posted on March 6, 2002 04:25:54 PM new
" Some of you are right....if Sellers could state what they charge for Handling, it would make it alot easier to figure out the total you'll be paying. "
You do know the total you will be paying, if the shipping charges are listed in the auction. Why do you or anyone else CARE what the exact charge for shipping, and the exact charge for handling is. If they list $4 shipping in the auction, that is what you will pay. What does is really matter is $1.95 is the exact shipping charge and $2.05 is the exact handling charge. Why do people care if it is shipped via first class or priority mail? It doesn't get there any faster.
Basically, does it really matter if the exact shipping is $3.95 and the handling is 5 cents, or if the exact shipping charge is $1.95 and the handling $2.05 - It all adds up to $4 which you will be paying...
posted on March 6, 2002 04:37:20 PM new
Get rid of the damn Powersellers and you'll get rid of most of this problem.By the way this is what is ruining E-Bay for all of us.They charge a penny for the item and kill you on the shipping.And take forever to ship it,and we wonder why these people don't want to deal with the rest of us Sellers.Two more years down the road you won't be able to sell anything on E-Bay thank you Mr. Powerseller.
posted on March 6, 2002 04:39:43 PM new
PLEASE ,,,,,,,WHERE CAN I GET A CRYSTAL BALL TOO,,,,,, SO I WILL KNOW WHERE I AM SENDING THE WIDGET. CHINA, GERMANY, ENGLAND, TIM BUC TU, CHICAGO. CAN I GET ONE ON E BAY? THANK YOU.
posted on March 6, 2002 04:42:08 PM new
It sounds to me like you want overcharging to become an accepted way of doing things by saying 'who cares' alot ahc3.
I care. I don't want to pay $10.00 shipping, only to find out the shipping was only $5.00, whether I agreed to pay that or not. The $10.00 turns out to be a lie and ends up being $5.00 for shipping and $5.00 in your pocket. If you're up front about it, fine, but if you're sneaky about it then people are going to question it.
What I wonder is why is it so difficult for Sellers to admit how much money they plan to make off your "shipping" payment. Why not be clear in your ads??
P.S. MOST Sellers are honest, so this only applies to a handful.
"Sometimes when we touch, the honesty's too much....."
posted on March 6, 2002 04:52:07 PM new
My "handling" charges are usually $1 or less in most of my auctions. If it cost me $1.50 to mail, I tend to charge $2.00
I don't want overcharging, if I see someone charging $10 for something I know can ship for $5 (and as a seller, I have a very good awareness of what it costs to ship) I WILL NOT BID. If bidders stopped bidding on those auctions, then the practices would have to stop.
My point is that I don't know why the buyer really cares, that is all. The buyer should have a rough idea, if you are being charged $10 on something that you know can be shipped for $5, then you should find out upfront why there is a discrepancy in that. $5 handling does seem high to me, as it would be to most. However, if I don't ask upfront, I don't feel I have a right to question after. Buyers just assume that if someone is charging $4, then it MUST be going priority mail. Buyers assume too much.
I will NEVER use the term shipping and handling because I feel that some buyers (not the smart ones who tend to post here) will see that and back out of the auction. I try to be reasonable with fees, but I won't use the word handling precisely because of the people who charge $10 and ship for $5. People see the word handling and think they are going to be gouged whether it is true or not.
posted on March 6, 2002 04:55:14 PM newMAH645 - Although your statements may be based on personal experiences, equating PowerSeller status with penny auctions and slow shipping is completely inaccurate. What does one have to do with the other?
ahc3 - eBay sellers seem to have this double standard to live up to. You don't see Amazon or buy.com itemizing what is shipping and what is handling. Maybe I should tell you how much I buy my items for as well? The bottom line is this: is the total price acceptable to you?
posted on March 6, 2002 04:59:35 PM new
sun818 - I am in agreement, with you, I don't see why sellers need to itemize shipping/handling - I don't understand why buyers care AS LONG AS the seller is upfront with them on what the total cost will be. Isn't that all that matters?
