Can Ship costs may cause class action law suit against Ebay

[buckaru]

Well for the 4th week in a row I have had numerous numbers of my listings removed for excessive shipping costs. I have proved that I am charging less for shipping than I am paying out yet my listings are still considered excessive. All my items are packaged, sized and weighed before they are listed so I can give the exact costs in my listings. I have even given ebay the links to Can-post along with weights and dimensions of packages. BUT they still say my costs are excessive! It seems that Ebays problems are with Can-post and Canadian sellers are getting caught in the middle.

Well I have heard rumblings that a number of Canadian powersellers are getting together and going to be starting a class action law suit against ebay for their restrictive trade practices, by ending listings and causing massive loss of business for Canadian sellers over the excessive shipping cost issue!

Count me in on this law suit!!!!

[recped]

I've heard of this happening but thought I also heard they put a temporary hold on this pending re-education of the policy weasels.

I did look at a few of your listings, this one in particular , 290034867797, might be a problem, it's a high value item but $100.80 for insurance? I'm guessing it's a typo.......
"What else could I do? I had no trade so I became a peddler" - Lazarus Greenberg 1915

[buckaru]

For this item you must look at the total of shipping and insurance which is $300, and I am actually subsidising it at that rate. This item has to be shipped as 3 seperate packages with dimensional weights of 30 kg, 35 kg, and 30 kg. so the shipping to zone 3 in the US is $92, $105.50, and $92. and thats not counting the fuel surcharges on top! Also total insurance on a $4000 item would be 40x1.20 = $48.00 and also dont forget about the $100 worth of packaging materials needed, plus the 2 hours for a person to package up the item!

[recped]

Also total insurance on a $4000 item would be 40x1.20 = $48.00

I realize it's a bulky item and all that but I look at it and see a $100+ charge for insurance and in my mind that's excessive and unreasonable. That would likely be the way eBay would see it as well. The T&S people who review these things really have no way of knowing that the total shipping and handling is reasonable but they can see an excessive insurance charge and pull your listing as a result.

I don't know if there are any parallels to the listings that have been pulled but if so you would be better off charging actual insurance and bumping up the shipping charge by a comparable amount.
"What else could I do? I had no trade so I became a peddler" - Lazarus Greenberg 1915

[whoscloset]

Okaaaayyyyy. ?:|

If insurance is $48.00 why are you requiring $100 in insurance. That doesn't sound like you are charging actual cost.

In addition, if you are shipping out large items with values of over $4000 why in hades are you shipping via Canada Post?
Monique

Himalayan Salt Lamps - A Guide to Purchasing

[zarzuella]

Just read through your terms of sale. Wow. Are you sure your listings are being cancelled only for excess shipping?

[buckaru]

High priced items and large items are not the problem with ebay.


All the problems are with small low priced items. as example. shipping a small $10 item to the US. In order to comply with paypal seller protection policies, the item must be sent as an expedited parcel in order to have tracking information. Using a small packet shipping, means that you are NOT covered by paypal protection policies. So shipping is a minimum of $12.15 (to zone 3 in the US), Since the shipping costs are in excess of the item price, Ebay considers this as excessive shipping costs. BUT they will NOT explain any other way to ship the item and still be in complience with paypal seller protection policies.

[buckaru]

We make NO excuses for our excessive seller policies! We have been selling on Ebay since 1998 and ship out over 250 packages a week. We have seen and been the target of every concievable buyer scam in existance. Our policies are designed to protect us from these scams, and if a buyer does not wish to follow our policies, then they can just take a flying leap, and purchase elsewhere! Everyone that complains about our policies IMMEDIATLY gets put on our banned bidder list and gets sent an email telling them to please purchase elsewhere! YES we loose lots of customers! but in reality it saves us time, energy, and money, and keeps things running smoothly. Besides, for every customer we tell not to bid on our items there are 10-20 others who will gladdly bid, thats the reality of selling to a world market.

Many businesses bend over backwards to please and accomadate their customers, they alter their policies, give in to feedback extortion, and generally waste time and energy with no real payback, all for buyer convenience. For us the only thing that counts is Seller convenience. If its not convenient for us then we will not do it! It has grown our business from the kitchen table into 2 warehouses with Full time employees staffing them.

[whoscloset]

uh-huh
Monique

Himalayan Salt Lamps - A Guide to Purchasing

[futuretech_liquidations]

We too had one (1) ad resently removed because of this new enforcement procedures by eBay.

However, after I fired of a nasty reply to them I did get a response indicating that in order to validate the shipping costs all that is required/suggested to do is list the following in the ad:

- # of packages
- Dimensions of each
- Weight of each
- Insurance Costs
- Shipping Costs
- Method of Shipment (ie: Standard, Expedited, Xpress, etc)

As for HANDLING COSTS the email noted that I could add a small amount for materials, fuel, and labour costs. The email suggested that these costs be added to the item PRICE and not the shipping.

Anyhow, the best practice I think is to charge the rate it costs you and then tag on a very small amount between 1 and 3 dollars to cover your costs.

As for the lawsuit thing, good luck with that as the only winner will be the lawyer collecting is outrageous fees (now that will be excessive - guaranteed!)

Also, if the item happens to be big and bulky then they said also to mention that to.