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Postage Rates Reminder

Started by Babybearjs, October 30, 2015, 03:05:48 PM

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Babybearjs

I recently won an item on Ebay, and the seller charged me $19.00 shipping. He just wrote me and told me the shipping actually came out to $36.00. I respond to pay the difference because the item was a W.E. 551C KTU and I know they can be heavy. just a reminder to all you people out their, make sure you know your shipping costs prior to selling on Ebay.... and make sure you make a note about the weight.... if it is a bulky item... like a computer tower, or a large telephone item that has some weight to it... make sure you check with the carrier FIRST to get the right pricing... (having the item weighed first helps) your buyers will really appreciate it!
John

Dan/Panther

#1
That is suppose to be required, incorrect postage is not your fault. Ebay provides all the tools you need to get an accurate postage reading. Once you receive the item, before you post feedback, contact Ebay and explain you were quoted one price and charged another. You will get your money back.
Once you get your refund, note in feedback that postage was incorrect.
That used to be a one way sellers bypass sellers fees, under price the item, over charge for postage.

D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

unbeldi

As Dan said, postage can be fairly accurately determined upfront, and that is not your responsibility.

A 551 KSU is not $36-heavy.   I believe I paid only a little more to have a 513 KSU delivered coast-to-coast, which is at least 4-times as large in the original WECo shipping box, almost 2-feet on each side.

TelePlay

Let me take a guess at what happened.

The seller was logged into eBay to create the listing. When checking ways to ship and their costs, he did something that showed shipping to a buyer in his zip code, which was $19. He put that into the listing as a fixed price. The item sold and with your zip code, the postage came out to $36.

What was the seller's feedback? Was it a new seller learning the hard way or a dishonest seller? Seller needs to eat the overage either way.

I also agree with Dan.


Mister Mike

I made the same mistake as a seller once, and ate the difference. Lesson learned on my part, and a good deal for the buyer. The seller's mistake shouldn't be the buyer's problem. Had the shipping been properly reflected in the listing, the outcome of the auction would have been different.

unbeldi

Is it really a 551C ?  I think the C model has a plastic cover, not metal as the earlier ones, so I doubt the cost estimate seems reasonable, but I guess it depends on just how it was packaged.

Dan/Panther

In my original posting I said "contact Them", I should have said EBAY.
You can contact the seller, and explain that you are going to file a dispute, they may make it right without filing.
But if by some chance it is deliberate, you decide if you should contact eBay. No use giving a seller a bad mark for an honest mistake. Like Teleplay said, it may have been an honest listing error. Listing on eBay can be confusing, the more they add the worse it gets.

D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

HarrySmith

I made a few mistakes in quoting shipping on eBay also. I contacted the buyer, explained the situation and asked if they would be willing to pay the additional cost. Most buyers are understanding that mistakes happen and agree  without hesitation. Some are just A**HOLES and reply "Tough, not my problem, you eat it". Which I did. I try to use Priority flat rate boxes as much as possible to eliminate the possibility of incorrect estimates.
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

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

Doug Rose

Being a seller on eBay can be tricky with postage. Medium Priority Flat box for telephone is a winner, FedEx for larger items.

Bottom line is if I quote a shipping price and I am wrong, I am the loser. My bad, my problem. I never go back to the buyer for more money. Never. You are only as good selling on eBay as your last auction. I clearly list shipping in my auctions, only issue is overseas shipping.

With eBay's global shipping you just send it to Kentucky and eBay does the rest. I can no longer quote shipping overseas.

Just so we are clear, sellers pay eBay a percentage of their sales....YES even shipping. Boggles the mind. Charge what shipping and Insurance is, but lose on shipping every time as you have to give eBay their cut! That is why eBay's global shipping is the cheapest way for sellers to ship overseas and it takes away the responsibility for the seller.

I have received a negative feedback in the past because it took to long to get there even though we sent it the next day. If you do not sell on eBay, you really have no idea. .....I am off my soapbox...Doug
Kidphone

RotarDad

One thing that does help on Ebay is that they do provide a discount off of USPS rates when you purchase the shipping thru the EBay system.  For example, if I remember correctly, a Medium Flat Rate Box is $11.30 for the seller, but normally $12.65 via USPS.  If you charge the buyer the $12.65, that offsets the EBay seller fee on the shipping.  Ebay is not cheap, but they provide quite a bit of value imho.  My phone hobby wouldn't exist without it...





Paul

NorthernElectric

Quote from: Doug Rose on October 31, 2015, 07:16:09 PMThat is why eBay's global shipping is the cheapest way for sellers to ship overseas and it takes away the responsibility for the seller.

How is it good for sellers if it loses you bids?  GSP is not good at all for international buyers.  A buyer can't tell how much it's going to cost until they get their invoice and don't know what the carrier is.  The higher the bid, the higher the bogus 'import charges' climbs.  I have passed on a lot of GSP auctions for this reason.
Cliff

Doug Rose

#11
Cliff....eBay's rules....not mine.  How fair is it that sellers have to pay a percentage to eBay on shipping? Shipping is not profit from sale, it is an expense. I lose money on every auction I ship, which is 99.9% of all my auctions. If I ship something to you for $50, I lose approx $5 to eBay and the $50 goes to Paypal as profit and I am taxed on it. eBay does not NOW own Paypal is another fairy tale  >:(

Paul....eBay is a love/hate for me. I love it as a buyer and it is a great second job as a seller, I just hate the boss of my second job. Seller is ALWAYS wrong in eBay's eyes. Buyer says it was misrepresented and eBay backs them 100% Misrepresented is another word for buyers remorse. If you think eBay's shipping discount offsets eBay's sellers fee, I guess you do not sell on eBay. My question is why give a shipping discount and then take it away. Try sending a free medium priority box with No tape, No bubble.  :o  Printer ink to print the labels. Insurance?....I just fell of my soapbox...Doug
Kidphone

Babybearjs

interesting conversation... I have yet to hear from the seller further. he is offering to refund the item, though I do want it. I'll keep you all advised as to what happens. $36.00 for shipping.... Hmmmm  I've been through this before....
John

Mister Mike

Just make sure your discussion with the seller is within eBay, not in separate emails. If the seller accepted the payment, don't pay any more. Wait 7 days from the time you paid for the item, then open a dispute through eBay. The seller really has no excuse not to ship for what you paid. He probably expected the item to sell for more than it did. If the auction had exceeded his expectations, he wouldn't be playing these games with shipping now.

poplar1

It's easy to calculate what your seller paid to ship the KSU, even if he used a preprinted label and checked the "don't display postage amount" option. (Why do most sellers choose this option?). Just look at the weight shown on the label, which he may have overestimated if he didn't have a scale, and then go to the USPS website and enter both his zip code and yours, and the weight and dimensions. The website now shows both the retail (post office counter) weight as well as the online rate.

Isn't this the KSU with Ring Generator that you got for $10? Even if you had paid $46 postpaid rather than $29 total, that's still a really good deal. If he really did pay $36 for shipping, $3 ebay commission (10% of $9.99 + $18.99) + about 3% Paypal; and you paid $30 including shipping, well, I guess he shouldn't quit his day job.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Michigan-Bell-Telephone-Box-/111801737913
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.