posted on March 6, 2002 05:00:36 PM new
Just wait till June 30th when the new and much higher shipping fees kick in! It will put many sellers out of business.
posted on March 6, 2002 05:02:06 PM new
I agree with you there blairwitch, the new fees will simply make it unreasonable for some bidders to buy from you. A priority mail package weighing 16.1 ounces from New York to Los Angeles will cost about $6 just for shipping, nothing else.
posted on March 6, 2002 05:04:08 PM new
A Fixed Rate is a Fixed rate,Why does it have to be broken down for you?if an Item is $10.00 and it is $5.00 shipping (fixed rate) your total is $15.00,now I dont think that was so hard.I for one always send priority,I charge a fixed rate,somtimes I make out,if I make out too much I compensate with mabe a little PO insurance.My time does cost,my gas cost,and packing also cost,so you may have to forgive me if I try to to make a little back in.Most folks are getting there items at a steal in the first place so whats up with that?
That bitter taste in your mouth is cheapness!!!<p>think of the big picture most Powersellers have employees,if they sell a low end item they have to come up with a way to pay these folks.
[ edited by IJUSTHAVEIT on Mar 6, 2002 05:10 PM ]
posted on March 6, 2002 05:09:14 PM new
"Get rid of the damn Powersellers and you'll get rid of most of this problem.By the way this is what is ruining E-Bay for all of us.They charge a penny for the item and kill you on the shipping.And take forever to ship it,and we wonder why these people don't want to deal with the rest of us Sellers.Two more years down the road you won't be able to sell anything on E-Bay thank you Mr. Powerseller."
I hope you're not from the U.S. I'd be embarrased to think our education system is that bad. If you add up .89¢ start bid and $6.00 s/h, or $5.00 start bid and $1.89 s/h, they both add up to $6.89. Where's the problem? Who's getting ripped off? Who's being deceived? You know your total, you agreed to it knowing it is a fair price to you, end of story. What I think you mean when said two years ebay won't be around because of the way some sellers price their items, is the complete morons won't be around to buy in two years, and I pray hard that comes true. Fortunately, the complete morons only amount to 2% of the population (based on the amount of email I get with similar pathetic responses).
In all fairness I did reread your post and understand there is a problem: "they kill you on shipping." Now I know why ebay won't be around in two years, all our customers are being killed by our Powersellers!
"Take Forever to ship it." Wow, that is bad service. If forever means a lifetime I can't see how those Power Sellers could stay in business.
posted on March 6, 2002 05:12:54 PM new
The actual problem is that too many sellers are selling the same item bought from the same source.
The only way they can get bids is to list LOWER than the competition.
Now they need profit so they get the profit from the S &H fees.
Printer cartriges is a fine example.
Some SPAMS even offer free! + S & H $$$.
My auctions state Shipping at my cost!
except for rare items where I am up front eg;
$10.00 fee to cover 2" foam insulation boards (old wood radio) another was $50.00 crating charge (outboard motor) for plywood and lumber. I think I was fair!
While I am in Canada I also notice S & H abuse.
I recently downloaded the USPS 'letter rate' schedule (air and surface to Can)
BOY WAS I SHOCKED at how we are being taken advantage of.
1 lb can ship by air for $3.75 and surface is but $2.75 the max for this service is 4 lbs.
posted on March 6, 2002 05:18:00 PM new
Frankly, quickdraw, I don't know why you are even in this business. It is obvious from your posts that you hold your customers in the highest disdain. In just about every single post I have ever seen you make, you constantly call bidders "morons", "pathetic", "idiots", etc. etc. Why do you bother? It's obvious that you hate selling. I don't know what your ebay ids are, but I hope to god I NEVER have the misfortune of bidding on one of your items. If the contempt you show for your bidders is illustrative of the majority of ebay sellers, it's no wonder that bidders are leaving.
posted on March 6, 2002 05:37:33 PM new
Frankly KatyD, I don't know why you repond to a conversation without adding something purposeful to it. It also helps if you ask questions when you don't know something but are curious enough to say a point.
