Not my week with Ebay

[zktk01]

I probably have ordered 400 items in the last 2 years with ebay actually had not had a problem until this week. 1 box came empty I think a resolution is on the way.

2nd problem I contacted a seller to see if the would combine shipping if purchased multiple items, they said yes, so I did buy it now, then they offered invoice with next to nothing of discount on shipping. Not sure I am going to handle this one, other than Negative feedback.

 

[The Cobbler]

I guess they did keep their word, they did combine & give a bit of a discount.. I know ***** but what can you do?

 

[rlitman]

...I contacted a seller to see if the would combine shipping if purchased multiple items, they said yes, so I did buy it now, then they offered invoice with next to nothing of discount on shipping...

I remember once requesting an invoice for combined shipping, and being given a price that was HIGHER than the individual shipping added together. Needless to say, my email to the seller was not so happy, but they did correct it.

 

[crguy]

You gave no details, how do you expect to get intelligent responses? Or, do you just want to whine?

 

[SRSemenza]

I probably have ordered 400 items in the last 2 years with ebay actually had not had a problem until this week. 1 box came empty I think a resolution is on the way.

2nd problem I contacted a seller to see if the would combine shipping if purchased multiple items, they said yes, so I did buy it now, then they offered invoice with next to nothing of discount on shipping. Not sure I am going to handle this one, other than Negative feedback.

I am curious as to what the separate and combined amounts were?

Also it would be good to have them give you the combined shipping before you buy.

Seth

 

[rlitman]

...Also it would be good to have them give you the combined shipping before you buy...

It would be great if eBay offered that option. The officially supported way with eBay is to put the items in your cart, and request an invoice. But doing that is a commitment to buy, before you know the shipping cost. It's one of eBay's biggest flaws.

 

[SRSemenza]

It would be great if eBay offered that option. The officially supported way with eBay is to put the items in your cart, and request an invoice. But doing that is a commitment to buy, before you know the shipping cost. It's one of eBay's biggest flaws.

I just contact the seller in situations like that. "How much will the shipping be for X and Y together?"


Seth

 

[zktk01]

I just contact the seller in situations like that. "How much will the shipping be for X and Y together?"


Seth

I will do that from now on, needless to say they lost any future dealings with me.

 

[zktk01]

You gave no details, how do you expect to get intelligent responses? Or, do you just want to whine?

I guess I am whining a bit
Well I thought there was enough detail, I feel like I am getting gouged on shipping, I communicated with a seller before a transaction, and asked about combined shipping. They said they would combine shipping, my fault I didn't discuss price, I just assumed it would be roughly a 1/4 of the amount plus add a buck or two, since I bought 4 wrenches all around same weight. combined total shipping was $17 the invoiced amount was $14. I know it does not cost $14 to ship 4 wrench all under 1inch in size USPS. My guess would be around $8 I know some sellers charge more for shipping to avoid paying ebay fees.

I was simply asking how would you handle the situation?
I went ahead sucked it up, and paid just won't buy anything from them again.

Would you leave a Negative Feedback or Neutral to warn others about overcharging for shipping?

Option B would have been just not pay, until you work out a reasonable amount on shipping.

I didn't feel like it was worth the effort to message back and forth bickering over shipping.
I was shocked though I had bought something from the guy before so I probably would have been a return buyer, but that ship has sailed.

 

[AngryBeaver]

try to stuff 4 or 5 1" wrenches into a flat rate box and let me know how much that is now....

 

[American Locomotive]

Seriously? You're whining about a percieved shipping overcharge of $6? That is the epitome of "complaining old person syndrome".

A priority mail medium flat rate box shipped 1000 miles is $14. Even if used a small flat rate box, that would be $8. I've seen sellers charge $50 shipping for a 1 pound small item. 6 potentially overcharged dollars isn't even worth thinking about.

