fountainhouse
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posted on August 29, 2000 06:35:19 PM new
This one about shipping practices/preferences. Looks like ebay is cooking something up with Mailboxes, Etc.
http://www.customercast.com/ebay0001i/survey.cgi?marker=jF9GkU%2evPjs7mcCspSF97R
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litlux
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posted on August 29, 2000 07:01:43 PM new
Thanks for this info! eBay formed an alliance some time ago with Mail Boxes Etc. and I have been wondering where it might be going.
Lots of threads on eBay's packing/shipping board tell horror stories about "overcharging" by MBE. Actually MBE needs to mark-up the UPS rates and charge for packing time and materials so they can pay the rent and help. Most folks seem to think this is "price gouging".
If you think there is a war going on between buyers and sellers over "handling" charges, wait til you see the atom bomb blast when sellers start using MBE for shipping instead of doing it themselves!
This is an absolutely cuckoo idea and the survey is so badly conceived that it sets up MBE and eBay to fail. It doesn't even mention RPS which is the Fedex version of UPS.
Most interesting is the survey reveals they are exploring the idea of offering eBay listing services for a fee to their customers i.e. will photograph, scan and write the ads, then pack and ship! Now that is a genius idea, and probably would work, assuming MBE's help knew how to spell.
Thanks again for pointing this information out!
Larry
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noteye
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posted on August 29, 2000 07:11:04 PM new
Great .. I've always wanted to be a 'picker' for a big outfit like Mail Box Etc.
That solves everything doesn't it?
noteye
Well, THAT'S attractive!
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newguy
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posted on August 29, 2000 07:25:56 PM new
Want to bet eBay now starts pushing how unsafe it is to let a seller pack their own items? And MBE will write the description and take the photos? For a fee? Be prepared for buyers demanding that you use MBE.
Miscreant  -and proud of it!
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texmontana
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posted on August 29, 2000 07:29:31 PM new
I just looked it over. Hmmm. Lots of "Don't you love MBE" type questions. Wouldn't it be a heck of a job to get the items to MBE with their respective shipping info??
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amy
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posted on August 29, 2000 07:31:54 PM new
Wish they would have given me a spot to tell my impressions of the "possible" new service. Would have liked to say that all we need is lots of couch potatoe sellers having third parties take the picture, do the listing, pack the merchandise and ship it. NOT! Sheez, just WHAT will the actual "seller" do?
I can just see the complaints to safe harbor..."please remove the negative from my selling ID as my auction management service (MBE) is really the one who earned the negative for not disclosing the huge crack in the antique Ming vase (made in 1999) I sold. It's not my fault!"
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chum
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posted on August 29, 2000 07:32:16 PM new
Typical eBay still trying their hardest to hurt sellers. Sellers get a chance for prizes when using MBE! Sounds like eBay and publishers clearinghouse are teaming up. This one takes the cake!!LOL
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fountainhouse
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posted on August 29, 2000 07:32:36 PM new
If you think there is a war going on between buyers and sellers over "handling" charges, wait til you see the atom bomb blast when sellers start using MBE for shipping instead of doing it themselves!
Established sellers, IMO, wouldn't go near this. If there's any appeal in such an alliance, it would be on the part of new sellers, who would find out rather quickly that 1) MBE does a lousy job of wrapping, and 2) their auctions would be lacking of any bidders.
What had me laughing were the questions about convenience at any cost. What a hoot.
The listing thing may have some potential, but like you pointed out -- who's going to do it? The kids they have at the MBE franchise here don't look like they're out of high school yet.
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docs
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posted on August 29, 2000 07:40:59 PM new
they should ask buyers do you want seller to ship item for 15.00 or have MBE pack and ship for 60.00.? I already know the answer,surprising EBay does not.
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chococake
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posted on August 29, 2000 07:56:34 PM new
Almost every week a new gimmick from Ebay.
Why can't they just keep their site up so we can run our business?
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smw
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posted on August 29, 2000 09:24:11 PM new
I sometimes stop at my local MBE to make copies. (DC seems to have a MBE on every corner along with a Starbucks.)
