Shipping cost rip offs.

Some sellers are taking advantage of the increased postal rates and charging staggering high shipping charges. Charging 16 to 26.00 dollars to ship a magazine or a single page advertisement is almost criminal. I hope no one buys from these sellers.

Why do some people always ruin a good system of buying and selling items. It's called greed!!!!

 

 

 

 

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Shipping cost rip offs.

Anonymous
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That costs you mentioned here is more like if those sellers opt into Global Shipping Program (GSP) which provide the most highest insane shipping costs.

 

I usually contact the US sellers who do not use GSP and asked if their shipping costs to Canada are right?.  Most of them usually recheck to make sure and offered more cheaper shipping costs.  It seems that they are using shipping calculator that make shipping costs more higher than should.

 

I have received many packages of 8x10, magazines, etc., for actual postage for around $3.55 plus $1.00 for tracking number and have received them just fine.  So why GSP is necessary if we can use cheaper mail service plus $1.00 for a tracking number by USPS?  You go to wonder why eBay would expect US sellers to opt in GSP in the first place.

Message 2 of 20
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Shipping cost rip offs.

GSP puts more money in eBays pocket. eBay is seriously starting to **bleep** me off.



 

 

 

 


 

Message 3 of 20
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Shipping cost rip offs.

FWIW, eBay does not recommend using the GSP for items that are valued under $50. 

 

Message 4 of 20
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Shipping cost rip offs.

I have seen many items with very ridiculous shipping charges, and it is not because of GSP.  But mainly because seller sells item at much lower price than other seller and boosts shipping charges to cover loss of selling cost.

 

Most time I contact seller if rates are good i am told yes they are and won't budge from it (even if I know it is way lower cost to ship)

 

I know that you can report items with "rip off" shipping charges, but IMO i do not think E-Bay does nothing about it.

Message 5 of 20
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Shipping cost rip offs.

It can be a selling strategy.

A dumb one.

 

Which costs more:

A $5 item with $10 shipping

A $10 item with $5 shipping

A $15 item with "Free" Shipping

 

Now can you see how some buyers would like the lower asking price? Some would love the 'free' shipping? Some would like the lower shipping even though the item "costs' more/

Which item will sell fastest?

Which item will get poor feeback and DSRs for 'gouging' on shipping?

 

Keep in mind that the seller will pay the same fees on all three sales. However the seller will get an automatic Five Stars for Shipping Costs in his DSRs.

 

All of which ignores the Global Shipping Program, which is another kettle of carp.

Message 6 of 20
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Shipping cost rip offs.

I Agree FemmeFan,

 

But some seller will lower prices way under the others in the hope that some fish will be lured and buy the item without really seeing shipping costs.  And that is so darn wrong.

 

For one I always view  Price lowest + shipping.

 

 

Message 7 of 20
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Shipping cost rip offs.


@Anonymous wrote:

I have received many packages of 8x10, magazines, etc., for actual postage for around $3.55 plus $1.00 for tracking number and have received them just fine.  So why GSP is necessary if we can use cheaper mail service plus $1.00 for a tracking number by USPS?



Hmmmm... this has changed last January 2013 (yes, more than one year ago), when the USPS prices increased a lot in order to include Delivery Confirmation for shipments to Canada. It is now impossible to ship something from the US with DC for less than $6.55. And that is for very light and small packages. Photos are $8.55 minimum.

 

And you can't pay $1.00 to add tracking. Only if it is a US to US shipment.

 

As for GSP, it is very useful for very heavy items. However, not useful at all for photos, magazines or clippings, I agree.

Message 8 of 20
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Shipping cost rip offs.

sort by lowest price + shipping. 

 

Choose an item that you are happy with including price, shipping and any other costs and from a reliable seller. 

 

buy and receive said item.

 

happy transaction. 

 

ignore the rest. 

Message 9 of 20
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Shipping cost rip offs.


