posted on April 22, 2002 09:54:55 PM new
Hi all: Here's my problem. I found 6 hardback books, mint, at a sale, brought them home and researched them on half.com. They are a complete set of Trollope novels.
My research didn't locate an identical set but there was a large volume of all 6 novels in one. I listed my SET there, made it very clear that there are six volumes, and overnight I sold the set.
Buyer wants it sent priority mail, and I'm assuming he'll pay for the extra postage. But this is 6 volumes, not one. What would you do? Eat the extra cost? I've tried to figure out how to contact half.com and the only link I can see is if I am unable to complete the sale. Am I being greedy to want more postage? Is this my fault? (If so, I'll go eat humble pie.)
posted on April 23, 2002 05:27:08 AM new
Half.com clearly states that if your item will cost more to ship than they give, you should increase the price of your item to cover it. They have no mechanism for you to get extra postage. You will have to pay the extra shipping yourself. Fortunately, you still have a nice profit.
Your only other course is to cancel the sale through half.com, which is legal, and relist it at a higher price.
posted on April 23, 2002 08:45:28 PM new
Thanks, pelorus. I am afraid, however, that if I'd added the $7 or so extra postage onto the price, I may not have gotten the set sold.
But next time I have 6 books listed in the only category I can list them in, which is one book!, I guess I'll have to add postage.
Do you know if Half.com will charge more to the buyer since he's requested priority mail? It's the first time anyone has ever requested this of me, so I don't know what their policy is. I find it hard to believe that Half.com would have just one postage charge, to cover even priority requests. ? .
posted on April 24, 2002 06:00:37 AM new
You will receive more money from Half if the buyer specifies priority mail. However, you will still be paying a lot yourself to send this particular item.
posted on April 25, 2002 12:00:17 AM new
Holy Crap! Here's the rest of the story! When I shipped the priority box of 6 volumes to the buyer, (CA to NJ), the charge was $13.00! I nearly fainted. So, the $3.50 charged the buyer for prioty to mail (one) volume truly didn't begin to cover the cost, and it really ate into my profits, which are now nearly gone. I used a priority box and very light-weight materials, too.
Today I called customer service at Half.com and just told my story. The staffer seemed shocked at the difference in the cost. I told her I know what her policy is, but if Half.com had most of the ISBN-numbered books in their data banks I wouldn't have had to list my six-volume set where I did.
I also told her that many of us have books we've had to put aside or find another way to sell because, even though the books do have ISBN numbers, Half.com doesn't know they exist yet. It's discouraging to me as a seller.
The staffer said I should have added in more to the asking price, but of course I had no idea the buyer would ask for looooong-distance priority shipping.
I KNOW I sound whiny, so please don't anyone tell me that! I'm really just surprised. I know I can chalk this up to "Half.com tuition," but I think it stinks.
