Pet Peeve to Stamp Sellers Who Offer Combined Shipping ....NOT!

[komics4sale]

Just expressing my frustration to stamp sellers (or other similar small & low weight items) who offer Combined Shipping & then arbitrarily tack on an extra 50 cents or more onto each item even when the extras don't increase the postage costs.

It's perfectly OK to state that you offer Combined Shipping & that you will be adding an extra 50 cents for each additional lot.    I don't even mind if they mention they will be adding another $10 or even $100 for each additional lot  (as long as the amount is clearly stated).

Pet peeve also applies for sales taxes.

As long as it is clearly mentioned, not a problem.    But to find out during the payment process is very annoying.

If some of these sellers happen to read this & change their habits, then this rant will have served it's purpose.

I don't want to post negative feedback to sellers for this trivial matter, as it would adversely affect their seller's fees.

[5274646]

Sorry...I don't get this "lot" thing...

Anybody want to enlighten me?  It was until the night before did I learn about "junk drawer lots" lol

I assume a single listing with multiple items and you're buying as a whole?  Like a "lot of five" Snoopy figures kind of thing?  (lol...yes, I love Snoopy)

Um...when I inquire about combined shipping, I'm usually making multiple purchases from the same seller.  For example, three Snoopy plush (lol...dont mind me...had a funny encounter from leaving feedback) from three individual listings, all from the same seller...if that is what you mean...cause that's what I meant.  OOOOOH, I guess the shipping tab thing applies to those  multi-item auctions you were referring to lol

But yes, if I'm interested in something, it never bothers me how much shipping is, combined or not...I'd even settle for items that ship via GSP if I have no choice haha

[5274646]

If a seller states that they offer combined shipping, I take that simply to mean that they offer a lower overall shipping price for a purchase of multiple items than if the items were purchased separately.

As a buyer, all these years...that's what I assumed too, until I came upon a seller from Japan.

His definition of "combined shipping" was like what @reallynicestamps supposed..."combined shipping is not discounted shipping".  His combined shipping was really...just...combining my purchases into one shipment...lol

I made three purchases from him (separate listings) and inquired about the combined shipping he offered.  It was until I received the revised invoice did I notice that combined shipping means just that...combining.

That was the only time though.  Other sellers from Japan that I've encountered, combined shipping the way we thought they would.  But as long as the item arrives to me safely..all is good.

[reallynicestamps]

It's definitely not the norm.

But if we look  in the dictionary....

[reallynicestamps]

What eBay calls a listing, most auctioneers would call a lot.

A lot can be one item or many items sold together.

For example, here is the catalogue for our B&M auction business in January

https://sparks-auctions.com/auction-26/catalogue/

Lot One is a single item.

Lot 1101 is  mixture of items (postage, autographs, first day covers from Canada, the USA and world wide).

But both are lots.

[5274646]

Ah, thank you...

Just like how some people call it BIN "auctions" and when I think of auctions...I think of the ones where there's a bidding war going on and whoever bid the highest wins lol

[komics4sale]

I think this discussion has now morphed into other areas not closely related to the original topic.

Hope some have benefited from all the experiences learned from all the veteran ebayers.

[marnotom!]

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wrote:

I can see from the replies that I've gotten that I've not expressed my thoughts in a manner that appropriately describes my pet peeve.

I am cognizant of most of the suggestions & reasons that have been relayed to me.

I'll try once more....

I feel its entirely OK for a seller to put whatever charge they feel is necessary for them to be able to sell on ebay.   Not only for postage, but for stationary, tape, ink, gas, car insurance,  time, & even their children's university education, & of course the side trip to Starbucks for a cup of java.

Also OK for them to say they charge an additional 50 cents per extra lot.   Even OK if they charge $100 per extra lot.    But as long as they actually state this, it does not fall into my pet peeve category.

What irks me is that the unadvertised charge assessed after the sale, even when the seller has been emailed beforehand if they accommodate combined shipping to which they say they do.

Even if it's 1 cent over their advertised rate.   Of course I'm being facetious here.

To be fair, I find most sellers do not do this extra charge after being asked if they offer Combined Shipping.....but enough do that causes me to have this "pet peeve".

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The reason I brought up the stuff about the nature of shipping charges was brought about by your note that it costs the same to mail a dozen stamps as it does one stamp, and the way you stated it made it sound as though you objected to fifty cent-per-item charges being added for multiple-item shipments that had the same mailing cost as a single item.  Even in the post I'm quoting, you're referring to an "extra charge" which suggests to me that you have a certain expectation for combined shipping charges, even if sellers don't state their rules on the listing page or don't state them to your satisfaction in emails.

Instead of emailing sellers and asking about their shipping rules, I'd suggest that you pose a question along the lines of, "I live in Dog River, Saskatchewan.  I see you charge x for shipping one stamp to my location, but you also offer combined shipping.  What would you charge for shipping [number of] stamps?"  This should generate a pretty cut-and-dried response.  If it doesn't, consider giving the seller a miss.

[komics4sale]

For the stamp sellers who don't have any mention of "combined shipping", I always send them a polite question with essentially the same wording as you've suggested".    However, about a third of the responses don't fully answer my question.   They merely say Yes!  I Offer Combined Shipping.   But they don't mention how they apply the combined shipping.

I know I should send another message for an elaboration, but I don't & just hope for the best.

For the stamp sellers who do advertise Combined Shipping in bold lettering in their listings...

I don't bother asking how they apply their rules & just "roll the dice".

Normally, I am buying a few stamps which I know will definitely not add to the postage costs.

This is the scenario that irritates me  as many times, this is where I experience the extra 50 cents added per extra lot.

I guess I can email my dissatisfaction to the seller, but then I would feel like a cheapskake, quibbling over a measly 50 cents or a dollar.

My pet peeve is from the fact that this extra 50 cents, a small sum for sure, sometimes causes my outlay for my purchase to increase to the point that I wished I had not made the purchase.

Not talking about $50 stamp purchases, but $1 to $3 stamp purchases.

Guess there is an ebay God, as many of my favorite repeat dealers often charge me less than their advertised shipping to which I am eternally grateful.