I'll Tell You How To Wrap And Send My Parcel, Part 2.

[wayjen]

This might have happened on a few occasion but 2 occasions come to mind.

Client purchases a product and we send email stating price with postage knowing full well it weighs xxxx and because of the amount of items it is not exactly a shoe box size but neither is it an envelope size. Buyer comes back and says they want it posted in such a way that the amount will cost R20.00 through the PO.

Because the client pays for packaging/postage do they have the right to dictate how the item must be packed and shipped?

Are Sellers T & C being broken when a Buyer dictates how postage/packaging must happen?

What happens if a Buyer asks for something to be sent the way they want it sent and it gets broken and or disappears?

What happens if we/Sellers say NO I will only send it this way for safety /security purposes and they are not happy with that?

[Tananka]

Hi Wayne

The way I see it, a buyer accepts your terms and conditions, including your postage options when bidding and buying.

They do not run your business so cannot dictate to you how to ship their items.

Stick to your guns, tell them for security and safety reasons, you only ship using the options that you provide. Any other shipping cannot guarantee that the item/s will arrive in a usable condition.

If they aren't happy with that, you can contact bidorbuy to mediate and advise the buyer that this is the way it's done.

[Not1CentMore]

Wayne,

Been there; done that....more times than I can count in the last nearly 10-years.

Received one of 'those' last night from Buyer who bid/won three items: "THIS CAN ALL BE SHIP TOGETHER. I WONT BE PAYING FOR 3 ITEM TO BE SHIPPED APPART. RE DO THIS COST WITH ONE SHIPPING" (this from a buyer with less than 40 positive and 10 negative ratings) even though first three words in each auction description reads: "Shipped Separately - No Combined Shipping" and under 'Shipping and Payment' tab: "Each item may ship from a different warehouse even if ordered from the same company. Items are invoiced individually and shipped separately and cannot be combined." In addition, under 'Shipping and Payment' tab: Shipping Details state R PER ITEM; no combined shipping offered.

My view (and mine only): Shipping terms are carefully noted not only once, but twice and Buyer, when placing a bid, is agreeing to ALL T&C, not just the one(s) they want to. A Buyer does NOT dictate payment or shipping terms. Sellers pay for offering their product / service on BoB (Promo, Enhancements, FVF)... not the Buyer. Until such time as Buyer wants to do the 'work' and 'pay the price' in time, effort, energy, headache, etc....

Buyer is NOT the Seller.

Ruthie

[wayjen]

Thanks Tananka, much appreciated.

[wayjen]

Wayne,

Been there; done that....more times than I can count in the last nearly 10-years.

Received one of 'those' last night from Buyer who bid/won three items: "THIS CAN ALL BE SHIP TOGETHER. I WONT BE PAYING FOR 3 ITEM TO BE SHIPPED APPART. RE DO THIS COST WITH ONE SHIPPING" (this from a buyer with less than 40 positive and 10 negative ratings) even though first three words in each auction description reads: "Shipped Separately - No Combined Shipping" and under 'Shipping and Payment' tab: "Each item may ship from a different warehouse even if ordered from the same company. Items are invoiced individually and shipped separately and cannot be combined." In addition, under 'Shipping and Payment' tab: Shipping Details state R PER ITEM; no combined shipping offered.

My view (and mine only): Shipping terms are carefully noted not only once, but twice and Buyer, when placing a bid, is agreeing to ALL T&C, not just the one(s) they want to. A Buyer does NOT dictate payment or shipping terms. Sellers pay for offering their product / service on BoB (Promo, Enhancements, FVF)... not the Buyer. Until such time as Buyer wants to do the 'work' and 'pay the price' in time, effort, energy, headache, etc....

Buyer is NOT the Seller.

Ruthie

Maybe in the future we can ask the Buyers to send us their packaging boxes/envelopes and whatever happens after that is their baby.

[Not1CentMore]

Maybe in the future we can ask the Buyers to send us their packaging boxes/envelopes and whatever happens after that is their baby.

Add to that (this side): foam wrap, bubble wrap, peanuts, air bags, brown paper and USPS approved brown tape to completely cover container (required by USPS for parcels to SA unless item will fit in USPS approved Global Priority box), self-addressed shipping / return label, appropriate Custom/Insurance Form (varies based on size, weight of parcel), gas money to drive 10-miles one way to closest Post Office or 18-miles one way to ship oversize parcels...

And a backwards running clock so I won't be using MY time to prepare and ship the parcel.

Ruthie

[wayjen]

Ruthie just tell everyone that you do collections only. The other option is put the parcels in your letterbox and lift the flag so USPS can come pick it up for you ( I saw that part in the movies).

[Not1CentMore]

Ruthie just tell everyone that you do collections only. The other option is put the parcels in your letterbox and lift the flag so USPS can come pick it up for you ( I saw that part in the movies).

Wayne,

There ya go....collection only. (slapping myself up alongside the head...why didn't I think of that?)

If only it were that simple; putting the parcel in the letterbox (mailbox) and letting the mail carrier collect it on his way through. Since 99% of the parcels shipped will NOT fit in the USPS approved mailbox, I guess I can either:

a. take a hammer and pound the blue blazes out of the container until it DOES fit (never mind the contents being 'smushed to smithereens), or
b. craft an oversize slingshot and as the carrier drives by....ready, aim, fire!

Ruthie

[oaks and acorns]

Add to that (this side): ... self-addressed shipping / return label, appropriate Custom/Insurance Form (varies based on size, weight of parcel), gas money to drive 10-miles one way to closest Post Office or 18-miles one way to ship oversize parcels...

And a backwards running clock so I won't be using MY time to prepare and ship the parcel.

Ruthie

When we lived in Morristown for a while (late 90's) I wanted to send a few items back to South Africa (quaint items I'd found at the local dollar store). What an experience! The postal service delivered free boxes (a couple extra in case I thought of something else that needed sending), labels and the customs docs required. The family we were staying with purchased the postage online and since we had a visit to Knoxville scheduled on this particular day, we left the parcel on the front porch for collection by the postal service. Ooooer! Not something you could do in South Africa, your parcel would be gone in the wink of an eye. But amazingly enough it actually arrived at its destination about 10 days later.

Ag shame Ruthie, really sorry to hear that they're charging for what was once a free service, guess times are tough there too now and there's nothing for mahala anywhere anymore.

[wayjen]

We stayed in Fort Lauderdale and were surprised how people leave their stuff outside in the garden and how shops have sales and leave boxes and trollies outside for people to rummage through with no fear of stealing and the people know they must still inside to pay. In South Africa you would be lucky to still have a box or trolly left behind.

Back on topic now.

Someone has asked if WE will deliver a parcel for them and another has decided that he will pay on his terms not ours.

What are they thinking?

[Seeds for Africa]

I can be very accomodating to my buyers, but there are some of my trading terms which are not negotiable. Buying something and as an afterthought telling me they will pay me on xyz date which is outside of my terms is simply not acceptable. Clearly stated in our terms is that we dont allow collections yet once a week we get asked for this.

As the saying goes......... not all business is good business!