Excessive shipping charges in Ebay auction...what do I do???
10-06-02 | 01:37 AM
#27
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From: Penfield, NY, USA
Originally posted by Abob Teff
Handling is a farce. It is no different than the fees that banks try to tack onto loans (application fee, etc,) and car dealers try to tack on (document storage fee, etc.). The seller's costs are the seller's costs -- not mine after the price has been established. Those costs should be included in the price. Stores don't sell items for cost and then add on fees for profit.
Handling is a farce. It is no different than the fees that banks try to tack onto loans (application fee, etc,) and car dealers try to tack on (document storage fee, etc.). The seller's costs are the seller's costs -- not mine after the price has been established. Those costs should be included in the price. Stores don't sell items for cost and then add on fees for profit.
10-06-02 | 02:52 AM
#28
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Originally posted by Brak55
Actually, just about every store charges some amount for handling, even the big ones like J.C. Penney and Amazon (neither charges you exact shipping amounts...they have an average amount and call it shipping and handling).
Actually, just about every store charges some amount for handling, even the big ones like J.C. Penney and Amazon (neither charges you exact shipping amounts...they have an average amount and call it shipping and handling).
In this case the seller stated "Shipping costs will be actual USPS rate based on winning bidders zip code", but then the seller added ~ $5 after the fact. That is wrong, he isn't charging "actual USPS rate".
10-06-02 | 02:40 PM
#29
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I really don't care what they charge for s&h. I only look at the final price. As a seller, I am a little more understanding these days about the cost of p&h. There are so many damn fees now, that it is really hard to make decent money on Ebay. But adding money at the end of an auction is just plain wrong. If you are saying you are charging exact p&h, you better damn well charge exact postage. I don't say that -- I just charge 3.50 and I let 3 items ship for the price of one. If it is only one item, it goes 1st class -- otherwise it will probably be media. Integrity goes a long way with me and I will honor what I put in the desc.
10-06-02 | 06:06 PM
#30
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I tend to avoid such problems on Ebay...I check the auction description for the price of s&h.
I do these two things
1. If there is no s&h price listed then i don't bid on the auction, who knows how much the person would ask for shipping.
2. I look at the price of the s&h and the item i am bidding on. If someone is going to charge me $5 to ship a CD then i take my business elsewhere.
I do these two things
1. If there is no s&h price listed then i don't bid on the auction, who knows how much the person would ask for shipping.
2. I look at the price of the s&h and the item i am bidding on. If someone is going to charge me $5 to ship a CD then i take my business elsewhere.
10-06-02 | 06:56 PM
#31
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From: Penfield, NY, USA
Originally posted by Heat
Well, yes, but you know what the total fees are (the shipping / handling rate) before you buy it.
In this case the seller stated "Shipping costs will be actual USPS rate based on winning bidders zip code", but then the seller added ~ $5 after the fact. That is wrong, he isn't charging "actual USPS rate".
Well, yes, but you know what the total fees are (the shipping / handling rate) before you buy it.
In this case the seller stated "Shipping costs will be actual USPS rate based on winning bidders zip code", but then the seller added ~ $5 after the fact. That is wrong, he isn't charging "actual USPS rate".
I believe the original post to which I replied stated they would never pay a handling charge and I was pointing out that almost every business has added handling charges (although some more reasonable as others). It really is buyer beware and it is each individuals decision as to whether to do business based on these fees.
10-08-02 | 10:07 PM
#32
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Originally posted by Abob Teff
Handling is a farce. It is no different than the fees that banks try to tack onto loans (application fee, etc,) and car dealers try to tack on (document storage fee, etc.). The seller's costs are the seller's costs -- not mine after the price has been established. Those costs should be included in the price. Stores don't sell items for cost and then add on fees for profit. If a seller wants to include those fees in the cost, that's fine. Don't pull this crap of tacking it on at the end.
Handling is a farce. It is no different than the fees that banks try to tack onto loans (application fee, etc,) and car dealers try to tack on (document storage fee, etc.). The seller's costs are the seller's costs -- not mine after the price has been established. Those costs should be included in the price. Stores don't sell items for cost and then add on fees for profit. If a seller wants to include those fees in the cost, that's fine. Don't pull this crap of tacking it on at the end.
And as far as costs of packing, going to the post office, etc., that is a bunch of crap too. The video store doesn't charge you a fee for their employee having to walk over to the drop box and scan in your movie, do they? The grocery store doesn't charge you a handling fee for each item that their sacker puts into the bag for you.
