Why is Free Shipping so hard for some sellers?

[guybemis]

Can somebody help me understand this. I'm looking at an item priced $4.99 plus $2.69 shipping. It's a good price. The next lowest seller is charging $12.99 with free shipping for the exact same item. My question is why would the seller choose $4.99 plus $2.69 shipping?

From my buyer perspective, I would be just as likely to buy the item if it was priced $9.99 with free shipping. Because 1. it would still be under the $10 price point and 2. it would still be the lowest price on eBay. Mentally I have already put it over the $5 price point, because of the shipping charge. As a matter of fact I might be slightly more likely to buy it at $9.99, because I might have searched for it with Free Shipping checked. Though usually I use Price plus Shipping Lowest First. That is why I saw the item.

The seller is a long time seller and seems to price all their items similarly. The only thing I can think of is the seller is charges shipping without even thinking about other possibilities. Because maybe that is the way they have always done it.

Is that it, or am I missing something?

[emerald40]

You mean sellers who priced an item at $10 so they could charge $50 on shipping to avoid ebay fees.

Yup, I avoided them as well.

[mam98031]

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@emerald40 wrote:

You mean sellers who priced an item at $10 so they could charge $50 on shipping to avoid ebay fees.

Yup, I avoided them as well.

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That was a very long time ago.  There have been fees on shipping since 2011.

[emerald40]

Of course they can.  If an item is priced over that of its competitors, buyers are going to avoid it because it is overpriced. 

[emerald40]

I seem to remember, quite a few years back

__________________________

As per the author if the post.  Very subjective as to how it is interpreted.

[myjunqueyourtreasure]

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@creekcoyote wrote:

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@castlemagicmemories wrote:
While it may not mean that the seller has, it doesn't mean that the seller hasn't, either.

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I guess people don't understand that any seller in the majority of businesses can set their own price for the item they are selling.  It is not padding.  It is simply to ensure that they will have a profit after their cost of the item, their cost of the packing materials, their cost of transportation to the PO, thier cost of insurance and I could go on and on.  Most of which is not the same from seller to seller.

So, If I have to roll the shipping cost into the price of the item, a price that I can set anywhere  that I want before any shipping is even included, how I spread out those costs is no one's business when I include the cost of shipping in the price of the item.

The only business that a buyer has is to decide if the price for the item they want meets their expectations.  If not, they only have to look for another seller whose costs are more in line with what they wish to pay.

Padding, as it seems to be defined here, just doesn't exist.

Sellers have the right to set their prices anywhere they want. 

Just my humble opinion.

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Unfortunately there are "some" buyers who feel any price more than they want to pay is a seller "padding" (or often gouging is used)

[mam98031]

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@emerald40 wrote:

Of course they can.  If an item is priced over that of its competitors, buyers are going to avoid it because it is overpriced. 

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Yes.  I haven't argued that point with you.  In fact several posts back I said the same thing, with the exception I didn't say the item was "overpriced".  That is subjective and without the actual facts of the costs involved, I don't assume it is overpriced.  However when I'm looking to buy something and the price is more than I'm willing to pay, I simply move on.

[creekcoyote]

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@emerald40 wrote:

You mean sellers who priced an item at $10 so they could charge $50 on shipping to avoid ebay fees.

Yup, I avoided them as well.

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To put it bluntly.   Most buyers didn't know or didn't care whether or not a seller was avoiding E-bay fees.

Usually only another seller would be concerned and rightly and understandedly so.

According to what some posters say nowadays, the buyer doesn't need to know how E-bay sanctions its sellers, etc.  I imagine there was  pretty much the same attitude back then.

[emerald40]

No but I remember the old ebay when shipping had to be actual cost.  It was the amount you handed over to the carrier.

Then handling came into play and that is what I object to when the seller adds in every little fee he can think of.  How many times can you charge for that tank of gas or roll of tape.

[creekcoyote]

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@mam98031 wrote:

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@emerald40 wrote:

Of course they can.  If an item is priced over that of its competitors, buyers are going to avoid it because it is overpriced. 

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Yes.  I haven't argued that point with you.  In fact several posts back I said the same thing, with the exception I didn't say the item was "overpriced".  That is subjective and without the actual facts of the costs involved, I don't assume it is overpriced.  However when I'm looking to buy something and the price is more than I'm willing to pay, I simply move on.

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Yep.  Overpriced is definitely subjective.   I happen to think that Cadillacs are overpriced.   But thousands of buyers have a difference of opinion.    I truly don't know how to define overpriced.

I honestly believe that over priced is strictly in the mind of a potential buyer.

[emerald40]

I did it myself and am sure I was not the only one.

Saw a great price on a listing and grabbed it before I realized he was charging $100 for shipping.  (Actually happenned to me)

So yes some buyers got suckered in.

[creekcoyote]

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@emerald40 wrote:

No but I remember the old ebay when shipping had to be actual cost.  It was the amount you handed over to the carrier.

Then handling came into play and that is what I object to when the seller adds in every little fee he can think of.  How many times can you charge for that tank of gas or roll of tape.

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No, but that tank of gas may cost $35-$45.  It is going to take a lot of adding .50 to shipping costs to make up for the cost of gas.   Just how many sales and shipping costs will it take?    If my math is correct, a seller would have to sell 70 items to recoup their cost of the gas.

[emerald40]

So the car is only used to go back and forth to the Post Office, not to do personal errands, pick up the kids at school, go out on a Saturday night?

[mam98031]

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@emerald40 wrote:

No but I remember the old ebay when shipping had to be actual cost.  It was the amount you handed over to the carrier.

Then handling came into play and that is what I object to when the seller adds in every little fee he can think of.  How many times can you charge for that tank of gas or roll of tape.

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It has NEVER had to be "actual cost" on Ebay.  Some assumed that is what was meant, but Ebay NEVER required that.  For Ebay to do that they would have to know what carriers each seller was using for each product they sold, along with the weight and dimensions of each item AFTER packaging, etc.  This would have been extremely difficult and labor intensive for ebay to monitor.  Unless it was pre 1999 which is when I started selling.

Many people both buyers and sellers just have always ignored or othewise not recognized what handling charges are and others just don't see them as a legitimate cost.  That doesn't make them right, it is just how some viewed things.

The area in which shows the shipping charges on each listing use to read Shipping and Handling [S&H].  It has now read Shipping for a long time now.

[mam98031]

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@emerald40 wrote:

I did it myself and am sure I was not the only one.

Saw a great price on a listing and grabbed it before I realized he was charging $100 for shipping.  (Actually happenned to me)

So yes some buyers got suckered in.

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Humans make mistakes.  I've listed an expensive item for a penny once and free shipping.  We make mistakes.  But because an honest mistake was made does not mean that you were trying to "sucker" anyone into buying your item.

Good grief buyers have to take responsibility for what they do and don't do just like sellers need to.  Sellers are hiding what they are charging for shipping.  Either it is included in the price or it is stated separately.  If the buyer doesn't like the price, move on.  Find it at a price that is acceptable to your needs, wants or budget.  It does not have to be any deeper than that.  And I find it insulting that you are trying to make it appear that if a seller does not meet your expectations on what they charge for shipping they are somehow trying to take advantage of buyers.

[sam9876]

"No but I remember the old ebay when shipping had to be actual cost.  It was the amount you handed over to the carrier."

That was never the case.