 

[AngryBeaver]

^ this guy gets it

those wrenches won't fit in a small flat rate 7.95 box... so the medium is 14 bucks....

it isn't 2003 anymore

 

[cgrutt]

LOL, I just sold a gun on Gunbroker asking $30 for shipping. Buyer wanted free shipping so I said I'd split the difference with him and charged $15. We agreed. Shipping (and transfer fees) wound up costing me $106. Should I leave the buyer negative feedback? LOL.


As for ebay, I sell sometimes. Had offers of $5 for an item with listing price of $15 and FREE shipping. Shipping by priority anything is at least $7. I don't get too upset when I pass and tell them no thanks. They come back and say don't you want to make a counter-offer. I say nope have a nice day.

 

[zktk01]

Seriously? You're whining about a percieved shipping overcharge of $6? That is the epitome of "complaining old person syndrome".

A priority mail medium flat rate box shipped 1000 miles is $14. Even if used a small flat rate box, that would be $8. I've seen sellers charge $50 shipping for a 1 pound small item. 6 potentially overcharged dollars isn't even worth thinking about.

Guess you right about ******* and moaning over $6. I just hope I don't get another empty box. On the other hand, I do buy alot from one seller that auctions off every Saturday, I have received up to 15 items before in one auction including a 24inch breaker bar shipping is never more than $8 guess that's why I keep buying from him.

 

[zktk01]

LOL, I just sold a gun on Gunbroker asking $30 for shipping. Buyer wanted free shipping so I said I'd split the difference with him and charged $15. We agreed. Shipping (and transfer fees) wound up costing me $106. Should I leave the buyer negative feedback? LOL.


As for ebay, I sell sometimes. Had offers of $5 for an item with listing price of $15 and FREE shipping. Shipping by priority anything is at least $7. I don't get too upset when I pass and tell them no thanks. They come back and say don't you want to make a counter-offer. I say nope have a nice day.

Ouch! If I put make best offer on my sales I will add a 1$ so they can get a good deal in their mind.

 

[cgrutt]

Ouch!

All good bro. I'd keep buying from the seller who charges $8 shipping on a 24" breaker bar. I'd like to know how he does it, LOL...

Seriously, on ebay shipping is pretty expensive for sellers, esp. relative to low priced items i.e., why are you charging me $13 for a <insert item here> that only costs $20? Well, I'm not charging it, that's what the PO charges...

And to make matters worse, ebay charges seller commission on shipping too. So that $8 shipping charge might have cost seller $7 after "discount" but the "discount" goes back to ebay as additional commission. It's a scam.

My advise is stick to what you are prepared to pay in total for an item and be happy with it. If you're happy paying $100 for a $90 item that costs $10 to ship, you should be equally happy to pay $80 with $20 shipping for same item. But don't pay $105 in total...

 

[Mr_B]

Shipping these days is not cheap unless set up big and have a shipping contract .
Best to always be conclusive on prices first as saves hassle and loosing a seller due to expectations not being equal ...

 

[Maui]

Everybody complains about shipping on eBay - both buyers and sellers. The buyers don't want to pay for it and the sellers hope they don't lose their a$$ because they didn't estimate the shipping charges correctly. What I found works well is using the "Buy it Now" option, with free shipping. You get to decide what price would work best for you, and conservatively include a cost for shipping to the opposite side of the country. That way you don't get stuck paying extra on shipping and the buyer feels like they got a good deal. And best of all, there is no complaining by anybody on shipping charges.

Maui

 

[American Locomotive]

As mentioned, e-bay charges ridiculous shipping commission fees. For high volume sellers, it's actually better for the seller to charge less for shipping and wrap it into the price. Low volume sellers can't do that.

 

[pepi]

You gave no details, how do you expect to get intelligent responses? Or, do you just want to whine?

I think you nailed it...

Greg

 

[SRSemenza]

I don't think you should leave negative feedback. Partly because the shipping was less and partly because you didn't ask the price first. I suspect you will receive the wrenches in a medium priority flat rate box which is currently $13.60 ($14). I have found that unless the weight is very low and the distance very short (same State), Priority Flat Rate is the same or cheaper than any other means.

