Too much for shipping?

[sherbert316]

Hi need some advice as I just purchased 5 pairs of shoes from a guy in the US (Alabama to be exact). Total amount is $43.40 canadian I ask for combined shipping and this is what he tells me:

The shoes weigh over 9lbs and can only be sent via USPS priority mail international.  $65 for the shipping.  

I ask if there is any cheaper option and he says:

Anything over 4lbs cannot be shipped first class mail.  This is the only option

I live in Ontario and for some reason feel like I am getting squeezed.  I've purchased lots of items from the states recently and this total just seems too high I mean I'm buying 5 used shoes and the shipping is higher then the total for the shoes.

Advice?  Do I have any options?

[i*m-still-here]

Man, you got a bargain!

The shoes you bought are very heavy .......... and BIG...... so the weight could well be correct. (Even @$65 for shipping they'd still only be a little over $20/pair.)

I never buy anything that heavy but $65 sounds really high and I wouldn't trust the calculation either.

I wonder if they couldn't be fit into two flat rate boxes for about half that amount?...........

[pierrelebel]

"Advice?"

Since the listing shows shipping charge of $15.00 each, you save $10.00 by combining all five pairs in one box.

Yes, shipping is expensive.  Not much anyone can do about it.

In future, I suggest you contact the seller before bidding if you plan to buy large multiples and inquire about combined shipping charge.

[toby_le_pue]

Man, you got a bargain!

The shoes you bought are very heavy .......... and BIG...... so the weight could well be correct. (Even @$65 for shipping they'd still only be a little over $20/pair.)

Not so heavy and big.

2 pair kids shoes size 3

1 pair kids shoes size 4

2 pair adult shoes size 9

[lady.stark]

According to USPS.com, a package weighting 9 pounds would cost:

- $53.95 by Priority Mail (at the Post Office counter and online).

There used to be a special price when customers purchased online on usps.com, but not anymore it seems. However, the discount should still be available if the seller use eBay to print the label (that is what a friend of mine told me anyway when she sent me a package).

If the seller goes with Express Mail, it is $64.95. So yes, that is ONE of the options, but not the only one. You can ask your seller about Priority Mail though. I don't know if the link will work, but here it is (he has to select "Priority Mail® International Options" to see it):

http://ircalc.usps.com/MailServices.aspx?country=10054&m=6&p=9&o=0#

[i*m-still-here]

You know..........

$65 for shipping used shoes valued at under $45 from the US to Canada is too much for shipping.

I can't elaborate on how to fix it because I'm a Canadian who buys items which weigh under a pound or two from the States and my experience with items of that weight is limited ..................... and I use CPO for shipping out of Canada......

But the natural instinctive response is that it's way too much for shipping.

There has to be a better way.

[toby_le_pue]

New or used has no bearing on shipping charges.

It is the size and weight of the item .

[sherbert316]

Thanks and yes I'll definitely be looking into that now.

I've bought in bulk before and just assumed that with combined shipping it was always cheaper in this case I guess not.

And the total shipping was $71.00 so I saved $6.00 

So what happens if I get the package in the mail and it says shipping was only $40?

[pierrelebel]

"So what happens if I get the package in the mail and it says shipping was only $40?"

Should that happens, you contact the seller and ask to explain the difference.

Expect the actual postage may be a bit less than the amount charged to cover his packing expenses, etc... 

To be fair, also keep in mind the seller pays eBay about $7 in fees on the shipping charge.

[lady.stark]

"Expect the actual postage may be a bit less than the amount charged to cover his packing expenses, etc... "

With Priority Mail or Express Mail, shipping supplies are FREE from USPS. So no amount should be charged for that.

"To be fair, also keep in mind the seller pays eBay about $7 in fees on the shipping charge"

EBay fees can not be charged as a shipping charge to the buyer. The seller should include that cost in the item price or eat it. That's how I see things as a seller. So the buyer should not pay for the seller's mistakes in my humble opinion.

[lady.stark]

By the way, eBay fees on shipping are 9% of the US shipping price. So hardly $7. Maybe around $4.

[i*m-still-here]

Thanks and yes I'll definitely be looking into that now.

