horizonod
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posted on April 11, 2001 10:47:40 AM new
Our post office seems to be running a nice little self supplying business selling items you and I have sent and they have lost and kept to sell for profit.
I decided to bid on a few of them and learned some valuable lessons.
#1. They charge OUTRAGOUS shipping.
#2. Although the shipping is better than twice what most sellers would have the gall to charge (civil servants get paid VERY well)the don't insure anything. I bought a polished ROCK from them and they broke it. It was packed with total ineptitude (rock on bottom of box all packing on top of rock). You would think that since it was in their care the ENTIRE way until it got to my door, they would be responsible, wouldn't you? Guess again. Sorry Charlie.
#3. PO won't combine shipping. (I guess that's over their $20.00+ heads).
I won 6 sets of knives in 3 auctions.The knives weigh under 12 oz per set so 2 sets SHOULD go for the $4.50 priority rate. The PO posted $8.05 S+H in the auction. OK. I'll pay it. I won 2 other auctions for a total of 6 sets of knives all in the same day. We're talking about MAYBE 4 pounds here. They want me to pay 8.10 x 3 or $24.15 for S+H.
#4. Even though they have plenty of time to sell the items they have lost they DO NOT have time to answer any email questions. I guess their time is just too valuable.
#5. Even though their time is GOLD and WE are paying for them to sell the items they have lost and even though they refuse to waste any time answering Email questions they WILL and DO take the time to turn people in that don't pay for the items.
I learned first hand when I told them I wouldn't pay $24.15 cents to ship a 4 pound package.
Now I know some of you will say, "you bid on the items so you should pay". Yes I did bid but I never expected they would even DREAM of charging $24.00 to send a puny little package. My Emails asking if they would combine shipping on identical items listed all in a row on the same day went unanswered.
They sell anything and everything that can and does get "lost" in the mail so they have some interesting items if you're willing to wade through armpit deep junk. Just be careful. Don't ASSUME anything. They just don't operate like most sellers. They are getting paid very well for being inept and that's the way our government likes it.
Sure their profit margins are 1000%. They not only got everything they sell FOR FREE but they GOT PAID (postage) to take it off the rightful owners hands. How sweet is that!!?? I guess expecting them to be reasonable on their shipping charges is too much to ask. What a scam. They get PAID to lose perfectly good stuff, sell it for a pure profit then charge shipping on it again. EXORBITENT SHIPPING to boot!!
BE CAREFUL!!!
*********************************
The statement below is true.
The statement above is false.
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eventer
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posted on April 11, 2001 11:53:57 AM new
I've been wondering what would happen if someone recognized something on their sales as being at item USPS lost?
Especially if the person could prove it was theirs through some kind of marking.
I don't have any situations like that, just wondering how USPS would handle it.
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mrpotatoheadd
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posted on April 11, 2001 12:08:46 PM new
Yes I did bid but I never expected they would even DREAM of charging $24.00 to send a puny little package.
Maybe you should ask them about their return policy.
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ypayretail
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posted on April 11, 2001 12:18:32 PM new
I am sorry about your experience with the PO auctions. But I am here to tell you a very different experience.
From a link my husband saw on these boards we have purchased approximately 8 items from the PO auctions.
*The shipping we noticed on some items was very high but the items we bought the shipping was normal - very reasonable. The shipping is very clear in the auction so why did you bid knowing the shipping cost then complain afterwards?
*The items all shipped within 2 days of receipt of payment. The auctions all state that insurance is not covered - but you can remit the insurance fee and it will be added. You knew insurance wasn't covered as the auction stated so if you did not buy insurance - why blame the seller? We did and it wasn't an issue.
*On one auction, of considerable value, we e-mailed specific shipping instructions and the e-mails were also answered promptly. We did not have the same experience.
I guess, just as it is with other sellers, not all buyers experiences are alike.
We peruse the auctions regularly now and would very much buy again.
I know a lot of sellers are irritated with the items being re-sold as they are lost items that were not returned. We also wonder how all those items did not have return addresses etc.
But our auction experiences with the USPS auctions went very well and we would recommend them. However, you do need to read the auctions TOS as there s/h varies greatly. We only purchased new, sealed items and they were in perfect shape.
[ edited by ypayretail on Apr 11, 2001 12:20 PM ]
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lanefamily
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posted on April 11, 2001 12:19:29 PM new
Someone should turn the media on to this. I think it is quite funny.
Jim
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loggia
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posted on April 11, 2001 12:24:51 PM new
What is the link for these auctions?
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trkirk
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posted on April 11, 2001 12:33:23 PM new
Maybe you should check their terms of sale or maybe you should check their feedback. They have over 70 negatives and 60 neutrals.
