posted on September 4, 1999 07:26:28 AM
I have read the crabbing about shipping charges, and most people are upset about an amount under a couple bucks. If the seller lists shipping charges, consider them before bidding. Most auctions have a way to contact the seller to ASK what the shipping is BEFORE bidding. If you are getting the item for a bargain price, a little extra shipping shouldn't send you into a tizzy. Have none of you ever ordered from a commercial company? Those charges are HIGH!
I have bought AND sold on ebay, sometimes I get a few cents extra for postage, and sometimes I guess wrong and end up paying the extra postage which is more than I made.I have no complaint. If I pass on something because the seller wants more for shipping then I want to pay, I figure I didn't want the item that bad, or I might find someone else with a same item for less shipping. Does it pay to get mad after the fact? NO! know what you are getting into beforehand and it will save you fretting about it ad nauseum.
posted on September 6, 1999 07:41:16 PM
Insurance is regulated by the state governments here in the U.S.A. If you feel the situation warrants (substantial fines and incarceration are possible for violations) you could contact them.
Reading the post there seem to be concerns about how best to present variable cost of packaging and delivery in an auction format. I have found that to remain competitive we must let the customer choose the delivery mode / price which is best for them. We include the actual weight of the package and a link to the USPS website. I believe all the major delivery services have rate calculators on their websites for their services.
We have researched packing and handling fees VS no packing and handling fees while selling generic merchandise and found no deviation in the total sale price.
We have changed to a strict auction format with no additional packing or handling fees and a higher initial starting bid to cover that cost. Ease of use and no surprises seem to be what buyers want.
posted on September 6, 1999 11:09:05 PM
As a seller we send everything Priority it is good business they supply the tape and box's we charge $5.00 for a package that cost $3.20 to send plus $.35 for confirmation another $.25 for packing peanuts that leaves a $1.20 we self insure so if the item does not arrive which has happened or damaged we replace it that is another $3.20 plus $.35 plus .25 peanuts plus the cost of the item we are replacing which could be lets say $20.00 so for that $1.20 you have the peice of mind that you item is secure and you will receive in good condition.
posted on September 9, 1999 11:44:36 PM
As a seller I clearly state shipping at cost. That cost is the sum total of what I pay for material. postage,bubble bag and or bubble wrap. thats it. If i'm using recycled material then I don't charge for other than postage. On item of $15.00 or more I require insurance, USPS insurance to avoid any loss to myself or the customer. My time to wrap the customers purchase is my cost of doing business. When you go to the supermarket they don't tell you "thats extras for me to bag it for you" do they? The guy who responded that the cost of preparing and traveling to the post office sounds like the kind of guy who likes to make a few extra bucks by "handling" your purchase. I once bought a $5.00 knife on ebay and the guy tried to charge me $3.00 S&H. I have a scale( again my cost of doing business) and I weighed a similar knife at 1st class rate and it was only .77 cents. I included $1.50 over the cost of the item seeing as he may have to use a .33 cent bubble bag or wrap but NOT $3.00 worth. he sent me an e-mail demanding another $1.50 money order (that would be two MO's at .85 cents each) before he would ship. I disagreed and told him to send back my money order. He said he had already cashed it and the extra charges was to cover the cost of his staff ( I later discovered was his two teenage children, it's an at home business)and he would be charging me $1.50 REFUND PROCESSING FEE. what bull crap! It's been 8 months and I've filed a postal fraud complaint. (principal not money) His feedback shows he's done this many times. (thirty negatives) but since he sells a thousand items a month ebay will do nothing. Handling fees are nothing but a scam and I refuse to play that game. Think about it. that guy sells 1,000 items a month, even if he only takes each customer for a dollar each (barely noticeable) he's made a $1,000 EXTRA EACH MONTH ! WOW !
posted on September 10, 1999 06:45:02 AM
Most of this talk of "extra costs" for bubble wrap, foam peanuts etc. is a lot of bunk. Any of us who have done even a small amount of business by mail are up to our armpits in used boxes, bubble wrap, etc. If the help was not packing items and taking them to the post office, they would not be laid off. In most cases they would be sitting on their duffs waiting for a customer to come through the door.
