Cheap item- Incredible expensive Shipping

[themitso5]

Hi,

due a short search in eBay catalogs, I noticed that I can easily find what I am looking for, at low enough prices, but... when it went for shipping, I could not believe my eyes! Who decides the shipping cost and why so much difference, between the price of the selected item to buy, and the price for shipping?

However, I don't think that this is fair for anyone.

[stephenmorgan]

There is a maximum shipping cost stated by eBay for certain categories.

When I sell an individual item for $3.50, I can guarantee the shipping cost will be the most expensive part of the transaction.  I have asked other people selling like items how are they shipping at the price stated.  So far they have they have all said loose money on the shipping.  Some did not even realize it until I asked them.

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/shipping-items/shipping-rates/maximum-shipping-costs?id=4655&st=3&...

[lightlily_arts]

Most savvy shoppers make purchases based on the total cost.   You can sell the same widget, but the shipping charge will vary depending on the buyer's location.  Also, some sellers  include their handling costs into the item price, whereas others include in the shipping.    Our shipping materials aren't free so it needs to be accounted for somewhere.  Shipping method can also affect the shipping charge.  Some sellers use Expedited/Priority Mail where others will ship Standard/ First Class Mail if the weight permits.  Fedex and UPS charges vary as well depending on the shipping method.  Many buyers don't realize what it costs to ship to their Zone, and in addition, the carriers tend to increase the shipping charges annually in January.   All sellers pay fees on their shipping charge which averages 13%.

[lightlily_arts]

I'm sorry but your statement that eBay doesn't charge sellers a percentage for their shipping charge is completely incorrect.  That was changed many years ago because sellers would charge as you pointed out $1 for the item and then pad the shipping charge to avoid paying the real Final Value fees.   Now all sellers pay the same fee for the total transaction including taxes.

In addition you cannot compare what Chinese sellers charge for shipping because their system is subsidized by a trade agreement by the Postal Union.  This is also the reason why Chinese sellers fight returns tooth and nail because they would have to pay our USPS Priority Mail shipping back to them.

[southern*sweet*tea]

::general reply::

Shop total price.

Which is a better deal:

A $10 item with "free" shipping, or

A $5 item with $5 shipping, or

A $1 item with $9 shipping?

For the buyer, they're all the same. This isn't like the old days where, in the case of a refund, the original shipping was not refunded. For non-delivery and items not as described, the ENTIRE amount the buyer pays is refunded.

If the entire price is in line with what you want to pay, buy. If it's not, don't buy. Simple 🙂

[southern*sweet*tea]

As to expensive shipping, yes it is.

For me to ship a four ounce (113 grams) item from the US to Greece would cost a minimum of $15.50 for FCMI

https://postcalc.usps.com/Calculator/MailServices?country=10156&ccode=GR&omil=False&dmil=False&mdt=2...

[zoin3580_cdcqgfel]

Your answer is to the point.

Speaking for shopping from U.S.A. to Greece, as a buyer, I would like to have some shipping options, for example one for fast delivery and one for longer but cheaper one. As it is I have only one, and in most cases is very expensive (for example I wanted a cake pan costed 38$ and the shipping was 65$ which is insane! eBay International Standard Delivery is cheaper than International Priority Shipping and buyers should have the option to choose).

[johnrj1226]

Shipping costs to Greece will vary depending on where the seller is located plus the weight and type of service offered etc.

[whgamer]

Well, you know what? There are 2 answers to this.

Answer #1. Some Sellers do charge overprices. That is true, indeed. And they know it.

Answer #2. When it comes to Shipping Prices in general I guess the one to blam ethe most and first, really is the actual Post Office as a Company.

And last answer is in fact sometimes it is indeed way too much for even smaller items, and the weight of it of course. So go ahead and blame who you want. But first and foremost I blame the company named Post Office, then I blame other people, and then I blame myslef for having to charge these Shipping prices when I really don´t wish to, when it happens I sell stuff here.

[stephenmorgan]

You mentioned 

eBay International Standard Delivery

International Priority Shipping (Global Shipping Program)

US eBay does not allow you to put both options on the listing. 

Not everyone will go thru the extra effort to figure out the cheaper method.

