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delsant2

Active member
May 29, 2010
323
172
Howdy all,

So I recently purchased a card off eBay. I made an offer for what I thought the card was worth (being it is my PC guy and I am familiar with the general market for his cards). The seller, who had it listed pretty high, came down to meet me at half their original asking price, which might still be slightly overpaying, had the card been at auction. Anyway, I was happy enough. The card cost me $6.50, with an additional $2.66 shipping (the standard paypal shipping amount for a padded envelop). I received the card yesterday, shipped fairly quickly, which was nice. The card arrived in a plain white envelop, well packaged enough considering. Luckily, the card was not damaged. I get it, didn't make as much as you wanted off the card itself, so throw it in a PWE, slap one stamp on and shove it in the mail...profit an extra $2. I don't agree with it, but I understand why someone might do that.

Regarding feedback, what are your thoughts? I think a flat negative might be too harsh. Neutral perhaps? I am not sure what to do. To make sure there wasn't just an honest mistake, I reached out to the seller. Just letting him/her know what had happened, and that I was a smidge confused about the shipping price vs what I received. Asked for perhaps a small refund of some of the shipping costs. I think I sent a very kind and non accusatory message. Of course, feedback will depend on the response, if any, but just wanted to ask the community's thoughts. Am I making too big a deal out of this? Should I just let it slide? Leave positive feedback (and perhaps just fewer stars regarding shipping price)?

Appreciate everyone's input!

Cheers,

Mark
 

BamKat

Member
Jan 23, 2015
75
0
You received the card! It's all good. You don't have to leave any feedback. He is the one taking the risk because he has no way of tracking it and he has no backup if someone says they never received it.


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AnthonyCorona

Well-known member
Oct 6, 2014
9,600
68
Modesto, CA
I hate when sellers do that, unfortunately most members don't see an issue so sellers continue to do it

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mhcook

Member
Feb 22, 2011
165
1
You received the card! It's all good. You don't have to leave any feedback. He is the one taking the risk because he has no way of tracking it and he has no backup if someone says they never received it.


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I agree with this. Plus the seller loses everything if it is damaged.

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caster513

Member
Jul 16, 2013
440
0
Cincinnati, OH
Yea I understand paying for shipping, but if you are willing to pay X amount of dollars for the card and you receive it with no problems. I don't see how you could leave a neg/neutral. Like others have said the seller is taking the risk.
 

mrmopar

Member
Jan 19, 2010
6,169
4,057
Bottom line is that feedback is designed to hear people's experience about their transactions. Was the deal done through eBay or off eBay? I can't tell from how you worded it. It may not matter a great deal, but it could indicate how much (or little) comes out of your overall purchase price. Ebay fees, PayPal fees, actual shipping cost, etc.

Considering a padded mailer is now $3.50 for postage (although if you do it through eBay, it's cheaper - just not sure how much), a seller is losing money or close to it at $2.66. Still, that is gouging if their plan is to use a PWE. Honestly, I can live with a PWE but if I pay anything over about 75 cents, I feel cheated by that approach. I charge exact shipping for my listings, when I sell, so I expect the same from most sellers and clearly that is not the norm.

So, back to your question...the original cost is irrelevant if the seller agreed to a new total, so your feedback should be based on how you feel you were treated for this transaction and what you paid for shipping compared to how it was shipped. Did the seller treat you fairly or were they trying to get over on you? Sounds like it was an all around win for you EXCEPT for the cost of shipping. If the method was not discussed, I would personally still leave positive feedback and may ding a star or two on shipping cost (if you even have the chance). Some seller feedback doesn't allow a rating for shipping cost and it always seems to be those guys who overcharge for shipping. What is up with that?
 

swish54_99

Well-known member
Dec 12, 2012
1,160
221
I've personally never looked at a sellers stars when deciding to buy from them....does anybody? So by dining those, I don't think it'll do anything to other potential buyers. I glance at their feedback if it's not 100% to see what happened.

