posted on January 20, 2003 08:16:51 PM new
I list the same shipping prices I always do and usually get someone complain that it is more than actual maybe once every 2 or 3 months.
This week there must have been at least 10 people complain and they are driving me crazy. I Alway list the S&H price in the auction and also have in bright orange letters just below the description to check the shipping cost.
I also have the shipping discount set to 75% and they still complain.
Is this just happening to me or is ebay flooded with them?
posted on January 20, 2003 08:22:44 PM new
Yup. Getting the whiners.
Sold a set of three items that cost (actual) $5.75 priority mail to ship. I quoted $6.00. I heavily bubble wrap these items for safe delivery.
Get the email: Can you ship these first class for cheaper?
I told her that I can ship priority with NO bubble wrap or protection for $4.00 ($3.85 actual). Haven't heard a word back for the past few days, no payment.
Shipping was clearly stated in this auction but it's only afterwards that they want to haggle.
posted on January 20, 2003 08:23:37 PM new
i just complained about shipping and seller agrees to lower by 2 by waiving insurance.
but it is still 6 dollars to ship a piece of paper.
if the bid amount is high,people resent high shipping cost.
why dont you tell us how much is your shipping,what is premium over actual??i know there is packing and gas??
posted on January 20, 2003 09:08:56 PM new
Why is it that ebay sellers are held to different standards than other mail order outlets?
I know for a fact that when I purchase from Wireless I am paying aboce actual shipping costs. As someone who has run a large scale mail order business, I don't have a problem with it. Fulfillment companies that are used by most companies have a litany of charges over and above actual postage.
I know that 4 years ago ( when I left ) we were paying 1.00 for the order entry, 1.00 for the first item pulled, .25 for each additional. This is the same company used by Disney, Warner and many of the As Seen On TV items (touring their wherehouse was always a blast)
At that rate any single item shipping priority mail would cost $5.85 with no packing materials other than PM box.
People will pay that to Spiegel, FAO Schwartz, Sharper Image all day long but let an ebay selller try it and there's hell to pay.
posted on January 20, 2003 09:21:05 PM new
I believe that 5% will always complain about shipping costs even if I ship below my costs. I figure if I am not getting a 5% complain rate I need to increase my shipping costs.
"For I know the plans I have for you." says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." - Jeremiah 21:11
posted on January 20, 2003 09:21:15 PM new
THAT'S BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT FAO SCHWARZ, SPIEGEL, OR SHARPER IMAGE... YOU ARE AN EBAY SELLER...
NOT A RETAIL...IF I WANTED RETAIL, I WOULD GO THERE...
posted on January 20, 2003 10:20:44 PM new
::NOT A RETAIL...IF I WANTED RETAIL, I WOULD GO THERE... ::
By all means, please do. Buyers are not required to bid but once you make that bid, yo u are held to certain commitments and the terms of sale. The items I sell are either no longer available, not available in this country, or are WELL below retail even with my S&H charges. If you don't like it, don't bid, but once you do...don't whine.
::neonmania: Fulfillment houses don't pay retail rate for Priority Mail if they do a certain volume and provide certain services on their own. ::
But they do charge it to most of their clients ; ) The discount they receive from the post office is something they consider an unwritten part of their charges.
posted on January 21, 2003 04:43:21 AM new
I haven't had any whiners BUT I have had a significant increase in the number of bidders who ask about shipping costs before bidding.
Right now I'm doing an analysis of waht I charge vs. actual cost of shipping to see if it will pay to move to Endicia. I'm pretty sure it will.
posted on January 21, 2003 05:12:36 AM new
I use USPS and haven't had a single complaint. I think it helps to used delivery confirmation so that the bidder gets a tracking #. Once they see it's in the custody of USPS, they don't complain to me about delivery time.
posted on January 21, 2003 05:32:15 AM new
I had a winner from Australia email me regarding a DVD that she purchased. I had a quote in the auction that international shipping is $5.00. She wanted to know a quote for surface mail. When I looked on the USPS website it was $4.50, so I told her the cost and that it was actual shipping - haven't heard back from her. I can't imagine she'd wait an extra 6 weeks to save 50 cents.
posted on January 21, 2003 05:33:02 AM new
Goodmorning!
There is always going to be someone not happy with the cost of shipping.
