Why are shipping and some prices so high?

[kaitipoo]

I am frustrated because I find and item I want at a reasonable price, and then the shipping is sky high; way out of preportation to what it really costs.  Grrr.  Do sellers think that by pricing it real low, I will be willing to end up over paying because I want the item so badly?  I know sellers are trying to make a living and they hate low bids, but some of those same sellers think nothing of going to a garage sale and talking the seller down so they can turn around and jack up the price when they sell it on eBay.  Maybe the high shipping is why I see so many things with no bids.  And why do some sellers price a book or CD or game for example, that everyone has at a semi reasonable price say for eample 10.00 for a CD and then their price is 100.00+?  Do they really expect to get that?  And that is before the shipping is added.  I have seen games that are not so rare that you can never find them priced at 500.00.  Thanks for letting me vent.  I do not direct this at hard working honest and reasonable sellers.

[virtualwhimsy]

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@kaitipoo wrote:

I am frustrated because I find and item I want at a reasonable price, and then the shipping is sky high; way out of preportation to what it really costs.  Grrr.  Do sellers think that by pricing it real low, I will be willing to end up over paying because I want the item so badly?  I know sellers are trying to make a living and they hate low bids, but some of those same sellers think nothing of going to a garage sale and talking the seller down so they can turn around and jack up the price when they sell it on eBay.  Maybe the high shipping is why I see so many things with no bids.  And why do some sellers price a book or CD or game for example, that everyone has at a semi reasonable price say for eample 10.00 for a CD and then their price is 100.00+?  Do they really expect to get that?  And that is before the shipping is added.  I have seen games that are not so rare that you can never find them priced at 500.00.  Thanks for letting me vent.  I do not direct this at hard working honest and reasonable sellers.

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1.  Shop by total price - much easier and less stressful.

2.  There is nothing wrong with buying low and selling high - that's what it's all about.

[misspop1966]

I also feel that it is deceptive practice to use hyper-inflated shipping charges even if items are put at a .99 start price. A seller should just list the item at the lowest price they are willing to accept as the start bid and put in the actual cost of shipping. I do not support sellers who over-inflate shipping charges, and I buy a lot on eBay. If they are the type that do that, I move on, no matter how low the start price. Why? Because in the old eBay days before shipping became so high, sellers who put inflated prices were clearly seen as trying to cash in extra on the extra shipping--either by the buyer not doing their homework on looking at the ship price thinking it would be actual cost or reasonable, or just by profiting off shipping period. I still consider it deceptive practice and greed. You can talk all you want about just put the two together and consider that the price, but it won't change my mind that these sellers are out to deceive whom they can. Often a .99 start price will have a final sale price well above what the seller had hoped for, then IN ADDITION the buyer has to pay the inflated shipping.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

I think if the shipping is clearly listed, it is no harm, no foul. Buyers should be looking at ALL aspects of the listing, not just the price. The shipping should be considered when deciding if the price is right or not.

You do know that sellers have to pay 10% of that shipping they collect to Ebay for fees right? Back in the old days there was no fee on shipping so it made sense for unethical sellers to put their profit into shipping. Now it doesn't matter.

If the seller is charging $10 for shipping, why does it matter to the buyer if that amount is going to the seller or the post office? It doesn't. I'm mostly a buyer but believe that this is a free market system. Buyers who insist sellers charge no more than actual shipping are veering over the line into control freak. Buyers have no right to tell sellers how to run their businesses. They can either buy or not.

[virtualwhimsy]

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@misspop1966 wrote:

I also feel that it is deceptive practice to use hyper-inflated shipping charges even if items are put at a .99 start price. A seller should just list the item at the lowest price they are willing to accept as the start bid and put in the actual cost of shipping. I do not support sellers who over-inflate shipping charges, and I buy a lot on eBay. If they are the type that do that, I move on, no matter how low the start price. Why? Because in the old eBay days before shipping became so high, sellers who put inflated prices were clearly seen as trying to cash in extra on the extra shipping--either by the buyer not doing their homework on looking at the ship price thinking it would be actual cost or reasonable, or just by profiting off shipping period. I still consider it deceptive practice and greed. You can talk all you want about just put the two together and consider that the price, but it won't change my mind that these sellers are out to deceive whom they can. Often a .99 start price will have a final sale price well above what the seller had hoped for, then IN ADDITION the buyer has to pay the inflated shipping.

