posted on September 9, 2003 11:44:08 AM new
Received today via email:
"The above item was received--thanks! Your stated shipping charge was 3.00
but I see that it cost only 1.42 for you to mail. If you would kindly
refund 1.58 to my paypal account I would appreciate it.
My account it the same as my e-mail,"
Help me restrain my biting sarcasm. This person has 368 feedbacks, all positive.
posted on September 9, 2003 12:00:00 PM new
You might want to write back:
Hi. I appreciate your contacting me with your concern about the postage rates.
I charge a flat rate which covers my packaging and materials costs. As these are legitimate costs and charges, I'm sorry, but a refund would not be forthcoming at this time.
then add:
IB" das" IB" truly.IB"..harmful. (hahaaha)
posted on September 9, 2003 12:06:24 PM new
I research books a lot on ebay and I am stunned by the large perentage of sellers that charge the exact book rate amount such as $1.42 or $1.58 . They must eat the bubble mailer or other packing materials costs?
Anyway, some buyers may get in part some of that 'exact postage is what they should pay' mentality due to these types of sellers. Also, some people are plain old cheap and hate to see their money leave their hand.
-------------- sig file ----------- President John F. Kennedy said, "There are three things which are real: God, human folly and laughter. The first two are beyond our comprehension, so we must do what we can with the third."
posted on September 9, 2003 01:31:13 PM new
It is funny isn't it, there are always posts here about how you should only charge the actual cost of the shipping, But the simple fact is it not only costs postage but labor, materials, time and gas to get to the post office, last year I got large enough that I hired a person to do the shipping (If you are packaging, you are not listing, therefore you are now losing money right? so now I have to factor that in as well, Although I have never had anyone email or complain about our rates (I still send snowboards cheaper than anyone else) the minute it became available I began using the hidden postage amount feature in endicia, (stamps.com has it as well) might be something for you to consider.
David
PS- theres snow on Mt Evans! Let it snow in Colorado!
posted on September 9, 2003 01:37:00 PM new
I had someone ask me to lower my shipping rates (they're almost too low already). I told this same buyer that I have to add the cost of materials in and she told me that I shouldn't be telling anybody that. I wanted to tell her a few choice words, but I was being nice. She didn't bid on anything and I'm glad.
I think these buyers need to ship out some stuff and see how much shipping, materials and time it takes to do this. Then maybe they will "GET A CLUE" (wishful thinking).
posted on September 9, 2003 02:05:07 PM new
Sometimes you get lucky by having the extreme cheapos writing and asking for super cheap shipping because then you can block them if they used their ebay email address.
-------------- sig file ----------- President John F. Kennedy said, "There are three things which are real: God, human folly and laughter. The first two are beyond our comprehension, so we must do what we can with the third."
posted on September 9, 2003 02:53:57 PM new
Some people think that because its eBay, you shouldn't make a profit. The next time someone wants you lower your shipping costs, ask them if they do that with Lands End etc. I'll bet they never would think of doing that.
posted on September 9, 2003 03:12:58 PM new
For the life of me, I can't figure how some sellers can send out so inexpensively. I have seen sellers, where it will say $2.50 for some glass item, and that is parcel post. Well, they then have to find or buy a box, packing materials (we all know thats not free!) I don't understand how they do it.
Sure, I see Media Mail on books, but still! don't you have to buy some special mailer for the book? It doesn't look like they are factoring that into the media mail price.
Can anyone explain this.... I've seen it on many auctions
Myself, I use Priority, and will continue to ... I put in an 'inbetween' zone, most of the time, its right, sometimes I eat some shipping, other time it cost lower.
I still need to find the stealth mode on Endicia!!!! that would be great!
Art Bell Retired! George Noory is on late night coasttocoastam.com
posted on September 9, 2003 03:26:24 PM new
pelorus
This one sounds exactly like a buyer I had.
Was grandma part of her user ID?
I sent her a detailed account of how I arrived at my shipping cost & refunded what she asked. I did it to make her feel cheap & petty. Didn't work, no reply from her, not even thank you. Never again.
A lot of my FB mentions my fair & low shipping too.
posted on September 9, 2003 03:40:20 PM new
There are shipping extremes. A pair of very inexpensive earrings for $4.30 Priority Mail or a 5 pound non Media Mail item listed with $4 shipping.
The seller of the very inexpensive earrings loses some potential bidders because they may feel that First Class Mail will lower the s/h by at least $2.
The seller quoting $4 for a 5 pound non-book item is probably going to ship the item via Media Mail anyway and risk getting caught.
-------------- sig file ----------- President John F. Kennedy said, "There are three things which are real: God, human folly and laughter. The first two are beyond our comprehension, so we must do what we can with the third."
posted on September 9, 2003 04:32:59 PM new
Send him back his money in 4 installmenst to paypal of 35c each. The receiving fees will net him zero, then explain that's what it's like selling on ebay with all the fees, etc charged by them and paypal.
posted on September 9, 2003 04:35:31 PM new
Nearthe sea:
You can ship a book wrapped up in brown paper bag and it doesnt cost anything.