But what you do ......Wendywins.......is what I do. .........
When I state my shipping cost in my auction I do figure if I will be using more packing material then normal and I add that cost to my shipping, so if shipping is 4.00 for priority I make it 5.50, this is with delivery conformation also.(so I do add very little to the actual cost of shipping.)
Only once I had a heavy item and the shipping was actual when listed in the auction, buyer complained its too much for shipping. I told her that is the actual cost for the cheapest way of shipping but if she don't want to pay that amount then I will release her from her bid. Because I don't decide the cost for the weight, the post office does..........She said, No, No, I want this item............well then that is the cost to ship it............
I know my shipping cost are not high so the only thing I can do if the buyer complains is to say ......don't buy it.
Also, since I do List the cost of shipping in my auctions that should give them plenty of time to contact me before bidding and ask if I can do any better with the shipping. Which I cannot do, but at least they would know this before bidding.
If I lower the cost then the shipping method changes, and then I need to worry about .........will the item arrive safely?
Since it will be in transit for so many days? I don't need to worry about that just so the buyer can save 1.00 - 2.00 on shipping. I will always choose the safest way and quickest way of shipping because the longer something sits around in the Post Office the more possibility of a problem.
Which neither one of us need.
posted on January 21, 2003 05:54:33 AM new
Until 2002 I used USPS priority mail with DC on every package. Weekly complaints about shipping costs and tracking. 20% of the time the tracking info was never scanned by the postal service.
I don't know if it was just sloppy work at the postal service in my area.
I have seen many buyers mention in feedback, they have left for sellers, about the "free" priority supplies. Many buyers think they are being ripped off if a seller charges them 5 cents above actual cost. I think the perception is the seller is getting over them by using free supplies.
THAT'S BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT FAO SCHWARZ, SPIEGEL, OR SHARPER IMAGE... YOU ARE AN EBAY SELLER... NOT A RETAIL...IF I WANTED RETAIL, I WOULD GO THERE...
I, like many others on the boards have a retail license for my state. The IRS considers us retailers. You can sell on the moon and be a retailer.
I find it interesting that you mention the Sharper Image. Sharper Image is a big seller on ebay.
posted on January 21, 2003 06:12:24 AM new
YES AND THEIR DELIVERY CHARGES ARE VERY WELL LAID OUT.
HAVING A CHOICE BETWEEN EBAY SELLER AND SHARPER IMAGE, I WOULD PREFER THE EBAY SELLER, BUT IF YOU CLAIM TO BE A RETAIL ENTITY, THEN WHY DON'T YOU ACT LIKE IT AND QUIT COMING HERE PISSING AND MOANING ABOUT EVERY LITTLE THING THAT HAPPENS TO YOU ON EBAY...
I DEFINATELY DON'T SEE THOSE RETAIL OUTLETS POSTING HERE COMPLAINING ABOUT.. "OOOH OOOH I GOT A NEG" OR "OOOH OOOH MY BIDDER SENT ME A NASTY EMAIL" THEY DO WHAT GOOD RETAILERS DO, JUST MOVE ON... IT WOULD SEEM FROM THEIR FEEDBACK THEY HAVE A FEW NEGS AND IT IS NOT BOTHERING THEIR AUCTIONS.
OF COURSE I GUESS A BITCHING EBAY SELLER IS A HAPPY EBAY SELLER
posted on January 21, 2003 06:35:28 AM new
Who knows...maybe sharper image does whine about their emails or their negatives. I'm speaking for myself, but I think other people here would agree that not only is this board a good place to get advise, but it's also a good place to whine - therapeutically. I don't mind reading the "shipping" or "bad feedback" threads because I can understand and it's nice to know that there are other people in the same boat. And in defense of my "post office reads my feedback" thread - it was meant to be funny....not whiney.
posted on January 21, 2003 06:40:14 AM new
retail stores pack and ship professionally,they dont use pizza box,sanitary napkin box,boxes picked up from supermarket with catchup stains.
their employees work 9-5 and get health benefits,they are just more expensive.
they have store rents to meet.
many sellers ship in padded envelope,can you imagine a lot of jewelry in padded envelope??
posted on January 21, 2003 06:53:10 AM new
IHULA, I REALY DON'T MIND THEM EITHER, IT SHOWS THAT THERE ARE REAL PEOPLE BEHIND THE ID, BUT I ALSO DON'T EQUATE AN EBAY SELLER AS A NATIONAL RETAILER... THEY'RE NOT AND NEED TO WAKE UP TO THAT FACT OR IF THEY WANT TO BE START ACTING LIKE IT.
