Ok...am I wrong here?

[pdiggitydogg]

Recently Ive been unloaded all the parts in the garage that Im not using....making a little extra money.

I sell a headlight to this guy in IA and the shipping ends up being $3 more than what the estimating calc said it would be (I used fedex estimate calc) - $15 instead of $12 fedex ground.

So, as with ALL my sales to others, I asked the buyer to send me "another $3, please, to cover the difference." He got pissed and basically says that Im way out of line to do that...

So....thats not wrong is it? I mean this is the 1st time this has happened and no one else before this ever had a problem (and I ship TONS of crap...my pakmail knows who I am and what I tend to ship).

Oh, and I make it a practice to tell buyers that "If shipping comes out to be more than $1 less than what I said, I will refund the money the same way you paid me." Thats good practice right? Its not like the guy should feel that he's being ripped off for several measily $. Everyone before him always tells me to "forget it, its not important"...but they get it anyways.
(Yes, I offered to show the receipt...I got more shit.)

I know Im probably SOL on this money...but I just want to ask you all if its "Out of line" to ask for them to cover the shipping...its not like it goes to me or anything...

[MAXed Out]

I wouldnt really make a great deal out of it like he did but once u told him a fixed price i wouldnt go back and tell him ooh u owe me more money it kinda sounds cheesy. But thats my 2 cents.

How important is $3 to you?

I already know you are cheap. If he's not a teen the time it takes to send you another $3 is literally not worth it. Suck up the $3 as a cost of doing business... plain and simple!

[GT40FIED]

From a practical standpoint, it depends on how much you sold the stuff for. If it was anything over $20 or $30 I would've chipped in the extra $$ just to keep things going smoothly. If it was less, I would've done what you did. I'm currently hosting an auction for my ex-sister in law's wedding and engagement rings for my brother (he got them back and wants them gone). He's asking for at least $3K for the pair (cost him $6K combined) and someone inquired about shipping. His reply to me was "tell them to pay for it". I promptly smacked him verbally and told him that the $20 shipping + insurance would cost him won't be a huge dent out of his take of it.

From an ethical and/or business standpoint, I would always do what you did. He has the right to get pissed and not buy it, but you're obviously not going through all of the motions to pay money out of your own pocket. I've had companies flat out tell me before that, although I bought a product at a certain price, they couldn't honor the price since it was lower than it shoud've been. I didn't pay the extra amount and avoided them afterwords, but I get where they're coming from. If I'm selling something I'm not looking to lose money whether it be from shipping or whatever.

All in all...I don't think it was completely unreasonable of you to ask for the extra $3. I mean shit...it's $3. But depending on how much you sold the stuff for I might have let it go and cursed Fed Ex (which I do anyway) for giving me the wrong amount. I always try to use the USPS anyway. Accurate estimates and if some sort of fraud occurs it becomes a federal crime.

Originally posted by GT40FIED
From a practical standpoint, it depends on how much you sold the stuff for. If it was anything over $20 or $30 I would've chipped in the extra $$ just to keep things going smoothly. If it was less, I would've done what you did. I'm currently hosting an auction for my ex-sister in law's wedding and engagement rings for my brother (he got them back and wants them gone). He's asking for at least $3K for the pair (cost him $6K combined) and someone inquired about shipping. His reply to me was "tell them to pay for it". I promptly smacked him verbally and told him that the $20 shipping + insurance would cost him won't be a huge dent out of his take of it.

From an ethical and/or business standpoint, I would always do what you did. He has the right to get pissed and not buy it, but you're obviously not going through all of the motions to pay money out of your own pocket. I've had companies flat out tell me before that, although I bought a product at a certain price, they couldn't honor the price since it was lower than it shoud've been. I didn't pay the extra amount and avoided them afterwords, but I get where they're coming from. If I'm selling something I'm not looking to lose money whether it be from shipping or whatever.

