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Shipping rates.
I heard shipping rates are established by the "system". I just view 4 similar items and the shipping costs were $97.30, $64.50, $29.55, $6.77. Can't believe shippers and distances would make that much difference. Is this a scam??
7 comments
evry1nositswindy
Mentor2 years agoWhen you look at an item, you are seeing shipping to you. Could be double the price if you are one the east coast and the seller is on the west coast. If the seller is in your zone, the cost is less.
bax813
OP2 years agoTHX. Just thot $94 vs. $6 for the same item was extraordinary. And it was not an international shipment.
mam98031
Mentor2 years agoThere is likely some incorrect info entered by you to get that big of a difference. $6 shipping would be for something that likely weighed under a pound, depending on the method of shipment you are using. I'd look carefully at the info you supplied.
inceptions
Mentor2 years agoHi @bax813
No, it's not a scam.
Shipping rates are established by the carriers, and eBay passes along a discount when the seller purchases his labels through them. Some sellers buy their labels at the carrier which costs more. A seller can choose to pass along some of, all of, or none of the discount to the buyer. Usually the seller passes along some of it with the rest to cover the handling (shipping supplies, fees, etc.) or he can add those costs into the item price.
But yes, the carrier, the distance between buyer and seller , the class of service, and the dimensions of the package all contribute to the varying shipping costs you see for the same item.
For an item I sold recently, a buyer would pay $9.39 if he is located in my shipping zone and would pay $21.52 if he is located across the country from me.
mr_lincoln
Mentor2 years agoHi @bax813
The "system" only generates an estimated shipping cost based on the information supplied by the Seller.
The "garbage in - garbage out" principal applies here. If 4 Sellers all have the same thing but list different weights and box sizes AND are different distances then the shipping costs will vary. Even if they all use the same weight and dimensions distance can still have a profound affect on cost. I see this ALL the time on coast to coast shipments, they can easily double or worse.
bax813
OP2 years agoTHX. Helpful. Sure can kill a sale.
mr_lincoln
Mentor2 years ago@bax813
You are more than welcome and yes, inaccurate shipping costs can negatively impact a Seller's sales. A % of New Sellers make mistakes in the area of shipping, we read about it here all the time.