I HAVE BUYING ON EBAY SINCE 1996 AND SELLING ONLY SINCE 2000 (STRICTLY HOBBY) AND FIND MOST PEOPLE GOOD AND NICE TO DEAL WITH.
AIN'T LIFE GRAND...
posted on January 21, 2003 07:03:50 AM newOF COURSE I GUESS A BITCHING EBAY SELLER IS A HAPPY EBAY SELLER
Twelvepole - you, of all people, are one I would least expect to make this comment! Not all sellers are the same, just as not all buyers are the same
Having said that, here's MHO...I post my shipping/handling in the item description; and rarely, if ever, get a whiner. Maybe I do and just don't "hear" them - oh well, sales go on ....
As far as eBay's feedback system - it leaves a lot to be desired. I don't get into the name-calling, etc when I leave a neg - it's earned and I am factual and to the point. As far as getting them, that doesn't bother me either. There are some people that just aren't going to be happy no matter what, you know the kind that love a good argument. And you know, I have BETTER things to do - new listings, nice customers to work with, etc....
So my take? Don't sweat the small stuff - and that is all whiners and eBay's feedback system are
edited to add: Proud Graduate of Fluffy's School of eBaying in the Real World
"Be kind. Remember everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." - Harry Thompson
[ edited by wgm on Jan 21, 2003 07:06 AM ]
[ edited by wgm on Jan 21, 2003 07:46 AM ]
posted on January 21, 2003 07:11:19 AM newYES AND THEIR DELIVERY CHARGES ARE VERY WELL LAID OUT.
Yeah, like most other sellers on ebay. I see many people complain about shipping charges when 95% of the time the seller has them clearly listed in the auctions. The sharper image does not have their charges any more well laid out than the average ebay seller.
I DEFINATELY DON'T SEE THOSE RETAIL OUTLETS POSTING HERE COMPLAINING ABOUT.. "OOOH OOOH I GOT A NEG" OR "OOOH OOOH MY BIDDER SENT ME A NASTY EMAIL" THEY DO WHAT GOOD RETAILERS DO, JUST MOVE ON...
You don't know that, since almost no one on this board posts under their company name.
IT WOULD SEEM FROM THEIR FEEDBACK THEY HAVE A FEW NEGS AND IT IS NOT BOTHERING THEIR AUCTIONS.
They have more than a few negatives. But then negatives rarely affect a seller unless non-shipment of goods is involved.
retail stores pack and ship professionally,they dont use pizza box,sanitary napkin box,boxes picked up from supermarket with catchup stains.
I have gotten some badly packed boxes from ebayers, but nothing like the ones you mention.
Have you ever gotten something shipped in boxes like that? If you have, that is a pretty sorry seller.
I got a pair of shoes from Frederick's last year. They were packed in a beat up box that had been cut down from a larger one. They are in bankruptcy though, so maybe they were cutting costs.
their employees work 9-5 and get health benefits,they are just more expensive. they have store rents to meet.
The Wal-Marts in my town are open 24 hours a day. I guess they are not retailers, since they have employees that do not work 9-5.
My employees get health benefits. I have store rents to make each month.
Many huge retailers pay reduced rents, in exchange for anchoring a mall or shopping center. Most malls get a percentage of the retailer's sales. They reduce rent to big name brands and collect a percentage of the sales. One of my local malls collects 4% of everything over $5000 per month.
Most sellers I buy from on ebay have brick and mortar stores. Which really doesn't matter, since you can sell anywhere and be a retailer.
I agree with ihula. I think many post on these boards for therapy and comic relief.
edited for italics and to add:
BUT I ALSO DON'T EQUATE AN EBAY SELLER AS A NATIONAL RETAILER... THEY'RE NOT AND NEED TO WAKE UP TO THAT FACT OR IF THEY WANT TO BE START ACTING LIKE IT.
