About a Hundred Dollars Yeah about.......

[Archive]

Posted By: John

Just curious how many of you get the royal screw job on shipping with eBay? I used to never look but it seems lately I pay a seller on thing for shipping and handling and the package arrives way below what I paid the seller for shipping.

Two auctions of recent I won had in a four page list of instructions (fine print what else) and rules that they could not combine shipping they wanted to charge $8.85 for each T206 SGC graded card with no insurance I’m talking $40 items. When I ran the USPS site for the sellers address and mine I came up with a total of $6.74 for both not the $18 they wanted.

Is there anything I can do besides play the neg. feedback game?

Is this a normal ebay occurrence or am I just having a bad run. Any tips on how you handle the tacky ebay shipping scams would be appreciated.

Sorry if this is off topic Leon just needed a place to rant.

[Archive]

Posted By: DJ

I have a serious issue with sellers who charge too much on shipping. Even worse when they don't combine or maybe tack on a buck or so (it's just as easy to send two Slabbed cards than one) and/or attempt to mask the shipping costs. It's a swarmy way to make a few extra bucks and I'm seeing it more and more on eBay as it seems like some sellers want to pass off the higher eBay listing fees/commisions and Paypal fees to the buyer.

I'm also seeing it with 'Drop Off' companies that live and die by the percentage and work on quantity and therefore 'every buck helps'.

It is after all your fault for not knowing the shipping but I would contact the seller with your complaint and if you are not satisfied with the answer given, leave negative feedback and warn the others.

Good Luck!

DJ

[Archive]

Posted By: Anson

Another slimeball tactic is to list the item at an extremely low price and load up the value on the shipping. This way, the seller doesn't have to pay nearly as much for the listing fees.

Always be aware of the shipping listed. If it's a calculator, run your zip. You'll find that the seller, in many cases, will exaggerate the weight of the item and make it look as if USPS is the one setting the rates.

[Archive]

Posted By: TerryS

If you're looking for more opinions, I wouldn't leave negative feedback on this one, you'll just get slammed back. If the seller did disclose the excessive shipping costs (even if it is in small print), it's up to you to either read through it or contact the seller for a combined rate before bidding.

I find that there are still plenty of sellers who charge reasonable rates for shipping, and I make sure to do business with them. I'm in the habit of sending each seller an e-mail after sending payment expressing how much I appreciate their combined rates. I make it clear that shipping costs are a major reason as to why I'm bidding on their stuff (and often rebidding).

Perhaps an e-mail to the seller expressing your disappointment (and the loss of your future business) will get them to budge. Good luck.

- Terry

[Archive]

Posted By: warshawlaw

I just got a card that had a disclosed $4 shipping charge. The seller shipped it regular mail with a couple of pieces of USPS cardboard box as stiffeners (so I know he paid nothing for them) in a regular envelope. Seller's cost: $0.60 postage and mabye a nickel for the envelope and strip of tape on the cardboard pieces. I don't quibble if the seller discloses the shipping cost; I very much quibble when $4 doesn't even get me a padded or rigid mailer.

[Archive]

Posted By: Judge Dred

I look at it this way - if a seller discloses the shipping amount up front then it is clear that I will have to pay the amount declared. Yes, I'm a bit disappointed if it looks like the seller spent $1 shipping something and charged me $6, but I figure it into the cost of the item. Something else that irks me is if the seller charges insurance and doesn't insure the item.


Do I think sellers that over charge for shipping are making more money, NO. These sellers will run off potential bidders after they burn a few people. On the other hand, sometimes the seller that over charges for shipping will have a few bargains because people will stop bidding on their stuff. In that case you can possibly pick up a few bargains regardless of the shipping costs. I've done that before and came out ahead.

[Archive]

Posted By: Lee Behrens

I have one of my 2 negatives because I had a seller that wanted to charge me $18 S/H on 6 cards worth $60. I left him negatives and took my hit in return. It came as no shock to me that after that he started reducing shipping on multiple purchases.

He also maded his feedback private after another board member also had a problem with him and left him a negative. I made a notice on this board about the seller and not surprisingly the rest of his cards went well below normal. We do have some power here to make a difference.

Lee

[Archive]

Posted By: qualitycards.com

I treat the shipping/insurance/handling fees like I do the juice in an auction house. If I'm happy to win a lot at $50, and shipping is $8, I just bid/snipe $42ish. So I cannot pay hisgher then my $50 amount to get the card dlvd to me. Anything less is a bonus.
Plus if a seller has higher shipping fees, he may receive less bids and you may be able to get the card at a much better rate...jay

[Archive]

Posted By: Anson

It is sad that sellers will hold your feedback "hostage" until you leave them positive feedback first. As far as I'm concerned, the seller should leave feedback if you uphold their terms and conditions and pay immediately.

I don't think Ebay will ever solve that one.

[Archive]

Posted By: John

No doubt I should have read the novel of terms, rules & regulations to figure out ahead of time he would not combine shipping. But problem #2 he states he will only ship via Priority Mail (USPS) his auto total or checkout is fixed at $8.85. However when I run both addresses on the USPS website I get a total of $3.37 each not $8.85 each.

At most it should be $6 or $7 bucks not $18. If a seller states USPS rates they should at least reflect USPS rates combined or not. I have emailed the seller I’ll wait for his reply. Just wondering if he tries to play hardball if I had any leg to stand on via ebay.

Thanks for the tips, and advice guys.

[Archive]

Posted By: jay behrens

Anson, why should sellers leave feedback first? The deal is not completed until the item has arrived to the customer and they are satisfied with the item. What happens if sellers leave positive becuase of prompt payment, then the buyer turns around and files a claim with PayPal claiming you didn't send the item, or some other scam to get the itme free? The seller no longer has any recourse to warn people about the bad buyer.