I love selling on ebay. I have over 1000 feedack over my various userames across different sites from customers who love me or the way I transact my business. I only have 1.8% of buyers who are complete morons. The 98.2% of my buyers are godsend and I think they're great. I give my buyers one month to pay; I don't whine if they don't leave feedback; I've exchanged items without having them return the item; I package professionally, and many items ship within one week.
Perhaps you are a pessimest and can only see only see the glass as half full. I bet you'd love to bid from me assuming you aren't a complete moron, in which case I will give you hell (not really, just a neg and report you to ebay).
If you only read my posts that pounce on complete morons, perhaps that indicates you only read threads that show buyers ignorance. If you read many of my posts I offer good advice and answer questions. I don't pounce on people simly because they don't know something, only when they show reluctance to learn.
I love the internet because the exchange of words educates people far faster than in the past. In the past, people were brainwashed by the prude and pessemests, and had no course to become intelligent. If you are insecure of living in today's time when your propaganda has lost its value, I jump for joy. Down with pessemests.
posted on March 6, 2002 05:48:02 PM newBOY WAS I SHOCKED at how we are being taken advantage of. 1 lb can ship by air for $3.75 and surface is but $2.75 the max for this service is 4 lbs.
Who is the one filling out those Customs - CN22 forms? Who is the one waiting in those god awful lines just so I can drop off your one package. I go the business office with a car trunk full of packages. First Class, Media Mail, and Priority Mail are all stamped and ready to go. Then I have that one international package that I have to wait in line for. I value my time, so my rates reflect that.
posted on March 6, 2002 06:05:23 PM new
I misspelled one word and I'm uneducated? I normally have my spelling dictionary next to me but I had a water leak and everything was moved.
You just showed your unwillingness to cooperate, not exactly noble. I cooperate as much as possible with buyers even when they don't agree with everything I do. Many buyers are also cooperative. That is how it should be. The fact that you admitted you can't cooperate is a sign that you should not even be bidding on ebay.
Anyway, I'm interested in discussing the thread, not your incompetances.
(edited to correct my spelling errors lol.)
[ edited by quickdraw29 on Mar 6, 2002 06:08 PM ]
posted on March 6, 2002 06:21:20 PM new
"That proves buyers stumble across the first auction they see and bid the same amount as they would on any auction. Anyone who thinks their low shipping stated in auction increases bidding is on a cloud."
Well, QUICKDRAW29, you don't have to use the word "moron" or "idiot" to imply the same thing, as you did above.
Your research doesn't prove a thing. I am a seller and a buyer, and I assiduously compare shipping charges and bid on auctions where they are (a) stated in the auction and (b) reasonable/lower than the competition.
As a seller, my feedback (and my email file) is full of comments from buyers who seek me out BECAUSE my shipping is reasonable (cheaper than most others in my category).
I'm sure I'm not the only buyer who behaves this way, nor the only seller with many happy return customers who appreciate getting a deal on shipping.
And no, I don't lose money on shipping. I cover all my "hard costs" (actual postage and usually the cost of the mailing envelope or box, if I had to pay for it) and most of my "soft costs" (all of which, of course, are tax deductible).
You also need to learn that what works in one category or for one type of merchandise is totally inapplicable to another category or type of item. Maybe there is no big competition involving low shipping rates in high-end antiques, for example, but there is probably plenty in consumer electronics (since so many people are selling the same item and buyers have a wide choice).
Your research might be telling you something useful for you, in the categories you keep close track of...or it may not. But it doesn't apply to all of eBay and you shouldn't speak as if it does.
posted on March 6, 2002 06:38:03 PM new
"Your research doesn't prove a thing. I am a seller and a buyer, and I assiduously compare shipping charges and bid on auctions where they are (a) stated in the auction and (b) reasonable/lower than the competition."
But does that increase bidding? Does that increase the final bid? Of course not because cheap people seldom bid an item up high. It is only those with loose wallets that bid the price up.
