USPS ebay overcharges?

[mellowyellow]

has anyone else noticed the recent addition of<br />the US postal service ebay price gouging?<br />in some auctions there is a link to check shipping<br />costs with the USPS and the cost is obviously<br />padded! seller can add a "handling" charge it<br />seems, and the USPS is OK with this scam? <br />just seems wrong to me for them to turn a blind eye...

 

[LubeDude]

Re: USPS ebay overcharges?

I deal a lot on Ebay and I have stated on the description that, "Buyer Pays exact shipping charges". If I am bidding on something. I will not bid unless I can Email them and they will do this for me too. Unless the shipping is stated. If you do not like the shipping charges, dont bid.

 

[Copespitter]

Re: USPS ebay overcharges?

Wouldn't suprise me.<br />USPS is the most expensive way to ship anything these days. They jacked their rates up atleast 50% last year. UPS is expensive also.<br />The only way to ship is through Fedex.

 

[mojokim]

Re: USPS ebay overcharges?

I don't believe it to be a scam. It is simply a shipping calculator. When you set up your item for sale you can choose to use calculated shipping or flat rate. The shipping calculator asks for the weight of the package, the desired shipper and does allow you to add a handling charge. Boxes, bubble wrap, etc are not free. I like this method because it lets the buyer enter their zip code and see exactly what the shipping cost will be. I have had people say they were going to charge me exact shipping and overcharged me. With the calculator once a seller sets up the shipping parameters the buyer can't be charged more. The ones I don't get are sellers who charge $15-$20 shipping for a small light item so they can set their price super low.

 

[ndemge]

Re: USPS ebay overcharges?

I ship fireworks racks that I sell on ebay, It cost me on average $7ish to ship, I charge 9-10, Flat Rate. This covers my box and part of my ebay/paypal fees.<br /><br />I have my fee listed. IF someone has a problem on it, they can either not bid, or send me an email to discuss it. I thik What I charge is reasonable. <br /><br />I bought tickets for the Cardinals home Opener a few weeks ago from a guy in Chicago, he charged me $13 to overnight the package, Very close to exact shipping. Another auction that I ALMOST bid on, the person was demanding $20 PER TICKET shipping charge, because the law says you can not sell the ticket for over face value, and that is Ebays policy. I paid twice face value, that's how it goes, but I sure as heck didn't give my $ to the guy asking $20 per ticket "fees".

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: USPS ebay overcharges?

"USPS does allow you to add a handling charge"???<br />sanctioned by a federal gov't agency?<br />any reputable biz includes these charges in their<br />sales price... that is the ethical way to do biz<br />IMHO!

 

[Stratosfied]

Re: USPS ebay overcharges?

Right mellowyellow, The Govt. will destroy anyone who sells ice for $5.00 a bag after a hurricane for price gouging but will look the other way when the "retailers" start selling lumber that was @ $18.00 a sheet a week before the storm to $40.00 after. I always thought that pure capitolism was supply/demand. Evidently not so for the supplier who is not a member/contributer of a PAC.

 

[mojokim]

Re: USPS ebay overcharges?

It's not USPS allowing you to do anything. It's an Ebay shipping calcualtor. You pick the shipper of your choice as the seller. Ebay's software acceses the shippers website to get the shipping cost based on the weight and zip codes then adds whatever handling fee the seller designates $0 - whatever. Most sellers I've seen add around $1 to cover packing supplies etc. I usually add .50 - $1.50 for bubble wrap tape, etc depending on how much material is needed.

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: USPS ebay overcharges?

if u need to re-coup a dollar on shipping to make<br />a profit, maybe u in wrong biz?

 

[ZmOz]

Re: USPS ebay overcharges?

Oh come on! Wake up! Who doesn't charge a handling fee? Almost any online store or catalog will charge you more than the actual shipping. Why do you think you should get the box, the packaging material, and the gas to get to the post office for free? Look at the shipping price before you bid, if you don't like it don't bid. It's as simple as that. I have sold HUNDREDS of things on ebay and I've never once charged actual shipping. It would be down right stupid not to. It is certainly not a "scam". It's the way business works.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: USPS ebay overcharges?

Here’s a new one (at least for me) … an Ebay seller has listed “handling fees will not exceed 5% of the winning bid price.” … flat rate shipping + “not exceed 5%” handling fee. <br /><br />Btw – I regularly ask sellers to knock off the handling fees and reduce shipping fees…more often than not, they do!

 

[ndemge]

Re: USPS ebay overcharges?

I just like to cover my overhead. <br /><br />I can't sell a product for more on ebay than I do on my website. It cost me MORE to sell it on ebay, but I get more sold. <br /><br />When I buy something from someone for $3, and they ask for $3 shipping, and it shows up in an envelope marked $1.50 postage, it doesn't bother me. I paid them for their time to put it on ebay, pack it, write out a shipping lable etc.

 

[mojokim]

Re: USPS ebay overcharges?

I'm not in business on Ebay. I'm an old school Ebay user. I just buy and sell personal use items. A tach for the boat, or some jeans for the kids etc.. I just want to break even on my shipping and handling.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: USPS ebay overcharges?

Originally posted by ZmOz:<br />Oh come on! Wake up! Who doesn't charge a handling fee? Almost any online store or catalog will charge you more than the actual shipping. Why do you think you should get the box, the packaging material, and the gas to get to the post office for free? Look at the shipping price before you bid, if you don't like it don't bid. It's as simple as that. I have sold HUNDREDS of things on ebay and I've never once charged actual shipping. It would be down right stupid not to. It is certainly not a "scam". It's the way business works.