I've had this happen to me too. In my instance, they did clearly say in the listing that they would charge $5 to mail, so I factored in the shipping cost in my offer. It did come in a bubble mailer at least but nothing $5 worth. I sent them a nice message asking why so much on shipping and asked for half of a refund on shipping cost. Got the usual response of "well I had to factor in my time, gas, materials, blah blah." I could tell they didn't really sell much, but mostly just bought on ebay. So I just rolled my eyes at it, took a deep breath and moved on, not leaving any feedback. Is it a little shady to do this, yeah sure...everyone knows why you're (the seller) doing it. Just doesn't feel right to have it done to you. If anything, I'd either not leave feedback or leave positive and just say something in the comment about charging $2.66 to mail and it showed up in a pwe.
 

WizardofOz1982

Well-known member
Sep 30, 2017
1,733
1,498
Oklahoma
You got the card at a price you were comfortable with and it was undamaged. It sounds like the seller worked with you to get to that price so communication for that part was probably decent. I'd leave positive feedback but shipping cost would be 2-3 stars and my comment would mention that I was charged bubble mailer price for a PWE. I might ding a star for communication too depending on whether or not you were led to believe it would be a bubble mailer by anything other than the price.


Considering a padded mailer is now $3.50 for postage (although if you do it through eBay, it's cheaper - just not sure how much), a seller is losing money or close to it at $2.66. Still, that is gouging if their plan is to use a PWE. Honestly, I can live with a PWE but if I pay anything over about 75 cents, I feel cheated by that approach. I charge exact shipping for my listings, when I sell, so I expect the same from most sellers and clearly that is not the norm.

A bubble mailer through PayPal/eBay is $2.66. I don't mind PWE either but like you I expect to pay $0.75-$1.00 in shipping (or free shipping) if I know it's going to be PWE. I'd be, perhaps not really upset, but disappointed and would say something to the seller if I paid $3.50 for shipping and got a PWE. I charge pretty close to exact shipping too. Postage is $2.66. Figure $0.25 for mailer, soft sleeve, team bag, toploads, whatever and I just call it $3.00 to ship on something that will fit in a bubble mailer.
 

bstanwood

Well-known member
Sep 24, 2016
3,666
332
Mystic, CT
Happened to me several times, if the rest of the transaction is good I leave positive feedback but mark the stars down for shipping cost.
The only time I did anything else is when I won two cards and paid $5 for combined shipping and they came sandwiched between heavy card stock, no penny sleeve, no top loader, in a PWE, that was too much to stomach.
 

delsant2

Active member
May 29, 2010
323
172
All good points, thanks guys! And to answer one question, this was done through eBay. Your standard "buy-it-now or best offer" listing. Also, as of right now, the seller has not responded to my question.

I do understand that they are taking the risk by sending it that way. I could very easily say I never received the card, but that would be very dishonest.

I also totally understand that I was happy enough with the total I paid for the card, so to an extent, if the card arrives safe and sound, even if the guy just drove to my address, honked his horn and chucked the raw card out the window. To a degree, if it landed safe and sound, not a scratch, then no harm, no foul, even if that was an extreme example.

That said, I paid for a card, expecting it to be handled/shipped with a certain manner of care, and it was not. Got to me fine, but not in the way I was expecting, nor the way in which it was advertised on the listing. It just strikes me as kinda a deceitful/dishonest way to make an extra buck or two is all.

Ehh, all said and done here, I think I will wind up leaving positive feedback and note the PWE in my response, maybe ding the stars for high shipping costs compared to what was received. I understand that by me not leaving negative or anything actually impacting, this will not change some seller's ways of doing things, but I also don't want to necessarily make this into a bigger deal. Do very much appreciate the responses though! Thanks all!

