What is your opinion on sellers charging over and above the shipping cost?

[3arod13]

What is your opinion on sellers charging over and above the shipping cost?

As a seller, I don't. I feel it's part of the selling process and charge what actual postage costs.

For someone to mail something first class (let's say an 8x10), and charge $10, that's just ridiculous.

Seller states cost due to time, gas, etc.

Your thoughts?

Tony

[whatupyos]

Thats a good question. I have to resort to the fact that the seller has the right to charge what they want. It's their item. I understand someone could charge an astronomical rate i.e. $50 for a picture but if you don't like the postage price, don't bid/buy. Simple as that.

[orioles03]

i bought a card on ebay it cost .99 and i paid $3.00 for shipping does not make sense

[ndevlin]

This just happened to me a few weeks ago when I purchased a bat from a lady. She didnt state in the auction how much shipping was, so that means to me it is actual shipping cost($8-$11). I even told her how much it should be. Well, that didnt matter, she charged me $17.95 to ship the bat. I was a bit mad but curious to see what the postage was on the box when I received it. Sure enough, it was $9.30 to ship it to me. So you better believe I emailed her and told her what I thought! She told me it was $9.30 to ship and the rest of it for handling!!! To make a long story short, I told her it doesnt cost that much etc etc and she gave me a $4.00 refund. Though it doesnt sound much, I was annoyed but satisfied that I got anything back.

This is one thing I just cannot stand!---Someone charging more for shipping that what he really costs to ship!

[suave1477]

i bought a card on ebay it cost .99 and i paid $3.00 for shipping does not make sense

Well it makes perfect sense but it depends on how the item was shipped.

If the item was shipped in a buble envelope - depending where you buy the bubble envelope from and if you buy just an individual on it can cost $1.00
If the card came in a Hard plastic Card holder
.25 cents
Postage I think is around
.60 to . 70 cents
If they add confirmation
.60 cents

Add all these up
$1.00
.25
.60
.60
total $2.45 - thats not that bad

[orioles03]

it was in just plain white envlope with regular stamp and holder

[BULBUS]

A seller can charge what they want, as long as they make it clear what the shipping will be. Some sellers have a low starting bid and high shipping to save on fees. Take cell phone accessories for emaple. You can get a charger for .99, but pay 5-6 bucks shipping. Its still cheaper than the stores. I always look at the shipping cost and factor that into my bid.

On the other hand, if shipping is not stated and the seller gives you a high shipping rate, then that is wrong and would make me angry too.

[ndevlin]

I see your anger. $3.00 for shipping on a card isnt too bad, I've seen worse. Lets say you bought a card for $150, would you still be mad for the $3.00 shipping?

it was in just plain white envlope with regular stamp and holder

[godwulf]

If the shipping charged on a single bat is $15 or less, I normally wouldn't say anything.

I did, however, have an email correspondence (before I bid) with an eBay seller who had a bat listed with a $25 shipping charge. I very politely suggested that this was about twice the going rate - and, to his credit, he thanked me for the information, said that it was the first bat he'd ever listed (I checked, and this was true), and I bid on (and won) the bat with the understanding that I'd pay $15 for shipping.

As for sellers trying to factor in their time, their gas, their packing materials (kind of hard to buy, when those consist of a free Priority box from the P.O. and a handful of wadded-up newspaper), I'm afraid that I don't buy it. What's really happening, I think, is that sellers want to set their starting bid on an item as low as possible, and so the amount of money, to pay for gas, time, etc, that ought to be built into the bid price is being transferred to the Shipping Cost side, where it doesn't hurt them in listing and final value fees.

I've even had a seller try to justify his padded shipping charges by telling me that he had "employees to pay"...this, from somebody who had maybe twenty or thirty, mostly small, items listed. Maybe he expected his customers to pay for his employees' health insurance, too.

It's as whatupyos wrote, though...if you don't like their rules, don't play their game.

[orioles03]

I see your anger. $3.00 for shipping on a card isnt too bad, I've seen worse. Lets say you bought a card for $150, would you still be mad for the $3.00 shipping?

no , i would be mad if he sent it in a regular envelope with a stamp but what could you do thats why i dont buy on ebay to often.