Buying from e-bay

On Wed, 14 Jul 2004 22:16:31 GMT, Paul O. <[email protected]> wrote:
> Have bought several items on e-bay, some planes, stuff of interest to me
> such as Stanley folding rulers ect. What I finally noticed on some items is
> that the shipping costs that is listed in the description and charged to me,

That's the key right there, Paul. The seller is explicitly saying "It will
cost you (let's say 8 dollars) for the shipping of this item". Even if it
costs him 6 bucks, you already know what your total will be.

While this may be irksome, he is being up front with you, and you have
the exact number in front of you. When I sell stuff, I try to guess
at the shipping, sometimes I'm high, sometimes I'm low. It all evens
out when you consider I have to come up with the box, padding, drive it
to the UPS store, and so on.

> is often more than the postage on the package when I get it, and no mention
> of handling charges. To those of you who buy off of ebay, is this a fairly
> normal occurance with the sellers.

It's expected, actually. Tell the seller exactly how much the shipping
charge is, up front. That way, when you bid, you can decide if you want
to pay that extra 8 bucks for the item or not. Beats a surprise of "Hi,
you won the auction, I took it down to UPS and they want 37 bucks to ship
it".

> Maybe I should be e mailing for *exact*
> shipping charges and then check against postage on package when I get it?

The seller sets the terms; if you disagree, don't bid on the item.

Dave Hinz

On Thu, 15 Jul 2004 02:05:20 GMT, Tom Kohlman <[email protected]> wrote:
> You have "unlocked" the secret of EBay...get a great deal but then piss it
> away on the S&H...

For crying out loud, Tom, there's no "secret" when it's posted right
in the terms of sale. My hassle packaging the thing, buying the
supplies, and going out of my way to the shipping place isn't worth
a buck or two? Fine, don't bid; we'll both be happier.

> BTW, following the above rule, I haven't bought much on EBay lately. I
> think on a lot of deals there are obvious "shills" at work to drive the
> prices higher.

If you suspect a shill, you can (and damn well should!) report it to eBay's
SafeHarbor group, and they'll terminate the shill and their benefactor
with great speed.

On Fri, 16 Jul 2004 01:33:25 GMT, Tom Kohlman <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hi Dave
>
> Your first point about paying you or any other EBay seller for packaging and
> handling...doesn't Amazon or anybody else have to do that too? Or do they
> operate from the North Pole where elves have some spare time after the Xmas
> season?...I'll hold my ground on that one...

Do you know how amazon works? They don't stock _anything_, they don't
ship anything. Their supplier drop-ships the product to you, in an
amazon box, with amazon labels and paperwork. They also have this thing
called _scale_ where they do this for a living.

> Reporting "shills" on Ebay is the same as reporting Spam or better yet
> hitting that "button" for "walk/don't walk" on any street corner...goes
> nowhere.

Our experience differs. Maybe it's in your approach, or that you
haven't really tried it and would rather complain?

> Having been suckered on EBay too often for all the reasons I stated (put me
> in that slow learner category), I now check it rarely and when I do I end up
> buying elsewhere. No bargains there, all things considered.

Riiiiiiight. If you've been "suckered" about shipping costs, it's because
you haven't bothered to read the item's description and terms before
bidding. As others have said, if the shipping costs aren't listed,
ask. If they won't tell you, don't bid. If the shipping as listed is
higher than you want to pay, don't bid. Blaming a seller for something
when that information was right in front of you is, er, a bit backwards.

It's simple, really. If I list something with $8.00 for S&H, that's
because I'm guessing at my expenses and padding it a bit to cover
the hassle factor, and the inevitable low guesses. It's all right there,
listed up front, and anyone is welcome not to bid based on if they feel
it's worth it or not.

On Fri, 16 Jul 2004 09:51:36 -0700, Jack <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> > Reporting "shills" on Ebay is the same as reporting Spam or better yet
>> > hitting that "button" for "walk/don't walk" on any street corner...goes
>> > nowhere.
>>
>> Our experience differs. Maybe it's in your approach, or that you
>> haven't really tried it and would rather complain?
>
> I've reported half a dozen cases of shilling. It continues. No action on
> Ebay's part at all.

Our experience differs. When I report it, I give the item numbers,
seller IDs, bidder IDs, and so on related to it, doing their homework
for them so it's convenient to see the pattern immediately. Maybe
you have done it differently.

> Why should they care? Their fee is based on bid price.

Right, it's a big conspiracy, that's it.

On Fri, 16 Jul 2004 10:49:04 -0700, J <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> "Dave Hinz" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...

>> Our experience differs. When I report it, I give the item numbers,
>> seller IDs, bidder IDs, and so on related to it, doing their homework
>> for them so it's convenient to see the pattern immediately. Maybe
>> you have done it differently.
>
> Of course, how are you going to report it without the specifics?
> "uh, ebay, someone is using shills..."

