How to Send Free Postage for eBay Items I Just Sold

LRoadZilla on 30/05/2021 - 22:19
Last edited 01/06/2021 - 13:01

I just sold an unwanted item on Ebay. I had put the local pickup only but I guess the buyer missed it.
This item was on sale from quite a long time. It literally gaining dust at my home. Since I made it local pickup, I only quoted the product price which is my cost price.

Now if I have to post it free to buyer address, how do I do it? I don't want to cancel this purchase, but posting to buyer will make me sell the product in a loss. Its literally in brand new mint condition.

If I tell the buyer, or ask more money for postage, I think they will just cancel the purchase.

Please advise.

EDIT - The items was set to Local Pickup only. Not free postage was selected. However, the buyer still gave shipping address.

General Discussion

Comments

  • pharkurnell on 30/05/2021 - 22:25
    +2

    Go for a drive and drop it off… most courier companies or places like aussie post dont send things free

    • KSMLJ on 31/05/2021 - 08:20
      +7

      Most?

      I think you will find that ALL of them actually want money for this.

      Can you believe the nerve?

  • bazingaa on 30/05/2021 - 22:30
    +2

    message buyer mentioning the real situation, may be he will send postage to your paypal.
    what is the weight and size of the item ? if it is around A4 size and 5kg, the postage including the bag would be around $10

  • MeesusEff on 30/05/2021 - 22:30
    +2

    711 does $5 parcel Mondays

  • bmerigan on 30/05/2021 - 23:10
    +38

    This is such a ridiculous question for a grown adult to be asking.
    Nobody is going to deliver it for you for free.
    Contact the buyer and ask them to either pick it up or pay the postage.

    • Porker on 31/05/2021 - 06:35
      +4

      Sign off the times unfortunately.

      • djkelly69 on 31/05/2021 - 08:30
        +3

        Sign off the times

        Very true

        • Porker on 31/05/2021 - 10:05
          +1

          Yikes - I blame that on typing on phone.

          • SF3 on 31/05/2021 - 21:57
            +2

            @Porker:

            I blame

            Sign of the times unfortunately.

  • SF3 on 30/05/2021 - 23:15
    +5

    You can't have your cake and eat it too 🎻

    • pjetson on 31/05/2021 - 09:16

      Isn't it "you can't eat your cake and have it too"?

  • Muzeeb on 30/05/2021 - 23:39
    +4

    Just minimise your loss and look upon it as recycling the item to someone who will make use of it.

  • raptormesh on 31/05/2021 - 01:04
    +10

    The calculus is simple. Tell the buyer it'll cost $ to ship it as it was for pick up. If they don't want to pay then you need to decide if you want to sell it at a loss. If you don't then transaction is over.

    There's no free cake.

  • Daabido on 31/05/2021 - 05:31

    Ask Anonymous to post it for you?

  • summit on 31/05/2021 - 07:10
    +1

    Surely if you put it down as local pickup only then they can pay up for the postage cost since its their mistake.

  • bloom on 31/05/2021 - 07:52
    +2

    I feel for you man, I’ll come pick it up and drop it off for free 👍
    No tracking soz

  • Hithere on 31/05/2021 - 08:32
    +1

    posting to buyer will make me sell the product in a loss

    Either contact buyer and point out that the item was pickup only and ask them what they want to do or cancel the sale.

    Buyer may be perfectly aware that it's pickup only and is trying to put one over on you.

  • Ocker on 31/05/2021 - 09:00
    +2

    Just message the buyer pointing out they elected pick-up of the item and ask them to contact you to arrange a suitable time.
    Put the item to one side and wait for them to contact you.
    Coincidentally we had a buyer finally make contact today requesting an invoice for the postage, some 2 months after the sale.

  • sparkles on 31/05/2021 - 09:15

    You made an error. Contact the buyer and give them the chance to cancel, or wear the postage cost and learn a lesson.

