Excessive eBay shipping charges

[Rick S.]

Re: Grating excuses for shipping overcharges

Mike,
So what is the average "handling charge" you add to the shipping?

[Michael S.]

Re: Grating excuses for shipping overcharges

None!

I have always charged actual shipping for the few auctions I have had. In 5 years I have a Ebay rating of 66 with 100% feedback. I am not a big Ebay seller and have only bought 1 item on ebay.

My experience with selling multiple items was last spring when I listed about 10 items at once on Ebay. What a pain in the ass! Answering all the questions from buyers who must not be able to read since the information they rquested was in the ad and multiple trips to the store for shipping.

If I were in the mail order business you can bet your butt that I would add some bucks to cover the expenses associated with the shipping process.

[Rick S.]

Re: Grating excuses for shipping overcharges

The reason I asked because I don't have a problem with a small handling fee. When reading your post I thought you sold alot on Ebay and included a handling fee.

[mike cobine]

The Best (Worse) one recently was

a guy selling like-new carpets for a '68. He had each piece listed individually. Not only did you have to win each auction to get the set, he was NOT combining shipping.

He was charging something like $15 per piece, and a couple were $20 each, for shipping.

Now I had just received carpets for my '79 two weeks before, and shipping for the set was $23. I figured he was going to get somewhere over $125 in shipping for something that would cost less than $25 to actually ship.

Naturally, I passed on bidding.

[Terry D.]

Re: A more commonly heard title...

Jerry

Just remember, every village has one. Better to be remembered as the "Village Idiot" then not remembered at all.

I for one enjoy your "sermons" and judging from the responses so do a lot of other people. They seem to get people involved who don't normally post. Keep up the good work.
Terry

[mike cobine]

I think more like a Prophet in his own land

I think many of us have experienced that.

[Michael H.]

Re: A more commonly heard title...

I always read the Jerry Bramlett posts, even if it has nothing to do with anything that I'm involved with. One of my favorite posters that "tells it like it is". Thank Jerry!

[Chuck R.]

Re: I bow to your wisdom *NM*

[Jack H.]

There may not be a 'right' answer...

When I sell things on eBay, I publish a modest handling fee ($1-3 depending on the size of the item) and allow the buyer to specify the method of shipment (carrier, service). Buyers are charged the exact cost of freight without a markup over the actual cost of freight.

Sometimes a given item is fragile and needs to be boxed vs. slipped into a Jiffy bag... Then, once it's boxed the cost differential between base rate USPS priority mail and parcel post can often be as little as a nickle or a dime with priority mail giving free proof of delivery service vs. an extra charge for that service with parcel post.

To publish a fixed shipping fee prior to the auction means you either have to physically pack and weigh the item up front OR you have to 'guesstimate' its final packed weight/size. Estimates will typically be to the seller's advantage vs. actual...

Also, if an item goes by commercial carrier (UPS, FedEx), there's typically an 'adder' for package pickup. My handling fee covers the cost of packaging materials as well as driving the item to the carrier's nearest drop-off point and saving that fee.

So, it seemed to me this policy was the fairest for both buyer and seller. But, noooooo! I continue to receive buyer requests for shipping cost disclosure (How much to zip code XYZ?) when they won't bother to tell me how to ship (carrier/method) in the same breath. Then, there are those who are in SUCH a hurry after the auction to remit payment that either estimate shipping charges or remit with item + handling and neglect the freight cost!

Bottom line, I don't think it's possible to make everyone happy on the issue of S&H because different folks want different things (air freight it overnight, ship and bill my account, send it 'best way', Etc.). But, I DO agree there are MANY out there who 'pump' the bottom line with EXCESSIVE S&H charges and that doesn't sit right with me!!!