Cheers,

Mark
 

dictoresno

Member
Sep 2, 2017
50
0
NJ
happened to me recently too. paid the $3.50 and auction stated it was gonna be a first class package. ended up arriving in a $0.70 PWE. I was pretty pissed, so I messaged the seller stating I was happy with the price I paid, but shipping in a PWE when it clearly stated first class and paid for it as well, was kinda scummy. they apologized and stated they made a mistake and were gonna refund me the difference. I made it clear that my messaging him wasn't to ask for a refund, but to let him know that as a seller it was a crappy thing to do and he should do what he thinks is right in this situation (refund me or not) and I would still leave him a positive since overall the transaction was good. well, he never refunded me nor left me feedback in return. POS. I should hit him with a return for the hell of it.
 

delsant2

Active member
May 29, 2010
323
172
happened to me recently too. paid the $3.50 and auction stated it was gonna be a first class package. ended up arriving in a $0.70 PWE. I was pretty pissed, so I messaged the seller stating I was happy with the price I paid, but shipping in a PWE when it clearly stated first class and paid for it as well, was kinda scummy. they apologized and stated they made a mistake and were gonna refund me the difference. I made it clear that my messaging him wasn't to ask for a refund, but to let him know that as a seller it was a crappy thing to do and he should do what he thinks is right in this situation (refund me or not) and I would still leave him a positive since overall the transaction was good. well, he never refunded me nor left me feedback in return. POS. I should hit him with a return for the hell of it.

Yeah man, that is frustrating for sure! And I hear ya, on wanting to return the card on principle. If you think it is an easy find again, then why not do it. Then again, sometimes you just want to keep the card and just chalk it up to "there are scummy folks out there and it is just disappointing". Good luck!
 

dictoresno

Member
Sep 2, 2017
50
0
NJ
Yeah man, that is frustrating for sure! And I hear ya, on wanting to return the card on principle. If you think it is an easy find again, then why not do it. Then again, sometimes you just want to keep the card and just chalk it up to "there are scummy folks out there and it is just disappointing". Good luck!

I think what pissed me off was he said he would refund but I said I wasn’t gonna ask outright and I wanted him to do what he thought was right. Jerk didn’t even respond back. I mean could’ve left s neutral or negative but gave him the benefit of the doubt he would do the right thing even after he admitted his error. Nope, scum. And I deleted the messages and forget which card on eBay it was. Oh well.


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Apr 13, 2010
206
1
You received the card! It's all good. You don't have to leave any feedback. He is the one taking the risk because he has no way of tracking it and he has no backup if someone says they never received it.
This. But definitely message the seller to include a note in their listing regarding their shipping practices.

I always specify how I'll ship the card in my eBay listings. For example, "The mini-sized card will be shipped in a penny sleeve, toploader, team bag, decoy, and bubble mailer." And I always ship the card exactly as I specified, even if I lose money.
 

delsant2

Active member
May 29, 2010
323
172
This. But definitely message the seller to include a note in their listing regarding their shipping practices.

I always specify how I'll ship the card in my eBay listings. For example, "The mini-sized card will be shipped in a penny sleeve, toploader, team bag, decoy, and bubble mailer." And I always ship the card exactly as I specified, even if I lose money.

You are a good dude! Couldn't agree more. Shipping is part of selling online, and when I do, I make sure to do it right, regardless of selling price. Maybe I am sensitive to it because I mainly buy online, so I make sure to package up the card(s) and treat a potential buyer as I would want to be treated....at least, that is more in the forefront of my mind.
 

forgerelli

Member
Apr 4, 2013
383
8
I expect to get what I pay for. If a sellers wants to ship in a PWE that's fine with me, but don't charge me $3 for it. I would leave at least a neutral and maybe a negative.
 
Jul 22, 2016
187
18
This is why I always use a bubble mailer with top loader in a team bag. I usually lose some money but since I don’t sell often it’s ok. No complaints so far. Selling sports cards puts you in contact with some of the most OCD folks in the nation. You have to be preemptive and foresee problems.


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