Shipping Charges

[kathym9342]

IF your an Ebayer, and you quote a shipping cost  REMEMBER...the REAL shipping cost will be on the label on the box that goes to the buyer.

 If there is one thing that just infuriates me as a buyer it's the Ebayer who quotes...let's say $14.00 shipping. Then when you receive the purchase it has $ 9.80 on the shipping cost label.  That's WRONG...making money off shipping is plain WRONG. You make money off the item your selling, don't be sneaky, cute and try and pull one over on a buyer by making an extra $3, 4 five or even $10 bucks off the ship cost quoted w/ your item vs actual shipping cost. 

 Heck USPS boxes are free, packaging and time are a part of the shipping cost, not a part of making profit.

 I hope Ebay muckety mucks start putting an end to this practice, and those who buy start responding to this chicken s$^t nonsense with a negative feedback if seller won't refund the difference ....

[mountainmommie]

I just pulled your feedback and you have sold, so you should know even more than I originally said.

If you've been burned recently then deal with that particular seller.

[trehar_4]

Just so you know eBay charges sellers a 10% fee for their stated shipping charge. Then we also pay another 2.9% to PayPal for that portion of the sale as well. Those fees eat up any shipping discounts we may have received so if the sellers are charging the exact postage amount they are losing money on the postage. Despite what you think shipping materials are not free either. USPS can give you boxes, but not all items fit in them, and then we still have to pay for boxes, poly shipping envelopes, peanuts, bubble wrap, shipping labels, tape, and ink for printers. We have to drive to the post office regularly as we can't hang around for a carrier pickup. Let's say that the postage for your package was exactly $10. Just to break even I would have to charge $11.50 due to the eBay PayPal fees. You may not like handling charges but would it make you happier if I increase the price of my item to recover those costs. Those expenses have to go somewhere. What sellers can do is take all those shipping costs and labor and increase the price of our merchandise. People are always haggling over the item price, but since shipping can be a fixed charge it's the best place to put a small handling handling fees. I can state that I'm charging exact shipping because it's what is cost me to ship.  So no I don't have the shipping label showing  the postage because buyers don't understand our costs to ship. When you are a volume seller it might be easier to absorb those overhead expenses but not so much for small sellers. Sellers are here to make money not give our stuff away or work for free. We like to eat and feed our families too. Try earning a living as a seller for a year and then come back and tell us how it all worked out.  It's quite a different experience for someone who only sells occasionally.

[radiocontrolandmore]

Not everyone can go to a post office to get "free" boxes, for example I live in a smaller city with 1 Post Office and
their hours are the SAME as I work.
So there is not only ACTUAL SHIPPING cost but Materials ie: boxes, padded envelopes, PRINTER INK, & Paper,
packing material to protect the item inside the box AND most of all TIME ....
SO DON'T **bleep** ABOUT SHIPPING COST !

[alturi_64]

@kathym9342  thanks for posting

[a_c_green]

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@alturi_64 wrote:

@kathym9342  thanks for posting

Unfortunately the OP hasn't been back here since her original rant back on May 13th.

[buyselljack2016]

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@radiocontrolandmore wrote:
Not everyone can go to a post office to get "free" boxes, for example I live in a smaller city with 1 Post Office and
their hours are the SAME as I work.
So there is not only ACTUAL SHIPPING cost but Materials ie: boxes, padded envelopes, PRINTER INK, & Paper,
packing material to protect the item inside the box AND most of all TIME ....
SO DON'T **bleep** ABOUT SHIPPING COST !

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Most sellers don't go to the Post Office to get "free boxes". The only "free" boxes that most offices  carry are the "flat rate" boxes. (that is all they are supposed to carry). 

Free boxes of all available sizes can be ordered online, and delivered where you get your mail.

The "free" packaging that I use most is the "padded flat rate" which is not available at the PO.

[7606dennis]

Actually, if the seller doesn't use stealth postage when printing the label the only amount that would be shown on the label is the amount charged by the carrier, not the actual cost of the S&H.

[mobtownmarket]

I spend tons of money on packaging supplies: bubble wrap, peanuts, and other packaging.  Just this weekend I purchased a rollo label printer and label s for shipping, that cost was $250.00.  Yes I do get boxes from USPS, but sizes are limited, and it item is heavy or fragile, I purchase better quality boxes from Staples, Cost ranges from $1.50 to $5 a box. I have to pay ebay a fee, I have to pay paypal a fee.  Also, depending on where the buyer lives, shipping charges vary. Ie, the further away, the higher my shipping cost at the post office.  When charging a flat shipping fee, I look for a middle of the road cost.

For selling, there is my time, I do attend auctions and thrift stores looking for the perfect item. Item is brought home washed, and inspected for any flaws. Then there is the research, I can spend hours online trying to get all the backround information on an item to make it sellable. Lot of items from auction are just junk, and just not worth selling. Pics are then taken, edited to show the best light an angles, oh, almost forgot, paid for a lightbox for pics too.  Item is then stored safely away, I have to pay for garage rent as well.  Then comes the time it takes to post an ebay sale and the waiting and answering any and all questions. Once sold, back to the garage, carefully package item, get shipping item, and all my paperwork in order, as we do have to pay taxes on item, another thing the buyer is not charged. Then drive back to the post office.  God forbid an item should break in transit, then I have to refund the buyer , of course, and then fight the post office for the insurance money.

It takes a lot of time, money and effort, so shoppers can spend just a few minutes to go on ebay, and find exactly what they want and have it shipped to them.   Please have a little compassion for the sellers.