I have been to their site and it was quite clear to me that you are not with a user friendly seller. They have several sites around the country and to combine shipping on items for sale would be impossible. Even if the items are in the same location you should alway ask about combining shipping before you assume it will be done.
As for the profit margin, they have to file, catalog, ship to the center and store the stuff waiting for a claim to be made and you are correct about one thing they are paying people twenty bucks an hour to do all that. While you may not like the stuff being sold this way, the post office has been in the auction business for over 100 years. Until eBay, you had to drive to one of the centers to bid on the stuff.
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eastwest
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posted on April 11, 2001 12:49:34 PM new
give me a name or a link i want to check this out
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metwo64
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posted on April 11, 2001 01:03:39 PM new
4. Even though they have plenty of time to sell the items they have lost they DO NOT have time to answer any email questions. I guess their time is just too valuable.
Lots of postal employees can't read. Maybe the person in charge of email can't read.
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redskinfan
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posted on April 11, 2001 01:11:07 PM new
If you never receive the package at all can you file mail fraud charges against them??? After all....they don't used delivery confirmation, so they have no proof they ever even mailed the item.....
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yogithree
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posted on April 11, 2001 01:14:00 PM new
[ edited by yogithree on Apr 11, 2001 01:33 PM ]
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Powerhouse
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posted on April 11, 2001 01:23:04 PM new
Yogithree, we are no longer allowed to actually identify the people/auctions being discussed.
You need to delete your link before before a moderator shows up and shuts down the thread.
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ashlandtrader
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posted on April 11, 2001 01:25:23 PM new
It is a rip off! In my opinion they don't have any business being in competition with the rest of us.
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redskinfan
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posted on April 11, 2001 01:27:47 PM new
Shoot, a moderator had posted the post office's ebay id the other day.
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mrpotatoheadd
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posted on April 11, 2001 01:32:46 PM new
In my opinion, they have every right to run their business as they see fit, as long as they are abiding by eBay's rules, just like everybody else.
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misscandle
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posted on April 11, 2001 01:34:44 PM new
Powerhouse: we invited the P.O. auction people to join the discussion on this board a few months ago. They didn't choose to come. I think the moderators decided that because the P.O. is a public entity, it was okay for us to discuss their auctions.
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Brooklynguy-07
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posted on April 11, 2001 01:38:35 PM new
What exactly should the P.O. do with all of the unclaimed and damaged items? Almost all of their items have bids on them. A little jealous maybe? 
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Powerhouse
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posted on April 11, 2001 01:40:38 PM new
I don't know, redskinfan.
If they are making exceptions to the rule they are certaintly going to have to be specific. Are you suggesting we can identify sellers/buyers if they are big corporations, maybe?
If GM or Nabisco is registered can we point to their auctions/ID's?
How big is big enough? Can I identify the local shady auto dealer that sells his junk on ebay?
Waiting for a moderator to clue me in on the exact boundaries.
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pattaylor
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posted on April 11, 2001 02:06:28 PM new
Everyone,
It was decided that because the Post Office is a public entity, discussions of their auctions will be allowed, within reason.
How big is big enough? That will be decided on a case by case basis, if the need arises.
Hope this helps.
Pat
[email protected]
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toke
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posted on April 11, 2001 02:12:32 PM new
Oh, good... So, what's the seller ID of the P.O.?
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debray
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posted on April 11, 2001 02:23:45 PM new
I don't know UBB, but here are the addresses to their ME pages:
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/usps-mrc-collectibles/
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/usps-mrc-music/
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/usps-mrc-books/
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/usps-mrc-movies/
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/usps-mrc-everythingelse/
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toke
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posted on April 11, 2001 02:25:33 PM new
Thanks, debray...
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misscandle
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posted on April 11, 2001 02:43:19 PM new
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/usps-mrc-collectibles/
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/usps-mrc-music/
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/usps-mrc-books/
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/usps-mrc-movies/
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/usps-mrc-everythingelse/
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Powerhouse
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posted on April 11, 2001 02:50:09 PM new
Thanks for investigating that and clearing it up for me, Pat.
(Psst! Yogithree, thanks for editing it out, but Pat says it was ok after all. You can put it back in if you want!)
[ edited by Powerhouse on Apr 11, 2001 02:51 PM ]
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horizonod
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posted on April 11, 2001 02:54:38 PM new
I understand the PO has to tag, catalog, inventory ETC ETC the items. So do I when I sell. The difference is my suppliers don't pay me to take the goods. We sellers have to do everything the PO has to do PLUS actually PAY for our stuff.
As far as the PO having outlets all over the country, I only see the Kansas City location mentioned. All three of the items mentioned were identical and went off withing a few hours of each other in lots of 2. They probably came out of the same box.
