Frustation at Inconsistency in Shipping Costs as Buyer

[bonnrive]

Is anyone else frustrated with the flexibility and "honesty" system of shipping costs? That it seems an easy loop hole for some (not all, but in my case its been many) sellers to overcharge (which isn't that mail fraud?) and no consiquences other than ratings? And sellers don't have to show the postage paid. I've had numerous occasions where I've been charged one amount and the shipping shown on the postage paid from the post office was vastly less than I was charged. Then when I've contacted sellers I was told there was a handling fee for supplies and the package had arrived wrapped with a brown paper grocery bag. I feel eBay needs a better way to monitor this because in many instances I feel taken advantage of as a buyer.  

[mam98031]

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@alcoforever wrote:

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@pennantlad wrote:

We just purchased two items from same seller who advertized the shipping would be  $6.00 on each auction.  So he ships them together and only pays $3.50 as seen on the package.  Is this FAIR??

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It could be quite fair if the items were priced at or below cost.

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Just my opinion of this statement is, the price of the product should have nothing to do with the price of shipping.  Shipping, other than insurance if applicable, is determined by weight, not the value of the product.    Just my observation.

[buyselljack2016]

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@pennantlad wrote:

The package had official Post Office $3.50 PAID STICKER ATTACHED TO BOX.  The box contained both pennants that were purchased separately.  The box weighed less than a pound.  Short story is that we paid him $8.50 for his packaging and handling and $3.50 for the actual shipping.  Granted his auction plainly declared that the shipping would be $6.00 for each auction purchased.  Bottom line he charged us $12.00 for an actual fee of $3.50.

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Any expectation of combined shipping savings should be negotiated prior to purchase.

Price, and shipping in your example seem to be in line with what was stated in the listing.

Sometimes the seller makes a little extra, sometimes they lose a little.

[mam98031]

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@pennantlad wrote:

The package had official Post Office $3.50 PAID STICKER ATTACHED TO BOX.  The box contained both pennants that were purchased separately.  The box weighed less than a pound.  Short story is that we paid him $8.50 for his packaging and handling and $3.50 for the actual shipping.  Granted his auction plainly declared that the shipping would be $6.00 for each auction purchased.  Bottom line he charged us $12.00 for an actual fee of $3.50.

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That was the bargain you struck with this seller.  Because you are now having buyer's remorse is not your seller's fault.  They did not lie to you or mislead you.  They stated their shipping in their listing.  You made the choice to purchase the items.  I'm not trying to be snarky with you in any way.  These are just the facts.  If you did not like the prices, you should not purchase from the seller.

Using my own listings as an example.  My craft listings.  I state in all my listings that state a separate fee for shipping [not free shipping listings] that if a buyer wants to purchase multiple items, feel free to do that, but don't pay yet.  Purchase all the patterns, books or beading stuff you want.  Let me know when you are done shopping and I'll send an invoice with combined shipping savings.

Even though I state that in my listings, most buyers don't take the time to read it.  They purchase whatever items they desire and pay full price shipping on all those items.  Sometimes in one payment covering all the items, sometimes in separate payments.  My personal policy is I send my buyers an email and let them know they have overpaid for S&H and that I'll be issueing a refund to them as soon as I figure out the amount.  Further I let them know that the discount I will be giving them will not be as good as it could have been had I of had the opportunity to bill them before they paid.  This is because sellers pay a fee on the S&H paid by the buyer to Ebay and we can't get that fee refunded to us due to a refund to the buyer.

Sellers actually might be able to get the refund of fees from Ebay if they call Ebay.  But that takes far more time than the refund would amount to, so I don't do it.  But I do refund my buyers and they rarely ask for one.  It should also be noted that 99.9% of the buyers that I CHOOSE to refund NEVER even say thank you.  But I will continue to operate the way I do as I feel it is good customer service.

[jazzbball]

I seem to have to eat the additional charge to ship a package anymore.  Ebay is charging the seller for postage on a package of $2.70 plus 10% which is another 27 cents for a total of $2.97 and is charging the buyer only $2.00.  I had $2.50 to cover the handling of the package which include the cost of the the packaging and labels.  Yet ebay only charged the buyer $2.00 for the calculated shipping.  I have had to eat the costs on he last 3 packages that I have sent out.  I was trusting ebay to do the right thing when charging postage, but looks like they have to postage calculating systems that do not talk to each other.  I seems impossible to determine the shipping cost of an item when making a listing.  I have all the information on the package and weights before posting yet ebay says that it will only cost me $0.70 and when I sell it they charge me $2.70.  I'm very frustrated!.  Yet I see listing for the same item with free shipping that are selling for less than what I can ship it for.  Are these sellers losing money???