I put the following statement on my listings. 

If you want package shipped outside of the USA, eBay offers eBay International Standard Delivery or eBay Global Shipping Program.  eBay's system does not allow a quote of their International Standard Delivery and Global Shipping Program on the same listing.  If you want a quote for eBay International Standard Delivery let me know and I will see if I can get the price.

With the International Standard Delivery any Customs or Import Taxes or other fees will be paid by buyer as determined by their country.

[soh.maryl]

Where did you come up with the idea you offer in point #2?

eBay's final value fee is calculated on the price of the item + the shipping fee+ the state sales tax, if applicable.

If I have an item listed for $10 with $5 shipping, and you buy it, you pay me $15.  (We're assuming your state has o sales tax).  My FVF would be $1.50.

If I have an item listed for $5 with $10 shipping, and you buy it, you pay me $15 and my FVF would be $1.50.

If I have that item listed for $15, with free shipping, and you buy it, you pay me $15 and my FVF would be -- guess what -- $1.50.

[lightlily_arts]

Unfortunately your final value fee is higher. 

Total $15 purchase  for eBay sellers not in MP pay 12.9+$0.30= $2.24

Total $15 purchase  for eBay sellers in MP pay 12.35%+ $0.30= $2.16

eBay always rounds up in their favor

[soh.maryl]

Sorry-- was trying to simplify the explanation for the OP since he felt that shipping fee wasn't figured into the calculation of final value fees.  

[kosmosattik]

Right on the shipping cost.  Wrong on the tax.  Ebay does not take 10% on the tax.  However, when PayPal calculates their fee (2.9% + 0.30), they base it on the all-in buy cost--price + shipping + tax.

[biddybiddyboombum]

If you live in a state which charges SALES TAX you are actually saving a lot of money if the seller charges, for example, $1 for the item and $100 for shipping.

EBAY collects SALES TAX on the item price but not on shipping.

So in NY, NV, CA and many other states this saves YOU close to $10 as opposed to the seller charging $101 with FREE SHIPPING.

I wish all sellers would charge $1 for the item and all the rest as SHIPPING, but then of course within a few decades the government would wise up to this dodge and tax shipping as well. 

EBAY charging SALES TAX in the first place on "garage sale" type sales is blatantly unfair since most of the sellers here already paid sales tax on the items they are selling when they acquired them.  If an item gets resold 10 times, the sales taxes collected actually exceed the original cost of the item.  Welcome to our "FREE" country, ladies and gentlemen.

Ask yourselves this question: "WHY does the government harass little people with taxes when it just prints all the trillions it wants out of the sky and runs an ever-expanding deficit anyway?"

"SHIPPING COST" is NOT just "POSTAGE".  The time required to pack and post AND the packing materials are worth a lot more than the "POSTAGE". 

Yes - I know - I overanswered:)   I do that a lot.  Happy EBAYing to all.

[kosmosattik]

"Most savvy shoppers make purchases based on the total cost. "

That overstates the case.  Adding 2+2 to get to 4 does not take any savviness.

If a buyer sees an item listed for $10 + $5 shipping vs. an identical one listed at $15 with free shipping, what's the dif?

Ebay counsels that free shipping sells 11% faster.  How they come up with that I couldn't guess.  Maybe this is an indication that 11% of the population cannot add 2+2.  Some sellers may believe that a lower list price with the buyer paying shipping attracts more eyeballs with lower headline price.  I have no opinion on that matter.

I always list with the buyer paying the calculated shipping for the simple reason that the shipping cost can vary wildly from one ship location to another.   Clearly this is the case with large cartons--I have one $50 item where the shipping cost ranges from $32 - $112 depending on buyer distination.

Even at the low end, a low priced item weighing a couple of ounces shipping First Class carton or mailer, the shipping cost variation approaches a buck.  That buck represents a meaningful portion of the profit margin.

Unless somebody is high volume seller of the same item over and over, where they've figured out the average shipping cost over time, price to the average, making more on one sale and less on the other, I have a hard time understanding how somebody would sell something without packing, weighing and charging the buyer shipping if the shipping cost is variable.   And those high volume commodity sellers are not posting here--they are too busy churning out shipments.