How easy is it to check postage prices before assuming they are high ?

[elitefashions12-0]

Latest feedback, Positive but additional comment that my shipping costs are high internationally, below is a message i sent to the buyer advising to check actual prices before leaving inaccurate comments, check the price if you think it is high, don't just assume and write that rubbish for all to see.

I know this has been discussed many times before and many out there will say it's positive feedback what's the problem ? His opinion is one thing but to actually write that comment without any idea of shipping costs is so annoying, he got Levi jeans delivered to Spain including shipping for a total of $47.98, average cost of jeans in Spain is $80, Christ what more do they want ?

Let's see how they feel when shipping increases yet again on the 27th, It's not rocket science to check a price, easy to do on any countries postal website, the fact the jeans cost less than the shipping they think it's overpriced, how would they feel then if i lower the cost of shipping $5 and increase already a Bargain pair of Levi's $10, Happy now ? Some buyers never seem happy with an overall priced Bargain no matter what you do, so tired of this.

Message i sent the buyer:

Please check the actual cost of shipping internationally before remarks about high shipping are left, you paid me $24.99, i only receive $21.29 after the E Bay / Paypal fees are paid,selling here is not free, the actual cost to ship to Spain is $23.50 which you can check at USPS.COM by entering package weight 2lbs and the destination country, USPS are increasing their prices again on the 27th of this month, i will not be, i already have to add to your postage out of my pocket and i will have to add even more of my money after the 27th, it's very disheartening when buyers state i am making money on shipping when i fact i am losing money, you got Levi jeans $46.60 discount of the ticked value, please check actual prices before leaving inaccurate comments of this nature.

[pjcdn2005]

It is frustrating when someone comments that the shipping cost is high after they have already agreed to pay it but your comment actually makes that positive comment much more noticeable. Few people are going to read a buyers positive feedback but now they made read it and your responses to see how you handle problems.

You definitely aren't overcharging on first class shipping to Canada so it's unlikely that you are doing so to Europe but I'm familiar with shipping costs from the US because I am competing with US sellers.  I honestly wouldn't expect anyone from the US or any other country to check the Canada Post website to see if I am overcharging for shipping and if they thought that I was, I wouldn't take it personally as it is only what they perceive.

[pjcdn2005]

Off topic....you are also offering the option of priority flat rate envelope for more than double the cost of first class. I realize that priority is more expensive but the international flat rate envelope and small flat rate box are handled exactly the same as first class international so those services don't offer any extra value. If a country doesn't have first class delcon, there will be not be delivery confirmation on a flat rate envelope either.

I believe that a non flat rate Priority service is less expensive so if you want to offer a Priority service as an option, you might want to think about offering that. Or..just have first class. I suspect that few international buyers are going to want to pay  Priority prices anyway. Just a suggestion..whatever works for you. 🙂

[elitefashions12-0]

That's my whole point, why leave a comment that is totally incorrect and obviously know nothing about.

[elitefashions12-0]

Well i can tell you now you believe wrong, Priority non flat rate to Spain 2lb weight $39.69, Flat rate padded envelope $32.55, so as my title states, how hard is it to check postage prices ? you have just done exactly what he did without checking prices obviously, and you think there is no delivery confirmation with priority to a non delcon country ? Wrong again, of course there is tracking and delivery confirmation, what would be the point in paying for priority otherwise ? i use priority FRE only to all non delcon countries as there is no tracking outside of the US with 1st class, always had tracking to non delcon with delivery confirmation, lastly i charge more than double for priority than 1st class, what school of maths did you go to ? 1st class $24.99 Priority $36.99, difference of $12, your maths would make it at least $50, don't think so, and again i charge $36.99 Priority FRE, actual cost even with my discount $32.55, I receive after fees approx $31, so again i am adding my own money to the cost, and no additional benefit priority v 1st class, how about the option to insure it for a start ? No option with 1st class, i cover my a*** whichever country i ship to against INR, Been burned before so not anymore, So i would suggest you visit USPS.COM and brush up on Priority and Priority FRE prices and the additional benefits this service gives you especially to non delcon countries.

[elitefashions12-0]

Just to add that was my intention to allow buyers to read my reply to feedback to confirm the buyer is incorrect and that my postage is actually not enough of a charge. below is the reply from the buyer to my earlier message. Seems after checking he now realizes he was wrong. And once again, there is / was no problem except for an ill informed buyer.


New message from: (29Yellow Star)
Sorry, I did not know it.

I am not used to buying outside of my country and I did not know the cost of shipping from the USA.

[green-night]

The response you left to that very harmless positive feedback your buyer left you makes you look unprofessional to say the very least. 

[mycarolinavintage]

There are many many people who know nothing about checking postage prices. And we don't expect them to. I understand your frustration with this buyer but for me, the issue would be the fact that he/she did not ask before buying. I do know that unwarranted negative feedback WILL be removed by ebay. However, I don't know if they will remove a positive/negative. The buyer intentionally or unintentionally just upped your feedback rating. That, to me, was a good thing. 

Energy flows where attention goes.

[pjcdn2005]

I was making a suggestion and trying to help by pointing out that there is not always tracking with a FRE.  No offence was intended so there is no need to be defensive or offensive. 

Since you don’t believe that my info is from USPS, please check it yourself.

https://www.usps.com/international/priority-mail-international.htm

Note that under Priority International features it states:

• Includes USPS Tracking®4

Under Disclaimers, footnote 4 states:

4.Limitations may apply for certain destinations. Not available for Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelopes or Small Flat Rate Boxes.

Apparently, USPS supports what I said...Priority Intl Flat rate envelopes and small flat rate boxes do NOT have Priority tracking.   

