For a $10 card, the seller charges $5 shipping. I knew when I bid what the charges would be. When the card arrived in a plain white envelope and a forever stamp, I was annoyed, expecting at the very least a bubble mailer with tracking. Overcharging on shipping by $1.50 is one thing, but $4.50 is a bit much. I tried contacting the seller and waited over a week with no response. I’d appreciate your suggestions on how to handle feedback?
The feedback system allows you to rate shipping cost charged by the selller unless it was a GSP purchase. If it was me I’d give him a positive (I’m assuming the card arrived as described) and leave one star /5 in that category.
Edit: also maybe 2-3 stars in the communication category.
Well, you do need to take into consideration not just the actual price of postage, but also the means to GET the card to you that is factored in. It’s why it’s Shipping AND Handling charge - the cost of getting to the post office - the cost of the penny sleeve and top loader to send your card in, the cost of the envelope, ect.
It’s why I’m not too fussed if a shipper tosses a few extra dollars on a cheap card, as long as it’s not unreasonable.
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What was the listed shipping method? Did they put on there economy shipping for $5 or did they put priority mail for $5? If they put priority mail then technically they short sold you on what you bought. If they put “economy shipping” or anything else like “first class letter” etc. then you got what you paid for and really have no recourse. Like you said, you factored it in to your overall bid and just have to take what you chose to pay for.
In either case I don’t think it warrants a negative IMO. If he advertised priority or tracked mail, I may shoot him a message and see how he responds, but probably nothing more than a positive with some low DSR’s or just avoid leaving feedback at all maybe.
$5 for a $0.50 stamp is just unnecessary. By that logic he mine as well charge for purchasing the car to drive it there, maybe some extra for lunch and anxiety pills to deal with the stress of traffic.
It’s a buyer beware situation but it overcharging that much is a lousy way to squeeze money from a sale. And its just plain bad business.
Would lose me as a customer with that and maybe a neutral based on the shipping listed. I know people tend to have a decent fee for shipping and combine for a quarter a card or something, but $2.60 is reasonable, $5 is not.
I just checked. USPS First Class, which is $.49 - I wasn’t thinking negative, but I do want to make it clear that he may want to reexamine his practice. I was hoping to have a discussion, but he never responded.
Pretty much my thoughts exactly. I was just looking for some perspective.
The reason he charged a lot for shipping is because the card is cheap and he needs to find a way to make it worth it for him to sell. If you want him to charge the actual price of the shipping, I don’t think he wants to sell the card because its not worth his time. I saw many sellers did this and I can understand. As long as you know the total price of transaction (card + shipping) before you buy then I think he doesn’t scam you. He should just charge $15 for the card and give free shipping.
I don’t get the complaints.
Simply figure how much you want to pay for an item. Then take the shipping and subtract it from what you want to pay then bid the balance. That’s it.
Don’t worry what sellers do.
All three sellers are selling the card you want:
Seller 1- Card listed for 20.00 free shipping Total paid= 20.00
Seller 2- Card listed for 17.50 2.50 shipping Total paid= 20.00
Seller 3- Card listed for 15.00 5.00 shipping Total paid= 20.00
What difference does it make? Worry about what you want to pay and not the sellers methods/strategy’s.
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I believe I said reasonable charges. To each their own, but I think that’s a pretty shitty exaggeration when you ought to know how much things can cost to post things overseas.
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This is honestly the best answer, but people do have a really really hard time with it. No matter what, they always want to make out like they are getting boned. ESPECIALLY with the GSP. Don’t like the all in price? Don’t pay it then! Do I think a seller should have $5 shipping when he uses a stamp? No. But should a buyer complain when they get the exact shipping service that was clearly listed for the exact price listed as well? Definitely not. That was the point I made in my post. If the buyer specifically paid the $5 shipping because it was labeled as priority mail because they needed it quick and then it comes via a stamp then he would have a right to complain.
I have charged people $20 to ship $5-10 worth of cards express when it came down to them needing a guarantee to have a few cards and playsets of trainers for a tourney that weekend. In reality priority probably would have made it and hell even first class may have made it in time and I told them that. They asked what I needed to guarantee it though and I told them the only true guarantee would be express. Had I taken the $20 and shipped it in a $5 flat rate envelope that would have been wrong of me even if it made it in time.
A lot of good points brought up here. A couple things that should be pointed out. Shipping charges aren’t factored into eBay bucks or coupon eligibility that I’m aware of. So having to pay high shipping charges may render a coupon unusable or lessen your eBay bucks.
Another counter point is if the seller charges high shipping charges but offers combined shipping. Buying a bunch of cards off them could be beneficial as the price point, theoretically, could be lower.
As for this specific example I think it’s pretty shady to charge $5 for a single and ship in an stamped envelope unless you state it in the listing. Even if you label it as “Standard Shipping” I still think you should give the buyer a reasonable expectation of the shipping method/ service you use.
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My two cents, if you are overcharging on shipping, you’re clearly trying to take advantage of the system.
eBay has a very clear policy on this, black and white, not open for interpretation;
That doesn’t really define what can and can’t be part of the handling cost (just that packaging materials can be part of it). So it’s not clear cut at all. You can claim gas, wear and tear on your vehicle, cost of clothes to go out in public, cost of your newly remodeled home office where you process your orders… lol
Just playing devils advocate, already stated I’m not a fan of the practice.
But you can’t. The handling part has always been materials to package. It’s very clear. It lists what you can. Anything else; you can’t.
Anyone claiming that it’s ANY other cost is kidding themselves. It’s so deceptive and shady. That kind of behaviour belongs on eBay garbage.
You are assuming anything else you can’t. It doesn’t state that anywhere nor can they. Handling is vague by nature. If it was just packaging materials cost then they’d call it “Packaging Materials Cost”. Or if that’s all that “Handling” is they wouldn’t use the phrase “can include” instead of “this is”.
Want shady? Tell people they should only collect actual postage costs then charge the sellers 10% of that amount as part of their selling fee.
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What are you even on about?
Postage and Handling as term has been around longer than eBay, which is why it is used and mean postage and materials, always has.
If you want to add in 10% (or in the example above 900%) to cover their fee, so be it in my eyes. If you want to charge me for your clothes, your car and your gas, then I’ll never buy from you. So greedy.
You’re clutching at straws champ if you think that an absence of a list of things you can’t do means you can go outside of the things they say you can do. It’s that simple it’s a policy of what you can do. Anything outside of that is against their policy.
I expect items with free shipping to be delivered by carrier pigeon, otherwise I will be messaging the seller for undercharging me.
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I’m pointing out the facts.
I’m well aware postage and handling pre-dates ebay. My point is that your initial post is not a clear definition of what a handling fee is where you stated it was. eBay’s definition of a handling fee is not just “packaging materials”. It’s rather obvious from the wording. If you choose to interpret it differently that’s your call.
And it isn’t a matter of not including a list of things you can’t do, they also don’t include a full list of what you can, just a single example.