@froogal_electronic_parts_and_overstock wrote:

sort by lowest price + shipping. 

 

Choose an item that you are happy with including price, shipping and any other costs and from a reliable seller. 

 

buy and receive said item.

 

happy transaction. 

 

ignore the rest. 


Hard to ignore the rest when Item is unique or is the only one of the right size and there is no rest.

 

I agree when many available choose the best one.

 

But then again, I feel E-bay does nothing when items reported for Shipping cost rules

Message 10 of 20
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Shipping cost rip offs.


@lithoservice wrote:

@froogal_electronic_parts_and_overstock wrote:

sort by lowest price + shipping. 

 

Choose an item that you are happy with including price, shipping and any other costs and from a reliable seller. 

 

buy and receive said item.

 

happy transaction. 

 

ignore the rest. 


Hard to ignore the rest when Item is unique or is the only one of the right size and there is no rest.

I agree when many available choose the best one.

 

But then again, I feel E-bay does nothing when items reported for Shipping cost rules


It doesn't matter really if it's unique or not. 

 

I agree it's hard to ignore, but the truth is the shipping cost is one part of the cost of any item ebay or anywhere else. While some like 'free shipping', there is no such thing as free shipping and no such thing as a free lunch. I never see a rant here about how Walmart (yes, I know it's an ebay forum) charges 400% markup on their shirts, or how Future shop takes the cost of theft and adds it right on to the cost of any item you buy from them. 

 

The cost is the cost, and is under the sellers control. The sale is the sale and is 100% the buyers control. If you are not happy with the purchase, don't buy it. 

 

If you are happy with the price, including shipping, regardless of what the shipping cost is, then don't worry about it. 

 

to put a spin on Femmefans example:

 

$100 item free shipping

$90 item $10 shipping

$4 item $96 shipping. 

 

You know if it's a $90 item then the seller is just jacking up the shipping price to make their initial price look cheap, but it's all the same. Of course this may say something about the seller and their method of business. 

 

A unique or rare item only reinforces that you will pay more. Pay more for the item, pay more for shipping, pay more all around. Don't get me started about rainbow looms for $20. Really? $20 for a piece of plastic that costs them maybe a buck or 2. 

 

This holds true for GSP, shipping priority, American ignorance of shipping to Canada, everything.

 

If you see an opportunity to lower your costs by getting a seller to ship a cheaper way that's great, but still in the end once you hit pay make sure......

 

Total price, including shipping, handling, etc. etc. etc. meet your satisfaction and you will have a happy transaction. The rest is 100% perception only . 

 

 

Message 11 of 20
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Shipping cost rip offs.

Sorry-- What shipping cost rules?

I went through the various strategies sellers us for breaking out asking price and shipping price.

EBay recognizes that the shipping /postage cost has nothing to do with the value of the item.

EBay allows sellers to include "handling" costs in their shipping cost. For the record, what is called 'shipping and handling' in North America appears as "postage and packaging" in Britain. I think that is a better description.

The only eBay rule I am aware of is that sellers are not supposed to say an item is insured unless the insurance is with a third party, like the post office or a private company like shipinsurance. Self-insurance can be included in S&H as long as it is not advertised.

A seller can charge double or triple his actual costs and eBay will not say boo. Or he can offer Free Shipping, in the sure and certain knowledge that his asking price includes the cost of shipping.

We even see the situation where a Canadian buyer bids without determining the S&H to Canada, and is shocked to find that the shipping is (honestly or not) some apparently outrageous number. And eBay will side with the seller.

 

Hmm- that came out sounding more adversarial than intended, but my basic point is that the only rule I know about shipping is the one about insurance.

Educate me, please.

Message 12 of 20
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Shipping cost rip offs.


@froogal_electronic_parts_and_overstock wrote:

 

I agree it's hard to ignore, but the truth is the shipping cost is one part of the cost of any item ebay or anywhere else. While some like 'free shipping', there is no such thing as free shipping and no such thing as a free lunch. I never see a rant here about how Walmart (yes, I know it's an ebay forum) charges 400% markup on their shirts, or how Future shop takes the cost of theft and adds it right on to the cost of any item you buy from them. 

