ebay question

**.a.t.** · 03-16-2015, 09:09 PM

Last night I won an ebay auction for a third party, 35mm film camera lot. Nothing spectacular, nothing very valuable. My winning bid was under $15. Both the seller and I live in the U.S. and shipping was listed as being free.

Today, the seller sent me a message saying there was a mistake in the listing and a shipping cost of $11 should have been included. Seller says if I don't want to pay for shipping, they will refund my purchase price.

What do you think about this? Does the seller have a legal or moral obligation to fulfill this order?

Because the seller has very good feedback and because I don't really need the stuff I won, I'm inclined to let the seller "off the hook" and just accept a refund. But, I was hoping to hear some of your opinions before I make a decision.

Tim

tim60 · 03-16-2015, 09:21 PM

I think under the eBay Ts&Cs the seller has both legal and moral obligation to fulfil.

BUT given the rest of your story it seems like it might be more than the stuff is worth to you to go to the effort of raising a complaint UNLESS in the process of reversing the transaction the seller tries to tarnish your record by making it appear as your change of mind.

vonBaloney · 03-16-2015, 09:27 PM

Well, I don't know about a *legal* obligation, but within the confines of ebay yes I guess so. He's risking justified negative feedback. It is probably an honest mistake (considering it will probably take at least $12 to ship a package with a camera body in it) but who knows? I mean, if I accidentally listed something for $10 that was worth $1000, I sure wouldn't be sending it out for ten bucks even though I made a stupid mistake. I'd just apologize. But If I made an $11 mistake I'd probably just eat it. If I were you and actually wanted the stuff, I'd offer them $6 for shipping as a compromise...

**.a.t.** · 03-16-2015, 10:40 PM

Thanks for the input, guys.

@tim60
Yeah, I think it would be more trouble than it's worth for me to argue with the seller about this. I don't wish for them to lose money on the deal, but I think they should honor our bargain.

@vonBaloney
We're on the same page. I'll think about offering to split the shipping cost.
Actually, the seller may be doing me a favor by helping to curb my LBA!

**csa** · 03-17-2015, 04:26 PM

Originally posted by .a.t.

I'll think about offering to split the shipping cost.

I think this is very fair; if the seller doesn't want to go along with this, shame on him as it was his error in the first place.

**.a.t.** · 03-17-2015, 10:40 PM

Originally posted by csa

I think this is very fair; if the seller doesn't want to go along with this, shame on him as it was his error in the first place.

Thanks, csa.

I decided to offer to split shipping and the seller agreed. They seemed sincere about their mistake, and they have excellent feedback, so I don't believe they're a scammer.

Also, I waded through ebay's help pages and I think I have an answer to my question about a seller's obligation to honor a winning bid:
Ebay can't force an unwilling seller to follow through on a transaction. So, it sounds like the best a buyer could do is leave negative feedback and give poor Detailed Seller Ratings.

**csa** · 03-18-2015, 07:13 AM

I'm glad it worked out for both parties!

03-16-2015, 09:09 PM	#1
.a.t. Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: yesterday Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,261	ebay question Last night I won an ebay auction for a third party, 35mm film camera lot. Nothing spectacular, nothing very valuable. My winning bid was under $15. Both the seller and I live in the U.S. and shipping was listed as being free. Today, the seller sent me a message saying there was a mistake in the listing and a shipping cost of $11 should have been included. Seller says if I don't want to pay for shipping, they will refund my purchase price. What do you think about this? Does the seller have a legal or moral obligation to fulfill this order? Because the seller has very good feedback and because I don't really need the stuff I won, I'm inclined to let the seller "off the hook" and just accept a refund. But, I was hoping to hear some of your opinions before I make a decision. Tim

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03-16-2015, 09:21 PM	#2
tim60 Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2011 Photos: Albums Posts: 8,745	I think under the eBay Ts&Cs the seller has both legal and moral obligation to fulfil. BUT given the rest of your story it seems like it might be more than the stuff is worth to you to go to the effort of raising a complaint UNLESS in the process of reversing the transaction the seller tries to tarnish your record by making it appear as your change of mind.

03-16-2015, 09:27 PM	#3
vonBaloney Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 6,029	Well, I don't know about a legal obligation, but within the confines of ebay yes I guess so. He's risking justified negative feedback. It is probably an honest mistake (considering it will probably take at least $12 to ship a package with a camera body in it) but who knows? I mean, if I accidentally listed something for $10 that was worth $1000, I sure wouldn't be sending it out for ten bucks even though I made a stupid mistake. I'd just apologize. But If I made an $11 mistake I'd probably just eat it. If I were you and actually wanted the stuff, I'd offer them $6 for shipping as a compromise...

03-16-2015, 10:40 PM	#4
.a.t. Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: yesterday Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,261 Original Poster	Thanks for the input, guys. @tim60 Yeah, I think it would be more trouble than it's worth for me to argue with the seller about this. I don't wish for them to lose money on the deal, but I think they should honor our bargain. @vonBaloney We're on the same page. I'll think about offering to split the shipping cost. Actually, the seller may be doing me a favor by helping to curb my LBA!

03-17-2015, 04:26 PM	#5
csa Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Montana mountains Posts: 10,133	Originally posted by .a.t. I'll think about offering to split the shipping cost. I think this is very fair; if the seller doesn't want to go along with this, shame on him as it was his error in the first place.

03-17-2015, 10:40 PM	#6
.a.t. Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: yesterday Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,261 Original Poster	Originally posted by csa I think this is very fair; if the seller doesn't want to go along with this, shame on him as it was his error in the first place. Thanks, csa. I decided to offer to split shipping and the seller agreed. They seemed sincere about their mistake, and they have excellent feedback, so I don't believe they're a scammer. Also, I waded through ebay's help pages and I think I have an answer to my question about a seller's obligation to honor a winning bid: Ebay can't force an unwilling seller to follow through on a transaction. So, it sounds like the best a buyer could do is leave negative feedback and give poor Detailed Seller Ratings.

03-18-2015, 07:13 AM	#7
csa Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Montana mountains Posts: 10,133	I'm glad it worked out for both parties!