Well call me stupid then cause I have always charged what it cost to ship.<br /><br />I state that in my auctions to email me zip for shipping quote or I tell them the weight and where it's coming from so they can check the quote also, but I always charge what it is, not a penny more.<br /><br />If I have to overcharge someone on shipping, then I don't need to be selling anything.<br />IMO.

 

[JB]

Re: USPS ebay overcharges?

I'm with SBN.<br /><br />I never charge more than actual postage/shipping cost, even when it takes me a day and a half to crate an outboard, for example. I state in my ad, "actual shipping".<br /><br />It does reduce my bid when the ad says $5 handling, $5 shipping for a thin manual.

 

[Fly Rod]

Re: USPS ebay overcharges?

Now a days you have to be a smart consumer!!!<br />Have to ask and know all "TRUE!!!" cost, shipping and handling!!! <br /><br />You may save on the small tax,but you need to know the true cost!!!<br /><br />My opinion and my opinion only is, by the time you pay all the cost it is just as or cheaper in the store!!!!<br /> That's only my opinion!!!!

 

[pjc]

Re: USPS ebay overcharges?

As one mod said here, if ya don't like it, leave.<br /><br />Persons selling items on Ebay are entitled to expect a bid winner to pay what they publish for shipping. I do however avoid auctions that state shipping to be determined at close of auction.<br /><br />IMO, is the bidders responsibility to READ the info posted in an Ebay auction. I, as a seller refuse to be responsible for ignorant folks who do not understand what my ad states. <br /><br />I have listed items clearly stating I will not ship international. Sure enough a knob from the Netherlands will bid on it.<br /><br />My God...lotsa idiots out there.

 

[Rickfifty]

Re: USPS ebay overcharges?

"check shipping<br />costs with the USPS and the cost is obviously<br />padded!" <br /><br />USPS doesn't "pad" anything. Buy stamps most places(besides PO), they charge a premium. Ship your package at Mail boxes Etc, they will charge, say $8.50, but the actual postage might be $6.00. Take that same package to PO, it's $6.00. Mail Boxes Etc.(now UPS store) will tell you UPS is cheaper than USPS. Sure, maybe once they pad that Post Office price. Shop around.

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: USPS ebay overcharges?

I understand the concept of "total cost" and will<br />even knowingly pay extra "padded" shipping for<br />items if total cost is still a good deal.<br />the point I am making here is that I don't like<br />a fed. gov't agency involved in this. having a <br />link to a USPS calculator that is obviously way<br />over the real cost is underhanded IMHO. if a<br />seller published a handling charge in auction<br />separately from the USPS charges, I would be ok<br />with that but to clink on the USPS link and not<br />get the real/accurate cost???

 

[Homerr]

Re: USPS ebay overcharges?

I have to agree...Actual shipping.<br />I avoid USPS whenever possible. I typically use them on packages less than a pound. Anything over that, and it goes FedEx.<br />And I simply don't bid on auctions that make profit off of shipping. I seen some last night... An item with a $ .01 buy now, and a $9.99 shipping charge... Who are they trying to fool?<br />I don't mind a small handling fee, but some auctions are very obvious they are making profit.<br />Those of us that do regular selling on EBay know how much things are to ship. <br />.<br />.<br /><br />A bit off topic, but I recently had another bad experience with our wonderful USPS:<br /><br />I sold some books on EBay. I put them in a large envelope for media mail.<br />With all items I sell on EBay, I put a delivery confirmation on them.<br />Well, I get to the post office I normally go to (waited in line FOREVER, cause their 'click-n-ship' doesn't do postage for media mail)... The worker tells me that the package can't have delivery confirmation on it because its 'TOO THIN'... It must be at least 3/4" !!<br /><br />WHAT!?<br /><br />I was tired, didn't want to argue, so I sent it by plain 'ol media rate.<br /><br />Over the next few days, I visited two other post offices I don't normally ship from. <br />I had some other books to sell (same envelope and delivery confirmation)... Well guess what... they sent it with the delivery confirmation just fine.<br /><br />Now here's the part that flames me.... I just received an e-mail from one of my buyers that they haven't received their book yet. It was one of the envelopes that didn't have delivery confirmation on it. <br />I'm in Oregon, and it was going to Colorado. The USPS web site estimated a 5 day delivery. Well, it's been 10 days since I sent it.<br /><br />I just checked one of my other books that had delivery confirmation on it, and it only took 5 days to deliver from Oregon to Pennsylvania.<br /><br />I'm going to be LIVID if this package is lost.<br />That particular post office wouldn't let me put delivery confirmation on it, yet 2 other post offices would?<br /><br />The package wasn't insured, and no delivery confirmation. Now what do I tell my buyer?<br />My auctions do state that I am not responsible for shipping problems and uninsured packages.<br /><br />Obviously I'm not responsible for the lost package, yet you can't help but to try and do something.<br />My feedback is excellent and I certainly don't want it marred if the buyer gets a hair in the wrong place and tries to blame me for something out of my hands.<br /><br />This is the last straw for USPS. I'm going FedEx from now on. It may cost more for the buyer, but it will get there. And like many of you have said, if you don't like the shipping charges, then don't bid.<br /><br />H.