I bought a stack of early White Dwarf mags from a seller in the UK.  Shipping to the US is obviously not cheap, but I wasn't in a rush, so I said, let's ship them by boat.

So on December 16, I sent a payment of £43, covering the sale price and shipping.

I received one box a couple days ago and the other today.

They were both shipped on February 8... for a total shipping cost (according to the labels) of £68.59...

So the seller lost £25.59 (plus Paypal fees!), effectively paying me to take these White Dwarf mags (not total junk, a couple dozen issues, including a good chunk from 7-47).

I got what I paid for, in about the time expected (boat would have been 6-8 weeks), and felt that I had an excellent deal to start with, so I'm not at all upset.

But it's just weird, isn't it?  Why wouldn't he just get the things in the mail?  Or refund my money?  Or if he forgot for a month, send them air mail and take the loss then; why wait until this much time had elapsed?  Or... well, I can't think of a reasonable scenario that makes sense.  Using the money as a short term loan?  Maybe, but that's a pretty small amount.

Genuine mistakes happen. I've lost £20+ on posting packages to the US before. Postage in the UK is just so damned expensive, especially when you try to ship abroad. Not only that, the UK postal system devides the world into regeons and quotes prices for single regions like Europe etc. but when they actually take packages in the PO, they price based on individual countries, so the exact same package going to Holland will cost a different amount from if it were going to Ital, France or Gremany. And the way the PO get around their bulls!t pricing is by saying, "Oh, it's just aguide to how much it might be." The seller probably weiged the goods, openned up the online postage guide, or the book and tables the PO gives people, and read from the tables from the US, quoting you the shipping cost. The Post Office then added it's extra £25 at the point of sale on the basis that, "it was only a guide." and he got screwed by the Post Office. The seller must not have much experience of the Post Office, as he would have learned that lesson if he had. It's something everyone in the UK learns sooner or later, and a good thing. He won't make the mistake again. He'll now have a more accurate picture of his postal system, and he'll not be so stupid next time. He has evolved into an experienced International eBay Seller.

Yes, I agree that is usually theft from the office.  I just got an item from someone via fed ex that someone lost a ton of money on.  C'est la vie.  Perhaps it's all just foolish owners looking to bankrupt their companies as tax shelters!  lol.