How on Earth do they do it?

[inhawaii]

I just bought a cell phone charging cable for $2.22 with free First Class Mail shipping from California. 9,000+ sold. What am i missing here? How can they sell a item for LESS than what shipping costs?

OEM Samsung USB-C Type C Fast Charging Cable Galaxy S8 S9 S10 Plus Note 8 9

[3eyedfishcatcher]

While the item most likely is a cheap Chinese knock off. A cable is a cable as long as it has the correct connections on the ends. The cost of manufacture is probably very low then with subsidized shipping from china while their profit margin even if it is low after several thousands sell they will make money. The main thing is the revenue they are stealing by selling such accessories that normally would go to the manufacture and its distributors creating a loss in revenue.

[inhawaii]

My ONLY criteria when i was searching for this cable on ebay is that it be OEM.

There are sooooo many non-OEM ones out there, it's actually hard to find a OEM one. 

I'll come back and let you guys know. 

[mam98031]

---

@luckythewinner wrote:

---

@pjcdn2005 wrote:

If I'm looking at the right listing, they are in the US 

---

Just because a listing says the item is in the USA does not mean the item is actually in the USA. 

---

By the Ebay rules it is suppose to.  The location in the listing is suppose to be accurate as to where the product is shipping from.  Now the seller can be located somewhere else, to include another country, but listing locates are suppose to be accurate.

[mam98031]

Just a personal preference, I don't order anything that is electrical in nature from China.  They do not have the same safety protocols as we do here in the US.  And if you have ever been caught in an electrical fire, you too would be a bit over cautious about this too.  Scary stuff and certainly not worth saving a few bucks over either.

[redmodelt]

While the item may be shipped from a US address watch for a fee as the money may still be going directly to China or other. I had that happen, item was shipped from US address but the payment went off shore.

[mam98031]

---

@redmodelt wrote:

While the item may be shipped from a US address watch for a fee as the money may still be going directly to China or other. I had that happen, item was shipped from US address but the payment went off shore.

---

@redmodelt 

NOPE.  That is a non issue when purchasing on Ebay.  The price is as stated when I paid for the item.  The seller can't make me pay more after the fact.  I'd have a complaint filed so quick it would make their head swim if I had a seller try this nonsense.  

Wherever the seller wants there money to go to is their business and not mine.  I'm unsure as to how you could have know it was going to some "offshore" account.  I know I can't.  I pay via CC with PP processing the payment.  I have never had any vision of what account it goes into for a seller.

How could you have possibly seen that it was going to an "offshore" account anyway?

[marinermikes]

If the listing has a American flag in it or says it's from the U.S. then it's from China. I've complained about this. I've been burnt with this a couple of times and it really ticks me off.  Look at the pay pal address. That will give you a clue.

Yep it's against eBay policy but eBay turns a blind eye. That's not the only issue they allow to go on with these Chinese sellers.

[marinermikes]

That would be when you look at the Pay Pal address and it's in Chinese.

[3eyedfishcatcher]

When I did phone support for Samsung for Samsung accessories we would direct customers to samsungparts.com . A quick glance at the home page and cell phones are listed.

[penguins_dont_fly]

---

@inhawaii wrote:

I just bought a cell phone charging cable for $2.22 with free First Class Mail shipping from California. 9,000+ sold. What am i missing here? How can they sell a item for LESS than what shipping costs?

OEM Samsung USB-C Type C Fast Charging Cable Galaxy S8 S9 S10 Plus Note 8 9

---

@inhawaii 

First Class MAIL

or

First Class PACKAGE

There's a difference, ya know 😉

The first is PWE or Flat with no tracking

IMO ... at that price ... The cable is not OEM.

[2015mhfashions]

Whether it ships from the US or not at that price you have purchased copied garbage, of course it will charge at the outset ( more than likely ) but it will not charge at the rate the official product would, I've had these chargers mainly to carry out with me if in need of an emergency, but overall do not last long and sooner or later stop working altogether.

Better off with the official product direct from Samsung.

[onlinepaintedparts]

Not to mention if the item purchased causes damage to you or your property(In the case of electrical goods) your insurer won't payout. eBay love there Chinese seller's, there products are dirt cheap and they can afford 10-20% or more on there promotions. There also quick to refund and won't argue over an item that probably cost them less than $1 to produce.

P.S Reporting might slow them down but just one of these sellers will have 5 or more business accounts.

[dentalsales4u]

I always click on feedback to see where the seller is located.
Especially if they have USA seller all over their listing or their user ID is strange.
Even if it states shipping from the US, if seller is in China, I back out.
It's how you know it's still China junk.
I've been burned too many times by this.

[gwzcomps]

Many of the lying Chinese sellers have a US depot that they ship from China to. That is how they get around it to the best of my knowledge. The one I dealt with gave me some DHL global ship tracking number. I bought what was supposed to be a genuine Samsung manufacture refurbished battery here. The contacts were scratched to hell and the battery was bulged and dangerous. Overall everything they said was a lie. Complained to eBay 2 million feedback ago when it happened. They now have over 4 million feedback and top rated status. Sell enough trash and I guess it doesn't matter what you do on eBay.

[a-ipower]

As many here mentioned, it's 120% a Chinese seller, currently there's an unfair shipping contract between China's postal office and USPS, allow any seller from China ship small & parcel item in U.S cheaper than the rate any American ship from America could match, it had been like this for many many years.  on deal like this, they probably still have a $0.70 - $1.00 margin left.  

Thanks god Trump stepped in and ended it, unfortunately the termination date is July 2020.