posted on September 20, 2007 08:19:49 PM
Why does this irritate me beyond reason other than I need to get a life? The woman bought eight pieces of nice silverplate. The auction stated actual shipping costs. She paid $15 for the silverplate and $5.95 for the shipping and insurance. I don't charge for the delivery confirmation because most Ebayers get it free off of Paypal. My husband took it to the post office and it ended up costing me $7.20 with confirmation. It weighed 1 lb and 13.30 ounces. It went from 50265 to 60133. I wrapped it in bits of paper towel, bubble wrap, packing peanuts. It fit into the larger USPS box. Here is what I get for a message. What do you think of this:
Hi, The silverware was lovely, but you really did overkill on the packing. Those few pieces would have fit safely and snugly in a very small priority mail video size box. Those ship for about $4.75 and would have been just as nice. One of the things I look at when shopping on ebay is the shipping and sometimes I don't buy because it is too high. I try to keep mine low so buyers get the best advantage. I sell silverware so I know that most of it will fit in those smaller boxes. That out of the way, the silverware was really beautiful, almost looked brand new. Thanks for a nice ebay experience. Mary Diane
I don't believe it can be shipped for what she says. The bubble and peanuts did not weigh much of themselves.
posted on September 20, 2007 08:29:51 PM
People need to bellyache about something.
She said she knows it will fit in a smaller box because she also sells these items.
Go in and look at some of hers to see what she charges.
I used to get some complaints and when I looked at their auctions I found they were charging many times more than I charged them.
But they still complained about what I charged them.
posted on September 20, 2007 08:42:25 PM
I don't think it sounds like she was bellyaching. I think she meant to give you the heads up for future transactions. Some people can't believe you really don't want their advice unless you ask for it!
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posted on September 20, 2007 08:54:42 PM
There isn't a priority video box like she says, is there? I think she means the little priority box that is 6" square. I would have to have put the table knife in at an angle and that wouldn't have left any space for bubble wrap! Besides just the silverplate had to be over a pound. How could I have shipped it for $4.75? Even without insurance?
posted on September 20, 2007 09:36:58 PM
Isn't it interesting what we get in the way of advice from buyers?! I got one I actually value yesterday; I'd sent a book, with dust jacket, in a flat-rate priority envelope, to France. The buyer was pleased with the speed of delivery but did tell me that I should have cushioned the book a bit; that there's a danger the book will slide around in that envelope and wear at the corners, etc.
I always wrap books in tissue paper before mailing them in bubble envelopes, etc., but I had wanted to get that book into that flat-rate envelope for obvious reasons, and just didn't think that there could be some damage. Learn something new every day. I thanked her for her advice and let it go.
I think YOUR buyer of the silverware was 'way off base giving you that advice. I wonder if she has gotten some bad feedback because of HER shipping methods.
_____________________
There is more to life than increasing its speed. --Mahatma Gandhi
posted on September 20, 2007 11:32:51 PM
I know, that kind of email would probably get me ranting too.
I would kindly let her know that you were nice enough to absorb the $1.20 loss because you miscalculated the original shipping and then let it go.
She was probably trying to be helpful.
Here is my unsolicited advice
Using the video boxes can really save a lot on shipping. There are two different size boxes, the 1096-S or the 1096-L. If your packaged order weighs more than a pound, either of the 1096 will fit into a Priority Mail Flat rate envelope and regardless of weigh, ship for $ 4.85.
Well...there is a 70lb limit but I don't think anyone other than Mike's4x4 has ever approached the limit.
Since you say your butter knife would only fit in the box at an angle, you probably have the 1096-S. Order some of the 1096-L and a bunch of Flat rate envelopes.
Roadie, I ship books in the Flat rate mailer but now I always use some type of padding. If the book will not fit inside a 1096-l, I use thin high density foam and fold additional cardboard around the corners of the book to protect it. I also place the book inside a gallon twist tie bag to protect it from moisture. You never know if the package will be left on a wet doorstep.
I started doing this after there was discussion here a while back when I shared how to pack heavy items in the flat rate mailer. One of our book buying/selling members mentioned that they would be upset to receive an expensive book that was not padded.
posted on September 20, 2007 11:43:44 PM
I can't find the old thread and have deleted my pics showing how to pack a 1096-l into a Flat rate but you can find some good tips here SHIPPING TIPS= USPS 70 POUNDS FOR $4.60? YES YOU CAN!
posted on September 21, 2007 06:36:03 AM
Customer probably looked at the $7.20 and assumed it went into 3 lbs. because of the bigger box. That said, it should have cost $4.90 for two pounds without insurance or DC. Your 5.95 wouldn't even cover insurance and postage let alone DC for one pound either. It's possible if the flatware was pretty lightweight that it could have gone at one pound with a video box, but that would have only been a difference of 30c.
The bubble didn't weigh much, but the box did. Big difference between the video box and the #7 box.
So perhaps sellers don't want input into packing and shipping? I buy a fair number of heavy and awkward pieces on eBay on a regular basis. Over time, I've had more poorly packed items than I care to think about. I always send suggested packing hints when I pay ... only because I've had so much breakage. Do I irritate the seller in this case?
Perhaps, because guess what? Half the time, they're improperly packed. Got one piece that bent and snapped brass screws the other day. On top of the contents was my email with a "thanks" (so I know they saw it) and then they packed them in an old textile anyway. Sigh. It's hard to be a seller, but it isn't always easy to be a buyer either.
posted on September 21, 2007 08:13:57 AM
I can tell you that the #7 USPS Priority Mail box (12x12x8-inches) weighs about 1 lb when it is filled with packing peanuts.
There is a video box that we use all the time (not for videos though) that's about 5x7x3 and that could be what she's talking about. That weighs just a few ounces filled with peanuts.
Take her comments for advice from someone who has more shipping experience and learn from it.
Wayne
Never explain -- Your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.
~ Elbert Hubbard
posted on September 21, 2007 04:35:40 PM
I really don't think that silverplate could have been shipped without risk of damaging it for any less that I shipped it. I HAVE shipped lots of flatware the past eight years. This past week I shipped sterling Chateau Rose individual butter knives and also demi spoons, etc. in video boxes I had here to ship small items. They aren't "USPS video" boxes though. I have the two old standard USPS priority box types here all the time. I used the larger one.
I can understand if a buyer wants to caution me on how to pack and ship before it is shipped, but to take me to task after she had to have seen how safely and lightly it was packed, she should have just put a lid on it. I buy on Ebay all the time, I don't want to pay any more shipping than I have to either. I wouldn't chance stuffing eight pieces of flatware into a video box. I don't believe there would be any room for bubble wrap at all. Just because you can stuff something into a box doesn't mean it is properly cushioned.