If I buy a book on ebay I usually ask how they are shipping because I refuse to pay 5.40 for a media rate @ 1.84 and the stupid thing doesnt get here for two weeks. un-huh. Want to charge a dollar or two for your trouble, go right ahead -- but if I have to pay near retail with shipping, might as well buy it retail.
posted on September 9, 2003 05:11:40 PM new
Those flat rate priority envelopes are the best deal!! I shipped out some postcard sleeves parcel post and paid $5.60! nearly had a stroke! Then I figured I could fit the same quantity in the flat rate envelope and have had several sucessful transactions! They are really quite sturdy!
posted on September 9, 2003 11:52:59 PM new
You people woke me up to handling fees. In the begining I shipped EVERYTHING PRIORTY And insured everything. What a waste of money for the buyer. And I never dreamed of charging them one dime more that the actual postage rate...3 years later,,well about a year later,,3 years selling on e bay,,,parcel post,,,,delivery confirmation. Insurance if I THINK the Post Office CAN smash it. I learned don't buy things that can and WILL be smashed to pieces. Those beer sign mirrors,,,,,,,hahahaha, everyone of them!!!!! never!
Now,,right in the auction,whatever the carrier wants plus,,,,,,whatever I feel is appropriate for the work end of all the stuff we do just to get it ready to send.
E bay needs to but NEVER will educate buyers on what it's like on the SELLERS end.
Not that I would ever actually BUY a box..factories all over the place here. Yes, I am lucky....but have you been to a Storage unit place or U haul rental? the price of a box is UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!! NEVER,,,would I EVER pay those prices and the people who do,,,,,you could easily have $9.00 in packaging materials alone....tape, brown paper,,,plastic wrap,,,,blah,blah..sellers know.......those that don't charge more than the actual are living in the Dark ages.....An losing money........
Brown paper,,some are thinking,how much can that be Jack....a silly piece of brown paper,,,I buy 4 foot 200 pound rolls...Serious business. It ain't cheap. A case at a time of that clear wrapping tape..$40.00......riiiiiiiiiiiipppppppppp! tape. you know. this stuff goes FAST!!!!
posted on September 10, 2003 02:52:01 AM new
Jack and anyone else who has access to factories,
See if they give away tape. I get all my tape free from a local factory. They use it on a machine to seal their boxes of finished product. When it gets too low - it's too much hassle to use it on the machine so they throw it out or give it away.
"Too low" is usually bigger than the rolls of priority tape from USPS. I got a box with about 40 rolls in it. That will last me a long time. Even if it went faster, I could go back and get another box full.
posted on September 10, 2003 07:10:14 AM new
We've started using the feature on stamps.com that does not show the actual postage. This way the buyer never knows what the handling fee is. I haven't had any complaints about my shipping fees since we started this.
posted on September 10, 2003 08:22:06 AM new
Anyone who has the extra time to check how much it cost to mail a package, go back to the auction and check the price they were charged has way too much time on their hands.
I get these wackos every once in awhile. I respond by telling them that my tos says: shipping and handling (handling being the operative word here). If they continue to bug me I ignore them and add them to my ever growing blocked list.
Staying out of a mental institution is a testament to my greatness!!!!
posted on September 10, 2003 08:52:13 AM new
mcjane -- No, Grandma was not a part of her ID.
Here's what I decided to do about the email. Nothing. I am not going to play her game. With 368 feedbacks as a buyer she knows better than to make such silly requests.
posted on September 10, 2003 01:33:53 PM new
The Flat Rate Priority mail envelopes are great. I've shipped 5 pounds in there as well, it really can save a lot.
You might end up with a neg for not responding, but I suppose if you haven't left feedback yet, you can give one back. I do try to answer all questions from my customers, and would have explained that the $3 charge is for shipping & handling, and go on to explain that the handling covers the actual package, supplies, and you have to even figure in the cost to print out the invoices, get some back for the cost of doing business (ebay, paypal, etc.) - I know some will say that should be built into the cost of an item, but this isn't a retail store, it is an online auction. I charge $2.50 for items that can go media mail, and I think that is fair. It would cost them a lot more to order from other larger businesses.
posted on September 10, 2003 02:43:59 PM new
I had a lady once that wanted to pay exact postage on a highly collectible antique doll that was VERY breakable. I told her that would be fine...I will be happy to do that but since she didn't want to pay the costs pertaining to shipping, I would put the stamps on the head of the doll and write her address across the doll's face. She paid the amount I requested (which is always posted in the auction).
People have a lot of nerve.
posted on September 10, 2003 07:25:22 PM new
Hey Jack, you know what I found out? The best places to get boxes is the liquor store. They have the sturdiest boxes (as most of the bottles shipped are glass)and they are more than happy to give them away because an employee just has to spend time breaking them down anyway.
posted on September 10, 2003 08:28:35 PM new
And just what! were U doing in a Liqour STORE!!!
Ya find em' where ya can. This area has them the size to ship fluffys stuff to refrigerators.
We bees talking HEAVY duty boxes...PLUS bubble wrap!!!! And,,,,,peanuts AND foam,,,,,,AND foam rubber,,,,,AND,,,,,,plastic wrap.....hit the alleys.....Improvise! Seek and ye shall find it! No tape hahahahaha......
posted on September 10, 2003 08:44:01 PM new
Pelorus...Send her an email and tell her that the buck fifty eight went to buy beer. If she wants to scream, give her a good reason.
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
posted on September 11, 2003 03:12:58 PM new
Oh, I love that suggestion about sticking the stamps on the head of the doll!
Maybe I should tell this lady that I could have put a rubber band around the book, stuck stamps on the cover, and written her address on the jacket. And waited 2 weeks until I happened to be in the neighborhood of the P.O. anyway.
posted on September 11, 2003 09:26:51 PM new
My sister is a manager at kmart. All I have to do is tell her I am out of boxes and I get every size you can think of, in quantity. Got a load of boxes that candles had been shipped in the other day..they smell pretty
Jack, have you tried ebay for tape? My last case was $26 and some change, including shipping.
Now, if I could just find a good source for peanuts!
hahahahaha......