However, since they are treated as first class packages, they do have tracking in delcon countries, but not in non delcon countries.  You said that you have had DC with all FRE, that is possible but I’m going by what is on the USPS site.  I am sure that in some cases, a non delcon country will show DC for a FRE but according to USPS that isn’t guaranteed.

Since you asked, I took math at school in Canada.  When I referred to a FRE costing twice as much as first class, I was getting my information from your listing, item 

264155654157  which shows that shipping to Canada with first class is $12.99 and is $26.99 using Priority FRE.  Thst was just an example, I wasn’t implying that it was always twice the cost. Plus,my point really was that the 2 services provide the same service to both you and the buyer.

Last.....when I said non flat rate Priority service was less expensive, I should have specified that I was referring to a medium flat rate box as that is the least expensive flat rate service that is guaranteed to have del. confirmation in a non delcon country. A 2 lb flat rate med. box  to Chile is $69.50.  A 2lb Priority package would be $47.50.  

[elitefashions12-0]

In your opinion, Kindly explain how them telling the world my shipping costs are high is harmless ? My point is if he has a problem with shipping costs contact me, don't write something they have neither checked or know anything about for the world to see, unprofessional replying to false feedback in a factual manner ? again your opinion. Far to many sellers now afraid of their own shadow let alone problem buyers, the way E Bay has now made it sadly. 

[elitefashions12-0]

I understand what you are saying, I also do not expect them to know the postage price of anything to anywhere, but if you are going to leave false feedback comments about the shipping costs at least take the time to either A. contact me for clarification or B. Do your own research into the actual cost. They have already messaged and apologized stating they were unaware of the costs involved, that's fine, but i feel i had to reply to that feedback as it was totally untrue and as we all know one person says it they all believe it.

I have already now had a potential buyer ( International ) who wants 2 mens jeans but now wants to pay 1 shipping after mentioning he also noticed my shipping is high. I asked him why he thought my shipping was high, his reply $44.98 for postage seems high the same as the other buyer told you. Unbelievable, that's the effect it's already had, after i pointed out a 4lb package to Russia even 1st class is $51 of which i would only receive approx $42 he very quickly remained silent.

[postingid2017]

I used to sell on FB in a group that was the first person who stated "interested" would get the item (and then you the Seller would go down the list).  I had one buyer from Spain that would always be the first.  When I would send quote the price of the item w/shipping - she would not respond.  After three (3) times of her doing that, I blocked her.  

I find that most (not all) international buyers want shipping to be at $1.00 or less - or for me to mark the item as a 'gift.'  I feel that if you (the buyer) would cheat your government, that you (the buyer) will do the same to me.  Another reason why I stopped shipping internationally.  I am getting old and crankier and don't have the time or desire to deal with things that I cannot control and shipping is one of the things that are out of my control 🙂  I don't like excluding potential buyers, but I've had a few that were shady.

[mycarolinavintage]

Reference: "but i feel i had to reply to that feedback as it was totally untrue and as we all know one person says it they all believe it." 

Just curious, who are "they"? I personally don't read the positive feedback of sellers. But maybe that's just me. I do agree with the poster who said that leaving a comment to the comment, is drawing attention to a comment you obviously don't want read and there's a good chance it wouldn't be, otherwise, because of the fact it shows as a positive. Not saying you were wrong, just expressing my opinion. 

..........................................................................................

Energy surely flows where attention goes.

[elitefashions12-0]

Sorry if it came across that way, i see the listing you mention, that i agree will need to be adjusted, the vast majority of my sales are jeans so in most cases a 2lb weight is required, USPS may say there is no guaranteed tracking with FRE but in my experience i have always had tracking and Del Confirmation to non Delcon Countries with the option of insurance to cover my back,Brazil, Chile and a few Asian countries were also recently added to the Delcon list, would i send a $50- $80 package to any of these 1st class ? Not in a million years, as i mentioned been burned before, far to many INR's with these countries Priority only.

Since i changed to certain countries Priority only sales to these have dried up, not a problem for me, i'd rather have no sales to these countries than be giving it for free with 1st class, the fact the overall price jeans + postage is an absolute bargain compared to the cost of the jean alone in their country says to me the scammers are not interested in Delivery confirmation, i was hit all over the place with these countries in the beginning, not anymore, I never send anything in a flat rate box, package is always cheaper but as you can see buyers don't think so, when they see postage is more expensive than the jean they immediately assume i'm ripping them off, forget the fact in most cases they are paying nearly $50 less the ticketed retail price, some people will never be happy, i replied to the feedback left by that buyer as it is totally incorrect, as i mentioned in another post i have now had a potential buyer asking to pay 1 shipping for 2 jeans after referring to that feedback, No problem i'll swallow that extra $30 shipping cost, $51 to Russia for a 4lb package,Don't think so, it does have an effect on what people think, have these people never posted a package in their entire lives to anywhere ? If he thought shipping was high why not contact me for an explanation or simply pass me by, Because he got Men's Levi jeans for $22.99, try finding that deal in Spain ! Trust me in Europe you can pay up to and over $100 for the jean alone.

As i said some people will never be happy.

Regards

[elitefashions12-0]

Understand where you are coming from, just my way of factually informing the buyer they are incorrect, nothing nasty just laying out the facts to which they now acknowledge they were wrong, all i ask is they contact me ( i put a note about this in all my packages ) with any issue, i answer any and all questions, and i get some daft ones, don't just assume because " you think ", the reason they bought in the first place was because of the deal, Levi jeans in Spain are upwards of $80 alone, he paid less than $50 including the postage, as i have already mentioned another buyer has asked me to reduce shipping since the incorrect comment left, my purpose was to draw attention to the comment to clarify i do not overcharge and you are in fact getting a great deal, just my way of dealing with it.

Regards