Sellers who make money off shipping

[josh_or_joshua]

eBay needs to police this.

[tdumonde2014]

Buyers police this by deciding to pass on sellers who inflate shipping. 

[ainpie-10]

If you think the shipping is too high just buy from someone else! Shipping is not free and some sellers put all their fees included in the shipping, some put them all on the price of item. Regardless the fees go somewhere. 

[ryanrobyn]

sellers usually just try to recoup the fees ebay charges on shipping.

[mtgraves7984]

There's nothing wrong with making money on shipping. 

[simba6]

All companies do that. That is why shippers stopped putting the shipping amount on the label.  Hide it from the buyer.   Just find better sellers.

[ed8108]

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@josh_or_joshua wrote:

eBay needs to police this.

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Why would police this ?

[janet9988]

Ebay makes money off of the shipping costs. So why would ebay spend time and money to police it?

It would be impossible as ebay has no idea how much the item weighs or the size of every single item listed.

[1786davycrockett]

I hope that you're aware that eBay also charges final value fees on the shipping charges, so sellers take a loss if they only charge the exact USPS charges on shipping.

And, with the downturn in the economy due to COVID, I have had to lay off all the leprechauns who used to work for  me for free, who used to spin shipping supplies out of thin air, and  then transported my  packages on the backs of their unicorns, to & fro from the post office.

Now I have to pay for all my shipping supplies, plus transport them myself to a post office 14 miles away.

Yep -- I'm just ripping off my buyers with excess shipping charges. . ..

[7606dennis]

Actually, a business needs to make money, or at least not lose money, on all aspects of their operation.  

[ed8108]

No need to police

Best to make a purchase decision on your total cost, item price & shipping cost

[albertabrightalberta]

Buyers know the price of shipping before buying since it's clearly posted in the listing. If you chose to buy, don't complain after the fact!

And just as an FYI, you might consider visiting the USPS website and calculate the cost of shipping to see whether sellers are actually gouging. The post office has raised prices numerous times over the last few years and often, buyers aren't aware of the costs to ship. 

And if a package is over 1 cubic foot, prices increase further. 

As an example, a 3 lb. package going from Boston to Los Angeles that measures 15" x 15" x 15" will cost $87.35 by priority mail or $72.95 by parcel post/parcel select. 

15" x 15" x 15" boston to LA

Compare: the same 3 lb. weight package going from Boston to Los Angeles that measures 12" x 12" x 12" costs $21.15. 

[house*of*paws]

Hi @josh_or_joshua 

As a buyer ... I'm concerned only about the total amount of the order.  Why should I care whether a seller puts their profit in the item price or the handling cost?

[ohshaboba]

Davy Crocket,

I agree with you 100%. Buyers who do not sell on Ebay, don't know how much work, time is put into listing items. Then theres paperwork, packaging supplies, traveling to the PO etc. I sell a lot of cards, put them in semi ridge sleeves, between cardboard them bubble envelope them. It's a lot of effort. I will charge $6. S &H on the 1st card and $2. Handling for each additional card. Some buyers aren't happy but on $100. sales. Ebay takes over $17. for fees. I lost alot on shipping. Because of fees. Not doing it anymore.  Ifs Ebay didn't take such a big % maybe it would help the seller and buyers. So, Idk. Dammed if you do dammed if you don't. 

[fab_finds4u]

If you're  suggesting sellers  should only charge actual postage Good luck with that! 

There are related expenses in shipping other than actual postage. Snapping your fingers doesn't  get free labels, bubblewrap, poly mailers, boxes, ink for the printer, etc.  Then there's our time to package and stand in long lines at the PO.   Even when shipping is free shipping you're not getting it free. It just means shipping has been included in the item cost because nobody gives the seller free shipping labels.