By the way, when a customer does walk through the door, do you charge him/her extra to be waited on by this expensive hired help? Of course not. The cost of employees is built into the margin on the product, not tacked on at the end of the sale. Overcharging for shipping is bad customer service that will end up costing more than it saves in the long run. I just bought a spoon from Trader Stan on eBay. The listing clearly stated that Shipping and Handling was $5.00. I e-mailed asking that they use standard postage without insurnace because I was in no hurry, and $5 was about 30% of the cost of the spoon. The answer I got back was that they had "standardized" on Priority Mail, and that they were losing money at $5 to ship a spoon! I paid it, but will never do business with them again no matter what they offer. Maybe the number of actual purchases that I do not make with them is no big deal, but I am an active underbidder on about 20x as many items as I win. Remeber, sellers, no under bidders, no high auction prices.
posted on September 10, 1999 11:02:30 PM
I wonder how many people here have tried to get their employer to pay for the gas to get to work, or the time it took to get there. Handling charges are just a way to milk a customer. To those who point out that the "big companies" like Columbia House do it, does that make it right? Shipping is just that - the cost of SHIPPING. Anything else is just greedy. Just as I would never ask (or get if I did) for gas money from my employer, to ask for packaging money from a customer is just plain wrong. I know those $0.35 newspapers are really expensive, but hey, that is the cost of doing business, and if you can't afford a $0.35 newspaper and some packing tape, maybe you shouldn't be selling at all.
posted on September 11, 1999 02:41:11 PM
Well here's my input, First off, you got burned for the shipping! A refund is due to you but you just may want to let it go & get on with life, yaknow? Handling costs in my book are B.S!!! When you say "Shipping & Handling" It's really just a old school term & means just "total Shipping cost".
When you send your reply, ALWAYS make sure to state that you want it PRIORITY or you will have this happen again, I promise! As for insurance, The USPS WILL NOT insure your item for its insured value unless you have a actual Sales receipt from a buiesness. It's like a postal scam, my sister works for the postal system & she will even tell you so! UPS is about the only company that will honor your claim without too much hassle.
If your item was in good shape & you are happy with it, concider it a lesson learned & remember to BE SPECIFIC & actually TAKE CHARGE of the transaction process when you notify the seller after a auction. Keep in mind, YOU HAVE THE MONEY, not them! TELL THEM how you want it done & if they dont follow through, Neg them! Dont let others suffer too!
The best of luck to you in the future & I hope my input may have helped in,.....some way.
Take care & have a Great Day!
-GERALD-
posted on September 11, 1999 03:23:17 PM
Hi-I just happened on your posting and I'd like to give my two cents worth. I am a full time seller on ebay and would like to take the opportunity to explain why I charge a 1.00 handling fee. My handling fee is for a lot of things. Packing and shipping the items, deadbeat bidders that make it hard on all of us, bad checks that are in for collection, high ebay fees and it costs me 2.5% on all credit card purchases that I can't get reimbursed for. I work at this full-time and it is a lot of hard work, I am not getting rich off the 1.00 handling fee. If any of my customers still have a problem with it, I will gladly drop the charge because I want happy customers. I am sincerely not trying to rip anyone off- the thought of that is sickening. I wonder if that seller uses the handling fee for the same reasons but just isn't courteous enough to nicely explain? You shouldn't have to question the sellers shipping costs every time because most of us are very clear in our terms. I hope you stick with us on ebay because the good far outweighs the bad. Michele
[ edited by zwiggy on Sep 11, 1999 03:47 PM ]
posted on September 15, 1999 01:44:44 AM
Hi - I have been reading about postage and handling charges and I too agonize over what I should charge - I do not have a scale. If I charge $3.20 I try to remember to say priority mail - if I believe the weight will be over I add a dollar to priority in case the package is over 2 lbs.
Also - time is money
Ebay charges a non-refundable listing fee and
Ebay keeps a percentage -
So, should I buy envelopes, tape, bubble wrap, etc. and not be paid for that cost of shipping?
I do have a hard time setting a shipping price. I have also lost money by underestimating shipping costs.
I am not trying to make extra money when I charge shipping and handling - I am guessing ------- I think I need to buy a scale ;}
Also, even though I check the box that says I will ship U.S. only, I end up with Canadian bidders - shipping can be extremely high. Then I have to ask if they want to pay the extra, if not, I have to go to eBay and try to get my percentage refunded from the supposed sale and if I re-scan, re-list, etc. - well more work and more time..... I think it partly depends on if you look at it as a garage sale or a business.
