eBay seller wants a price increase

Discussion in 'Marketplace Discussions' started by cuddlytoy, Oct 29, 2019.

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  1. cuddlytoy

    cuddlytoy Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Northeast Ohio
    I've been on eBay for years as a buyer. Something happened last night that I've never encountered before.

    I bought an item using the Buy It Now feature. I paid for the item as I normally do and figured I'd get a shipping notice in the next day or two.

    Instead, I woke up to a message from the seller:

    Hi--there was a mistake in the listing price of this buy it now item...it was to be listed at $32.99...we are going to cancel and refund this purchase...we just wanted to see if you wanted us to coordinate a repurchase or you just want the refund..let us know before we do refund..thank you

    I was taken aback. The item was listed at $26.99 so we're not talking about a huge difference. Has anyone else ever experienced this? But it gets stranger.

    I was mulling this over during my work day. I didn't reply because I don't do anything of this sort while I'm at work. I do this stuff in the evening. I came home and started looking through my e-mails. I see I have an order update from this seller:

    We are sending the book..it is up to your discretion to send us the balance of $6 ...

    I'm not sure whether I should be angry or amused. I think the seller has some nerve trying to change the price after the deal has been made. If you stated the incorrect price, that's for you to deal with. But to then try to guilt me into paying the balance after going ahead and shipping the item without even giving me 24 hours to respond? Collosal nerve!

    Just curious to see what others here think as I know this is a mostly male forum. Do you think my being a woman has anything to do with this? What would your response be? And most importantly, would you pay the new price the seller was asking?
     
    Jimmy B., melstapler and Tuco like this.
  2. Propinquity

    Propinquity Forum Resident

    Location:
    Gravel Switch, KY
    I doubt being a woman has anything to do with it. I wouldn't pay the $6. Remind him that the original price was a legally binding contract and he would be well advised to cut his losses and learn from the mistake. If he pushes it any further, tell him it was irresponsible to mail the item when you never agreed to the price increase.
     
    AaronW, eric777, MPLRecords and 22 others like this.
  3. SJP

    SJP Forum Resident

    Location:
    Anaheim
    Looks like the seller had a moment of clarity. Enjoy the book and keep the $6 in your pocket where it belongs.
     
  4. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    I would probably look at this on a case by case basis...was the item really mispriced to begin with, or is the seller playing games based on listing software that's supposed to automatically change their prices? If it had been a major error in pricing (much more than $6) then I would be totally fine with the seller canceling the sale. Nowadays there is a lot of wacky behavior from sellers on eBay, such as putting up a desirable album with no reserve, waiting out an auction, then refusing to sell to the highest bidder because they got a offer via PM or thought they would roll the dice at another auction.
     
    Shawn, Tuco, Grand_Ennui and 3 others like this.
  5. Evan

    Evan Senior Member

    Crazy. I say stand firm and pay what YOU agreeded to. Nothing more. You know, I had something similar (most ebayers probably have). Bid on an item, was the highest bidder, but did not make the "Reverse Price". The seller tried to get me to take the item at the higher cost. I told him I had given him my best offer and if that wasn't satisfactory, good luck selling it to someone else. Don't know who he sold it to.
     
    geo50000, cuddlytoy and Matthew Tate like this.
  6. no.nine

    no.nine (not his real name)

    Location:
    NYC
    What I MIGHT do if that had happened to me is send the seller $3 in an attempt to meet them half way. And that's only because: 1) their email concerning having listed the wrong price was professional and not disrespectful, and, 2) the price difference wasn't really big.

    I'd probably additionally tell the seller that I didn't think this was too cool of them, and that's why I'm not sending the full $6, but I'm willing to send half in acknowledgement that they might have legitimately made a mistake.

    I stress that I MIGHT do that. I'm not sure. I can't fault anybody who wouldn't.
     
    quicksrt, PH416156, cuddlytoy and 2 others like this.
  7. Bob_in_OKC

    Bob_in_OKC Forum Resident

    Location:
    Dallas, Texas
    I’d probably just say thanks for sending the book.
     
  8. leeroy jenkins

    leeroy jenkins Forum Resident

    Location:
    The United States
    I had something similar happen to me. The seller claimed that they did not have the item and then asked if I would accept a refund. Before I could reply, they issued the refund and cancelled the sale.

    They then relisted the item that they said they didn't have at a higher price. It was $20 or so higher - I can't remember exactly.
     
    Tuco, cuddlytoy and Matthew Tate like this.
  9. Phil Thien

    Phil Thien Forum Resident

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    Send me the $6, I'll handle it.
     
    timind, weekendtoy, uzn007 and 7 others like this.
  10. 360-12

    360-12 Forum Resident

    I would be amused; keep the book; no further contact. If the seller contacted me again I would notify eBay. I would also leave positive feedback with no mention of the discrepancy.
     
  11. JohnO

    JohnO Senior Member

    Location:
    Washington, DC
    I would look at that seller's previous feedback and see if anyone noted the seller trying the same trick on anyone else.