Also Ebay doesn't charge for shipping, the seller determines the shipping charge. It isn't like a web business that has a $7.99 flat shipping charge no matter what the order. There are plenty of bigger businesses selling on Ebay that may have that type of shipping charge but if dealing with a small business or private seller the charge should be whatever the actual cost is plus any packing / handling fee (if they charge one).

I can see how you might be disappointed the the charge wasn't less but it isn't like the seller wronged you or didn't do what they said or reneged or didn't discount after they said they would, etc.....

And in general, like other things in life .......... know what you are paying before you buy, agree, or sign.

Seth

 

[Hiball]

This is why all my listings all have free shipping, you can't win for losing with most buyers. If there box shows up empty because the seller didn't use enough tape, they complain. If you use good packing methods (which cost) they also complain. I just offer free shipping, screw them on the top end and everyone is happy and none the wiser.

 

[JABgj]

It costs me around 12%-15% of my sale price to sell on eBay. Packing materials cost money and if you buy that in small amounts that is real expensive. For a while I used the eBay calculator to determine the shipping cost and that would help cover the materials and some of the fees. Lately, shipping has gone up sharply. I use Fedex ground and they charge by the cubic inch and the weight. AND, watch the eBay shipping calculator carefully. It will way overcharge and undercharge the amount. I have contacted a recent buyer to hold off paying until I can double check the shipping. I ended up saving them over 20.00 in shipping and still covered my costs. I have also told other potential bidders thanks but no thanks to things that did not benefit ME. If I don't sell it this week, I will sell it soon to someone else. I pack things well, I describe the item well and treat bidders as I would expect to be treated.

 

[HoosierBuddy]

Memories....

Back in the day, I talked my wife into doing retail selling on eBay. She sold toy cars and made enough money that she was able to stay home when our kids were young.

For sellers, eBay has gotten worse and worse and worse. She closed up shop about 4 or 5 years ago or so because with the higher and higher fees (and honestly....much tighter margins on sales)...she wasn't making enough to pay herself minimum wage. It takes a long time to manage multiple auctions all the time and buyers expect you to ship their items the same day....so it's like milking cows. You can't ever skip a day.

Back in the glory days of eBay, I can recall her buying some items for $10 and selling them for $70....this would have been like 2000 or so. By the time she closed shop, she was doing all she could to make $1 to $2 per sale after shipping and fees...and this was with having 100% positive FB with over 15,000 ratings!

My point...if you think eBay is bad as a buyer...trust me it's worse for the sellers.

Phil

 

[Maui]

For sellers eBay just plain *****.

 

[SRSemenza]

A lot of it depends on what and how you are selling. Are you doing as a business? Are you just selling stuff you don't want? Etc.

Seller's situations are different. Which is why some think it ***** and others don't.

For me, just selling a variety of random stuff from time to time, the Ebay fees (10% ish) is a good deal. Huge exposure and convenience for that fee. I list the item, its sells, I collect through PayPal (yes they charge too, but again they are providing a service), I print the label, I put package in my mailbox. No answering phone calls, no meeting someone somewhere and then dickering or not selling, no people coming to my house, etc, etc. There is no way I would get the same amount of money (even after fees) or convenience selling another way without a lot of additional hassle and time.

On packing materials ..... I order enough stuff that the packing materials I save are more than enough to pack anything I sell. I know this would not be true for most business sellers, but that is part of the fact that different types of seller's have differing situations.

Seth

 

[Ign]

^ this guy gets it

those wrenches won't fit in a small flat rate 7.95 box... so the medium is 14 bucks....

it isn't 2003 anymore

A Regional Rate Box A almost surely would have worked and been at least $3 less anywhere in the country.

People are just too lazy to use Regional Rate.

 

[Hiball]

A Regional Rate Box A almost surely would have worked and been at least $3 less anywhere in the country.

People are just too lazy to use Regional Rate.

Regional boxes are great, I use them almost solely for shipping in and out of my region when applicable. It would be handy for the average joe if they would offer them at the local post offices, versus ordering online.

