eBay

fandan · ‎01-17-2023

I sell sports cards on eBay, running auctions on a weekly basis. I offer Standard Envelope shipping on card auctions where I feel the closing bid will likely be less than $20. However, I have had a number of instances where an auction item has unexpectedly ended up with a high bid in excess of $20.

In these instances where the high bid is over $20, the high bidder still is able to pay the Standard Envelope rate (usually 89 cents), but yet eBay only allows me to ship the sports card via the next cheapest method - First Class Package. My auction item description states that I expect high bidders to pay First Class Package rates on high bids over $12, but I can't 100% enforce that.

If I can't send out an invoice for First Class Package before the high bidder pays the Standard Envelope rate, then I am stuck paying the higher rate. When that happens, the difference in cost is about $3.25 to $3.75. It's starting to add up.

I thought about having a flat First Class Package rate, but having a note in my listing stating that Standard Envelope will be made available on high bids under $20. But a statement like that seems to be encouraging a bidder to limiting his/her bidding ceiling.

How do I combat this Standard Envelope problem?

theteamsetguy · ‎01-17-2023

@fandan ,

You can send it out PWE with a stamp.

fandan · ‎01-17-2023

You haven't provided an acceptable solution. I need to purchase shipping through eBay so that I have tracking info which is needed to maintain my Top Seller status.

sapphire_studio · ‎01-17-2023

You can never ask them for more money after the auction that is against eBay's policy and ridiculous.

Just think of it this way... If they would have known that they would have to pay 1st class shipping instead of 89 cents then they would not have bid as high. People have a Max they're willing to pay total for a card (No matter how much of that is put toward shipping or not).

You didn't expect to get over $20 for this card or you would have put the shipping as first class in the 1st place. Be glad that it auctioned off for more than you expected and use that money towards the shipping.

You are not getting jipped in any way in this scenario because they bid higher because the shipping was so cheap.

nobody*s_perfect · ‎01-17-2023

@fandan wrote: ... I have had a number of instances where an auction item has unexpectedly ended up with a high bid in excess of $20..... My auction item description states that I expect high bidders to pay First Class Package rates on high bids over $12, but I can't 100% enforce that. ....

How do I combat this Standard Envelope problem?

That postage policy is not only unenforceable; it is actually a violation of eBay policy. You aren't allowed to ask for more postage after the auction ends.

The postage cost for a 4-ounce First Class package is $3.62 up to $4.26, so subtracting 89 cents means that your shortage is $2.73 to $3.37. You have to just absorb that cost as part of doing business and part of having items sell higher than you anticipated; it comes out of the profit that you made on the selling price in excess of $20.

In sum, you can't combat this problem, you have to accept it as the downside of the bargain postage for sales under $20.

sapphire_studio · ‎01-17-2023

I wouldn't even see it as a downside or a shortage of $2 to $3 and a cost they have to absorb. Those people bid the price up $2 or $3 more because the seller had such a low shipping cost. People will only pay what they're willing to pay Max no matter how you divide the shipping so this really isn't costing the seller/poster anything.

They're definitely breaking eBay policy by asking for more money like you said and they should take that out of their descriptions immediately as that could be really turning off buyers from auctioning.

nobody*s_perfect · ‎01-17-2023

The seller truly ends up in the negative only for a final selling price of $20.01 up to about $23. In that narrow price range, he has to pay higher postage and ends up with less $ in his pocket than if the item had sold for $20.00.

sapphire_studio · ‎01-17-2023

I guess my theory is that if it sold for $21 with 89 cent shipping, and he could go back in time and change it to first class for $4, Then it would have only ever been auctioned for around $18 with $4 shipping (Because the buyers are only willing to pay around $22 total on this card).

But I see what you mean by it being a slight bummer when it barely goes over $20 (where you almost wish it would have auctioned for $19 instead of $21). I guess we have to be grateful for the program existing in the first place and really grateful for the sales that are like $17, $18, and $19 right under $20.

oldskoolmadskilz · ‎01-17-2023

In my opinion, ebay should still offer standard envelope but limit the insurance to $20. But they don't. I've gotten ebay to credit me the cost difference, but I'm sure they won't do it again.