The guy who owns the place is actually pretty nice. Out of curiosity I asked him a while ago what in his experience was the average cost was to ship a fragile 1 LB. item with a value of $50.00 within the US. (Taking into consideration that Priority Mail would be $4.05 with insurance and a free box if someone packed it and took it to the PO to mail.) I should also note that this MBE is directly across the street from the neighborhood PO branch and does a booming business. ( It is DC, that should explain it.)
He laughed and pulled out a price list and said without hesitation he charges a minimum of $12.50 in a Priority box,and depending on the packing materials used it could be as much as $20.00. Plus for an extra $5.00 this particular MBE will pick up whatever you want to send if live within a 5 block radius of the store. So to send a 1 LB fragile item by Priority mail from this MBE would cost anywhere from $12.50 to $25.00. UPS was even higher because this MBE will only send stuff UPS double boxed because of breakage by UPS and denied insurance claims.
I understand he has a business and needs to make a profit. But I also know many eBay buyers who would go ballistic if an EOA listed $12.50 to $25.00 to ship a 1 LB. item by Priority mail.
I think too that MBE's are franchises and there are no standard rates. So it could be $12.50 to $25.00 here and a higher or lower amount in another region. (Try explaining this concept to a buyer!). I can't wait to watch this eBay fiasco.
PS: Parts of the survey looked like a Stamford-Binet.
[ edited by smw on Aug 29, 2000 09:25 PM ]
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Borillar
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posted on August 29, 2000 09:55:24 PM new
I see the possibility that eBay may have a deal with Mail Boxes Etc. at least as a good first-step in helping out Sellers who are untrained in business.
Further, after reading so many posts here on AW from Seller Woes that I'm sure many others would benefit.
Now, if only we could get eBay to listen to us and give us what we want.
* Both Buyers and Sellers alike want a mandantory process in the Listing area where the Seller denotes how the item is to be shipped and if it is actual postage or includes shipping and handling charges.
The current system is usually totally ignored by the Buyers; or, it is too vague. Spelling out how it will be shipped will stop those $3.20 First Class shipping schemes.
* Extended Listing OPTIONS for Sellers. While a Seller can choose to run their auctions as they are because it is very profitable for them, there are many Sellers who find the way auctions are currently run a hinderance to the way that they need to sell their goods; such as, one-hour extentions for last-minute bids; Take It Now pricing, Take It Automatically when Reserve is met; the ability to to specify the date and time that the auction is to begin and when it is to end, and so forth.
If only eBay would do these things, we all could make a lot more money and Buyers would have a better time shopping the auctions at eBay.
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newguy
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posted on August 29, 2000 11:47:57 PM new
You will have a huge outcry if ebay tries to force take it now pricing down our throats. It is a very sucessful auction site and not another money bleeding online store. If you want price fixed items, open a web site, try one of the sites that offer it and leave ebay alone or you will have vast amounts of items with fixed retail prices and no takers.
Miscreant -and proud of it!
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Borillar
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posted on August 30, 2000 01:19:59 AM new
newguy, I agree with you. As I have *ALWAYS* suggested, this ought to be a Seller OPTION, not Mandantory.
What we need is more OPTIONS for different types of auctions when listing.
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artsnflies
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posted on August 30, 2000 06:22:25 AM new
99.99% of our items get sent USPS Priority so we can't see how MBE can beat $3.55 from the USPS. Packing and handling is almost pennies. Once a bidder asked for overnight FedEx and we gladly accommodated, but that's probably aan exception case.
We agree with Newguy - how many bidders will pay an additional $15-$20 for S&H when they high bid was $20 or less?? Even if the high bid was $100 how many people would pay an extra 15-20% for S&H?? Even major catalog companies don't charge that much for big orders.
If a bidder inists we use MBE then I guess we would but doubt few will insist that much. And for those that do, stand back and watch the rush of claims and neg feedbacks for gouging! That might be good enough reason not to use the service!
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/artsnflies/
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