I have all the remaining items from my recent trade/sale now posted on ebay (some ended last night, most tonight).

I am willing to ship anywhere, but I very clearly state requirements for international shipping in every auction.  I specifically note that it's probably a good idea to contact me and that shipping options are not negotiable.

I receive a question about shipping costs for a few items.  I weigh them, figure out the combinations and reply with the different costs.  Potential buyer acknowledges this and says thanks.

Then, last night, about TEN MINUTES before the auctions ended (I wasn't watching them), I received these two messages from the potential buyer:

I hope you are following your auctions.
I have missed the box set, and i don't understand why you can't ship the two modules, and even with the other module I think it would be OK, in a 12,95USD flat rate enveloppe ???
30USD to ship two modules it's a lot of money when I can get the same thing for 12,95 USD.

Thnaks if you can answer to give me the posibility to bid

AND

I take a risk biding : I would like you to cancell my bid if you can't ship with enveloppes



And of course this guy wins two modules.  And shipping to Europe by an insurable method is simply not cheap - he was fine with my price quotes a few days ago...

So do I:

1. Cancel his bids and see if I can recover fees from ebay

2. Explain that his bid is a contract and "force" him to stick to it (likely ends up being the same result as #1)

3. Something else



(And for any who may wonder - shipping quotes are USPS by the least expensive INSURABLE method.  I'm not shipping overseas to someone I don't know without tracking/insurance.  I may as well throw the books in the trash at that point.)

Thanks!

TheHistorian wrote:I have all the remaining items from my recent trade/sale now posted on ebay (some ended last night, most tonight).

I am willing to ship anywhere, but I very clearly state requirements for international shipping in every auction.  I specifically note that it's probably a good idea to contact me and that shipping options are not negotiable.

I receive a question about shipping costs for a few items.  I weigh them, figure out the combinations and reply with the different costs.  Potential buyer acknowledges this and says thanks.

Then, last night, about TEN MINUTES before the auctions ended (I wasn't watching them), I received these two messages from the potential buyer:

I hope you are following your auctions.
I have missed the box set, and i don't understand why you can't ship the two modules, and even with the other module I think it would be OK, in a 12,95USD flat rate enveloppe ???
30USD to ship two modules it's a lot of money when I can get the same thing for 12,95 USD.

Thnaks if you can answer to give me the posibility to bid

AND

I take a risk biding : I would like you to cancell my bid if you can't ship with enveloppes



And of course this guy wins two modules.  And shipping to Europe by an insurable method is simply not cheap - he was fine with my price quotes a few days ago...

So do I:

1. Cancel his bids and see if I can recover fees from ebay

2. Explain that his bid is a contract and "force" him to stick to it (likely ends up being the same result as #1)

3. Something else



(And for any who may wonder - shipping quotes are USPS by the least expensive INSURABLE method.  I'm not shipping overseas to someone I don't know without tracking/insurance.  I may as well throw the books in the trash at that point.)

Thanks!

Cancel the bids, explain the situation to the guy, and block him (and let us know who he is so we can do the same).
If you force him to follow through, he'll just hammer your feedback (or worst, do a chargeback on the items when they reach him).

Mike B.

Who is the bidder?

It's difficult to tell but it looks to me from the context like the fella was bidding on a box set and two modules was happy with combined shipping for all three but the box set ended first and he lost it.

Therefore he emailed TheHistorian with the question about the shipping of just the two modules.

That explains the fact the email went with 10 minutes to go.

If that is the case, and if not I apologise, then I have more sympathy with the buyer.  If you are still not happy to ship in an envelope I'd explain exactly why you take the view you do and give him the option of paying the full postage or cancelling the bids.