I do buy - and just ran across a seller from the U.S. charging a rediculous amount for postage. I will see what it costs this person when the item arrives.
posted on September 15, 1999 07:30:43 AM
I buy and sell alot on Ebay.
I too had a problem until I started using tools available online. When I sell an item I always go to the shipping companies website and use there rate calculator (ie. USPS, UPS, FedEx). When it comes time to determine the weight, I try to use a scale if available (ie. bathroom scale, fishing scale), your weight does not have to be precise. Just follow the post office's advice and over estimate by approx. 1-2 lbs for large items or 8oz for smaller, or if the item is from a company with a website you can check them out to see what the gross and net weight is, if that info is available. I have done this for several years and have almost always been right on the mark for the final cost of shipping. As for shipping supplies and handling costs I do not charge for them, I recycle boxes and packing materials from things I have purchased and I believe since I sold the item I should have planned ahead and been prepared for the handling of the item and taking it to the post office. I also follow these same rules when I purchase items on ebay, I then compare them to what the seller states for costs and if there is a problem I talk to them and try to work it out, everyone can make a mistake. Another thing to consider, be consistant. I make it a point to try to ship or have things shipped via the same carrier, in this case US Mail 2 day priority insured. This way I am familiar with there handling procedures and costs.
posted on September 16, 1999 09:09:46 AM
I do charge a clearly stated handling charge and post the link to the USPS along with the ship weight and my zip code so my buyers can figure their own preferred method of shipping and it's cost.
Never had any complaints...some bidders e-mail before bidding to confirm my policy. That's a good thing. Communication is what it's all about.
I make my real living owning a machine shop. When I quote a job I figure all these costs into it. If I was a full time seller on the auction sites I would likely do the same. But, I'm selling off some of my toys *G* and, with few exceptions, will only make a few cents on the dollar I spent, just like you do at a garage sale. So I have found it easier to have low price minimum bid actions with no reserve and just let the market set the price. I charge the handling fee to cover the actual costs of handling the item just like I must do in my business...I don't want my machine-shop customers paying for my auction fun!
As a buyer, I appreciate a clearly stated shipping/handling charge...and I've bought nearly 10K worth of stuff over the last few months and have never had any complaints about shipping. I figure those charges into my bid amount, much like I do with the buyer's premium that I pay in the live auctions I attend.
It's just business guys....be upfront and communicate well and DO ship the way you represent...you'll likely have no complaints from a knowledgable buyer. And as a buyer, I would definitely complain and post appropriate feedback if a seller tried to stick me with hidden shipping charges...or shipped by a method less expensive than that agreed to. I often upgrade-ship a buyers package if the money they sent allows....that's marketing!!
posted on September 17, 1999 02:26:51 PM
Got my four inch demitass spoon from Trader Stan today. It was the most unprofessional packaging job I have ever seen! Spoon in a plastic sandwich bag in a flat Prioity Mail unpadded mailer. All of this for only $5.00 too! What a rip off.
posted on September 17, 1999 03:41:00 PM
I was charged $5.00 for shipping a CD, which came in a padded envelope with$.55 postage. I asked the seller why, and his answer was, and I quote, "shipping is a fixed five dollars to cover the mailer, the cost of shipping and the cost of sending the delivery boy to the post office." I feel the cost of the delivery boy, at the very least, is overhead that should be considered in the minimum pricing of the item. In addition, the CD was marked, ""OEM version, not for retail sale. To be bundled with hardware only. If you purchased this as a standlone, please contact Corel." The vendor, SoftwareStation.net, assures me this is a legal software purchase. Any comments?
[ edited by daltonzgang on Sep 17, 1999 03:47 PM ]
posted on September 18, 1999 03:29:25 AM
Hi, I am a seller. At ebay my id is yourantiques, amazon=eyedee and yahoo=untiques.
It's true that some sellers take money from s/h, but not for me. For Priority Mail w/ tracking number my s/h=$4.00. (Actual postage sometimes more than $4.00 (since the item is between 2-3 lb). For big item my s/h is $5.00. Sometime the actual s/h is $5.40 or even more than $6.00.
Whenever the buyer forgot about s/h, I just sent the item using Priority Mail w/ tracking number. I asked a check for that s/h. So far, no problem.
