Some sellers have all the nerve.

[larryh]

I just got though buying some 45 albums and requested the combined shipping as they were showing the totaled 4.00 for each as the price coming to 20.00 to ship Media. There are a total of 11 sets which from my ones like it in total records comes to about 7 pounds , most likely less I weighted 16 to be sure. If I add 4 pounds for a box and some paper padding its say 16 pounds which still shows as 7.23 for more weight than I am getting.

I paid the 20.00 rather than get into an argument over it. But when I paid I got a follow up email saying he needed 3.00 more to cover the insurance! I gave him my figures and said I think he has ample left over to provide the shipping insurance and to let me know if he found he didn't.

Maybe that was wrong, but It would seem he was getting more than his share for shipping. Of course thats cheap compared to the seller who is showing the 15.98 for one Edison at Priority rate. I don't know for sure what that might cost but I can about bet its a flat rate box considerably under 15.00. I did finally get them to send me the invoice for media though..

[brianu]

you're talking about a few dollars here or there when you've bought, and are having mailed to you, more than a few dozen records? I don't understand why you'd let yourself get so bothered.

[larryh]

As perhaps your aware, many of us buy considerable amounts of records though ebay. If we paid an extra say 13.00 for each shipment what would that add up to in a number of sales. I don't charge anyone more than the shipping cost and a few dollars at best, so when I purchase from someone who charges more than twice the cost of shipping, and then wants me to add more money, I am not thrilled by it. It's particularly irritating when ebay has a stated policy they hold only some to. I know I complain to much, but I don't think I am alone in this situation.

[EdisonSquirrel]

I understand your gripe, Larry. I've often refrained from bidding on records due to excessive shipping charges. An honest seller will seek only to cover the cost of postage and materials in his shipping charges, while a dishonest seller will intentionally inflate the numbers to increase his profit.

I am fortunate in that I deal regularly with one seller, both on and off Ebay, who will bill me only for the cost of postage after mailing the records. Of course I always leave positive feedback for this seller immediately upon winning his discs or cylinders.

Larry, there are only two options at your disposal to avoid unwarranted shipping charges. The first is to read the shipping instructions carefully and bid accordingly; the second is to make your purchases from well-known, trusted sources.



Rocky

[gramophoneshane]

I dont know what Larry's income & financial situation is, but mine is that I'm on a pension with a VERY limited income, and I too get annoyed with sellers who overcharge for postage.
It's not so bad when its 2 or 3 dollars, but when some start charging $10 or $20 more I see red.
In my eyes, these sellers are just greedy money hungry 8@$+@&#$, especially when you consider they are usually getting top dollar for the items they're selling.
Most sellers are really good with postage charges, & infact I've had more than a few send money or even stamps back with the item to refund what it didn't end up costing them for postage.
Those that have contacted me before sending a refund, I've always told them not to worry about it, because they've been so honest.
I'd hate to add up what I've overpaid for postage in the last 2.5 yrs, but I'm sure it would be well over $400. That mightn't seem much to someone who earns $1000 a week, but when you're on a pension it all adds up, especially as these people simply aren't entitled to it.
It's particularly irritating when a seller states in his listing that he's happy to combine postage, only to be billed for each postage cost seperately, and then when you question the cost, he tells you the actual postage cost, but is adding half the postage cost again as a handling fee.
Now days I keep a little book with the names of sellers that have ripped me off, and I'll avoid buying from them unless it's something I desperately want, and even then I wont bid quite as high as I normally would because I know they will overcharge the next time too.
I also make use of the star ratings for postage costs, and mention in the feedback text that I was charged far more for postage than it actually cost.

[Brad]

oooh, oooh, I want in!


Having been an eBay member of ebay since July of 1999, and having sold a grand total of 4 items in that time, I can tell you that it was a pain in the a$$ dealing with packing and shipping. I concluded that it just was not worth my time to list something, deal with the transaction, pack, ship, ... So I can understand why some would charge handling fees.

Having said that, I totally agree with Larry. Some shipping and handling charges are way excessive and just not worth it. I see a lot of good deals that I pass on, and many don't even sell, because of the high shipping cost.

Vote with your feet.

[larryh]

Yes I am on a very small pension and social security, definitely fall in the "Poverty" level income at the moment. If it weren't for selling my years of collections on ebay I wouldn't have the money to keep pursuing my interest of the moment. I have not only paid people back if I accidently have over charged on a item by failing to change the way the postage is calculated, or in some cases I have given uninsured buyers there complete money back when a package has failed to arrive or been broken, even though it was not my fault. In some ways the new policy of the seller having to see to it that the item arrives at the buyers location without the buyer paying for extra insurance is a good thing it forced me to start building in the cost of insurance that I was providing even without it.

[brianu]

oooh, oooh, I want in!

Having been an eBay member of ebay since July of 1999, and having sold a grand total of 4 items in that time, I can tell you that it was a pain in the a$$ dealing with packing and shipping. I concluded that it just was not worth my time to list something, deal with the transaction, pack, ship, ... So I can understand why some would charge handling fees.

Having said that, I totally agree with Larry. Some shipping and handling charges are way excessive and just not worth it. I see a lot of good deals that I pass on, and many don't even sell, because of the high shipping cost.

Vote with your feet.

I agree totally. packing, packing properly, and shipping a couple things, let alone several things, can be time-consuming and a major pain - I've spent up to 30 minutes packaging external horn victor machines that I've sold. it's nice when a buyer can appreciate that.

and I also agree that some sellers' postage charges can be excessive. but complaining or ranting about it after the fact doesn't seem to accomplish anything, which is why I just don't get these threads. when you buy things by mail, the cost of getting them to you should be factored into the total cost of the thing - and if that total cost is more than you'd pay if the thing was right there in front of you at a store, then pass on it. and if you're buying or bidding on things that will be sent, you should clarify upfront before you buy what the postage costs will be. if they're too high or you feel that the seller (the present owner of the thing) is being unreasonable (and as the owner, he can pretty much charge what he wants - I don't care what you say about ebay's limitations on postage fees, they don't apply in all situations and can be circumvented easily enough any way), then don't bid/buy. I really don't see what the big deal is beyond that, fixed income, mega wealthy, or whatever your financial situation is - if you can't afford it, you can't afford it, and if you don't agree with a seller's charges, philosophies, whatever, on principal, then just don't do business with him/her.

[EdisonSquirrel]

While I consider excessive shipping charges to be inappropriate, I find it to be a more serious transgression for a seller to misrepresent his shipping conditions. An example would be a seller who indicates that he will combine shipping costs and subsequently refuses to do so. This is fraud and should be reported to Ebay.



Rocky

[EdisonSquirrel]

I try to avoid dealing with sellers whose selling conditions are unacceptable to me. This is a matter of principle as well as judicious spending.

Let's look at two hypothetical auctions:

Seller #1 is offering a copy of the very hot dance tune "I screw the shellac-buying public," medley fox-trot by the PayPal Novelty Orchestra with vocal refrain by the Ebay Male Quartet. The opening bid is $2.00 with $20.00 shipping charges. Total is $22.00.

Seller #2 is offering the same record for $21.00 with $4.00 shipping. Total is $25.00.

It would cost me more to buy the record from the seller with reasonable shipping charges. I would rather spend $3.00 extra and deal with an upright seller than save $3.00 and deal with an unprincipled seller.



Rocky