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 Replies: 23 / Views: 3,043 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4870 Posts |
I just e-mailed a seller who was selling Indian cents and had a flat rate shipping fee of $4.00 no matter how many coins. I don't think that fee is fair for those who may only buy 1 or 2 coins. Here is what I wrote: "I am wondering what all goes into the $4.00 shipping fee you charge? It's fine if you buy several coins but I don't think it's fair for those who just buy 1 or 2 coins. I ship coins for under a buck with good packaging. I need some of the Indian cent dates, but a little weary of the shipping costs. The reason I'm asking is because recently I got burned on shipping costs from another seller. I was charged $2.00 and the guy mails the coin in a letter envelope with a 37 cent stamp. So he pocketed $1.63 from me. Personally I don't feel that is a very ethical practice. Good day." I'm wondering what kind of response I'll get if any! http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...m=3977207652 |
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Forum Mom
 United States
5877 Posts |
This seller's shipping charges are the least of the problems. Take a look at his neg/neutral feedback: http://www.toolhaus.org/cgi-bin/neg...ived+byA 99% positive rating with the overall number of feedback received is incredibly low and is a huge red flag. The fact that his replies always tout his 5000+ positive feedback is a sign that this seller sees no problem with the auctions that he's running regardless of the feedback received. His customers are obviously just numbers and dollars to him. Regardless of past feedback received, a seller has a responsibility to handle each transaction separately. As an aside, $4 shipping is out of line. We charge $2 shipping no matter how many single coins purchased and don't lose money on shipping. I think this seller is trying to add his ebay fees into his shipping costs which is unethical and wrong. Please read my email. |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
4870 Posts |
I just got a response from the seller!
"Its shipping and handling and there is a whole paragraph in the auction about it under the heading please read before you buy.If you didnt read it and you dont want you coins beacause of it we will let you back out of the bid.
Andrew"
Now honestly, how can there be a handling fee that high just for one coin?
David
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2724 Posts |
There really is NO reason for high shipping on the majority of single coins. A padded envelope can be purchased in bulk for around a quarter. Shipping with confirmation of delivery runs about a dollar to a dollar and a half. Two dollars is more than fair for this service. Anything above two dollars should include insurance. That is $1.30, so if anyone is offer shipping for $4 it should include all of the above. From what I understand, many sellers offer higher shipping to save money on the ebay fees. They expect lower price and make up for it on the shipping. |
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Forum Dad
United States
24167 Posts |
quote:
A padded envelope can be purchased in bulk for around a quarter. Shipping with confirmation of delivery runs about a dollar to a dollar and a half. Two dollars is more than fair for this service. Anything above two dollars should include insurance.
We charge $2.00. We buy #000 bubble mailers for 11.9 cents a piece delivered. Shipping a single coin with DC is 73 cents. Total shipping costs for a single coin is 84.9 cents. Now we pay $15.95/month for an electronic postage service so that we can print out postage on our pc. The extra $1.15 goes towards that and labor. Our time is not free. Very reasonable and we get no complaints. A lot of ebay buyers expect shipping to be "actual cost". They don't think of ebay sellers being a "business". The same people that complain that an ebay seller charges $3.00 to ship a coin will think nothing of paying Columbia House $6.95 to ship a CD that costs 96 cents to ship. Becase in their minds, Columbia House is a "real" business and we're not. Maybe they'd volunteer to do our taxes this year? |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4870 Posts |
There is some super heated discussions over at the ebay forums. Very rough waters over there. $2.00 shipping is VERY reasonable. Too bad ebay couldn't impose some sort of regulation or fees for sellers who charge way too much for a single low cost coin. I don't think its ethical for sellers to overcharge shipping so they can avoid the final ending fees. |
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Forum Mom
United States
5877 Posts |
ebay will never be able to regulate shipping as it should be because it's not just coins - it's many other items. They would have to understand the weights and methods of shipment for all items to be able to have a true grasp of what "reasonable" is. Even at $10-$20 shipping charged for a single coin, they don't act. You'd think some of them would have enough common sense to see how out of line this amount is, but it's not going to happen.