I've bought in bulk before and just assumed that with combined shipping it was always cheaper in this case I guess not.

And the total shipping was $71.00 so I saved $6.00 

So what happens if I get the package in the mail and it says shipping was only $40?

If you are happy with the idea that you just saved $6 in shipping then go with that........ :)...

But the answer to your initial question: (Is $65 too much for shipping?) is yes.

Also,

It's very unlikely that you'll see actual shipping cost because the seller will use online shipping and cost does not show.

[pierrelebel]

Options for 9 pounds from USPS website:

http://ircalc.usps.com/MailServices.aspx?country=10054&m=6&p=9&o=0 

[lady.stark]

"But the answer to your initial question: (Is $65 too much for shipping?) is yes."

No, the answer is NO. That is the price USPS charge. Sellers don't have any control over shipping! How can you say it is too much? I don't understand...

"It's very unlikely that you'll see actual shipping cost because the seller will use online shipping and cost does not show."

Sometimes it shows, sometimes it doesn't. It depends if the seller use eBay shipping or go directly to the Post Office (yes, many are still doing that). But in the first case, it doesn't matter since the seller charge actual shipping cost. It will not cost less unless the seller goes with UPS or FedEx. Hopefully, he won't do that.

[recyclemikey]

pay the shipping..

leave negative feedback.  it'll be fun.

[sherbert316]

Options for 9 pounds from USPS website:

http://ircalc.usps.com/MailServices.aspx?country=10054&m=6&p=9&o=0 

Thanks for the link it looks to me though Priority Mail is a lot cheaper then the express mail Instead of $65 could have been $41 which I probably could have lived with considering it was combined shipping.  But wasn't even offered which was kind of upsetting it was "This is the Only Option".

Definitly learned a lot on this transaction.  Thanks for the discussion everyone

[sherbert316]

If you are happy with the idea that you just saved $6 in shipping then go with that........ ...

But the answer to your initial question: (Is $65 too much for shipping?) is yes.

Also,

It's very unlikely that you'll see actual shipping cost because the seller will use online shipping and cost does not show.

If you are happy with the idea that you just saved $6 in shipping then go with that........ :)...

But the answer to your initial question: (Is $65 too much for shipping?) is yes.

Also,

It's very unlikely that you'll see actual shipping cost because the seller will use online shipping and cost does not show.

What do you suggest doing i*m-still-here?

[rosscd57]

pay the shipping..

leave negative feedback.  it'll be fun.

Why would you leave a negative when you knew what the shipping charges were?

Sellers can charge any amount they want for shipping and handling.

Come on - the bottom line is if you don't lilke the shipping charges - Don't Buy the Item.

[i*m-still-here]

In my very first post that you paid about $20/pair of shoes............. Are you happy with that?

sherbert.......... this shipping business from the US to Canada has become way too complicated these past few months.

There have been so many changes, one on top of the other, that's it's no longer possible to be absolutely sure about their costs.

However.........

Common sense suggests that if the largest pair of shoes costs $15 to ship that 5 pairs do not cost $65 to ship ................. (My gut instinct is that $41 is high as well.)

I also know that I can ship those to the US for about $25 even @ 9 pounds.

(Do 5 pairs of shoes really weight 9 pounds?)

BUT........ even if it did cost $65 for shipping........... are they worth the money to you?

What would I do?

I'd contact the seller and ask for a reduced cost of shipping, and if the seller declined I'd pay if I really wanted the shoes.

If I didn't want them I wouldn't pay, ask the seller to send a request to cancel, and then move on.

Technically, you should have asked before bidding............ but, hey, you're shopping and since almost all sellers combine shipping it's very easy to overlook now and then.

I would definitely NOT trash FB.  

[adela_b]

You may politely ask your seller to separate your purchase to fit in two packages and ship the new thingy USPS developed, it is somewhat tracbale and starts with LZ********US. It should cost you less than $40 for both (seller's fee included).

There is no way 5 pairs of shoes weight 9 lbs. What kind of shoes? Sorel boots?

I hope you work it out. I would refrain from leaving a Negative. It looks bad for you too.