Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
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Theresa - Whoever it is has been a member on eBay since 2001 using this name and prior to that using another name. 100% positive feedback with one lost item in transit during the last 12 months which was fully refunded.
So I would say they are 'legit'.
If the problem is slow delivery through the mail, believe it as the mail service to and from the USA to Canada and vice-versa is absolutely terrible! It's taking up to a month or more for delivery from Florida to the west coast 
My suggestion is to put a claim in with eBay if it is non-receipt and you are not satisfied with the person's responses regarding your sale.
Liz
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Thanks, Liz. It isn't a delivery problem. Actually it is a problem with communication. I've never encountered this situation before. I bought two stamps that looked similar, but I thought they must be different - you don't list the same stamp twice. Well I won them both and it turns out they are the same stamp. The dealer apologized nicely and offered to sell at the lower of the two prices. So far so good. Here is where it gets weird. I buy multiple lots from the same person to reduce the shipping cost per item. I told the dealer I wouldn't have bid on just one item because the shipping would have made that one item too expensive, but two made it reasonable. I offered to pay what I would have paid if there were two lots. The price quoted in the terms was $2.50 plus .50 per additional item. So I offered to pay $1.50 shipping. So I got a message back with an invoice for $3.00 shipping. At this point I said this is getting weird, so I said just forget the whole thing. I'm waiting for a response. That is what made me wonder what the heck?
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06:18:04am
Theresa
First, did the seller advertise the two stamps as different varieties? If not, contractually and ethically, you are obligated to pay for both stamps. It is not at all unusual for a seller on Ebay to list multiple copies of a stamp in separate auctions.
Second, I think it was very gracious of the seller to "let you off the hook" for the second stamp. While I believe his shipping charges are high, if they were stated up front you cannot arbitrarily change them because of your reliance upon a false assumption. Legally, there is no question you are obligated for the $2.50 figure; ethically, the same answer.
Bobby
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If you are saying that he made an error and listed the same stamp twice then the shipping for one stamp would be $2.50.
If you bid on two stamps and he in fact had two stamps to cover both of his listings then under his terms the shipping would be $2.50 + $0.50 for the additional lot or $3.00 for shipping.
Many sellers on eBay list multiple listings of a particular stamp (similar but different) using a generic picture for their listings. I always ask if I will be receiving the exact stamp(s) that they are showing, unless of course they specifically state in their listing that what I see is what I get.
What you are offering is 1/2 of the shipping that you would have been paid for two items ($3.00 divided by 2), not what you would have paid for shipping if you had purchased just one item ($2.50). Is this correct?
eBay invoicing program automatically calculates the shipping based on the terms laid out in their listing and 'usually' automatically sends out an invoice as soon as the lot closes. The seller will have to go in make an adjustment to the invoice you received to whatever amount you both agree upon.
eBay's invoicing is very different than the Stamporama invoicing program where the invoice sits in file until the seller decides what items goes on the invoice, fills in postage/shipping information and sends the invoice to the purchaser.
Liz
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"I'm waiting for a response. That is what made me wonder what the heck?"
philatelia, then I guess this discussion is premature. You should wait for the seller to respond (plus, we are into the weekend, and not everyone works everyday). Perhaps I am lucky, but I have always found sellers (and buyers) to be understanding and accommodating.
"First, did the seller advertise the two stamps as different varieties?"
Based on the previous response by philatelia, I think the issue here is that the seller listed the same item (not two copies of the same item) twice. But I could be wrong. A quick search shows me that the item in question is a Irish revenue stamp.
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Thanks so much for the comments. I am not sure what to do so I genuinely appreciate your opinions.
First - thanks for reminding me that the weekend is now here. Most of the messages were over a day ago, but I may not have heard back from the last message because it was Friday. I'll wait until Tuesday to see if I get an answer. But, I wish he had at least deleted the billing for the double listing - I am getting multiple "pay now" emails from ebay and they are annoying. I always pay within a day or two and have never gotten those before.
There were two postings of the same exact stamp, not two different copies of the same type of stamp. They had slightly different start prices, so I thought they were not listed twice in error - a double listing would have the same start price or so I thought.
The point I'm making is that I would NOT have bid on either one at that shipping rate. I bid because the combined terms brought the charges into a range I was willing to pay. By changing the terms, I think that changes the whole deal.
The second thing that is really curious is why did he ask for more fees with the second message? Perhaps just another error?
I'll keep you posted. It is an unusual dilemma and I thought you would all be interested and would have excellent opinions on how it should be resolved. We're not talking megabucks, so I'm not too worried about the money, I just want to do what is right. I plan to turn this lemon into a learning experience! So everyone, what do you think I should I do? 
