posted on June 18, 2002 11:21:25 PM new
Here is one for you. I just had an email from a person who said she wouldn't bid on an item because the Postage was too high. I had posted on my TOS, Priority Mail Insured & the charge was $7.00. The Actual cost is $7.45. I have to drive 5 miles to the PO, which means I have used about $1.00 in gas. Gas is $1.67/gal here in central CA. Go figure!!!!1
posted on June 19, 2002 04:58:55 AM new
You could offer not to insure it and then give a complete refund if they don't get it. Unfortunately that's what some sellers do.
dendude
posted on June 19, 2002 06:52:46 AM new
Were they suggesting that you were charging too much, or that the cost of shipping just made the item uneconomical? These days, I've stoppped buying a lot of low-cost items because the $5/$10 shipping costs per item that sellers are asking for (legitimately in many cases) make even a $1 bid too high. And its usually not worth my time to ask the seller about combined shipping/lower shipping/whatever since most of the time either I never hear back or the answer is a flat "no".
I have no idea if this is the case for you, but the increases in fees/postage should make sellers re-examine how they sell items, with an eye towards bundling lower-value items together in one lot. Or offer similar items during the same auction time and state clearly that items can be combined for lower shipping costs.
posted on June 19, 2002 11:18:38 AM new
Zathras11; You ought to stop & do some figuring. I drive a 97 T-Bird & get 25 mpg on the hiway. 18 to 20 in city. 2 X 10 = 20, so it would cost me 85 cents to a dollar @ $1.67 per gallon. I don't think I drive a tank.
Capt Kirk; The person simply said it was too much for postage. I sell mainly china & glass, & I will not give them a choice re: insurance. I state it in my TOS. This is the first complaint I have had in almost 5 years. I have never tried to rip anyone off on shipping. Sometimes I make a little & sometimes I eat it, so, I foigure I come out about even.
[ edited by sanmar on Jun 19, 2002 11:19 AM ]
posted on June 19, 2002 11:56:30 AM new
Don't waste your time with this "Bargain Shopper". Move on an save yourself the grief.
You can bet that if they are willing to send you a initial email saying the shipping is too high before they even bid, that there would be many other pestering emails to follow. Simply not worth the time and effort.
Don't justify your costs to anyone but yourself. If it isn't worth your effort, don't do it and certainly don't listen to anyone who says you should.
posted on June 19, 2002 03:08:42 PM new
<Don't justify your costs to anyone but yourself. If it isn't worth your effort, don't do it and certainly don't listen to anyone who says you should. - Computerboy>
I agree. Try to be honest, helpful, give good descriptions, etc., but be firm.
No one is forced to buy your item. I get one or 2 E-mails per year like that. But, if I don't make $xx.xx per hour in my work, I will simply stop making and selling my product and go do something else where I can make a living. Most of my customers are very appreciative of my work. They know I am not Kenneth Lay in disguise making $10 million per year.
You will never make everyone happy. Use your good feedback for warm fuzzies. Use criticism to re-examine policies. If the policy is good, don't change it. No one knows your business like you do.
posted on June 19, 2002 03:50:24 PM new
It is your call. Charge what you want and give up the buyers that don't want to pay it. I just mailed 4 pieces of dishes Priority insured. I figured $8.00 at the max and wow was I surprised when it was $13.00. Guess who ate the cost. Well, It was my fault because I have not sold dishes before, but since I have decided no more dishes. Those 5 auctions weren't worth it. That was the only one I lost on and I pack with peanuts and bubble wrap. I did make quite a profit so I am not so sad. Stick with your TOS....
