eBay

bargainsandbaubles · ‎11-13-2018

I collect a lot of things and see people charging $10 to ship an item that weighs 3 ounces or less.

Since I collect these items, I am in no hurry to get them, so I don't mind paying less for shipping if it saves me money.

I have asked lots of sellers if they can ship the item for $3.50-$4.50 first class. Most of these items can ship for $2.60 and change, and I figure a dollar or two to cover the box or bubble mailer.

99% of sellers I run into flat out refuse, usually the excuse is "first class mail wouldn't be any cheaper". They literally think FCM costs $6-$7. Maybe retail on a 16 ounce box.

I know this might sound like "whinning", but when you collect 50-60 of these things a year, $5 is quite a difference.

this4chris2012 · ‎11-13-2018

@bargainsandbaubles wrote:
I collect a lot of things and see people charging $10 to ship an item that weighs 3 ounces or less.
Since I collect these items, I am in no hurry to get them, so I don't mind paying less for shipping if it saves me money.

I have asked lots of sellers if they can ship the item for $3.50-$4.50 first class. Most of these items can ship for $2.60 and change, and I figure a dollar or two to cover the box or bubble mailer.

99% of sellers I run into flat out refuse, usually the excuse is "first class mail wouldn't be any cheaper". They literally think FCM costs $6-$7. Maybe retail on a 16 ounce box.

I know this might sound like "whinning", but when you collect 50-60 of these things a year, $5 is quite a difference.

I have ordered things on line for years. Macy's, Amazon, Whole Foods, Walmart, Target, Petco and many more companies. Shipping and handling is what it is. Never once has the ordering process given me the option to "contact seller to negotiate shipping." Can you explain to why eBay buyers feel entitled to do this?

sam9876 · ‎11-13-2018

Many eBay sellers are clueless when it comes to shipping.

castlemagicmemories · ‎11-13-2018

@this4chris2012 wrote:
@bargainsandbaubles wrote:
I collect a lot of things and see people charging $10 to ship an item that weighs 3 ounces or less.
Since I collect these items, I am in no hurry to get them, so I don't mind paying less for shipping if it saves me money.

I have asked lots of sellers if they can ship the item for $3.50-$4.50 first class. Most of these items can ship for $2.60 and change, and I figure a dollar or two to cover the box or bubble mailer.

99% of sellers I run into flat out refuse, usually the excuse is "first class mail wouldn't be any cheaper". They literally think FCM costs $6-$7. Maybe retail on a 16 ounce box.

I know this might sound like "whinning", but when you collect 50-60 of these things a year, $5 is quite a difference.
I have ordered things on line for years. Macy's, Amazon, Whole Foods, Walmart, Target, Petco and many more companies. Shipping and handling is what it is. Never once has the ordering process given me the option to "contact seller to negotiate shipping." Can you explain to why eBay buyers feel entitled to do this?

I was just thinking this as well; you wouldn't do that when buying from any other place, so I don't know why it would be considered acceptable here.

As to why, perhaps they feel because these sellers aren't Macy's, Amazon, Whole Food, Walmart, Target, or Petco, they somehow have a right that isn't present in those other instances?

umoraski · ‎11-13-2018

I use First Class a lot and it does have Tracking(no extra charge). In some cases First Class is even faster that Priority. I refuse to buy anything on Ebay - where the shipping is ridiculous. I go exactly by the weight and even use the Priority Padded Mailing Bags if something can fit and it's cheaper long distance. I try to save my buyers money, but I know a lot of sellers don't.

nowthatsjustducky · ‎11-13-2018

I shop by total price myself. I don't care how the seller divvies up the funds. If the total is within my acceptable price range, then I buy. Of course, I will expect the seller to use the same class of service advertised or faster (with no expectation that the seller will always actually spring for faster than advertised); but never slower.

$5 with $5 shipping, $7.34 with the bare minimum $2.66 shipping, or $10 with the shipping included in the price (because we are all intelligent enough here to understand that there is no such thing as free shipping); it all means I am paying the same $10.

If it works, sell it. If it works well, sell it for more. If it doesn't work, quadruple the price and sell it as an antique.

-- Ferengi Rule of Acquisition #80

ed8108 · ‎11-13-2018

@castlemagicmemories wrote:

I was just thinking this as well; you wouldn't do that when buying from any other place, so I don't know why it would be considered acceptable here.
As to why, perhaps they feel because these sellers aren't Macy's, Amazon, Whole Food, Walmart, Target, or Petco, they somehow have a right that isn't present in those other instances?

