posted on April 6, 2008 08:29:39 AM new
I have noticed a trend from chinese sellers....sales at .99 and whopping shipping charges. It looks like all these sellers are part of one group because their description matches each other word for word. I have also noticed that one of the sellers..didnt check any of the others...has glowing feedback left by buyers within hours of the auction ending...and these buyers are from the USA.
I reported one seller who was selling...among other things, a saxophone for .99 with a $460 shipping charge.
Ebay must have warned them because NOW..it looks like all the sellers have found a loophole. They are offering shipping for FREE, but the INSURANCE is now in the hundreds of dollars..depending on the item. Take this auction..#260226895226....amazing. Plus, they are only doing 1 day auctions..probably hoping to snag a new buyer...and to have the auction ended before ebay can shut them down.
It's very hard to report these auctiions simply because there are too many of them. Is there any way to report them as a SELLER..and not just an auction? I have looked, but can't find anything...
posted on April 6, 2008 09:22:49 AM new
I've tried in the past to report as a seller and all eBay does is say sorry, We cannot find anything wrong with this seller.. Frankly, they don't even bother to look.
I gave up trying to turn in bad sellers (which is sad in a way) and simply am putting my efforts into items that I control. Mainly my own items and sites other than eBay.
posted on April 6, 2008 01:11:31 PM new
Stonecold..I know your frustration! I think, though, in the case of the auctions I did report, the seller must have been warned..because this seller is now offering the free shipping...as well as the other sellers for the same company. I would love to just report the sellers. Reporting just a few auctions is like filling a hole on the beach with water..
posted on April 6, 2008 01:57:57 PM new
I just found this auction...260226896830. The high bidder is new and wait until he sees that his free shipping is going to cost him $1000 for insurance!!!
posted on April 6, 2008 02:23:04 PM new
It's identical terms to the one you posted earlier. Does anyone have any clue what a drum set weighs (I do know the boxes will be huge) and what a reasonable shipping fee from China SHOULD be?
posted on April 6, 2008 02:25:41 PM new
It's not even a matter of high shipping anymore. The $1000 is for INSURANCE..hence no, or very little, ebay or Paypal fees.
posted on April 6, 2008 03:27:46 PM new
annekila,
Paypal fees would be charged for the full amount including insurance.
This seller is going against several of ebay's rules but probably because he is in China, they won't do anything.
posted on April 6, 2008 05:47:01 PM new
There is no Ebay rule against excessive insurance?
Shipping overseas is expensive in CHINA,he will have to use private carrier such as UPS or Fed Exp ,many do not know how to pack for long journey as they have no experience selling overseas.
They dont have the item,if you win and pay,then they will go to a wholesaler or even a local retailer and buy the item from them.
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Lets all stop whining !
posted on April 7, 2008 06:57:39 AM new
I thought there was a rule about insurance being the price it is and not being marked up, but I can't remember where I saw it and am too lazy to look it up.
Sellers may charge reasonable shipping and handling fees to cover the costs for mailing, packaging, and handling the items they are selling. While eBay will not prescribe exactly what a seller may or may not charge, eBay will rely on member reports and its own discretion to determine whether or not a seller’s shipping, handling, packaging, and/or insurance charges are excessive. Shipping and handling fees may not be listed as a percentage of the final sale price.
Sellers who want to be sure they are in compliance with this policy may charge actual shipping costs plus actual packaging materials cost (or less).
In addition to the final listing price, sellers are permitted to charge:
Actual Shipping cost: This is the actual cost (i.e. postage) for shipping the item.
Handling Fee: Actual packaging materials costs may be charged. A handling fee in addition to actual shipping cost may be charged if it is not excessive.
Insurance: Sellers offering insurance may only charge the actual fee for insurance. No additional amount may be added, such as “self-insurance”. Sellers who do not use a licensed 3rd party insurance company may not require buyers to purchase insurance. This is a violation of state law.
Tax: Only actual applicable federal, state, country, city, VAT, and equivalent taxes may be charged.
For cross border transactions, sellers may not collect tariffs and duties. However, buyers may be responsible for actual, applicable tariffs, and duties as requested by respective country laws.
Violations of this policy may result in a range of actions, including:
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Listing cancellation
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Limits on account privileges
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Account suspension
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Forfeit of eBay fees on cancelled listings
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Loss of PowerSeller status
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posted on April 7, 2008 09:17:31 AM new
Thanks, neglus!
I thought there was something about insurance. I guess if you are sending from China, you can charge whatever you want.
posted on April 7, 2008 09:37:59 AM new
well,if they charge 1k for insurance,and the item is damaged,then they will just use that 1k to send you another one.
For some reasons,if theys ship their version of USPS Express mail,they are reluctant to file for insurance,so that 1k will let them buy you a replacement.
Bidders are not stupid,they take all fees into consideration when they bid.
And in those categories where they sell,they are not selling more than the US sellers.
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Lets all stop whining !