posted on June 19, 2002 10:27:33 PM new
I just got an e-mail from a buyer who asked, "And how did you arrive at $5.50 for the shipping charge. This is absurd." This is the same guy who has e-mailed me 3 times asking if he was getting 1 or 2 glasses. Now keep in mind that my ad clearly stated, "You are bidding on this set of 2 glasses." And my photos showed 2 glasses. My ad also had a fixed shipping rate of $5.50. He waited 4 days before e-mailing me about the blankety blank shipping charge. The listed shipping to his zip code was $5.20. With DC it was $5.60. So, shipping this item cost me .10 for the DC, the tissue paper each glass was carefuly wrapped in and the bubble wrap, the long wait at the PO and the aggravation of having to respond to a buyer who cannot read what he was bidding on. Oh, and I forgot to add that after I had printed out his address label he e-mailed me again with a new address and asking me to send the package to his work address and not to the original address. And this guy thought I was ripping him off for a lousy 30 cents....Wonder what kind of e-mails I will see after the 30th...
posted on June 20, 2002 08:17:08 AM newI just had an email from a person who said she wouldn't bid on an item because the Postage was too high.
This really doesn't make sense. If shipping is too high, why email the seller? Move along to the next auction.
I did email a seller once because I was curious what the actual shipping cost was on a somewhat heavy item I was interested in. It goes without saying that I didn't get an answer.
posted on June 20, 2002 01:11:40 PM new
I sell some book's now and again, not many!
I had a person E-mail me last week telling me if I would ship Media mail he would bid.
I responded: Sorry, I only ship USPS Priority!
This week they E-mailed me again.
With a three paragraph letter telling me how Ebay has 7 million looker's but no one bought my book's.
And asked if that gave me any ideas!
Well after thinking about it for at least 1 sec. I had a wonderful idea!
I put him on my blocked bidder list & blocked his E-mail!!
Thing is: I do the best I can, to give the best service to my customer's.
If you don't like what I do, don't even consider buying from me!
It's just that simple!!!
posted on June 20, 2002 02:05:05 PM new
They should be writing the PO and tell them, sellers don't set the Postage.
One guy asked me if I agree to ship two books for .50¢ he would use the BIN right away. I wanted to say, if you write the PO and get them to agree to .50¢ postage, then I will only charge that much.
posted on June 20, 2002 02:44:56 PM new
"I just had an email from a person who said she wouldn't bid on an item because the Postage was too high."
This really doesn't make sense. If shipping is too high, why email the seller?
Oooh! Oooh! Mr. Kotter! I can answer this one!
Madame Dimwit emailed the seller because she believes that she (MD) has a lot of clout in the marketplace and that the seller will rush to change the shipping policies to suit Madame Dimwit, her being such an important big-time eBay spender, donchaknow.
Unfortunately for her, Madame Dimwit's importance to the marketplace is less than that of a pimple on a flea's backside.
posted on June 20, 2002 03:02:23 PM new
I was just thinking: It's really no wonder that cheapskates and grouches proliferate on eBay. They've always been with us in real life.
My Aunt Margaret, the meanest old-maid schoolmarm you'd never want to meet, I'll bet she's on eBay.
My Aunt Ruth, who was so tight she never threw anything out even though my uncle made a fortune and could have hired a staff of six to keep up the house. She'd be on eBay today if she were alive.
My grandmother Marie, who had more grandchildren than Carter's has pills, loved to buy gifts for just pennies. She'd be on eBay and she'd be having a fit about shipping...if she were alive.
I'll bet there's someone in your life who squeezes fruit in the market (to see if it's ripe) but leaves it bruised, or who doesn't say anything if the cashier gives them a ten instead of a five in change.
posted on June 20, 2002 03:42:44 PM new
you atleast have it before she bids,
I'm fighting a buyer that already won the auction and she is driving the price of shipping down ...right now she is fighting about $2.00 on insurance of the shoes,
her bid was $189.99 on Manolo Blahnik shoes and she doesnt want them insured, I'm afraid to do that...
auction stated $12.00 shipping,
I offered $9.00 (includes insurance)
she wants just priority and DC which comes to little under $7.00
but she is paying with MO and is in zone 8
so by the time I get it rates will go up and she will be short....
posted on June 21, 2002 12:10:30 PM new
.....You're only mailing one item each time you make your 10 mile round trip to the Post Office?...If you're like most sellers you also add the Papal charges & ebay fees in the shipping too, which I think should be added to the item price...In your defense, I'd email back and say "thanks for not bidding, keep shopping & have a great day"...
