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Shipping Ebay items

Started by poplar1, April 28, 2013, 07:53:24 PM

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poplar1

It never hurts to ask a seller to reduce the shipping charge. It is maybe best to do this before you bid, but even after the sale, the seller can revise the invoice.

500s and 302s will easily fit in a medium flat rate priority mail box for $12.35. Often the "shipping calculator" will say something like $25. One seller told me that this is done automatically by Ebay. Others just don't think to use the flat rate box.

If you buy any installer manuals, catalogs, etc., always ask for "media mail."
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

LarryInMichigan

When listing an item, there are several options for shipping, and multiple options can be offered.  The non-flat rate Priority Mail price increases rapidly with distance for items which are not very heavy, so it is good practice to offer both Priority Mail and Parcel Select.  For heavy items which will fit into a flat-rate box, flat-rate Priority Mail should also be offered.  We already had a discussion here not so long ago about sellers insisting on paying $12 for the flat rate for a light weight item when the non-flat rate would be much cheaper.

I frequently ask sellers to ship for less when the posted charge is high.  Most agree, but some become combative.

Larry

WesternElectricBen

Sometimes they have options on expideted shipping, if you really need it thats fine to pay a outrages cost, but before you complete your paypal transaction you can see if their are other payment options.

Ben

Wayback Mike

I'm trying to decide what  to do re feedback on a recent deal.  Shipping was listed at $4.78 in the listing.  When I went to Paypal it was $9.78.  I asked the seller to adjust the shipping to match the listing and he asked me to pay $5.00, which I did because I didn't want to lose the phone over 22 cents but it really cheeses me that the seller changed the deal after the hammer went down.  This seller has a lot of sales and a 100% positive feedback rating.  Messing that up for him over 22 cents feels really petty but I definitely have a bad taste in my mouth over the way I was bait and switched, regardless of the amount.  I'm wavering between neutral or no feedback.  Maybe positive feedback with a not so positive message in the text part?

LarryInMichigan

Quote from: Wayback Mike on April 28, 2013, 11:46:40 PM
I'm trying to decide what  to do re feedback on a recent deal.  Shipping was listed at $4.78 in the listing.  When I went to Paypal it was $9.78.  I asked the seller to adjust the shipping to match the listing and he asked me to pay $5.00, which I did because I didn't want to lose the phone over 22 cents but it really cheeses me that the seller changed the deal after the hammer went down.  This seller has a lot of sales and a 100% positive feedback rating.  Messing that up for him over 22 cents feels really petty but I definitely have a bad taste in my mouth over the way I was bait and switched, regardless of the amount.  I'm wavering between neutral or no feedback.  Maybe positive feedback with a not so positive message in the text part?

How much did the shipping actually cost the seller?  If he originally made an honest mistake in typing the amount, I wouldn't hold it against him.

Larry

wds

#5
Sounds like an honest mistake.  If you don't feel that positive feedback is warranted, then leave no feedback.  For me to leave negative feedback, the Seller would have to have made a mistake a lot worse than a 22 cent shipping error.  And if you buy much on Ebay, I'm sure you'll experience a lot worse, then you won't have to question what kind of feedback to leave!
Dave

Bill

I have found that eBay will often plug in a shipping cost that I haven't specified, and the eBay-specified cost is always lower than my cost. Example - I shipped a ringer box a while back. It was heavy (magneto) so long-distance parcel post would have been prohibitive, and it wasn't even close to fitting in a medium flat-rate box. And yet eBay specified a shipping cost of about $5. Fortunately I had specified something on the order of $30 (my actual cost, no additions) in the ad, and I have taken to adding the line "DO NOT TRUST THE EBAY SHIPPING CALCULATOR! CONTACT ME FOR ACTUAL SHIPPING COST!" I have also taken to getting my shipping lables on line from Click-N-Ship, and they give you the option of printing the amount of the postage right on the label. I do it - it ends any suspicion about whether I am profiteering on shipping.

I don't know why ebay does this, but it is highly annoying. It sounds like what may have happened here. On the other hand, if the seller listed the cost in the text of his ad, I think he should stand up for it. I know I have done that, too, when I badly misunderestimated.

Bill

WesternElectricBen

I need your guys hones feed back, I bought my pbx and it said the longest it would take was last Friday, but I got it today on Monday. It was marked as shipped on Friday. So I'm not sure if the person marked it Friday or he sent it off.. It was 25 lbs in a regular box which kind of confused me because the shipping was 40 dollars. I always thought a pound was a dollar....

Guess not, do you think I should leave lower feadback? I'm quite frustrated even though its not nessisary, I had my hopes up for something to play with over the weekend...
Ben

Sargeguy

It was two days late, it is a large item that needs to be carefully boxed .  I wouldn't worry about it.
Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409

HarrySmith

Since no shipping is done on Sunday I think the delivery was OK. As far as a dollar a pound that is not even close! Check the shipping label, the actual cost should be on it. I think I paid about the same for my Panasonic when I got it.
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"

WesternElectricBen

Quote from: HarrySmith on April 29, 2013, 09:39:44 PM
Since no shipping is done on Sunday I think the delivery was OK. As far as a dollar a pound that is not even close! Check the shipping label, the actual cost should be on it. I think I paid about the same for my Panasonic when I got it.

Ok, thank you Harry!
Ben

WesternElectricBen

Quote from: Sargeguy on April 29, 2013, 09:31:12 PM
It was two days late, it is a large item that needs to be carefully boxed .  I wouldn't worry about it.

Ok, thank you Sargeguy!

Ben

Wayback Mike

Thanks for the input fellows.  I think I'm just going to not leave any feedback.  Apparently ebay tends to put in shipping costs that aren't realistic and if the seller doesn't catch it and fix it.... well, a buyer like me can end up ticked off about it. 

I would think that someone who is a power sell (or whatever they call them) would know this and be extra careful to reality check it when posting an item but I'll go with WDS's assessment of it being an honest mistake.  As I said, I wouldn't feel right really gigging them over 22 cents, anyway.

I appreciate the good counsel in all things telephonic to be found here.

   Mike