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08:13:52am
I just pulled up the images of the two lots in question, and there is no doubt in my mind that the same image was used in both auctions. If the Seller made an error (and there was actually only one stamp available), then you would still be legally obligated to purchase the single stamp for $0.99 + $2.50 S&H. However, if it is seller error, then ethical considerations change and (at least in my opinion) the seller should either compromise with the S&H charges or cancel the transaction completely.
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Hi,
first I got this message;
"As you will have noticed the same stamp was accidently listed twice. My mistake, so I'll sell you the stamp at the lowest bid of $0.99 plus $2.50 P. & H.
Your total is $3.49 U.S."
then I got this invoice;
"Item # Item Title Quantity Price Amount
221503220643 Ireland Revenue Stamp Duty Six Pence
1 $0.99 $0.99
Subtotal: $0.99
Shipping and handling via Standard Shipping: $3.00
Other shipping choices:
Local Pickup:$0.00
Total: $3.99
Hi Theresa, As I'm sure you have noticed, the same stamp was listed twice. So, I'll sell it to you for the lowest price of $0.99. Thanks, Mike (Fortstamps).
"
OOPS! LOL - right now if I try to pay the invoice it is billing me shipping for BOTH. Oh yay!
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08:53:19am
Have you offered to just cancel the transaction? A 99¢ stamp just isn't worth the aggravation. If he doesn't agree to cancel, file a dispute with Ebay. Based on his admission of a listing error and then his overcharge for S&H, I'll bet you'll win.
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Thanks for the suggestion - Hubby insisted that I ask to cancel, so I did. But I haven't heard back - it is the weekend.
I enjoy lively discussions about things like this - fascinating all the different positions people can take. It can be quite engaging as long as things stay civil.
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I received a message back - he said he didn't respond sooner because he was having email problems and that he would now accept whatever shipping rate I felt was fair. Yay!
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I'm having an odd experience with an ebay purchase with this dealer. Has anyone dealt with them? Are they legit? They are located in Invermere, British Columbia.
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Auctions
re: Does anyone know anything about an ebay dealer "fortstamps" in BC?
Theresa - Whoever it is has been a member on eBay since 2001 using this name and prior to that using another name. 100% positive feedback with one lost item in transit during the last 12 months which was fully refunded.
So I would say they are 'legit'.
If the problem is slow delivery through the mail, believe it as the mail service to and from the USA to Canada and vice-versa is absolutely terrible! It's taking up to a month or more for delivery from Florida to the west coast
My suggestion is to put a claim in with eBay if it is non-receipt and you are not satisfied with the person's responses regarding your sale.
Liz
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re: Does anyone know anything about an ebay dealer "fortstamps" in BC?
Thanks, Liz. It isn't a delivery problem. Actually it is a problem with communication. I've never encountered this situation before. I bought two stamps that looked similar, but I thought they must be different - you don't list the same stamp twice. Well I won them both and it turns out they are the same stamp. The dealer apologized nicely and offered to sell at the lower of the two prices. So far so good. Here is where it gets weird. I buy multiple lots from the same person to reduce the shipping cost per item. I told the dealer I wouldn't have bid on just one item because the shipping would have made that one item too expensive, but two made it reasonable. I offered to pay what I would have paid if there were two lots. The price quoted in the terms was $2.50 plus .50 per additional item. So I offered to pay $1.50 shipping. So I got a message back with an invoice for $3.00 shipping. At this point I said this is getting weird, so I said just forget the whole thing. I'm waiting for a response. That is what made me wonder what the heck?
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They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. -Benjamin Franklin
02 Aug 2014
06:18:04am
re: Does anyone know anything about an ebay dealer "fortstamps" in BC?
Theresa
First, did the seller advertise the two stamps as different varieties? If not, contractually and ethically, you are obligated to pay for both stamps. It is not at all unusual for a seller on Ebay to list multiple copies of a stamp in separate auctions.
Second, I think it was very gracious of the seller to "let you off the hook" for the second stamp. While I believe his shipping charges are high, if they were stated up front you cannot arbitrarily change them because of your reliance upon a false assumption. Legally, there is no question you are obligated for the $2.50 figure; ethically, the same answer.
Bobby
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Auctions
re: Does anyone know anything about an ebay dealer "fortstamps" in BC?
If you are saying that he made an error and listed the same stamp twice then the shipping for one stamp would be $2.50.
If you bid on two stamps and he in fact had two stamps to cover both of his listings then under his terms the shipping would be $2.50 + $0.50 for the additional lot or $3.00 for shipping.
Many sellers on eBay list multiple listings of a particular stamp (similar but different) using a generic picture for their listings. I always ask if I will be receiving the exact stamp(s) that they are showing, unless of course they specifically state in their listing that what I see is what I get.