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@jazzbball wrote: ....  I have all the information on the package and weights before posting yet ebay says that it will only cost me $0.70 and when I sell it they charge me $2.70. ...

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Apparently the shipping calculator in your listings is charging buyers the postage rate for a letter or a  flat (AKA Large envelope) rather than for a package.  

This will happen if the shipping calculator's menu for Package type is set to Letter or Large envelope, even if you choose "First Class package" in the menu for Service.  The minimum cost to mail a First Class package is $2.66, so if the calculated shipping shows any amount lower than that, then it's not calculating at the package rate.

[lja440]

Postage is only part of S/H. 
Charging over the postage cost IS NOT MAIL FRAUD!

You should always shop total price. I mean if your item is $5 with S/H at $10, or the item is $10 and the shipping $5. It is still in either case $15 out of your pocket.

no consiquences other than ratings? 

The best consequences is if the TOTAL price is too high, use your back button and purchase from a different seller.

If your item comes poorly and inadequately packed for the safety of that item  that's when you put it in the feedback. You did not agree to have your items safety disregarded but you DID agree when you bid or bought to the listed S/H. This holds true even if the item is listed with free shipping. I have had poorly packed items arrive and when I messaged the seller they said "well what do you expect the shipping was free". I replied that Free Shipping only means that the shipping costs have already been factored into the items price, it does not mean that you can ship it in a shoddy manor. 

[7606dennis]

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@sam9876 wrote:

What does insurance have to do with seller protection?

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Actually, insurance would offer the seller some protection in the event of the shipment being lost in transit.  However, in the event of the item being damaged in transit, it might require the buyer's cooperation in completing the claim process successfully. 

With regard to someone's comment regarding fraud, I don't believe insurance would offer any protection against that.  In those types of cases it is usually your credit card company that provides the best protection for a buyer.  Using one's brain is probably one's best defense in avoiding scams is, in my opinion, still the best option for a seller.  Letting one's greed cloud one's better judgement is probably the seller's easiest way to becoming the victim of a scam. 

[7606dennis]

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@pennantlad wrote:

We just purchased two items from same seller who advertized the shipping would be  $6.00 on each auction.  So he ships them together and only pays $3.50 as seen on the package.  Is this FAIR??

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What does "FAIR" have to do with it.  You agreed to the $6 shipping cost for each by making the purchase.  If you received both items and were charged no more than $12 for the shipping, the seller has complied with the agreement.  You got both items delivered to you for the amount you agreed to.  The seller's cost for providing this service is of no concern.  Besides, the amount of postage shown on the package is not the total cost of the shipment to the seller.

[lightlily_arts]

Shipping costs will vary due to a number of factors.  First, when you purchased the item you agreed to that seller's shipping charge.  Sellers  are required to pay eBay 10% of their quoted shipping charge and they are charged another 2.9% by PayPal.  If sellers charged the exact shipping they would be losing money due to these charges.   Many sellers have a handling charge to cover their expenses. i.e boxes, poly envelopes, bubble wrap, peanuts, shipping labels, and transporting packages to the carriers.    If they don't add this to the shipping they would have to add it to the purchase price.  Most people purchase by total cost so if the price you paid was acceptable at the time of purchase why are you complaining afterwards.

[mam98031]

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@lightlily_arts wrote:

Shipping costs will vary due to a number of factors.  First, when you purchased the item you agreed to that seller's shipping charge.  Sellers  are required to pay eBay 10% of their quoted shipping charge and they are charged another 2.9% by PayPal.  If sellers charged the exact shipping they would be losing money due to these charges.   Many sellers have a handling charge to cover their expenses. i.e boxes, poly envelopes, bubble wrap, peanuts, shipping labels, and transporting packages to the carriers.    If they don't add this to the shipping they would have to add it to the purchase price.  Most people purchase by total cost so if the price you paid was acceptable at the time of purchase why are you complaining afterwards.

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Both the Ebay FVFs and the PP fees are based off the amount the buyer actually pays for shipping on a US shipment.  It is not based off of what is "quoted".

The Ebay FVF's for S&H on an international shipment is based off the what the listings states is the US shipping value.  If it is a Free Shipping listing, then there is no FVF on an international shipment based on the shipping charged.

Yes you are absolutely correct on how these costs should be added to the product price of into the shipping that is separately stated.  It is called S&H for a reason.  It equals Shipping and Handling.

[kh-ornesh]

Hi everyone,

Due to the length of time that has passed since this thread began, we have locked it from future replies. If this is still an issue that warrants discussion, don't hesitate to begin a new thread HERE.

Thanks.