Sellers who refuse to ship first class, why?

[quadcitypickers]

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.

[sam9876]

"Not exactly true that it does come with tracking either."

What does that mean?

[everything-from-trinkets-to-treasures]

Just and FYI....There is more than what carriers offer for free as far as insurance. You can add insurance to first class parcel mail just as you can for any other method.

[everything-from-trinkets-to-treasures]

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@lewisburggold wrote:

The ebay guide book says always ship priority.  Not saying there right.  Its just what it says.  Best regards

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Do not confuse a suggestion with what is allowed and what choices you can make for your own business

[sapphireseal]

In case anyone is curious, this is a typical example of First Class tracking.   Edit: I probably should have made the pictures larger but I didn't want to make people scroll too much.   The point is, it's scanned from here to Whoville along the way.

 

 

 

 

[smileytown18]

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@everything-from-trinkets-to-treasures wrote:
Just and FYI....There is more than what carriers offer for free as far as insurance. You can add insurance to first class parcel mail just as you can for any other method.

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First class + insurnce= It will then equal the same price as priority. And priority almost always gets there in time as apposed to first class that often takes longer. Priority also gets you free package pickup, First class does not in many areas.

I personally use both services, depending what is being shipped. But I can understand sellers using priority. Sellers are not such ignoramuses like some think (I see strong "seller is a dummy" sentiment from some posters.)

[everything-from-trinkets-to-treasures]

Not always...it depends on the weight and the distance.
But that aside as I said it is up to the seller as the seller is liable for the shipping and the item getting to the buyer....and the buyer can accept the price and purchase or not

And no where in this thread did anyone say or allude to anyone being a dummy....in fact no one said anything about anyone on a personal level or in reference to their intelligence in anyway shape or form...so there is no reason to make it about such things.

[everything-from-trinkets-to-treasures]

OH and to add it also depends on who you use for insurance as USPS is not the only insurance available as an option either.

[sam9876]

What type of seller buys insurance?

[everything-from-trinkets-to-treasures]

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@sam9876 wrote:

What type of seller buys insurance?

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The type that doesn't want to lose money if an item is lost or damaged during shipping. There are millions of those types of sellers out there.

[ersatz_sobriquet]

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@sam9876 wrote:

What type of seller buys insurance?

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My point in a round about way! 

I don't "buy insurance". My buyer buys it for me by paying for priority. 

Problem solved. 😄 

[jason_incognito]

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@nobody*s_perfect wrote:

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@castlemagicmemories wrote:

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@adsta22 wrote:
Don't like the shipping cost? Don't bug the seller to lower it, just move on.

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Exactly.  Not a can of worms I would care to open.

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But there's nothing to lose by asking, if you wouldn't purchase the item anyway with the cost of Priority.  

If the seller declines, then you're no worse off than you were before asking. And if he puts you on his BBL, you won't even know it because you won't be trying to buy his stuff that has overpriced shipping. If enough potential buyers make this sort of inquiry, the seller might realize he's losing business and actually reconsider.

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It's funny. I read threads like this and then read threads about no sales and often the posters saying that the seller can charge whatever they want and telling you to not ask, just move on..... later they sit on the threads complaining about no sales?

Some just don't get it.

So you blocked me? I won't be back to buy from you. Thank you for blocking me just in case later I forget your id and might acidentally buy from a bad seller. Thank you for saving me that headache.

[everything-from-trinkets-to-treasures]

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@ersatz_sobriquet wrote:

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@sam9876 wrote:

What type of seller buys insurance?

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My point in a round about way! 

I don't "buy insurance". My buyer buys it for me by paying for priority. 

Problem solved. 😄 

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It is not a problem for most no matter the carrier as sellers usually incorporate all cost into either the item price or the handling charges. So the buyer usually pays for it no matter what one way or the other.

[ersatz_sobriquet]

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@everything-from-trinkets-to-treasures wrote:

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@ersatz_sobriquet wrote:

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@sam9876 wrote:

What type of seller buys insurance?

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My point in a round about way! 

I don't "buy insurance". My buyer buys it for me by paying for priority. 

Problem solved. 😄 

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It is not a problem for most no matter the carrier as sellers usually incorporate all cost into either the item price or the handling charges. So the buyer usually pays for it no matter what one way or the other.

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As you can see, it's not a problem for me! 

[everything-from-trinkets-to-treasures]

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@ersatz_sobriquet wrote:

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@everything-from-trinkets-to-treasures wrote:

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@ersatz_sobriquet wrote:

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@sam9876 wrote:

What type of seller buys insurance?

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My point in a round about way! 

I don't "buy insurance". My buyer buys it for me by paying for priority. 

Problem solved. 😄 

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It is not a problem for most no matter the carrier as sellers usually incorporate all cost into either the item price or the handling charges. So the buyer usually pays for it no matter what one way or the other.

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As you can see, it's not a problem for me! 

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I don't think anyone said it was a problem for you. The OP was merely asking WHY "some" sellers do not ship first class when it is an option we/they have.

[myjunqueyourtreasure]

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@ersatz_sobriquet wrote:

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@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.

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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. 

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Yes, even though a diamond ring may weigh onlt a few ounces I doubt there's many (if any) sellers who would dream of shipping one FCP, tracking or not.