 

[SRSemenza]

Regional boxes are great, I use them almost solely for shipping in and out of my region when applicable. It would be handy for the average joe if they would offer them at the local post offices, versus ordering online.

I am interested to know more about Regional Rate boxes? I have seen them but there seems to be some sort of restriction on use? Not sure but would like to know.



Seth

 

[Davefr]

A Regional Rate Box A almost surely would have worked and been at least $3 less anywhere in the country.

People are just too lazy to use Regional Rate.

^^Probably uninformed vs lazy.

Regional boxes can only be ordered. (PO doesn't stock them). In addition the Paypal shipping screen doesn't even offer Regional rates. (However Ebay does)

In order to use most priority mailing options this is what you need to stock:

- Flat rate small, medium (2 shapes), large (2 shapes)
- Region A (2 shapes), Regional B (2 shapes)
- Flat rate envelopes (2-3 sizes)
- Regular Priority (at least 3 common sizes)

That's a supply of about 14 different boxes/envelopes needed to be able to provide buyers the lowest cost shipping options.

I wish the USPS would consolidate some of these different options.

 

[Hiball]

I am interested to know more about Regional Rate boxes? I have seen them but there seems to be some sort of restriction on use? Not sure but would like to know.



Seth

You can find the rates thru USPS, they also now show up as a shipping option when printing thru eBay, there was a time where they didn't and it was a hassle. I almost always use the regional A boxes as they seem to cover most of my Needs, but they also have B and C boxes which are bigger. The regional rate generally includes states that border yours, the boxes have a max weight, but it's like 15lbs for the A boxes. If you want to ship outside of your region, you can still use the boxes, they are free.. And I believe you simply get the priority rate minus the eBay discount.

 

[James-W]

Guess you right about ******* and moaning over $6. I just hope I don't get another empty box. On the other hand, I do buy alot from one seller that auctions off every Saturday, I have received up to 15 items before in one auction including a 24inch breaker bar shipping is never more than $8 guess that's why I keep buying from him.

I don't know if you were overcharged or not, but for the sake of argument, let's say that you were. I don't see how the amount you were overcharged should make any difference. I don't care if the amount is ten cents, the fact still remains that you were overcharged.

But consider this. What if you owned a business that sold 10 million items this month and you overcharged each customer by 10 cents? You just pocketed an extra million dollars this month by screwing your customers and probably nobody will ever complain because after all, why would anyone complain about a dime?

But I also think there is a principal here that we are forgetting. Wrong is wrong no matter how you slice it, and screwing somebody is wrong whether it be for a dime or a million dollars.

 

[dnschmidt]

If he's shipping for $8 he's losing his *** or making it up on the price of the item. A SMALL FLAT RATE BOX cost $7.00. Don't believe me. Look it up on USPS.com.

A lot of people on EBay are selling **** they bought SUPER cheap or got for nothing. If you actually are buying the products you're selling you must make a profit. You can't make money giving shipping away. This is simple arithmetic not second order differential equations.

 

[itylerstewart]

I'm pretty happy with eBay right now. I finally snagged a new 15" Cornwell SR70 the other day. It's out for delivery right now

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

^^Probably uninformed vs lazy.

Regional boxes can only be ordered. (PO doesn't stock them). In addition the Paypal shipping screen doesn't even offer Regional rates. (However Ebay does)

In order to use most priority mailing options this is what you need to stock:

- Flat rate small, medium (2 shapes), large (2 shapes)
- Region A (2 shapes), Regional B (2 shapes)
- Flat rate envelopes (2-3 sizes)
- Regular Priority (at least 3 common sizes)

That's a supply of about 14 different boxes/envelopes needed to be able to provide buyers the lowest cost shipping options.

I wish the USPS would consolidate some of these different options.

You frankly can't ship anything by UPS or FedEx for under $15 to just about anywhere.

Half or more of those fit in a padded flat rate envelope which costs about $7 and has a diagonal length over 15". You save aobut $0.25 stuffing a small FRB inside one.

