

[Loona]

thank you for your helpful advice hathorcat, and ponylady! also, thank you very much for digging up the guidelines for me

unfortunately earlier during the day the seller has sent me a message stating that in this situation it might be easier for both of us to cancel the purchase. later I received another message from her (together with a cancelation notification from eBay) saying she has contacted eBay who guided her through the cancelation process, and ensured her that it won't ruin our reputation. I'm happy to hear this, still, I'd really love to have what I won instead of a cancelation - especially now that there might be a proper way out. so I still tried out what ponylady suggested, and (as I haven't yet responded to the cancelation) I was able to request a total from the seller now I will have to wait and see what happens - and what the seller's final intention is. I guess in this state it should be possible for her to send me a new invoice - but it might also happen that she has already decided in her mind that she doesn't want to go through this aucion, and would still go with cancelation. I really hope this is not the case - please keep your fingers crossed for me

ETA: whoa! I have just noticed that she has relisted the auction with my country on the "Doesn't ship to" list, moreover, there already is a bidder :O now I really don't know what to do or how to feel...
I thought of the prices during the day and came to the conclusion that I might be OK even with the original shipping. the other one sure sounded better, but it would still be a good deal with the higher one. now it makes me wonder what would happen if I rejected the cancelation and paid for the original price&shipping...

[Ringlets]

I'm so sorry   If your seller has relisted the item and blocked your country it looks like she is not going to work this out with you which is a real shame. I hate the GSP. Its much easier for a seller to send a new invoice/change the shipping amount without it. I dont know if that other method of getting around it  still works - it was definitely worth a try , but I dont think your seller is going to go with it. I hope I'm wrong

[Loona]

I'm sorry for the long silence, and the late update

the seller never sent me another invoice, but wrote me a last message instead, repeating that it would be better to cancel the auction, and that eBay told her she can relist the auction after canceling. she also wrote that she decided not to ship internationally due to health issues.
now, I am also a human, and am empathic, but right now I am also a disappointed human, and in this state of mine this situation is a little strange. first, I suspect she must have misunderstood something, because I can't really believe eBay told her to relist after she cancelled. it takes two - what if I paid the higher price? as long as I don't agree, che can't cancel on her own. also, I know sudden health issues do happen, but such bad timings are only so very common in online peer-to-peer transactions 

in the end I did cancel the transaction. however, before that I contacted eBay via live chat, and discussed the issue with them. they told me my reputation will not be effected either ways. on the other hand, the seller's is likely to be, as I was right: she broke a rule by relisting while I didn't yet agree to the cancelation, so she will be investigated. they told me that as long as I don't agree to cancel I am still entitled to the item, but they also told me even though she would have to sell the lot to me, eBay can't force her to do this - and they also agreed with my suspicion: she seems to have already decided in her mind that she does not want to sell to me.
after this I cancelled, however, stating that I do not agree with it, and I am disappointed by her handling the situation.

the second listing has since ended too, and - both to my delight and sadness - it ended with a lower price than my winning bid. I am sad, because I would have been so happy to get the lot (not to mention, in the meanwhile I let two other similar-themed lots go, assuming I already have this and thus don't need more), and at least I could have been a little relieved, had the price creeped up to an amount I wouldn't have been willing to pay. but I am also "happy", because I hope this (getting less money for the lot and the investigation because of the relisting) taught her a lesson, and noone else will have the possibility of coming out disappointed from a transaction with her.

now, speaking of diappointing, I'm not sure, as I haven't actually tried to, but it seems despite the cancelation I still have the possibility to give her feedback. do you think it is possible? if it is, would you give feedback to her in my place? what kind of feedback would you give?