Feedback is a two way street and the deal isn't complete until the customer says so. If they are happy with the item, they leave postive feedback and the seller does likewise. If the buyer is unhappy, they should be contacting the seller first and trying to resolve the situation, rather then leaving a neg. If nothing can be resolved, then negs are in order. In no case should a seller ever have to leave feedback first. If they always did, we would never know about the bad buyers out there. It's a lot easier to scam someone as a buyer than it is a seller.

Jay

I like to sit outside drink beer and yell at people. If I did this at home I would be arrested, so I go to baseball games and fit right in.

[Archive]

Posted By: Anson

You bring up a good point. I guess I'm used to purchasing insurance on the items I buy. In most cases, this protects the buyer and seller when purchasing high-dollar items.

[Archive]

Posted By: DJ

I think it all depends on how valuable feedback is to the seller as well.

If they have a sparkling 100% feedback, then there are a lot of people like yourself that is in the exact predicament that see that a large majority of the profit come from the shipping and the seller is in the 'shipping profit business', not card selling business.

That is A LOT of shipping for what you won. See if they give you positive feedback and if they do, maybe you can slip in a well deserved negative warning people of the fine print.

Can you give us the link to the auction?

DJ

[Archive]

Posted By: T206Collector

...I almost always only charge $2.50 flat for shipping, no matter how many of my cards you win. Also, I throw in insurance on my dime if the total value of the cards being purchased goes over $75. That being said...

(1) If the shipping/handling charge is advertised, you need to figure that into the cost of the item, i.e., how much you are willing to bid. Don't be upset with a $10 shipping charge on a $1 card if you knew ahead of the purchase that that was the shipping charge. Chances are, the only reason you won the auction is because others were not willing to go as high on the final cost including shipping.

(2) You can't just add up the number on the stamp and expect to pay that for shipping. You also can't just factor in the cost of the envelope. You need to also factor in a number of cost considerations -- ebay listing fees, PayPal service fees, the trip to the post office, including both opportunity cost and gasoline costs. Don't forget the paper to print your invoice, and the ink that prints the invoice. These are all costs that any prudent seller must factor into the sale of anything.

I am surprised by the tenor of this thread. I have never ever ever ever -- really NEVER -- had a problem with a shipping cost because I knew what the seller was charging up front. I am surprised anyone out there begruding a seller whatever he wants to ask for shipping. Let him ask for $1,000,000 -- you don't have to bid on his item. But if he gets it, well heck, that's one hell of a business model.

I charge $2.50 for shipping flat, no matter how many cards you win because I think it encourages people to bid on more than one of my auctions and drives up the price on all of my sales. I think it's customer friendly and I value my customers. It's a little like the Honus Wagner reprint sellers -- I never bid on those because I know I'm not getting a real Wagner. But day in and day out there are people paying $10, $25, $50, $100+ for fake Wagners. If the sellers are committing fraud, they should be so charged. But if they state "being sold as a reprint," well, then blame the buyer, not the seller.

[Archive]

Posted By: jay behrens

I once asked a seller why he needed $12 shipping on an item. He gave me an itemized breakdown that included $2 and change per item for someone to take it to the post office. I told the guy I would quit my job and happily take a job as a mail clerk for him on a per piece basis. Given his volume, I figured I would be making about $30k a year or more. Never did hear back from him, hehe.

Jay

I like to sit outside drink beer and yell at people. If I did this at home I would be arrested, so I go to baseball games and fit right in.

[Archive]

Posted By: Julie

On September 24, John Wonkaticket started a thread with almost exactly the same name (Yeah, about 100 dollars, yeah, about 100) dealing with the complete unrealiability of price guides, and asking board members if they knew of particular cards or sets that were good deals right now, bad deals right now, etc.

Is the title a quote from someone? I remember wondering then.

[Archive]

Posted By: T206Collector

It's from Dustin Hoffman's character in Rain Man.

[Archive]

Posted By: cn

I think I know the auction you are talking about. It was for a T206 SGC 50. I was going to bid but several days prior I e-mailed seller asking why shipping was $8.85 and they waited until about 5 hours before auction ended and stated that they had already recieved their target bid which was about $37 and if I didn't want to pay shipping I was was not to bid. The seller also gave me the excuse they they only use professional materials to pack and ship their items whatever that means. $8.85 is way to much for a $37 card and when I let them know they told me that they didn,t care since they already got a bid to their satisfaction. John I hope they are more reasonable to you.

[Archive]

Posted By: Julie

All I know is, I paid it.

[Archive]

Posted By: Texas Ted

When I first started to sell on ebay the closest I came to negative feedback was complaints about charging $1.00 S&H for something that only cost me 49 cents or 60 cents to mail. When I figured in a rigid top loader, bubble mailer, trip to the post office, etc. I was not getting rich, but I decided right then and there that I would never again charge for shipping and handling (but I do charge for insurance as an optional item). What I did do was up my starting bids by a buck so that I still covered my costs. Now I get cudos periodically for giving free shipping and handling. Go figure.

Plus, with my free shipping, I also combine auctions at no extra charge at all.

Texas Ted
Starting my third attempt at a second childhood.

[Archive]

Posted By: warshawlaw

dealer charged me $4.50 for two pieces of cardboard (no sleeve on the card, even), two pieces of tape, a paper envelope and $0.60 postage.

I've virtually stopped buying cards from many more recent sets I collect except at shows or in person because the shipping is so outrageous as a % of the price.