[delta508]

So I've been selling some second-hand clothes on e-bay (bundles of about 6-10 items). In the ads I offered local pickup, and postage using a $6.60 prepaid satchel. The reason I do this is because I cannot be bothered taking items to the post office, getting a box/envelope that's suitable and then getting individual quotes for postage to various locations. As I work full time, I just do not have the time to go to the post office to do this, and I can just keep a stash of prepaid satchels at home.

Anyway, a bidder has won two of my lots and has asked me to combine them into one bag and hence reduce the postage cost. My inclination is to say No, but am I being mean? The listing/ad clearly states that the postage is fixed at $6.60 for each lot, and I have not stated that I am willing to combine items/postage. I really don't want to take the two lots of clothing bundles to the post office, find a package that's suitable and then reissue an ebay invoice, when I could just pop them in the prepaid satchels immediately and send them off.

I also have a larger $11.20 prepaid satchel that would probably hold both lots... saving the buyer $2 in postage (compared to 2 x $6.60). Would that be a suitable compromise? Or could she/he expect to save even more by using 'normal' (i.e not prepaid) mail? (For the record, I am not making any money on postage or my time, I'm merely covering the actual cost of the satchels)

Any thoughts?

[BadKitteh]

If I were selling the clothes for a reasonable amount I'd post in the 2 satchels that you've got but only charge for one satchel. If they are selling really cheaply then I would go to the post office and buy a bigger stachel & hopefully get good feedback from the buyer so that'll help sell things later if I wanted.

[GoneWithTheWhing...]

You don't have to combine postage especially as you haven't said you would. It would be a nice thing to do to minimise postage costs to the buyer but not something you have to do if it puts you out. I'd just write back and say that you do not combine postage as the items are already packaged to be sent immediately. Explain further if you wish about your time limitations and point out that the postage is at cost and does not include materials, petrol and time which is allowed to be included in postage and handling charges.

Just don't combine the two and charge regular post x 2, that really winds people up understandably.

[Georgie01]

I also have a larger $11.20 prepaid satchel that would probably hold both lots... saving the buyer $2 in postage (compared to 2 x $6.60). Would that be a suitable compromise?

This is what I'd do. I buy a fair bit from ebay and prepaid parcels are very common for clothes (and fair enough too). They usually work out cheaper than individual parcels (depending on distance and weight). Most sellers are happy to combine postage if it means putting an extra thing into a prepaid or using a larger size. I've never expected them to do anything more than that.

[delta508]

If I were selling the clothes for a reasonable amount I'd post in the 2 satchels that you've got but only charge for one satchel. If they are selling really cheaply then I would go to the post office and buy a bigger stachel & hopefully get good feedback from the buyer so that'll help sell things later if I wanted.

The clothes only sold for $3-$5 for each lot, so I'm hardly raking it in! But the satchels cost $6.60 from the post office upfront (hence 'prepaid), so I'm not inclined to use two satchels and charge for one.

Just don't combine the two and charge regular post x 2, that really winds people up understandably.

I would never do that - irks me no end when people do!

[3_for_me]

If you have the larger satchel use that this time and then put a note on your listing that due to distance from post office, etc you can't combine post as you need to use satchels.

[7girly-girls]

Just send an email saying that you use pre paid satchels and the combined order exceeds the weight/size of the small satchel so they need to upgrade to the larger satchel. I've done this many times

[Guest_Hoggle_*]

Just send an email saying that you use pre paid satchels and the combined order exceeds the weight/size of the small satchel so they need to upgrade to the larger satchel. I've done this many times

This is what I would do. If I was the buyer and I knew you were using prepaid satchels, I would not expect you to go to the post office to get me cheaper post. I also use prepaid satchels as I know how difficult it can be to find a convenient time to get to the PO.