 

The cost is the cost, and is under the sellers control. The sale is the sale and is 100% the buyers control. If you are not happy with the purchase, don't buy it. 

 


 


I agree that shipping cost is shipping cost, but what I am trying to say is it's the Handling charges the seller will add to the shipping cost.

 

Markup on selling price is one thing, selling with a 400% mark up is up to the seller

 

But selling with let's say 25% markup to be very low on selling price but charging 300% of sell price in handling charges is just wrong.

Message 13 of 20
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Shipping cost rip offs.


@femmefan1946 wrote:

Sorry-- What shipping cost rules?

I went through the various strategies sellers us for breaking out asking price and shipping price.

EBay recognizes that the shipping /postage cost has nothing to do with the value of the item.

EBay allows sellers to include "handling" costs in their shipping cost. For the record, what is called 'shipping and handling' in North America appears as "postage and packaging" in Britain. I think that is a better description.

The only eBay rule I am aware of is that sellers are not supposed to say an item is insured unless the insurance is with a third party, like the post office or a private company like shipinsurance. Self-insurance can be included in S&H as long as it is not advertised.

A seller can charge double or triple his actual costs and eBay will not say boo. Or he can offer Free Shipping, in the sure and certain knowledge that his asking price includes the cost of shipping.

We even see the situation where a Canadian buyer bids without determining the S&H to Canada, and is shocked to find that the shipping is (honestly or not) some apparently outrageous number. And eBay will side with the seller.

 

Hmm- that came out sounding more adversarial than intended, but my basic point is that the only rule I know about shipping is the one about insurance.

Educate me, please.


When you go to report an item for excessive shipping charges ebay says this : The listing has excessive shipping or attempts to circumvent maximum shipping costs set by eBay.

Message 14 of 20
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Shipping cost rip offs.


@lithoservice wrote:

@froogal_electronic_parts_and_overstock wrote:

 

I agree it's hard to ignore, but the truth is the shipping cost is one part of the cost of any item ebay or anywhere else. While some like 'free shipping', there is no such thing as free shipping and no such thing as a free lunch. I never see a rant here about how Walmart (yes, I know it's an ebay forum) charges 400% markup on their shirts, or how Future shop takes the cost of theft and adds it right on to the cost of any item you buy from them. 

 

The cost is the cost, and is under the sellers control. The sale is the sale and is 100% the buyers control. If you are not happy with the purchase, don't buy it. 

 


 


I agree that shipping cost is shipping cost, but what I am trying to say is it's the Handling charges the seller will add to the shipping cost.

 

Markup on selling price is one thing, selling with a 400% mark up is up to the seller

 

But selling with let's say 25% markup to be very low on selling price but charging 300% of sell price in handling charges is just wrong.


I wanted to edit my previous post to say that most times I find US sellers shipping prices are due to not understanding or knowing shipping costs outside the US, carrier costs and alternatives, and GSP.

 

The vast majority of sellers who have high shipping costs are doing so inadvertently.

 

I am not a fan of ebay (why i sell is a long story that only my wife cares about), but GSP is not all bad. I buy a ton of stuff and use a freight forwarder. GSP is in line with freightforwarders. 

 

For the very few that do have outrageous costs as you indicate, they really fall into 1 of 2 camps. 

 

1. The seller who is trying to lure someone with an initial low price. In the end you pay the same or close to the same. Again, what difference does it make if you end up paying the same? 

 

2. The seller who is trying to make an extra profit with huge handling costs. There are lots of factors that negate these sellers, such as.....

 

a) sort by lowest price + shipping. They won't even show up when you are looking. No frustration.

 

b) if you do buy from them, you can leave neg FB, low DSR's. Your prerogative. I recommend against it, but if people do it, they will change or fade away.

