DVD-Obsession

I sent an e-mail to Amazon letting them know that I stopped buying DVDs from them due to their shipping cost increase. The CS rep was very nice in her reply, but indicated that it will take a lot of customers saying that they stopped buying from Amazon due to this. So it may be just "spitting in the wind" but I think if they see a lot more people saying they stopped their purchases maybe they'll reconsider putting it back. I always was an optimistic dreamer.

zyzzle

Letter written... Amazon's becoming more and more greedy and I hope this bites them in the ass.

MooMooMooMoo

(Sigh) it's actually the USPS who's becoming greedy; or more accurately the lame USA congress forcing them too.

PhantomStranger

Domestic postage hasn't gone up that much, the price increase appears to have been for two reasons. Eliminate the cheaper, used media items that put a severe crimp on Amazon's pricing power and eliminate the hassle of dealing with those transactions, while also pocketing a little more from the remaining sellers.

The sellers most hurt by the price increase are the gigantic Marketplace sellers, who will lose business. Their prices simply aren't competitive enough anymore against Amazon's standard pricing.

dmkb

I also wrote them and let them know that no longer support Amazon but would use their competitors. Probably futile in terms of affecting any real change, but I was motivated both by my disgust for Amazon's decision making process and my mates on this thread.

That'sAllFolks

I agree with everything but the bolded statement. MP sellers continue to sell stuff far below normal Amazon pricing. The problem is 4 bucks seems like a lot for postage (it is) and it's going to psychologically affect many buying decisions. Amazon says over half their sales are with people with prime and that's where they are forcing people ... The next thing I see them doing is either getting rid of or raising the limits for FSSS.


Their per item fee for DVDs has gone from .80 to 1.35 + they charge 15%. So over half the postage increase is given over to fees. I used to respect Amazon a lot, but they are proving to be just another greedy corporation that sets up a monopoly and then abuses its power. They are a smart company and they realize the ramifications of what they are doing. It may bite them in the ass someday, but I doubt it. But I hope so.

TheBang

They charge more in fees because they can, because they get the volume of traffic that drives sales. I sold a DVD player on Amazon for $50 that I couldn't unload on eBay for $25. I just listed it for a ridiculously greater amount on Amazon, because I knew it would have higher fees and lower shipping reimbursement (vs. exact specified shipping costs on eBay), but I figured if it sold for that higher price, it would more than offset the fees. And it did.

I know this isn't directly applicable to the economics of selling DVD media on Amazon, but it's similar in some respects. I picked up a bulk batch of DVD's for $0.66 each. Most of them wouldn't resell for much ($1-2 each), so I just put them on Half.com and eBay and sell one every once in a while. The rarer ones in the batch that eventually sold for $7-20, I also listed on Amazon. Usually a few dollars higher than my Half/eBay listings. Some of them sold very quickly on Amazon.

PhantomStranger

I also see them raising the minimum price for Free Super Saver Shipping, down the road. Probably something like $30, but $35 wouldn't be unimaginable.

It's simply getting tougher and tougher to find certain product categories in retail stores and Amazon is the only viable option left for many people when ordering off the Internet.

Josh-da-man

When Amazon first introduced free shipping, I think it was for orders of $100 or more. Then it was lowered to $50, and eventually dropped it to the current $25.

MooMooMooMoo

Just wait until all 50 states pay sales tax to Amazon IN ADDITION TO SHIPPING. I've had to for years being in Washington State. Believe me, it's coming.

berigan

I would only say it was(barely) worth it because I bought it years and years ago, and it's been collecting dust in my stack of cds for sale on amazon....

berigan

Getting back to these thread late I know...what is FBA?

I've been ripped off worse, believe it or not.(One reason I let some cds I have for sale on amazon stay way above a "selling" price)
Check this one out from last year....
Ship by: 08/31/2012
Item: Never Talk to Strangers - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack [Audio CD] Pino Donaggio
Condition: Used - Like New
Condition note: Mint cd, no cut out marks, or drill holes.
Listing ID: 1011H896635
SKU: 10-HOHQ-FM6K
Quantity: 1
Order date: 08/29/2012
Price: $2.94
Amazon fees: -$2.23
Shipping: $2.98
Your earnings: $3.69

berigan

and unlike ebay, Amazon is all for that...

That'sAllFolks

FBA = Fulfilled By Amazon. There are additional fees (storage, postage allowance and I think another flat rate fee). It's where sellers send their inventory to Amazon and let them store it in their warehouse. When you see
"Sold by xxx and Fulfilled by Amazon", then it's FBA.

