why do some seller charge over $1000 for shipping a cheap item?

[darcysthisandthatshop]

why do some seller charge over $1000 for shipping a cheap item? An example was a used infant shirt.  Nothing special about it going for $3 but the shipping was over a $1000

[recped]

example?

If I saw what you describe I would assume it was an entry error.

[mr.elmwood · Accepted solution]

I have seen this and the versions where the shipping is correct, but, they are charging $1000 for a $10 widget.

I have heard the explanation that it is not a mistake, but, a way of keeping the listing active when they do not have any supply on hand.

[cumos55 · Accepted solution]

Many times this has been done with books

The listing is kept open without inventory available, but not necessarily on eBay.

Very dangerous practice... especially with the new defect protocol.

Listing cancelled by the seller because no inventory is available is a defect.

[darcysthisandthatshop]

Thanks everyone:  I thought it might be a way of money laundering.  Buying the widget then paying the shipment to in effect, send the money to a partner.  I'm a fraud agent for a bank and I guess my thinking just goes that way.  I've also seen similar on Amazon.  Not with shipping cost but a book that everyone is selling for $5 is being offered by one seller for $80 and when you look at his other listings, it's the same pattern, so not an error.  He also has excellent ratings and hundreds of customers..lol.  I could be wrong about both but just wanted to see what experienced Ebayers think.

[cumos55]

There is a seller of books on the internet that prices all of his books at the highest price always.... and this seller's books do sell.  Buyers equate the high price with "quality"  of the item being bought

Books can be priced over a wide range....  from very low to moderately high   ... to over higher than high..

Your example of an $80 books is not outrageous  in relation to $1000 cost for shipping.

There is an option where sellers of books on some sites look to have the lowest price.....  This is a software program  where someone  will keep dropping the price of a book  and the rest will follow.... then the seller that kept dropping the price of their book ... stops, and raises his price.....  The low priced books sell and then the one seller that forced the price to drop dramatically  sells their  book at a quite reasonable  and money making price...  

The seller with that $80 book most likely refused to follow the drop in price.... and was not a part of the software price dropping option...

There also used to be a seller of yearbooks on eBay  who listed everything at $1000 with a Best Offer option..... Everything sold with a Best Offer.

Many strange thing can happen on the internet... Never be too surprised  at what people will do...

[cumos55]

A money laundering scheme?

One never knows the reality of some things on eBay.....Maybe!

One would suspect  that such a scheme would be undertaken  with an item that could be quite high priced....

$1000 shipping on a cheap option is too much of a red flag for money laundering...