For very big item, my s/h is 'Just pay actual postage'. I discuss this with the buyer.
posted on September 22, 1999 06:25:50 AM
I can appreciate your problem. I too have paid $3.20 for shipping and received the item with postage way less than I paid. I guess this is a way these "Professionals" make a few extra dollars. I feel if you are selling quality items, you won't have to go this route to make extra money. I sell and only charge what the USPS says. I don't charge for the box(USPS gives them to you for free. Priority mail cardboard boxes. If you are not sending priority, you can invert the box to cover the priority labeling. I wrap with newspaper, the same ones tha I would have to recycle). Along the same lines, in New York City, there is a law that says you can not be charged for the container that holds the salad you just bought. They must weigh the salad and then put it in the container. Too bad that law doesn't apply here.
posted on September 23, 1999 10:01:50 PM
Here'a my $.02 from a buyer with over 500 positive feedbacks - the sellers who refund any overcharge for shipping will undoubtedly get my REPEAT business!
posted on September 26, 1999 12:59:46 PM
I am a seller on ebay and sell many items per month. Most are small ones, and we try to use Priority Mail. If you check my feedback, you would see many thankful people who got their purchases in a very timely fashion.
I quote shipping prices with each listing. The buyer can decide if he wants to pay that price, before even bidding. I personally will not bid in an auction where shipping price is not stated in the listing.
I think all listings should include postage cost to buyer. If it includes handling, that is ok, as long as the price is set before the auction ends.
I will not get trapped into an expensive post situation after I have won an auction.
posted on September 27, 1999 08:28:58 AM
Hi, Most auction buyer's make the natural "assumption" that $3.20 is for USPS Priority Shipping. It seems to me that you have experienced a shipping rip-off which appears to be quite common these days on the various auction sites. In other words...the people who are doing this are padding their final value on their particular item. Concerning the reversed Priority boxes...it's completely legal to do that.
Here's my advice: Don't assume s/h with any seller's auction. Email the seller for clarification. Make sure the the terms are word specific (ex. USPS Priority Shipping $3.20, USPS Insurance is optional .85 to be requested by and paid for by winner/buyer.
The bottom line....You were clearly ripped off/mislead but because of the "Vague" wording that you expressed was included in the auction terms it would really be hard for you to make the outcome any different. On the other hand if you bid on an auction with word specific terms as described in the example above and the result turns out completely different then you would definetely want to "Smoke'm" with a negative feedback.
posted on September 30, 1999 03:12:46 PM
Sellers Use This...We Reserve the right not to accept bidders with hidden or negative feedback..DO NOT SEND CASH..Money Order/Cashiers Checks Only..you can get a Money Order at your Post Office..NO PERSONAL CHECKS ACCEPTED..Shipping on this Item is $5.00 And Will be Sold in the U.S.A. ONLY.. Items are Sent PRIORITY MAIL with DELIVERY CONFIRMATION and Insurance.... Orders to Alaska & Hawaii Will Be Actual Shipping Cost..
posted on October 1, 1999 07:34:30 PM
I am new to selling..and i state in my auctions that the buyer will pay actual shipping costs.. to me actual shipping costs is what the post office charges me to ship the item and a mere 25 cents to help pay for the tape and the label..but i understand where you are coming from.. i have had packages arrive knowing that no way would it cost them that much to send it to me.. so what i do, if i don't like the cost of shipping is to email and ask them to ship at a lower rate. Most of the time they will agree to do so..and if not, i remember them! As for myself i try to recycle every thing that i can possibly use to try and keep the charges down that i have to pass on to the buyer.. and if i am ever questioned about the shipping i will tell them exactly what it is for..the amount that is on the box..and 25 cents for the tape and label. If i have to use bubble wrap on something i will clearly state so in my auctions that there will be a $ amount because of the supplies needed to make sure that your item arrives in the condition that you want it to. But you also know which items these are when you put them up for auctions. You know that certain items has to be packaged alot better than other items..i mailed a package today to a customer for $8.45.. $ 5.00 for the item.. $3.20 for the post office and a mere .25 for me to help pay for the tape and the label..it come to $8.45.. thank goodness i live a block from the post office and can walk over there to get correct shipping!
posted on October 2, 1999 07:47:59 AM
Kayelinnd...you can get tape and labels as well as boxes Free from the USPS for Priority Mail. You can order it by phone or from their web site, and it comes right to your door. You can also use their site for shipping costs, which works great if you have a cheap scale.