Here is a breakdown of how they calculated that amount. (You can also look in the details of the transaction to see how they came up with that total)

.44 (.15 * 2.94) + .80 (per transaction fee) + .99 (Most MP sellers do not have this added to each transaction, However they do pay a 39.99 monthly subscription fee to have it waived)


I don't think that is right. They may have accepted it, but they know it's going to hurt sales. Most of the bigger states already get tax charged and through negotiations, I think Amazon also got a few concessions.

BKenn01

I wish ebay would adopt this. I would like to bump my heavier items to $3.99

MooMooMooMoo

I use the fake "free shipping" on ebay to do that. Problem is that tends to draw the ridiculous lowballer offers who actually think they're really getting free shipping!

BKenn01

I am moving away from "Free shipping" as I find it doesn't help me that much. I charge higher than average prices because I have a high excellent feedback score. Buyers will typically pay me more and knock on wood it hasn't effected my dsr scores.

You are correct that "free shipping" does attract bottom feeders. Best offer does the same thing. I have a few items that a buyer has contacted me and made a reasonable offer on so I added Best offer but out of laziness didn't remove it and it will attract the most insane offers like $30 on a $150 box set.

MooMooMooMoo

These days (with a very few exceptions) I can only sell if I pretty much give stuff away; & dvd's are worse for me price wise than cd's. I blame a combination of the Super D Empire (DD, Import CD's, etc) & the economy. You may have better stuff than I do at the moment, though.

I get $2 best offers including shipping, LOL!

That'sAllFolks

Instead of using "flat rate to all buyers", use "calculted: rate varies by buyer's locations", Then use media mail as the shipping, select a weight and "handling cost" to make up the difference so that the correct PH is charged. When ebay started to take a % of the PH, then I decided to pass it along to the buyers. (you can only eat so much).


The only bad thing about this is if you charge a certain rate for additional postage, it will not use a flat rate, but will calculate based on the weight.

So I will give an example of how I now handle this:

I charge 3.25 for single DVDs and 3.50 for sets. Additional DVDs are 1.00 and additional sets are 1.50. If someone buys 2 DVDs with a weight of a lb each, the postage is automatically calculated as 3.25 + .45 (the cost of each additional pound of media mail). Of course if I get an invoice off before they pay, I can insert the correct amounts.


So I decided a way to at least curb part of the problem. I enter the weight of single DVDs as 2lbs and the handling fee as 27 cents. (2.53/lb1 + .45 additional lb) The weight of every set is 3lbs and the handling fee is 7 cents (2.53/lb1 + .45 additional lb x ) .
3.25 =.27 + 2.53 + .45
3.50 = .07 + 2.53 + .45 + .45


That way if a buyer pays for something before an invoice can be sent with the correct combined postage, I will only lose a small amount on what I charge). For example if a customer buys 2 single DVDs the postage is calculated

3.25 (1st DVD) + .45 + .45 (2 additional pounds of media mail for the 2nd DVD). So I'm getting .90 instead of 1.00 for the additional DVD. But few people buy multiples, so in the long run it pays to increase the postage this way.


If I think the buyer is deliberately being an ass, I will send a counter-request that is 1 penny less than what I charge and block him from bidding on my stuff. Let him waste his time like he's wasting mine.

The Man with the Golden Doujinshi

I slowed down a lot because I use price blink and usually find the stuff for less elsewhere. At the very least, unless it's a recent large price drop, the 3rd party sellers are almost always cheaper.

It won't happen because not all the people in all the states are dumb enough to vote for enacting sales tax in their state. Everyone in Oregon laughs at you Washington, even though we show up for the cheaper booze and sudafed products.

MooMooMooMoo

I suspect the feds will soon pass a USA VAT.

MooMooMooMoo

I read the link below AFTER posting the above post, I swear!

http://www.netchoice.org/2013-may-ia...net-sales-tax/

Al_Tahoe

I contacted my local Representative and he personally responded pledging NOT to support the new internet tax bill.

I suggest other concerned people contact their Representative while there is still time.

Here is a good place to start... http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml

BKenn01

I am just extremely hard headed. I try to make the profit on the buy as the old saying goes then wait out the bottom feeders. So many sellers are happy with a couple bucks. Its not worth my time for that. I try to buy higher end items and if it takes 6 months to sell at the price I want I am ok with that. I tried the route of making little profit and being amongst the lowest price sellers and I wound up with a lot of sales and less profit in the end.

MooMooMooMoo

This has been a full time business for me since late 1998, so I am currently stuck in a combination of accepting no profit (in fact often taking a loss) just to generate cash flow.

It is not sustainable. Am in process of filing bankruptcy, trying to avoid foreclosure, & looking unsuccessfully for a job.