I quit eBaying a while ago, but rule was simple: actual shipping, NO handling. Otherwise, no sale.
But the point is moot. Get your S&H fees upfront and bid accordingly.
10-08-02 | 11:20 PM
#33
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What did you win in the auction? If it is a big DVD boxset, it could easily cost over $10 to ship by Priority Mail.
I once had to send a big DVD boxset back to amazon since they did not include a return mailing label with the replacement boxset. It costed me $9 postage and delivery confirmation. I'm still waiting for my shipping refund.
I once had to send a big DVD boxset back to amazon since they did not include a return mailing label with the replacement boxset. It costed me $9 postage and delivery confirmation. I'm still waiting for my shipping refund.
10-17-02 | 03:09 AM
#35
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From: Under a pile of unwatched dvds
Originally posted by Abob Teff
Handling is a farce. It is no different than the fees that banks try to tack onto loans (application fee, etc,) and car dealers try to tack on (document storage fee, etc.). The seller's costs are the seller's costs -- not mine after the price has been established. Those costs should be included in the price. Stores don't sell items for cost and then add on fees for profit. If a seller wants to include those fees in the cost, that's fine. Don't pull this crap of tacking it on at the end.
Handling is a farce. It is no different than the fees that banks try to tack onto loans (application fee, etc,) and car dealers try to tack on (document storage fee, etc.). The seller's costs are the seller's costs -- not mine after the price has been established. Those costs should be included in the price. Stores don't sell items for cost and then add on fees for profit. If a seller wants to include those fees in the cost, that's fine. Don't pull this crap of tacking it on at the end.
And as far as costs of packing, going to the post office, etc., that is a bunch of crap too. The video store doesn't charge you a fee for their employee having to walk over to the drop box and scan in your movie, do they? The grocery store doesn't charge you a handling fee for each item that their sacker puts into the bag for you.
I quit eBaying a while ago, but rule was simple: actual shipping, NO handling. Otherwise, no sale.
Actually, the grocery store I go to (superstore) does charge .04 cents for each bag that you use and you have to pack your groceries yourself.
When I sell stuff on ebay, I always put the shipping price with my description, including the box for shipping.
Alot of the buyers want good, sturdy boxes for shipping and it costs me 3.60 for the box, so I usually take a small hit on the profit I make on the sale after I include the ebay fees as well.
So, there some people (like me
) that don't ripoff people of their money, but some of those post office shipping prices are starting to get quite ridiculous.
10-17-02 | 11:01 AM
#37
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
I use the following rules when I make purchases on ebay. So far, I haven't had much problem...
1) Never bid on an item if the auction doesn't state explicitly what the shipping charge is. Send email to seller to ask for shipping rate first.
2) Never bid on an item if the shipping rate is stated twice and different in auction description than from the payment detail. This has happened to me several times before I wise up and ask for exact shipping rate before bidding.
3) Never bid a much larger amount than the existing top bid. I've noticed that in several auctions, there are bidders with very few bids and who recently changed their identity that bid very small increments. I have a suspicion that they are there to bump up the bid prices and have no interest in the item itself.
4) Always check feedback on the seller before bidding. I don't bid on sellers with high ratio of negative feedback to positive feedback. I also bias against those people who have fewer feedbacks.
5) Be more cautious of sellers outside US. If there is problem with the item once you receive it, it's easier to deal with the seller if they are in US. For one thing, the shipping is cheaper and faster within US.
Using the above rules, I haven't encountered much problems so far on ebay. Crossing my fingers...
1) Never bid on an item if the auction doesn't state explicitly what the shipping charge is. Send email to seller to ask for shipping rate first.
2) Never bid on an item if the shipping rate is stated twice and different in auction description than from the payment detail. This has happened to me several times before I wise up and ask for exact shipping rate before bidding.
3) Never bid a much larger amount than the existing top bid. I've noticed that in several auctions, there are bidders with very few bids and who recently changed their identity that bid very small increments. I have a suspicion that they are there to bump up the bid prices and have no interest in the item itself.
4) Always check feedback on the seller before bidding. I don't bid on sellers with high ratio of negative feedback to positive feedback. I also bias against those people who have fewer feedbacks.
5) Be more cautious of sellers outside US. If there is problem with the item once you receive it, it's easier to deal with the seller if they are in US. For one thing, the shipping is cheaper and faster within US.
Using the above rules, I haven't encountered much problems so far on ebay. Crossing my fingers...
