eBay postage rates

[sixmo]

Hola Amigos,

Just got a pc item in the post, it looks okay, but the postage marked on the package is significantly different from what was advertised/charged on eBay.

The package says $1.70, I paid ?15.00...

Whaddya reckon? Anyone any advice on this type of thing?

[Rob Spalding]

Most people add a bit extra onto postage, I do to cover what PayPal take off.  

Did it come from overseas?  It tends to cost about ?2 just to send stuff in the UK recorded, so $1.70 sounds low.
But that's a hell of a difference if true.

[Dai]

Some people charge a higher postage cost to offset the packaging and handling that they do.

Others charge more to make more money.

[DavidXBrunt]

I've encountered similar and got refunds. In one case I contacted the seller who said he'd estimated the cost and been surprised how little it'd actually cost him to post the item (erm...it was a prop from a Stallone movie). He agreed to send me a cheque for the ?6 difference. If it's less than the effort of going into Leigh and putting the cheque in the bank I tend to let it drop.

Be polite, be clear about what you want, don't get worked up.

[Buddy]

Postage rates (for me anyways) also include packaging.

I include the cost of the box/tube/padded envelope whatever in the postage rate and never over charge for any reason (even paypal charges, if you are paid by cheque/cash do you refund the paypal charge you didn't have to pay?).

Some people also charge high postage rates to get 'round ebay listing charges.

If an item was listed for say ?20 the listing fee is something like 80p (or whatever, I'm just giving an example). So it is listed for 99p (with a low listing fee) and the postage rate is bumped up (say to ?19) to cover the cost of the item.

It's happening more and more with high end goods, personally I think it's a good idea. You still end up paying the same price but ebay makes less from the sale. No doubt they'll change the rules soon to avoid this loss.

Did you know the postage rate when you bought the item, if so you can't really complain as you bought it for a price you were prepared to pay.

What did you buy?

[DavidXBrunt]

But whilst I've known what the price was when I recieved the items it's pretty obvious that there was a deficit in their favour. The Nightstick, for instance, was in an envelope with a 50p sticker on it and stanos for ?2. I was charged a tenner.

[ukdane]

stanos, It's such a better word for stamps than "STAMPS" is, typo or not.
Thanks David for creating a new word that I intend to use.

[House of Usher]

When I bid for anything I factor the asked for postage into the amount I'm prepared to pay for something. So, if I'm prepared to pay ?10 for an item, and the seller is charging ?4.00 p&p for something I reckon only costs ?1.75 to post, I will still be prepared to bid round about ?6.00 for it, so the total may come to ?10 but no more.

If someone else wants to outbid me and pay ?14.00 inc. p&p for the same item, in effect paying ?4.00 more than I think the item is worth, I figure that's pretty much up to them.

[Bart Oliver]

Wot HofU said..

[I, Cosh]

I agree, just look at it as part of the overall price when you're deciding what to bid. I had guessed it might be to do with what e-bay charge commission on, so nice to know that.

If the actual postage is, say, ?1.50 then I don't have a problem with paying (and would charge) an extra quid or so for the envelope/wrap/etc. However, some people really do kick the arse out of it: I recently won three items from the same seller who refused to combine postage (fair enough, he only charged me what he quoted) then sent all three in the same envelope at a total cost of just over one-third.

[hag]

i've stuck money in with item before, when i've felt bad about over charging on postage.

then i found the royal mail website has a chart of costs/weight, and a set of kitchen scales works well.

[House of Usher]

I recently won three items from the same seller who refused to combine postage

That's the seller giving in to his/her worst, most selfish impulses. Combining postage costs for items sent in the same package is just good manners.

[sixmo]

I got an Athlon 64 3000+ CPU for a total of about 120Euros (?83 - I think), when it would have cost me 160 Euros(?105)in the shops here.

Looking back on it, the listing did say that there was ?5 postal insurance, and that the international postage rate was a flat ?10 for international posting (it was going from the US to Ireland). So I was prepared to pay the money and make a really good saving on the item.

However, I was hoping for more than a thin padded envelope to transport the CPU though!

[House of Usher]

The packaging often leaves a lot to be desired. A door lock I received in the post recently was in an envelope wrappred in a sheet of bubble wrap. Being as heavy as it was, it took a dent on the way here. Another lock that was in a small box of corrugated card made it undamaged.

A mint condition Lobo Paramilitary Christmas Special got sent in a bigger than A4 envelope. Needless to say, it wasn't in mint condition when it arrived. The indignant seller refunded.

A resin wall ornament got sent wrapped in a single sheet of newspaper in a padded envelope, so rather than cushioned against impact, it was braced. It broke in two places, and the seller couldn't argue it wasn't her fault. Refund there.

A plastic Warhammer vehicle was taller (with aerial and turret-mounted weapons) than the cardboard box it got sent in. Sure enough, it sustained some damage, as did several other lots I've bought on ebay that were sent either rattling around in the packaging or touching the sides so that any impact was transferred directly from the packaging to the item inside.

Twats.