What you are offering is 1/2 of the shipping that you would have been paid for two items ($3.00 divided by 2), not what you would have paid for shipping if you had purchased just one item ($2.50). Is this correct?
eBay invoicing program automatically calculates the shipping based on the terms laid out in their listing and 'usually' automatically sends out an invoice as soon as the lot closes. The seller will have to go in make an adjustment to the invoice you received to whatever amount you both agree upon.
eBay's invoicing is very different than the Stamporama invoicing program where the invoice sits in file until the seller decides what items goes on the invoice, fills in postage/shipping information and sends the invoice to the purchaser.
Liz
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06:30:48am
re: Does anyone know anything about an ebay dealer "fortstamps" in BC?
"I'm waiting for a response. That is what made me wonder what the heck?"
philatelia, then I guess this discussion is premature. You should wait for the seller to respond (plus, we are into the weekend, and not everyone works everyday). Perhaps I am lucky, but I have always found sellers (and buyers) to be understanding and accommodating.
"First, did the seller advertise the two stamps as different varieties?"
Based on the previous response by philatelia, I think the issue here is that the seller listed the same item (not two copies of the same item) twice. But I could be wrong. A quick search shows me that the item in question is a Irish revenue stamp.
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re: Does anyone know anything about an ebay dealer "fortstamps" in BC?
Thanks so much for the comments. I am not sure what to do so I genuinely appreciate your opinions.
First - thanks for reminding me that the weekend is now here. Most of the messages were over a day ago, but I may not have heard back from the last message because it was Friday. I'll wait until Tuesday to see if I get an answer. But, I wish he had at least deleted the billing for the double listing - I am getting multiple "pay now" emails from ebay and they are annoying. I always pay within a day or two and have never gotten those before.
There were two postings of the same exact stamp, not two different copies of the same type of stamp. They had slightly different start prices, so I thought they were not listed twice in error - a double listing would have the same start price or so I thought.
The point I'm making is that I would NOT have bid on either one at that shipping rate. I bid because the combined terms brought the charges into a range I was willing to pay. By changing the terms, I think that changes the whole deal.
The second thing that is really curious is why did he ask for more fees with the second message? Perhaps just another error?
I'll keep you posted. It is an unusual dilemma and I thought you would all be interested and would have excellent opinions on how it should be resolved. We're not talking megabucks, so I'm not too worried about the money, I just want to do what is right. I plan to turn this lemon into a learning experience! So everyone, what do you think I should I do?
Login to Like
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They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. -Benjamin Franklin
02 Aug 2014
08:13:52am
re: Does anyone know anything about an ebay dealer "fortstamps" in BC?
I just pulled up the images of the two lots in question, and there is no doubt in my mind that the same image was used in both auctions. If the Seller made an error (and there was actually only one stamp available), then you would still be legally obligated to purchase the single stamp for $0.99 + $2.50 S&H. However, if it is seller error, then ethical considerations change and (at least in my opinion) the seller should either compromise with the S&H charges or cancel the transaction completely.
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re: Does anyone know anything about an ebay dealer "fortstamps" in BC?
Hi,
first I got this message;
"As you will have noticed the same stamp was accidently listed twice. My mistake, so I'll sell you the stamp at the lowest bid of $0.99 plus $2.50 P. & H.
Your total is $3.49 U.S."
then I got this invoice;
"Item # Item Title Quantity Price Amount
221503220643 Ireland Revenue Stamp Duty Six Pence
1 $0.99 $0.99
Subtotal: $0.99
Shipping and handling via Standard Shipping: $3.00
Other shipping choices:
Local Pickup:$0.00
Total: $3.99
Hi Theresa, As I'm sure you have noticed, the same stamp was listed twice. So, I'll sell it to you for the lowest price of $0.99. Thanks, Mike (Fortstamps).
"
OOPS! LOL - right now if I try to pay the invoice it is billing me shipping for BOTH. Oh yay!
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They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. -Benjamin Franklin
02 Aug 2014
08:53:19am
re: Does anyone know anything about an ebay dealer "fortstamps" in BC?
Have you offered to just cancel the transaction? A 99¢ stamp just isn't worth the aggravation. If he doesn't agree to cancel, file a dispute with Ebay. Based on his admission of a listing error and then his overcharge for S&H, I'll bet you'll win.
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re: Does anyone know anything about an ebay dealer "fortstamps" in BC?
Thanks for the suggestion - Hubby insisted that I ask to cancel, so I did. But I haven't heard back - it is the weekend.
I enjoy lively discussions about things like this - fascinating all the different positions people can take. It can be quite engaging as long as things stay civil.
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re: Does anyone know anything about an ebay dealer "fortstamps" in BC?
I received a message back - he said he didn't respond sooner because he was having email problems and that he would now accept whatever shipping rate I felt was fair. Yay!
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