As far as asking before I bid. I did. They didn't answer so it was a crapshoot. I lost. I'm sorry though, they could certainly combine shipping if they wanted to.
The service reminds me of that old Lily Tomlin sketch when she does the phone company only this time it's the PO. "We don't care, we're the post office....we don't have to."
Another thing. How in the HELL do you break a ROCK in shipping??????? My gosh, They could visit there own website to get tips on packaging. You don't throw a heavy item in the bottom of a box and pack papers on top. You put some under it and some over it.
I'm not saying they don't have a right to sell the stuff but it amazes me how SO MUCH STUFF with TWO perfectly good addresses gets "lost" to begin with. Then they expect us to pay civil service wages for handling and charge DOUBLE what any other seller would even DREAM of. Their packages come with no amount marked for shipping (well isn't that conveeeeeeenient?) but I did a calculation on their site and it was over 3 times actual shipping. I'm sorry but when they get the stuff for free, or more correctly, get paid to take it, they could surely cut the shipping costs. $24.15 for 6 sets (5 knives each) of kitchen knives (just knives in cardboard no storage block). $24.15 is simply to outragious to pay.
Besides, when you think about it wasn't the shipping already paid once??? What a scam.
*********************************
The statement below is true.
The statement above is false.
[ edited by horizonod on Apr 11, 2001 03:05 PM ]
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mapledr1216
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posted on April 11, 2001 02:59:31 PM new
The thing that amazes me the most about the USPS auctions is that no matter how "garbagey" the item and no matter how vague the description, every item gets bids and lots of them!
For instance, they currently have an auction for a lot of 75 assorted rings. From the description you can't tell if they are 75 rings out of a bubble gum machine or 75 platinum rings with 3 carat diamonds in each one, but the lot is already bid over $100.00.
If only all my auctions were all that successful!
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horizonod
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posted on April 11, 2001 03:01:15 PM new
One MORE thing. If their time is TOO VALUABLE to answer Emails, why do they use that valuable time to neg you?
Is it because they are "civil servents" (boy isn't that an oxymoron?)(think about it)
They can't pack correctly even at $20.00 an hour plus benefits. They can't answer your questions if you Email. They can however use that valuable time to "go postal" and NEG buyers.
I think I have a legit complaint. $24.15 to send 6 sets of knives. Get your mind around that.
I paid over $21.00 to ship the ROCK and they broke it!!
*********************************
The statement below is true.
The statement above is false.
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mballai
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posted on April 11, 2001 03:06:05 PM new
Most of the stuff that winds up on auction is due to a combined seller/bidder error problem:
Lack of postage, no return address, unpicked up mail, wrong address, and lousy packing. About 5% of the addresses I get from bidders are completely or partially wrong--I check every one.
Lousy sellers have proliferated. I was wondering where all the bidders have gone or why I haven't been getting the prices I expected. It has nothing to do with the economy: the crappy sellers are driving away our business. My last couple of experiences have been appalling.
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misscandle
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posted on April 11, 2001 03:10:06 PM new
Horizonod: And yet you kept bidding.
I'm sorry to say it...and you can throw one of your nice new knives at me if you want to......but there it is. Tell me, though: if it had been another seller with the same feedback record and the same shipping charges and the same devil-may-care attitude about answering your questions, would you still have bid on the items?
I am sorry this happened to you. It was an expensive lesson, but one that I appreciate you sharing with us. It has given me much to think about.
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ypayretail
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posted on April 11, 2001 03:12:58 PM new
Your complaint is valid re: high shipping - but why bid? You may not have known if they would combine and that was a crapshoot but you did know the shipping as it is listed in each auction - why bid?
I am sorry but this is a pet peeve of ours. Buyers who fully know what they are paying (shipping fees) then complain after they receive the item. Sounds like buyers remorse to me.
One of our purchases from the PO was 5 new shrinkwrapped CD's for $24 - postage included in that amount. Shipped within two days and they were great. Currently selling in stores for around $12-$15 each. My kids love them and what a great deal.
Another buy was a large lot of rings for several hundred dollars. My husband bought them sight unseen as he knew that the 80+ rings would bring at least $5 - $10 each worse case. Currently has sold 15 and the sale amount has been covered so the rest will be profit. You know that these items were sent through the mail - so more than likely they are not bubble gum rings. You do take your chances with the buys but so far we have been very pleased. On that purchase we exchanged several e-mails with the PO regarding insurance and DC etc. They added all, re-invoiced us and sent insured with DC.
Again, we recommend them. Just as with other sellers though - look at the terms, do not bid if you do not like them etc.
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