Asking for online ordering advice

After trying to order an item on Amazon.ca from several different venders that said they had it in stock but didn't, I have now been trying on ebay.com. I spent a number of days trying to get paypal to accept new credit cards (my registered one has now expired), which it wouldn't and finally got an associate that had a current card registered to make the purchase of this item for me.

Ebay item

Several days after making the purchase I received the following message from the vendor:

Next the item is too large and cannot ship by the postal service we would have to get a quote from another carrier. Please let us know how to handle these issue with your order? Thanks

I am in Canada and the vendor is in the US. Time is now very short and I am about to reply with the following message but thought it would be prudent to ask for advice from my favourite group of out of the box thinkers first.

You offered this product (and still do) for US $622.81 and expedited international shipping for 203.70 for which you accepted payment from us. It is critical that we have this item by June 10th 2014 for an upcoming event. Please inform us of how you intend to honour this agreement.

What do you think?

a reply to: CraftBuilder

I would open a "case" (elevate the issue to ebay customer service) to get this resolved. But, time is short and it may not be in time for your event. If nothing else, they could get you a refund I'm sure.

I think you should send the seller your note first though, requesting honoring the advertised cost and see what their response is.

a reply to: CraftBuilder

Geez louis!

How much does this thing weigh? We ship stuff everyday, all over the world. And that shipping charge is more than we charge to ship a 43 lb. pail to Canada. Via UPS Ground

I would definitely hold them to their agreement, or go searching for yet another vendor.

a reply to: chiefsmom

Thanks for the advice.

Unfortunatly we cannot use UPS for shipping to Canada from the US becasue their brokerage and customs fees end up doubling the cost of the item and they generally take longer than USPS becasue the package always sits at the border for nearly two weeks.

a reply to: tinker9917

Yeah, timing is the issue I'm concered about.

a reply to: CraftBuilder


As a long time seller and buyer on ebay myself, looking at the listing notes and the feedback of the seller I would simply ask for an immediate refund. As many sales as they have if they aren't aware they can't ship something the way they have it listed I would be concerned about their product. But, that's just me of course.

Open a case mate,just let paypal know the score they will more than likley sort it,you cant just add extra charges willynilly, he they should have thought about postage before listing.

a reply to: CraftBuilder

Start by using buy it now option- with free shipping; a good guesstimate what one should expect to spend.

free shipping page

On that page one can see that the item should ship for free?

Yeah. File a claim after receiving the reply to your query, it'll help your case.

here's a screengrab for ya'.

Thanks for all of the advice.

Another vendor has popped up on Amazon.ca. They are located in Canada and I have begun communications with them to ensure they actually have the product in stock and can expedite shipping. If it pans out I will cancel the first order.

a reply to: CraftBuilder

i dont know how near the border you are, but perhaps can you just have it shipped to a ups store near the border and drive down and pick it up? then any delay at border crossing will be with you present.

ups stores will let you have something shipped to them to be held for a few days at least even if you havent got a box rented at their store.