 

[zktk01]

try to stuff 4 or 5 1" wrenches into a flat rate box and let me know how much that is now....

Today I received another package had 5 wrenches and 5 Wiha Torx drivers all in 1 padded Flat Rate Envelope so My guess is around $7.20 with recent price increase

 

[jd_1138]

If he's shipping for $8 he's losing his *** or making it up on the price of the item. A SMALL FLAT RATE BOX cost $7.00. Don't believe me. Look it up on USPS.com.

A lot of people on EBay are selling **** they bought SUPER cheap or got for nothing. If you actually are buying the products you're selling you must make a profit. You can't make money giving shipping away. This is simple arithmetic not second order differential equations.

Yep, there are a lot of costs associated with selling on ebay. The shipping, buying shipping materials (or tracking down free and decent ones), eBay fees, PayPal fees, gas and time to drop off the packages at the USPS, UPS, FedEx, time to list the items on ebay (their new form is faster), etc..

It ain't free. And buyers mentally add the price of shipping to what they're willing to bid on the items, so the selling prices may be low.

I listed a brand new in the box tool on ebay. 2 bidders got into a bidding war, so it ended up going for like 10% over retail -- $55. The guy who won the auction didn't pay. 2 days later he sent me a rude note saying "I found the tool at Lowe's for $48. I am not paying MORE for your item."

Um, ok, jerk, then why'd you bid? I then had to re-list it. I got my listing fees back, but I still had to pay the 25% to the local SPCA. I set all my auctions up so that 25% goes to the local SPCA. Comes out of my pocket, not the bidders. I tried to call ebay to remove that amount, but I was on hold for so long and the lady had a thick accent, I just hung up, and paid the money to SPCA which I am glad to do.

 

[zktk01]

I am interested to know more about Regional Rate boxes? I have seen them but there seems to be some sort of restriction on use? Not sure but would like to know.



Seth

Look on youtube there is a great explanation of the regional boxes
PM if you need a link

 

[zktk01]

Yep, there are a lot of costs associated with selling on ebay. The shipping, buying shipping materials (or tracking down free and decent ones), eBay fees, PayPal fees, gas and time to drop off the packages at the USPS, UPS, FedEx, time to list the items on ebay (their new form is faster), etc..

It ain't free. And buyers mentally add the price of shipping to what they're willing to bid on the items, so the selling prices may be low.

I listed a brand new in the box tool on ebay. 2 bidders got into a bidding war, so it ended up going for like 10% over retail -- $55. The guy who won the auction didn't pay. 2 days later he sent me a rude note saying "I found the tool at Lowe's for $48. I am not paying MORE for your item."

Um, ok, jerk, then why'd you bid? I then had to re-list it. I got my listing fees back, but I still had to pay the 25% to the local SPCA. I set all my auctions up so that 25% goes to the local SPCA. Comes out of my pocket, not the bidders. I tried to call ebay to remove that amount, but I was on hold for so long and the lady had a thick accent, I just hung up, and paid the money to SPCA which I am glad to do.

I wasn't aware if you were donating to charity and the transaction was canceled you got screwed. I may not set any more auctions to donate to charity I have been donating to St. Judes.

 

[jd_1138]

I wasn't aware if you were donating to charity and the transaction was canceled you got screwed. I may not set any more auctions to donate to charity I have been donating to St. Judes.

I think it's just a computer glitch with their system. I'm sure if you called them, they'd remove the charge.

But 99.9% of buyers go through with the auction and will pay, so no need to alter your charity donations. It's only the rare a-hole turd who flakes.

I just let the $15 donation amount stay because my love for animals is stronger than my desire to sit there on hold with ebay. lol

When I said "comes out of my pocket", that's only because the a-hole didn't pay for the item he bid on. Or else the 25% would've come from the buyer (which of course ultimately comes from me). eBay does bill separately for the charity percentage. It's a separate charge that you can pay with PayPal or your CC.