making money on eBay

[Maineboy]

Always looking for a bargain, I buy alot of stuff on eBay. I found this auction for gas checks and was gonna bid, until I checked the postage. $19.20 Priority Mail, $18.14 Parcel Post. I emailed him to see if he was serious, but no answer yet.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7151267999&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT

[imashooter2]

His only other sale that has an active page lists the same outrageous shipping. Yet somehow 43 buyers have given him positive feedback. I guess the intelligent folks checked the shipping prices and didn't bid.

[fatnhappy]

He's asking the same for books too. You could ship those for $2 via media mail. I refuse to do business with guys that charge exorbitant "handling" costs.

Caveat Emptor

[Poygan]

I've asked sellers similar questions in the past and the response has generally been the extra is for "handling".

[trooperdan]

I always thought the rate you got when you clicked on the "Calculate postage" button was from US post office. Maybe the bidder can "pre-load" his charge for handling into that calculator. I've learned the hard way to check CAREFULLY the fine print about shipping charges. I swear that is where some sellers intend to make their profit.

[Poygan]

Trooperdan,

I think you plug in the weight when you are building your e-bay site and then the USPS site will provide the shipping costs based on the buyers and sellers Zip codes. I assume some guesstimate a bit high on the weight....

[C1PNR]

Got really burned a long time back on shipping for a book. Ever since then I ALWAYS check. If not posted, I ask.

Not long ago I found via the calculator that shipping for a 2 cavity mould was $11.55 or so. Asked the seller and he confirmed! Didn't bid. Nowadays I put a little note under everything I'm watching to include shipping, if not posted.

[Buckshot]

.............I have been a fanatic E-Bay'er since getting my lathe Jan -04. Buying 'Gotta have' accesories and tooling, doncha know? I got burned a couple times. When I see something I'm interested in I do one thing immediately, and that is to check their shipping charges. There are quite a few people on Da Bey who seem to make their money on shipping.

I have been buying a few carbide inserts. These usually come in little compartmented plastic trays with slip tops. Maybe 1/4" tall, say 1.5" wide and 3-4" long. Sometimes in slide boxes about 1x1" and 3" long. There is one guy who always has a ton of'em and his shipping is "Flat Rate" $10.99. Now you could drop 4-5 of these packages in a USPS $3.85 flat rate envelope.

I sent a couple of these gomers e-mails saying I'd really like to buy from them if they'd get real on their shipping charges. One did reply. He said, "Well, you're getting these for a dime on the dollar (if the bidding doesn't go crazy) and the shipping IS from NJ to CA. It's a good deal anyway[smilie=w:." I quit that because I'm not the 'Shipping Ripoff Cops', but it just pissed me off.

But that's NOT the point!!!!!!!!![smilie=b: The other thing is that UPS is a flat rip off for small items. Some will use ONLY UPS. One guy had 10 sets of 30, 1/8" x2" carbide drill blanks on a buy it now auction. I e-mailed and said I'd like to buy a set and he could flat rate box them via USPS for $3.85. Seem to recall the UPS was like $11 something. He sent back that he'd mail'em for $5, so I went ahead. What're we doing? Bidding on shipping too:)

Some places do have choices and will display the charges for various UPS and USPS services. Since you can print off mailing stickers and postage via your computer for the USPS, and they will come and pickup, what's the big deal here?

I have no problem with places who place a handling charge on orders below a certain amount. Lots of places utilize bubble wrap and other packageing in new carboard boxes. The stuff DOES cost money. For heavy items there is usually a 'foaming' charge. I can live with reasonable things like that. Don't charge me $2 packing charge and it comes stuffed full of newspaper in an old rag'ed out limp cardboard box that has more miles on it then a Rand McNally road Atlas.

Through mutual agreement I had a sale ended with no feedback placed by either of us. I was high bidder on a Jacobs 16N chuck. This is a big drill chuck. The shipping policy said shipping charges determined by the winning bidder's zip code. I won and was notified the charges were $15.47. That was UPS.

*I sent an e-mail saying to put it into a USPS flat rate $7.70 box and ship it.
Nope, don't use USPS, only UPS.
*Your auction didn't say that.
Most E-bay sellers only use UPS.
*Your action didn't say that.
That's what the shipping is.
*Not via the USPS it isn't.
I use UPS.
*I don't want it.
You were high bidder on the auction.
*Ship it for $7.70 via UPS or USPS I'll take it.
I DON'T USE USPS.
*Ship it for $7.70 via UPS then.
* Nothing for 2 days. I wondered what was up. I hadn't paid yet*
*What's up?
You have 3 days to pay as the winning bidder on this auction or I will enter negative feedback as a non paying bidder.
*We can go to Square Trade if you like. Your auction didn't specify a carrier, just that the cost was to be determined by zip code.
I will agree to terminate the auction with no exchange of feedback if you will also.
*Sure.

And that was the end of that. Bastard.

...................Buckshot

[Maineboy]

Well, Mr. Ford514 has had 3 bids on his 30 caliber gas checks. Price is now at $9.00 with Dodgyrog as high bidder. (Hmmm... Ford... Dodge?) Them gas checks now cost $27.14, shipped by the slow method. I just ordered 2 boxes from Midway for $15.99 apiece on sale. Ordered a bunch of other stuff too and shipping, by priority mail, was $10.00 for everything.

[Buckshot]

.............Some people just don't PAY attention, so they pay later.

...........Buckshot