I also add a tad to my shipping to help cover the cost of bubble wrap and peanuts, generally .20-50 cents depending on how fragile the item is.
posted on October 4, 1999 03:27:04 PM
Sellers try this... DO NOT SEND CASH. Money Order/Cashiers Checks Only ..You can get a Money Order at your Post Office. NO PERSONAL CHECKS ACCEPTED..Shipping on this Item is PRIORITY MAIL up to 2 lb.. $3.30 .DELIVERY CONFIRMATION 25 cents. Insurance up to $50.00 is 85 cents. PRIORITY BOXES are FREE. Packing & material 60 cents. TOTAL $5.00 And Will be Sold in the U.S.A. ONLY.. Items are Sent PRIORITY MAIL with DELIVERY CONFIRMATION and Insurance ONLY.. You will be sent a tracking number so you can track the package on your PC or WEB TV..This is for your safety & Mine
Thank You, David. .
posted on October 11, 1999 11:45:40 AM
Calmarc: if the seller was honest, which is questionable here, and working for a company that ships *UPS*, yes, the insurance is automatic from a company. And yes, one can turn the USPS box inside out and use it--I do this for bookrate shipping all the time--the difference is: I use it for USPS shipping. Your problem is what really irks me about some sellers.That's why, as an Ebay seller, I list the type of shipping/insurance, etc., right in the ad! Lots of times, I take a loss, but it keeps the peace. Some sellers have done to me what has been done to you and when I call them on it, they get really snotty.
posted on October 20, 1999 12:43:17 PM
Hello, I am a seller on ebay. I charge 4.50 to ship an 8x10. People always complain because it only costs me 2.40 to ship. They don't understand that the stuff I use to package the items with costs money. I put the photos in a plastic top loader (1.00) and I have to pay my staff to package and ship the items up. I also have to pay 40 cents for the sturdy envelopes we use....so after all I dont make much profit in shipping items. Just dropping a note saying that some sellers aren't ripping people off... even though they are blamed. Thanks! Later...
posted on October 20, 1999 10:14:15 PM
I would like to say something about an experience I had.
I was interested in a item up for auction,but there was no
mention of shipping or handling charges.So I emailed
this person and asked what the shipping charges were.
She replied that it was 3.20.I bid on the auction a few days
later,and won the item.When this person contacted me,she
told me shipping was 4.50.I should have said something,
but I just let it go.And paid it.But I feel that because this
person maybe didn't get as much as she would have liked
for the item,she upped the shipping price.Needless to say
because of it,I left no feedback for this person.On top of
it I thought it was kind of high at 3.20.Since I am fairly
new at this I could have been wrong as I don't know how
much it cost to ship items.
posted on October 23, 1999 03:11:06 AM
I like to list each option available to the buyer. Bookrate, Priority, insurance, bubble mailer, peanuts, bubble wrap, whatever and then let the buyer decide what he/she would like. Most people want their item to arrive in the best possible shape. They add their shipping charges and include with payment..(3.20 priority, .85 insurance, .75 bubble mailer..for example). If I receive their payment and they do not detail shipping, I will email for breakdown. Solves my problems as buyer gets exactly what he/she wants and pays for. I only charge a handling fee in extreme cases like if an item were to require special packaging (china set for example).
DOH!!
[ edited by mellowyellowbanana on Oct 23, 1999 03:12 AM ]
posted on November 2, 1999 10:37:54 PM
Shipping in USPS priority boxes is NOW illegal. There is a statute that recently came out. Just thought you should know.
posted on November 4, 1999 07:25:35 PM
Well, I've got to put my 2 cents in too. I mostly buy on ebay but I have sold a few things as well. As a buyer on ebay, I look at the item and determine what the max I want to pay for that item is and then I subtract out what the seller's shipping/handling charge is. What do I care if the seller wants to charge and inflated s/h fee? If it makes the seller feel a little better to think he's being paid for his time and effort in packing and shipping an item, that's fine. Market value is market value for any given item and I won't (usually) pay over that value including the shipping and handling!
As a seller, I try to charge reasonably close to the actual postage cost. If I'm a little over I don't worry about it because I figured everyone is doing the same thing I am - Market value less shipping/handling on their bidding. If I'm a little short, my profit margin is just a little lower.
posted on November 4, 1999 07:32:00 PM
Oh, I also forgot to say, if the seller does not state an exact shipping/handling charge, I ask before bidding. If I can't get a straight answer or the amount exceeds market value for the item, I don't bid on the item. I always state the amount I charge in my listings.
