Buyers paying incorrect shipping

Hi Ian, thanks for posting. 

I think your idea to add more detail to your shipping options is a good one. Giving as much info as possible is likely to help in avoiding any confusion for buyers. 

If that does happen again though, you can reach out to us on email or chat so we can follow up directly with the buyer about paying the difference. 

Hi Lucy, I think it's great that TM are now offering to step in when there's a shortfall on buyers selecting the wrong shipping option. For courier bags, I only have two options available on my listings - urban or rural - it can't get any simpler than that right..?But lots of buyers are still selecting urban when they know they're rural.. is there any way, when a person bids or uses buy now, the system could pick up on their saved address and not allow them to select urban, unless they provide a secondary address, which is in fact urban.. it would be of great assistance to all sellers if something like this could be implemented.

I recently sold an item (from Wairarapa) to Christchurch. When calculating the freight cost from the TM calculator, with dimensions and estimated weight, it calculated under $10. Before I and the buyer did a deal, I enquired, with the item in hand, at the local Amarex agent, who quoted $30. This seemed a huge difference. When I actually booked the courier, having read TM explanation of 'mate's rates' I assumed the actual cost would be considerably less. Not so!

I chose NZ Post Couriers - still $28.

I think the calculator gave a false impression of real cost in this case.

Can TM explain this, in clear terms please?

Hi Neil. That sounds like a weight change to get those different rates. 5.0kg for instance with Aramex via the book a courier calculator standard rates urban interisland 30x30x20 is $9.45, but 5.05kg is $32.55. There are also huge differences between the service levels if you choose Signature, best rate, non signature etc. Sometimes in the calculator Aramex doesn't show up, and sometimes NZ Post don't, so if using the calculator you really need to be specific about the service being quoted for and maybe take screenshots as a reminder. Not sure why, but if I choose Service level with best price, an interisland rate for Aramex doesn't even show up.

People selecting Urban instead of Rural, when required. Has become much more common.
I've even added a web link to post haste's rural/urban checker, in the listing descriptions. but still...

Trademe must be one of last ecommerce platforms that doesn't incorporate automated shipping API's.

Everyware else, the customer adds to cart, site asks for a delivery address, the website then does a rural/urban check + other applicable checks via the courier company's API. After this, the customer is then only presented with the applicable shipping options. No chance of a customer being presented with an option for Urban shipping when the courier only provides rural to their address. This was common on other platforms 15 years ago. Why are we still waiting?

Totally agree with SLICED LTD! I am finding more and more buyers who live rurally blatantly choose the nationwide option just to avoid paying the rural shipping price. Once you get the book a courier section their address comes up as rural and you need to chase the buyer for the additional postage costs. Such a hassle. Absolutely set the site up where the buyer has to input their delivery address to generate the shipping cost.

Sold a camera Emailed buyer cost of postage   which is $9.00 but no response reference number P231135143 

Kia Ora Colin,

Sorry to read you're having trouble communicating with your Buyer,

How long has it been since the Listing closed? - TM allow all Trades to be completed within 7 days (1 week) of the Listing closing.

Have you checked your spam/junk email folder just incase an email from your Buyer has gone there? - Also if you have messaging enabled check your device messages, this is a common mis-connect between Buyers & Sellers.

Have you placed a friendly feedback letting them know you have emailed, please check their spam/junk folder and make contact with you in regards to paying the shipping cost. - Depending on how long this has been in limbo if your Buyer has any listings up you can try putting a question through one of those also. - Feedback placed usually gets a response.

I hope your Buyer is well and completes this Trade asap - Cheers.

When this happens I always ask the buyer if there is an urban address I can use, if not I ask if they can pay the difference for Rural shipping