posted on January 15, 2001 09:24:09 AM
I am more a buyer than seller.
I have noticed lately how shipping rates vary among sellers.
How is this being determined? Is some guessing?
I have purchased the same item and one is charging double on shipping.
I sent an email to request a compromise on the rates. I did notice no one was bidding on this item and seen why---the rates were ridiculous. (My fault for not reading the fine print) I had a choice either to retract or continue and try and work out a deal.
Thanks for Listening
posted on January 15, 2001 09:28:11 AM
Terms Of Sale DO vary from Seller to seller (whether we agree with them or not - they have the right to set whatever terms they want).
READ THE FINE PRINT
That is how you will avoid inadvertantly agreeing to Terms of Sale that you are not happy with.
If it's stated within their listing and you bid... they are playing within the rules and have done nothing wrong.
Some sellers massively overcharge for shipping. This is a VERY small percentage, mind you.
Most of us either charge the exact cost based upon the weight & designation, or sometimes need to add a small amount for packaging,etc.
This is something to really check before bidding as you can sometimes get a BIG surprise. Once I bid on & won something for which the seller charged $12 shipping. (Cost of item $40/weight approx 3lb) Rec'd pkg & the actual ship cost was $4.30. My mistake for making the purchase, but his mistake in that I wouldn't bid on anything from him again!
*Also, don't forget to consider mode of shipping, insurance, other services that might apply differently from item to item!
[ edited by sharkbaby on Jan 15, 2001 09:38 AM ]
posted on January 15, 2001 09:42:32 AM
Thanks All
I guess I will learn the hard way!
I do not want to be considered a deadbeat.
I have worked hard to keep my feedback rating.
I should have retracted the bid when I discovered the charges.
If it had been stated as a handling fee for $$ I could understand.
But when it's more than double 6 other sellers shipping the same item I fell really ripped off.
posted on January 15, 2001 09:45:44 AMI should have retracted the bid when I discovered the charges.
How did you "discover" the charges? If they were in the item listing, it might be better to read the listing completely and not bid at all if you don't like the terms, rather than bidding and retracting.
posted on January 15, 2001 09:58:15 AM
I agree and you bet I will read every word from now on.
How I discovered it:
No one was bidding on this item.
It was strange because someone should have bumped my bid later that day.
I have checked their other auctions and no hits there either.
I have not been around for awhile. I need to open my eyes.
I am from the Ole Ebay where MOST were honest buyers & sellars---just straight forward the good ole days.
posted on January 15, 2001 11:32:00 AM
There definitely IS a trend with NEW sellers, who consider is quite alright to charge bidder for everything they can. Case in point, a thread yesterday mentioned a new seller charging for shipping of course, plus Ebay fees, Final Value fees and something else, can't recall what....
THAT seldom happened several years ago. Many people are much more aggressive today than in the early days. At least, that is MY opinion.
Yes, ng, do read carefully all of the fine print, and DO question sellers.
posted on January 15, 2001 07:51:54 PM
This is nothing new on eBay. Sellers have been doing this to pad their profits to one extent or another for as long as I can remember. Now, when I list something, I always include the statement, "No outrageous $1.00, $2.00 or more in "handling" fees hidden in postage costs that some sellers charge." I don't know exactly how much it helps but I get a fair amount of repeat business. In the long run it just doesn't pay to rip people off.
posted on January 15, 2001 07:58:13 PM
Shoshana said "THAT seldom happened several years ago. Many people are much more aggressive today than in the early days. At least, that is MY opinion."
AND
ngarner said "I have not been around for awhile. I need to open my eyes.
I am from the Ole Ebay where MOST were honest buyers & sellars---just straight forward the good ole days."
That is actually NOT THE CASE. In the early days of eBay, sellers discovered that they could avoid the Final Value Fees on an auction by setting a very, very small bid, and a large shipping/handling fee. IN the early days of Final Value fees, this was not against the rules.
eBay discovered this "glitch" in their system and changed the TOS to make fee avoidance a suspendable offense and sellers had to get in line. Prior to the change It was quite often the case to see a very small, lightweight widget for pennies, and the shipping/handling was actually the "value/worth" of the item.
This was the in the early days of eBay, back when you were limited to how many items could be listed in a day, and when the quota was filled, no one could list anymore.
Many things have changed on eBay and their TOS has developed and changed over the years. Certainly they had to "patch" up the holes that the dishonest folks could squeeze through, just as they are attempting to do now, with the recent changes in the TOS. (fee avoidance/spam)