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Rest in Peace
United States
2884 Posts |
I saw a post on the ebay squak forum that said sellers sre offering 2-3% discounts for not using paypal. There is also a big hue and cry about the increased seller fee's that obviously get passed on to buyers. I'm seeing a movement to the live auctions by sellers because of cost advantages to selling there. The buyers fee's on these auctions are 5% higher with an absentee bid vs a floor bid! That's a shame. I have been doing some bidding there and thus far have won three coins at what I feel were very fair prices, even with all the fee's and such. Shipping seems to be about $4.00 and up on most items for USPS First Class registered mail. Mike Edited by Mike
05/29/2005 8:07 pm
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Pillar of the Community
Belgium
2078 Posts |
Here in Europe using paypal often is announced as 3 to 5 % extra cost or you do not bid if you do not agree Since ebay offers a discount if you tout paypal you can see things like this bidder prefers paypal and in the same message how much extra that will cost[:0] On postage we are very expensive actual cost insured for 200 euro is around 10 euro mailcost |
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Forum Mom
United States
5877 Posts |
On ebay-US, it's against ebay rules to charge a premium for using Paypal, that's why it is presented as a "discount" if you pay by another method. I am confused about the "buyer's premium" that you mention. Since I have never bought or sold anything through an ebay live auction, just the standard auctions, I have never had to deal with this. |
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Pillar of the Community
Belgium
2078 Posts |
I am talking about normal ebay auctions On ebay UK some will offer a discount for not using paypal On ebay Germany they will mostly say the cost for using paypal is 5% and you agree by bidding As I understand it you get a discount on your ebay fee if you offer paypal and you get a discount if you offer shipping discounts on multiple coin buys This guy in austria even included the link so you can calculate the extra cost for using paypal  https://www.paypal.com/at/cgi-bin/w...e&countries=So you see the cost is 3.4% plus 0.35 euro fix Edited by ageka
05/29/2005 2:43 pm
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Rest in Peace
United States
2884 Posts |
Susan, you have to pay a 20% buyers fee vs 15% if your a live floor bidder.A buyers premium is standard on all auctions that I have participated in. That was one of the original attractions to ebay. Prices are now inflated to match "hanmmer prices" from the standard auction results. Check out the live auction sites. It is clearly explained. Example, you bid $100.00, if you win you pay "$120.00" hammer price, plus shipping and in some cases, even though you say it's against the rules, a 2&1/2% penalty for using paypal or a credit card. I will post a listing that states these condition as soon as I dig up my records.Mike Edited by Mike
05/29/2005 3:35 pm
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Forum Mom
United States
5877 Posts |
Ageka, I know for a fact that, on ebay-US, there is no discount given to sellers for accepting Paypal or offering shipping discounts. International ebay sites allow sellers to add the selling and paypal fees into their price, while in the US, it's not permitted. I believe this is due to the federal law prohibiting charging additional fees for credit card acceptance that was put into place a while ago. Many sellers try to hide these fees in their shipping/handling amount, however. Mike, I thought your "buyers premium" reference was in conjunction with ebay, which is why I was confused. Many of the actual auction houses are raising the premium and I've seen it as high as 20%. There are probably some that are even higher. |
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Rest in Peace
United States
2884 Posts |
Susan and others , please see attachement. Note the infated fee's for bidding off ebay live! Check out the standard"actual cost" shipping fee's as well! Thanks, Mike Download Attachment:  ebay Stuff.doc 49.1Â KB Susan,I am talking about " ebay Live!" auctions hosted by various auction houses and now allowing bidders from ebay. I was pointing out that because you are not bidding "live" you pay an extra 5%!! Edited by Mike
05/29/2005 3:44 pm
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Forum Mom
United States
5877 Posts |
That's very interesting Mike. If you see any of these auctions in the future, I would strongly suggest contacting Visa, Mastercard, and American Express and notifying them of the "courtesy fee" and including a link to the auction page(s). Mastercard, especially, has been known to immediately close merchant accounts when this rule (merchants are not allowed to charge an additional fee for accepting cc payments) is violated. It is also illegal to force a minimum purchase for a cc payment and if the cc company is notified of a business doing this, they will investigate and often just close the merchant's account on the spot. The cc companies feel very strongly that buyers should not be penalized by using their services.
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Rest in Peace
United States
2884 Posts |
Susan, I am still searching for the auction house that clearly stated the penalty for using paypal! I found my snotty E-Mail response to them, but nothing in their text on the mail communication that states what they said. Many of the "Auction Houses" charge that fee! I'll take your advice and forward this info to all of the credit card companies they listed. Bt the way, some folks, including me, use my credit card on paypal, so in effect that get the 2 1/2% anyway unless I do a direct debit from my checking account. Mike
Edited by Mike
05/29/2005 8:09 pm
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Replies: 23 / Views: 3,043 |
Posted 05/29/2005 09:30 am
