@puretones let me answer your comments in side the comment box.
@puretones wrote:I completely agree and I'm Shocked! I cannot believe people are defending this practice!
People put something like, I don't know, a metal cup worth around $5, on sale for $1, but the shipping charge is $15 even though it's light weight, and there is no chance of it breaking. I see this every day, it's very common.
hey, that is the seller's prerogative - list however they feel. Buyers need to learn to shop not on "price" but on Total Price = price + shipping. I know I got caught a few times but the I learned and adjusted the way I shop.
There are 2 reasons people do this, and it's bullsh*t. I cannot believe eBay doesn't crack down on this practice because eBay is losing money.
eBay is NOT losing money. In the past eBay fees were on the price of the item sold only. So scammers would list a $100 item at $1 price and $99 shipping. yeah, in that situation ebay was losing money. But because of dishonest people ebay now charges sellers on the total sale - Price + Shipping! Oh and also eBay now charges the sellers "fee" on the sales tax collected! So if an item sells to a place where there is a 10% sales tax, then the seller pays a fee (%) on the sales tax collected.
It upsets me so much and I believe it's highly unethical.
No ethics involved, just like any other transaction in this world - Caveat Emptor!
1.some buyers only look at the price, buy it, then don't realize it much more expensive than they realized. This gives the cheater an advantage because their item appears to cost $1 when several other sellers, selling the same item, appear to cost $15. Some might say "it's their fault for not reading everything" but if you're new to eBay or you're old, or you simply don't assume someone is going to be a d*ck and charge you $10 to ship a watch battery, I think you can be forgiven.
If you are a grown up or adult you learn how the game is played and play within the rules - not throw a fit when something doesn't suit you. So buyers need to "learn" how to buy on eBay - learn to look at "total cost" not just the sales price. I mean is it THAT difficult to adjust how one looks at buying here? I mean if a zero like me can figure it out, I am sure you can too!
2.eBay doesn't take a % of shipping price paid to the seller. FALSE! eBay makes most of their money on the "final value" of the item. This includes the item price, but not shipping price. So if seller01 sells an item for $15 with $5 shipping, they pay eBay a % of the $15. If seller02 sells an item for $5 with $15 shipping, they only pay eBay a % of the $5, so they keep way more money.
Unfortunately you are ill-informed. You don't know what you think you know. As I noted above eBay DOES charge at FVFs on the total cost = Price + Shipping and now + Taxes the seller paid.
The solution, as a buyer, is to search for an item and set the result sorting to "Price + Shipping: Lowest First"
Yes! Now you have it - That's the ticket!
eBay obviously knows people are doing this scam, which is why it's not just "Price: Lowest First"It frustrates me to no end.
Actually the search function is "Price = Shipping: Lowest First!
Attached is an example. Slow 3-4 week shipping from China to the USA on a small item like this is usually < $5. I buy these kinds of small electronics every month.
if you are buying cheap junk from China, you are setting your self up for failure in the long run. Only takes one of two bad sales to offset the cost of buying from the USA. Plus time has a value too.