 

c) don't buy from them. Competition will drive the price down.

 

I really think that there are very few real world examples of these #2 sellers, and they get weeded out all the time. 

 

The rest is just perception and if you are happy with the total price, stay happy with it. 

Message 15 of 20
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Shipping cost rip offs.

When you go to report an item for excessive shipping charges ebay says this : The listing has excessive shipping or attempts to circumvent maximum shipping costs set by eBay.

 

I suspect that is a public relations statement.

There is a Rating for Shipping Charges  in the Detailed Seller Ratings. One that is pretty annoying too, since often the complainant has no knowledge of the actual cost of shipping, nevermind how the particular shipping and handling rate is arrived at.

 

The only 'maximum shipping costs' that I know are set by eBay are the stupid Media Shipping Cap on eBaydot COM, which allow no more than a $4.00 charge (including insurance and tracking) if the seller is using Flat Rate Shipping.  The workaround, in case the purchase was the entire 1976 run of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, is to use Calculated Shipping.  

Again, I may be missing something in a category I have never sold in.

Canadian sellers do get hit by that complaint from time to time, and complain in turn that the eBay reps who punish them are unaware of Canada Post rates. Indeed, some seem to be unaware that there is any other country in the world or that other countries have different postal systems.

 

Message 16 of 20
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Shipping cost rip offs.

The shipping costs are insane through The Global Shipping Program. I was actually told by a seller that they opted for the GSP program because it's cheaper for both seller and buyer. What a crock! I don't know how many times I've wanted to buy a t shirt ,and the shipping would be 25.00 for a 20.00 t shirt. It's criminal what Ebay is doing. I get so frustrated shopping on EBay when it would cost a local person 5.85 and less for shipping. It would cost me, who lives in Canada 25.00 to 30.00 to buy the same item. Ebay is laughing all the way to the bank! They should not be allowed to do this.
Message 17 of 20
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Shipping cost rip offs.


@laurabear2013 wrote:

The shipping costs are insane through The Global Shipping Program. I was actually told by a seller that they opted for the GSP program because it's cheaper for both seller and buyer. What a crock! I don't know how many times I've wanted to buy a t shirt ,and the shipping would be 25.00 for a 20.00 t shirt. It's criminal what Ebay is doing. I get so frustrated shopping on EBay when it would cost a local person 5.85 and less for shipping. It would cost me, who lives in Canada 25.00 to 30.00 to buy the same item. Ebay is laughing all the way to the bank! They should not be allowed to do this.


eBay doesn't run the Global Shipping Program.  PitneyBowes does.  The Global Shipping Program is the name given to a network of freight forwarders and logistics companies.  It is not structured to be competitive with oversize letter mail, or what the US Postal Service calls First Class International, and probably couldn't be, given all the fingers involved in a GSP shipment.

If a T-shirt were shipped by parcel post (Priority International) from the US to Canada, the shipping cost would be over US$30.  (Priority small flat-rate boxes are handled as oversize letters, so they don't count.)  Perhaps the seller who believes the GSP is less expensive for buyers doesn't realize that First Class International is an option for smaller items.

Other factors to consider in the shipping price of an item forwarded through the GSP are the seller's own shipping charge from their location to the Global Shipping Center in Kentucky, as well as whether the seller provides information on the item's shipping weight.  If the seller doesn't provide information on shipping weight in the Item Specifics section of the listing, the GSP has to "guess" at a shipping rate, or more accurately, use a calculation based on the average or typical shipping weight for an item from the category in which the item was listed.

Welcome back from the dead, thread!

Message 18 of 20
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Shipping cost rip offs.

ZOMBIE THREAD FROM 2014

Message 19 of 20
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Shipping cost rip offs.

Hey everyone,

 

Due to the length of time that has passed since this thread began I have locked it from future replies. If this is still an issue that warrants discussion, don't hesitate to begin a new thread!

Tyler,
eBay
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