All in all...I don't think it was completely unreasonable of you to ask for the extra $3. I mean shit...it's $3. But depending on how much you sold the stuff for I might have let it go and cursed Fed Ex (which I do anyway) for giving me the wrong amount. I always try to use the USPS anyway. Accurate estimates and if some sort of fraud occurs it becomes a federal crime.

that answer is worth $5... since we're talking about $3 here I want the extra $2... can you pay it via paypal? Its cheap of you to pin him down for $3 and after a second read unless you said shipping might be more, you're SOL. If anything he could claim you upped the price and rate you poorly on ebay and then you'll have trouble selling something later.

[pdiggitydogg]

Ok...
Never did I DEMAND for $3. I asked if he could please send it. Meaning I would take a "No" if they really felt strongly about it...which is the case and thats fine.

the light was about $40 by the end and for that price I certainly think that $3 is justified.

Biker what makes you say Im already cheap? I tell everyone that if they send too much they will be refunded...never that it "may be more" No, this was not ebay. And as I wrote here and told him, I offered to show the receipt...proof of cost. So there is no question in the amount. Of the hundred some odd online transactions Ive done, ebay and not, this is the first time Ive had an issue about this - everyone else always agrees to it, understanding the situation, and forwards the extra $2+

[ebpda9]

i wouldn't even bother. after all it was your fault you gave him a wrong quote

[pdiggitydogg]

Well then I should just add 20% to estimates from fedex from now on then, I guess...as thats what seems to be the avg difference (went over old receipts just now)

[thermal]

That is why I try to avoid shipping shit. I prefer selling stuff to local peeps, unless the person wants to pick it up. I used to sell stuff on ebay but I always end up getting screwed over on shipping.

There's this fag who lives 2 hours from me and trying to buy something from me. I paid $85 brand new for the item. he wants the item but is not willing to pay $85 for it... shipped! What a punk. I just got fed up and told him to find the item somewhere else...... and this item normally cost $105

[GT40FIED]

Originally posted by pdiggitydogg
Well then I should just add 20% to estimates from fedex from now on then, I guess...as thats what seems to be the avg difference (went over old receipts just now)

Some people do that...and it's kind of annoying. Yes...please let me pay $5 for you to ship me a DVD when in actuality it costs you $1 or $2. I ALWAYS overestimate my packages with shipping calculators by about an inch and 1/2 a pound. If the difference is over a dollar, I stick the amount in an envelope inside the package (and use some of that "if package has been opened inspect contents" tape that I "borrowed" from work) with a note that tells them that was what was overpaid in shipping. Or just stop using Fed Ex. Another option would be to ship him the thing at the price you quoted but with a slower mailing process (like regular ground instead of priority or something like that).

[pdiggitydogg]

well see I really like fedex over usps and ups
fedex is more reliable and theyre quicker (I guess their calc just blows)

I guess I'll just factor in 20% and then do the refund thing more often than I have. Its probably nicer...

[nonovurbizniz]

FLAT SHIPPING RATES OWN YOU....

Don't EVER EVER EVER give someone a straight shipping price... up it by 5-10 bucks and tell them it's for your time and effort... if they don't like it F off...

People (especially individuals buying parts for their own cars) are CHEAP A$$holes...

I sell used parts through mostly free adds that individuals respond to... and I'm SICK AND TIRED OF IT...

People are penny pinching loosers who think that the loss of their sale is somehow going to kill you...

When people starting picking over crap like that I just tell them either say ok or say goodbye... I don't really care.

But if I quoted someone a price on shipping and it turned out to be more I would suck up the difference and not ask them for it afterwards... especially if I had already shipped it... tell them before you ship it or don't tell them at all...

[94_AcCoRd_EX]

I sell LOTS of stuff over the internet, and I'd never ask someone to make up the difference after I quoted them a $$$ value. Sure, I've lost some money every now and then (recently sold a computer case and charged $20 shipping and it cost me $30), but I already quoted a price.

I've had people offer to make up the difference after asking how much the shipping actually was, but it was my mistake, not theirs.