    • FireRunner on 31/05/2021 - 10:37
      +1

      It might have been the buyer's error depending on whether the listing specified local pickup only

      • sparkles on 31/05/2021 - 11:30
        +2

        True, if PICK UP ONLY was the only option offered. However if he also had the option of FREE POSTAGE on the listing, then he/she really must wear it.

  • FocusRider on 31/05/2021 - 09:22

    Can't people think for themselves these days?

    • onetwothreefour on 31/05/2021 - 11:39
      +1

      Not sure, can you google that for me?

  • bmerigan on 31/05/2021 - 09:28
    +2

    Similar has happened to me before. Had it listed as pickup and a person in a different country bought it.
    I contacted them - it was a mistake. Cancelled and relisted, no big deal. Certainly not an issue worthy of a forum post.

  • JimmyF on 31/05/2021 - 10:02
    +3

    Now if I have to post it free to buyer address, how do I do it?

    There is no such thing as 'free' postage. The cost of postage has to be paid by the sender one way or another.

    So all these 'free' postage items you see have the price increased to cover postage.

    I sell an item on fleebay, the ~$9 in postage is covered in the BIN price of the item, as the buys love 'free' postage.

    $22 item with free postage always seems cheaper than $13 item + $9 postage!

    I had put the local pickup only but I guess the buyer missed it.

    You must have ticked the free postage option at some point. The buyer can't just randomly turn this on from their end.

    Explain to the buyer you screwed up, and maybe split the postage costs with them.

  • FloatingPoint on 31/05/2021 - 10:20
    +3

    Post it on scumtree gumtree asking someone to provide a 'free delivery' for you.
    I believe someone will quickly come and pick up the parcel.

    I'm keen to see your next post 'Sent the ebay parcel for free but buyer say they never receive it. Please advise'.

  • FireRunner on 31/05/2021 - 10:33
    +2

    Was the listing actually set to local pickup only? If so, the error is on the buyer's part.
    Either ask them to cover the cost of postage or cancel the listing and repost.
    If it was set to free post then either absorb the cost of postage or cancel the item and risk receiving negative feedback.

  • jason101 on 31/05/2021 - 10:56
    +2

    I blame eBay for this, they instill a culture into buyers that postage should be free - which then translates into newbie sellers thinking that postage is free somehow. ie. The value of postage is now zero in buyers eyes, it is an expectation that all items should be delivered free. I don't want to get on my box (again) but eBay sellers PAY for postage and they also pay 15% ebay fees effectively on top of the postage they pay (as the gross sale price has ebay fees applied), add GST to this (which effectively also has the 15% ebay fee applied to the taxes sellers collect on behalf of the government) and we all wonder why eBay isn't as competitive as it used to be from a buyers perspective. Coupled with Australia Post's excessive non fixed delivery charges on standard satchels ("fixed price" satchels now have variable postage charges for business clients) and everyone wonders why eBay is filled with bulk listed direct from China delivery items - which ironically and counterintuitively have their postage subsidised by the Australian tax payer. The system is broken.

    • sparkles on 31/05/2021 - 11:38
      +1

      eBay made a gross error when they started charging fees on postage costs. It's when eBay displayed zero ethics towards honest sellers and made these same sellers realise they were being played for fools.

      • Ughhh on 31/05/2021 - 11:44
        +3

        A lot of sellers were listing their product for 99c and putting 99% of the item cost into postage to reduce paying the fees.

  • Marcsie on 31/05/2021 - 11:05
    +2

    lol, just can’t believe you asked for advice for an issue like this !

  • psdillon on 31/05/2021 - 14:14
    +2

    You just have to go into the order and click the "Send for Free" button, which is located between the "Fair Dispute Resolution" and "Talk to a Real Person" buttons.

    Seriously though, with the fees ebay charge, and the little they spend on service/categorisation/scam-prevention, they could easily handle the shipping and still make a killing.

  • pjetson on 31/05/2021 - 14:16
    +2

    I just sold an unwanted item on Ebay. I had put the local pickup only but I guess the buyer missed it.

    Just send the buyer an email that says that the item is now available to be picked up.

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