Default Shipping Rates

[decote-g0]

If I don't change to discounted shipping rates, will those accounts that change to that show that it's discounted  shipping? Then would that mean that mine just wouldn't say they are getting a discounted shipping rate? Christy

[nobody*s_perfect · Accepted solution]

Listings do not reveal whether the seller is charging retail rates or eBay shipping rates.  

[slippinjimmy]

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@decote-g0 wrote:

If I don't change to discounted shipping rates, will those accounts that change to that show that it's discounted  shipping? Then would that mean that mine just wouldn't say they are getting a discounted shipping rate? Christy

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All they will show is that other sellers will have slightly lower shipping rates. There have always been sellers that passed on the discount savings just as there have always been sellers offering free shipping.

Most buyers understand that it's the total price that matters, some buyers are swayed by "free shipping" even though it's rarely actually free.

This whole thing from eBay is really just a repeat of eBay 00's push to get sellers to offer "free shipping". Most smart sellers that offer the discounted rates will be increasing their item prices to compensate, some who don't understand profit margins will just give away money to buyers and then complain that they can't make any money.

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@slippinjimmy wrote: ... All they will show is that other sellers will have slightly lower shipping rates. There have always been sellers that passed on the discount savings just as there have always been sellers offering free shipping....

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But the buyer cannot easily determine whether the lower price is due to (1) retail vs eBay pricing, or (2) both sellers charging the same (retail or eBay) rate but one is closer than the other so the calculated price is lower; or (3) whether the seller has set a fixed shipping cost which happens to be lower than another seller's calculated rate -- remember some sellers offer Free shipping and others do subsidize the shipping cost by charging a price that's lower than their actual postage cost.