    I would not send the additional $6. Whatever the reason, it is the seller's problem for $6.

    I would not leave any feedback for that seller. Not negative feedback, and not positive feedback, just no feedback.

    Edit/addition: if this was a case where an obviously $300.00 item ended bidding at $3.00, I would do something different.
     
    Last edited: Oct 29, 2019
    Tuco, cuddlytoy and Veni Vidi Vici like this.
  12. Vaughan

    Vaughan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Essex, UK
    Without knowing the book and it's value elsewhere, it's impossible to say. Was this an individual seller, or a business?

    Regardless, we live in conspiratorial times, where everyone suspects everyone else of some slight or maneuver. ISn't it possible that, in fact, the seller made a mistake?

    Depending on the item (new/secondhand, rarity, etc), I may act one way or another. Also, it would depend upon how badly I wanted the item. Now they've sent it, I think you're okay to keep it. I just feel uncomfortable on people suspecting some scam.
     
    cuddlytoy likes this.
  13. Gaslight

    Gaslight ⎧⚍⎫⚑

    Location:
    Northeast USA
    Cancelling and refunding you wouldn't bother me so much. Mistakes can happen and eBay does allow this for sellers - not too frequently of course but it's permitted.

    Sending it anyway without giving you ample time to read your emails and then trying to guilt / coerce $6 out of you? Unprofessional and potentially suspicious. I wouldn't even reply to it at all and assuming the book does show up, I'd consider the matter closed.

    But I'd keep the feedback on standby, in case they send follow-up emails and press the issue.
     
    JasonA, Tuco, starduster and 2 others like this.
  14. swandown

    swandown Under Assistant West Coast Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portland, OR
    I have had orders canceled before (with the seller claiming that the item was "out of stock").....only to see the exact same item get re-listed at a higher price. Oh well.
     
    Tuco, All Down The Line and cuddlytoy like this.
  15. cuddlytoy

    cuddlytoy Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Northeast Ohio
    I appreciate the responses so far. I needed to hear different perspectives. I feel that I'm a reasonable person and want to be fair. It's late and I must go to bed. I'll post more tomorrow evening...after work. ;)
     
  16. All Down The Line

    All Down The Line The Under Asst East Coast White Label Promo Man

    Location:
    Australia
    Do not refund the $6 not only is it small amount but it is entirely the sellers fault, sounds like they have no respect for a binding contract and fail to see the big picture.
     
  17. Carl Swanson

    Carl Swanson Senior Member

    You bought it at the agreed price. Offer and acceptance. Contracts 101.
     
    spanky1, melstapler, inperson and 7 others like this.
  18. crustycurmudgeon

    crustycurmudgeon We've all got our faults, mine's the Calaveras

    Location:
    Hollister, CA
    I was in the same position as the seller once--I intended to list something as an auction with a moderate starting price, I accidentally listed it as a Buy It Now. It was purchased a short time after listing. I beat myself up over it but completed the sale anyway without mentioning anything to the buyer. You win some, you lose some. What made it worse was the buyer was known to me as a competitor and I'm sure he flipped the item.
     
  19. MikeInFla

    MikeInFla Glad to be out of Florida

    Location:
    Kalamazoo, MI
    Complain to ebay. In most cases they side with the buyer.
     
    Matthew Tate and cuddlytoy like this.
  20. Dinstun

    Dinstun Forum Resident

    Location:
    Middle Tennessee
    I don't see the problem. Pay the extra or don't. Seller's mistake. They can cancel/refund as needed.

    I don't think the transaction is complete until the agreed price is paid and the item has shipped.
     
    Last edited: Oct 30, 2019
    Matthew Tate, cuddlytoy and ggergm like this.
  21. jwoverho

    jwoverho Licensed Drug Dealer

    Location:
    Mobile, AL USA
    Any mistakes I’ve made selling items on EBay aren’t the buyer’s fault. I’ve honored my listing details and chalked it up to a learning experience.
     
  22. jon9091

    jon9091 Master Of Reality

    Location:
    Midwest
    I would report them.
     
    spanky1 likes this.
  23. Dinstun

    Dinstun Forum Resident

    Location:
    Middle Tennessee
    Why? How is the buyer harmed? This is much ado about nothing.
     
    daca, nm_west, Matthew Tate and 2 others like this.
  24. ggergm

    ggergm another spring another baseball season

    Location:
    Minnesota
    People talk about buyer's remorse. Seller's remorse can be just as strong and is applicable here.

    But if we consider only what happened, @cuddlytoy paid for something on eBay. The seller sent the OP that piece, honoring the price.

    Everything else, including the seller asking for $6 more and this thread, is just drama. This drama won't change the basic fact that a contract was fulfilled under its original terms.

    End of story.
     
  25. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    Wow. Talk about looking for sexism where there isn't any. Huge face-palm moment there.
     
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