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I'm not arguing it - it is what it is.

As a buyer - I couldn't care less how the total price is broken out, or if the seller is keeping more of the shipping then the shipping service.

Add to that - the steep shipping percentage sellers have to pay (it is most definitely not "the old eBay days").

[virtualwhimsy]

I can't get over your statement:

but some of those same sellers think nothing of going to a garage sale and talking the seller down so they can turn around and jack up the price when they sell it on eBay.

It sounds as if you're saying sellers who find deals on items should pass that on to the buyer.  That they should only charge a bit more than they paid - that way everyone gets a good deal.

Is that what you're inferring?

Because the power is most definitely in your hands.  Think the price is too high?  Don't bid/buy - pretty simple.

[redbud_farm]

And most times it's other bidders that " jack up the price".

I started a n item once I bought for $5.00 at 9.99. it sold for over $1000 here, should I have sold it to winning buyer for $5.

[dubiousgain]

"....jack up the price, when they sell it on ebay"  ??? No...Truth be told, sellers are only in to this, for their health...They do not expect to turn as large a proffit, as they can.  They put up with draconian, buyer-centric ebay policies, and temperamental, delicate hot-house-orchid customers, all for the pure enjoyment of it.   Why are ebay seller's prices so high?  Why are ebay buyer so bloody *cheap*?

[gagnon234]

"but some of those same sellers think nothing of going to a garage sale and talking the seller down so they can turn around and jack up the price when they sell it on eBay."

Yep. Guilty as charged. If it's good enough for Walmart to buy for pennies & sell for dollars, it's good enough for me. (not that Walmart goes to garage sales)

[deltilogical]

I can tell you the price of shipping paper items is killing me. Once you go over 16 oz (I think its 16 oz) the prices doubles to 'priority".  It is killing my sales that scost something like $12 to ship some old magazines.  The alternative is "USPS Ground", which is a dollar cheaper and a week slower. When I inquired at UPS it was twice as much.  

Shipping is very expensive now.  The only break is in shipping books which can go under Media Mail because they don't contain advertising.   But the bar is so low for most books it is hard to even break even.  The automatic machines don't provide media mail so any savings gets eaten up waiting in line.

And ebay adds 10% to the shipping cost, since they actually charge 10% on the postage fee.

[emerald40]

And then posters wonder why ebay takes 10% of the shipping cost.  It is because of sellers who did exactly that - listed an item for .99 and charged $50 for shipping.

So yes for buyers, it is now best to shop the entire cost - item + shipping.

But I am having the same problem.  I buy items that are 6 ounces or about - and sellers are charging as much as $11.99 to ship it within the US.

[garmentvarmint2004]

MISSPOP..

When I am deciding whether or not to buy from  a specific seller----I don't  just look at Feedback.  I check out some other  things  too.  Like an Item  Descrption  that is too vague---or Terms in the Listing  that I know are not valid.    And also a much too high shipping price.... combined with a very low Item price.

If any  one of these is "off"----I hit the back button.

[pinkfloyd_the_barber]

They do it so they can whine about how bad EBay is and how it is EBay's fault they aren't making any sales...If they would price items within reason, they would likely get sales, then ...well '''they would figure out something else to whine about.

[virtualwhimsy]

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@pinkfloyd_the_barber wrote:

They do it so they can whine about how bad EBay is and how it is EBay's fault they aren't making any sales...If they would price items within reason, they would likely get sales, then ...well '''they would figure out something else to whine about.

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Looks for a "stretch" emoticon.

[rixstuff]

People can CHARGE any price they want but until someone agrees to pay it they are stuck with it.  Not all sellers overprice either the item or the shipping.  Some do play games to get your attention when there are many similar items listed but there is a seller out there with the item you want at a good price and decent shipping.  Keep looking!