It may result from promoting buyers to make a best offer on items, that may cause some buyers to consider it as being acceptable.

lintbrush* · ‎11-13-2018

@anneecakes wrote:
I didn't realize so many folks were so enthusiastic about Priority. Priority is no faster to 80% of destinations from my zip code. And tracked First Class Parcels (mostly in poly bubble mailers) are my lifeblood. One of my items weighs 15.5 oz in the 4x6x8" ebay boxes I get "free" from the eBay shipping supplies store each quarter and (at least till January 2019) it goes anywhere in the US for $4.90

That 4x8x6 eBay box really costs you .70 cents.

Up to $50 insurance costs $2.10

So take that $4.94 + .70 + $2.10 and now you're up to $7.74.

1 lb Priority Commercial Base ranges from $6.65 to $7.76

Commercial Plus is 3% less and up to $100 insurance.

I'm happy to ship a 15 oz $90-$125 item via Priority.

A 15 oz $20 item will go First Class

jennieaa · ‎11-13-2018

I ship via First Class Parcel. My items are light weight and thin.

OP, you would be surprised how many times I receive a message telling me I could ship in a plain envelope for 70 cents so....they offer 1/2 the price and free shipping. I tend to ignore them.

And then there are the poor souls who have fallen into a deep dark hole where someone (postal carrier ususally) takes delight in bending their packages....so could I be sure to make it extra stiff. Once I did (because my carrier was over the top bad), using paint stirrers to keep the envelople stiff. If they arrived broken, then it was obvious someone was out to get him. Cost me a little more in postage, but oh the satisfaction was worth every penny. Even more so when the buyer emailed "thanks for the creative packaging, this one wasn't bent".

So...every seller packages the way they are comfortable. With so many sellers out there, I am sure you will find those who ship first class parcel. (some might even change their ways when the January price increase comes)

dinpavent0 · ‎11-13-2018

You can send items first class mail with tracking. I do it all the time. Items that are a couple ounces only cost $3.50-4.50 depending on weight with tracking.

dingbatdanni · ‎11-13-2018

Sounds like a nit picky buyer imho

everything-from-trinkets-to-treasures · ‎11-13-2018

@bargainsandbaubles wrote:
I collect a lot of things and see people charging $10 to ship an item that weighs 3 ounces or less.
Since I collect these items, I am in no hurry to get them, so I don't mind paying less for shipping if it saves me money.

I have asked lots of sellers if they can ship the item for $3.50-$4.50 first class. Most of these items can ship for $2.60 and change, and I figure a dollar or two to cover the box or bubble mailer.

99% of sellers I run into flat out refuse, usually the excuse is "first class mail wouldn't be any cheaper". They literally think FCM costs $6-$7. Maybe retail on a 16 ounce box.

I know this might sound like "whinning", but when you collect 50-60 of these things a year, $5 is quite a difference.

Sellers get to decide how they want to ship as they are liable for the item.
There are many reasons a sellers would choose one method over another...for example there may be a size restriction.
In any case, the terms and prices are set out in the listing...you choose to accept those terms and purchase or not.
And with first class it doesn't mean it will be shipped at the price of a postage stamp either. We have to use first class parcel prices and maybe have to add insurance etc. So the prices may very well end up being the same as priority in some cases.

robot-hands · ‎11-14-2018

@sam9876 wrote:
"First class doesn't come with tracking"

False.

Not exactly true that it does come with tracking either.

sapphireseal · ‎11-14-2018

Any seller of small collectibles who doesn't offer First Class is shooting themself in the foot and losing sales.

Tracking is automatically included with First Class--just like with Priority.

ersatz_sobriquet · ‎11-14-2018

@sapphireseal wrote:
Any seller of small collectibles who doesn't offer First Class is shooting themself in the foot and losing sales.

Tracking is automatically included with First Class--just like with Priority.

Disagree that sellers are "shooting themself in the foot and losing sales".

I sell lightweight items valued $50 and up all the time with priority. If a buyer is balking at the shipping, I probably don't want that buyer anyway because they may have other money issues. Priority costs are bad enough that I often take a risk below $50 and send without insurance, that bothers me badly enough.

First class does not come with insurance should USPS lose or destroy the contents. I am not going to lose both the item and the value of the item. Either the sale goes smoothly and I collect the sale price, or USPS messes something up and then they are going to pay for it...but I'm not willing to be the risky loser on those sales.