I don't mind people comparing prices, as a matter of fact many of my items are priced lower than wholesale because I buy so low and I attract many cheap people. I love that. But I feel I can compete on more than just price and that is why I usually sell my items for 10-20% higher than the top average price. No company is ever going to try to attract every buyer. That is impossible. Walmart is a top retailer but millions of people do not shop there because the place is a dump, so they shop at Target which is very nice.
posted on March 7, 2002 08:17:30 AM new
Like most good sellers, I charge a flat rate SHIPPING AND HANDLING fee and it is stated as such. I also do not reveal how I'm going to ship the item. I usually use Priority Mail, but sometimes the item tips to the next weight bracket and I either have to ship parcel post or eat the extra postage (which is a subset of shipping and handling).
If a seller says SHIPPING or SHIPPING AND HANDLING, you should assume there is handling involved.
If a seller says POSTAGE, then they rightly shouldn't be charging more than the shipper is charging them.
posted on March 7, 2002 08:23:53 AM new
sun818 -- I don't even wait in line for International packages. Have a stash of forms at home, the right packaging, etc., Get the rates off the USPS website (or through endicia) and I just drop them off with the rest of them.
posted on March 7, 2002 09:09:07 AM new
Have them in my cabinet at home. I don't get a copy of it anyway, so I just fill it out, attach it to the box and leave the box like any other package.
posted on March 7, 2002 09:16:50 AM new
I'm surprised your post office lets you do that. Mine doesn't. Each international package has the barcode scanned and the clerk marks their employee id on each package. So, when you just drop it off, none of this is done. How do they let you get away with it?
[ edited by sun818 on Mar 7, 2002 09:46 AM ]
posted on March 7, 2002 09:52:41 AM new
I assume they do it when they process it. I drop it INSIDE at the counter, but I don't wait in line because there has never been any reason to.
posted on March 8, 2002 12:08:14 AM new
>>"Buyers normally avoid auctions that include the word "handling."<<
We include the word "handling" in all of our auctions and it doesn't stop people from bidding. Our handling fee ranges from $0.50 - $1.00.
kraftdinner
>>"if Sellers could state what they charge for Handling, it would make it alot easier to figure out the total you'll be paying."<<
It's easy to figure out for your self. Ask the person to quote shipping and the weight of the package. Then go to the USPS web site and use the international rate calculator. If they are unwilling to give you the weight of the package, I wouldn't buy from them. I've found that in some cases the shipping to Canada is nearly the same as domestic shipping.
I personally could care less how much actual shipping is when I'm bidding. I'm looking for a bargain regardless of how much the seller actually pays to ship. I don't care if the seller charges $10 to ship and acutally spends 50 cents. If I get the deal I am looking for I am happy.
posted on March 8, 2002 05:10:44 AM new
What I do if the shipping is real high and they have spent more then 20.00 I tell them the insurance is free,which I pay, I know its not much but every bit helps, and the customers are happy.
posted on March 8, 2002 05:27:46 AM new
I used to attempt to charge the exact shipping for the items I sell. Well I often would underestimate fees and get stuck boxing and driving to the post office to ship a $10 item. If you look at the time it takes to pack. Write out the label. Write out the Delivery confirmation. Go to the post office etc etc. I now make the shipping fixed. I take something that I figure to ship for around $5.50 and mark it Fixed at $7 that way I get paid for the Ink, time etc and the bidder has a reliable shipping amount to factor in to the sale. I personally look for items on ebay and weigh them against new items at WalMart , office max or online retailers. Figure in tax and their shipping etc. I did have a seller charge me $9 to ship a video card to me. That was a bit excessive for a $5.50 postal fee. I also bought some memory that was shipped costing about $2 and the charge was 6 or 7 bucks but the net value was there and that is waht I look for. So my answer is Let the seller charge whatever he wants for shipping. Just be up front about the true cost.
Prepare for the worst but hope for the best!! Spuddy98
posted on March 8, 2002 09:03:42 AM newI only have 1.8% of buyers who are complete morons.
Interesting empirical data. LOL! How did you come up with that figure? Would I be too far off base to guess that is the percentage of your non-positive feedback?