I don't think they consider themselves national retailers. Just retailers. If they want to act like "national" retailers, they should file for bankruptcy or start doing sassy things with their financial statements.
posted on January 21, 2003 07:46:19 AM new
if you buy and sell on ebay long enough,you will realise the capitalist system is quite efficient and it does work the way economist said it works-supply overwhelm demand and the prices start tanking.
sellers work at home,no store rent,no commerical auto insurance,does not collect sales tax,does not report income,find boxes in dumpster,so the prices of the items and the shipping related costs are expected to be lower than brick and mortar retailers,it is called passing on the saving to the customer.
if we all have a store somewhere,we will all have to raise our prices.
posted on January 21, 2003 08:02:08 AM new
I list shipping charges in our auctions when I am able to. Most items I sell don't have a shipping cost listed. My TOS says I only charge exact shipping charges based on weight and destination.
Have only had a couple ask about the high charges and I just send them a link to the USPS with our zip and the weight of their package. Once they can verify the shipping costs, they seem to understand.
posted on January 21, 2003 08:10:53 AM newif we all have a store somewhere,we will all have to raise our prices.
I have noticed in the clothing category that sellers with brick and mortar stores also, usually have the best prices.
Many homebased sellers go to stores and outlets and get their goods. Even when they get a really, really, good deal they are usually paying more than most retailers.
Many manufacturers will only sell to companies with brick and mortar stores.
posted on January 21, 2003 08:31:24 AM new
whippppppppppp,,,,whipppppp,,,whipppppp! waaaaaaarrrrrppppppp!!!!!! snnnnnnnaaaaapppppppp!!!!!! crrrraaaacKKKKKK!
posted on January 21, 2003 10:02:22 AM new
Has anyone ever had somebody whine that the actual shipping cost was more than you charged them? Probably not, it's always when you charge them $6.00 and the postage label said $5.60.
I love the ones who pick up something for the opening bid, and them complain because shipping is more than the bid price...duhhhhh.
posted on January 21, 2003 10:18:26 AM new
bowtiefifty: I had MY PARTNER whine about this! I couldn't freakin believe it.
He found something he wanted, not on eBay, but some guy's web page. Item was at a really low price. He was all set to do the deal until he saw the shipping amount, which was 1/3 the price of the item.
"Whoa! That's too much," he protested, and backed out.
I slapped him upside the head and pointed out that he can't find the item locally for less than twice the price it would cost him to buy from this guy, including the shipping. He had to acknowledge the logic in that, but he still didn't buy the item.
Man, I just don't get it.
And incidentally, he LOVES free shipping promotions. Doesn't matter if he has to pay more for the item or wait weeks for it to arrive, he wants free FREE !!FREE!! ***FREE***.
I swear, "free" has the same effect on some people that catnip does on cats.
posted on January 21, 2003 10:32:39 AM new
We are all retailers and are bound by the same economic realities with regards to shipping. Our costs are the same as anyone else requiring package delivery and we should not have to defend ourselves, nor apologize, for recouping our costs or even taking a modest profit for such service.
I don't know about any of you other sellers out there, but I do not even entertain the idea of debating or negotiating our shipping fees. They are reasonable and allow us to cover the cost of shipping packages to our customers. Those buyers who wish to complain or challenge our published shipping rates are invited to shop regular retail if they desire. They will pay twice the amount for the same item compared to buying from us online, but will have the ability to remove all shipping fees from their transaction. Something that is so very important to this small percentage of buyers who wish to complain.
posted on January 21, 2003 10:50:13 AM new
Fluffy,
I ship a rare poster every once in a while, and list the shipping costs at a flate rate of $6.00 insured to anywhere in the US. I had one guy email - before the auction closed, bless his heart - and said that $6.00 was too much, could I ship it cheaper? The bid was around $75.00 at that point. Instead of my usual lesson on how I pack well and ship with insurance and delivery confirmation, etc etc., I replied, "Sure, I can fold it up and ship it in a manila envelope, uninsured at your risk for $1.50." Never heard from him again. I'd always wanted to do that.
My current bottom feeder insisted I ship to the UK the cheapest way possible, which was surface mail with a 4-6 week delivery time. I advised him of that and let him know when the package was on the way. Can you guess what his next move was?
You guessed it, about a week later he emailed and wanted to know where his package was.