Our experience differs.

>> > Why should they care? Their fee is based on bid price.
>>
>> Right, it's a big conspiracy, that's it.
>
> No, just a lack of concern.
> Simple as that.

Our experience, and impression, differs. But the nice thing is,
you're free to not use eBay, isn't that wonderful news?

Tom Veatch wrote:
>
> On Sat, 17 Jul 2004 02:34:11 GMT, "Tom Kohlman" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >Hi Trent...
> >
> >Be careful on using the "taxable" argument to justify buying On-line...you
> >may skip the "sales tax" charged by the seller, but then YOU are responsible
> >for paying a "use" tax (same thing other than it shifts from them to you).
> >More and more states are putting a line on their income tax returns for you
> >to "ante up". Lie to that one and everything else you lied on in your
> >return is vulnerable.
> >
> >We ain't in Kansas anymore Toto...
> >
>
> Speak for yourself on the Kansas part there, Tom.
>
> On the rest of it, you've got it right. Purchasing something out of state (or online) doesn't exempt the purchase from sales tax in
> your home locale. Recently, the Kansas legislature even went one step farther. Anything purchased in Kansas, by a Kansas resident,
> is supposed to be charged the sales tax rate effective in the buyer's home area. So, if you live in a city or county with a high
> local sales tax you can't avoid the tax by purchasing in some other political jurisdiction
>
> I think that turned into such an implementation and enforcement nightmare that it has been "temporarily" put on hold while the
> legislature/courts/etc. scratch their heads over what to do about it.
>
> Tom Veatch
> Wichita, KS USA
in my state they ask on your state income tax form of any purchases via
catalog, internet or from tv ads... they want you to list the cost and
then want a 8 percent tax on that.... state keeps 4 % adn the county get
4%............

B a r r y wrote:
>
> On Sun, 18 Jul 2004 21:40:00 GMT, "[email protected]"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >in my state they ask on your state income tax form of any purchases via
> >catalog, internet or from tv ads... they want you to list the cost and
> >then want a 8 percent tax on that.... state keeps 4 % adn the county get
> >4%............
>
> Does your state ask you to write a zero if you purchased nothing
> without the sales tax being collected, or do you simply leave the
> section blank?
>
> I always got a kick out of Connecticut's attention to detail around
> this issue. <G>
>
> Barry
dont remember, but its probably something that you have to check off??

"Jack" <[email protected]> writes:


>> > Reporting "shills" on Ebay is the same as reporting Spam or better yet
>> > hitting that "button" for "walk/don't walk" on any street corner...goes
>> > nowhere.
>>
>> Our experience differs. Maybe it's in your approach, or that you
>> haven't really tried it and would rather complain?

>I've reported half a dozen cases of shilling. It continues. No action on
>Ebay's part at all.

Do you really think Ebay has some magic bullet to stop all schills? ARe
the same exact Ebay users still schilling after your report?

>Why should they care? Their fee is based on bid price.

Ebay wants customers to come back again, and customers won't come back if
they fell Ebay isn't handling problems like shills that end up costing
customers more money.

Brian Elfert

As a seller, as well as buyer on EBAY for many years, I find that most
sellers are "reasonable" on their shipping charges. I charge a little
extra for the time, materials, gas to get to the post office etc. It
all adds up. But there is a happy medium for that service. If an item
costs $5.57 exact postage, I don't have a problem charging $6.50 or
so. I state in my ad ....Shipping AND Handling! Often the shipping is
estimated and I have lost money too, so a small cushion is not
unreasonable! Now on the other hand, some sellers charge $8.00 on a
$2.00 item and that seems like highway robbery to me. It is an
unscrupulous practice and the only way to fight it is not bid on those
seller's items. I also find that if you ask the seller , in advance,
if he will be willing to lower his shipping charges by switching to
media mail or surface instead of Priority etc. the chances are good
you can get a break. For those sellers not willing to bend when they
charge too much...............Simply don't buy!
All in all the more experience you have on Ebay the "Norm"
becomes clear. I find some really great sellers out there and I have
many happy buyers too! What goes around comes around!
Good Luck Bidding!,
MrMortise

"Paul O." <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Have bought several items on e-bay, some planes, stuff of interest to me
> such as Stanley folding rulers ect. What I finally noticed on some items is
> that the shipping costs that is listed in the description and charged to me,
> is often more than the postage on the package when I get it, and no mention
> of handling charges. To those of you who buy off of ebay, is this a fairly
> normal occurance with the sellers. Maybe I should be e mailing for *exact*
> shipping charges and then check against postage on package when I get it?
> Thanks.

I have sold some items on E Bay also. I don't list shipping charges
as they vary as to distance shipped. If bidder asks in advance and
sends Zip Code I can tell him/her the cost. It is not fair to put a
flat rate and have some one 300 miles away to pay same as one 2000
miles away. I pack so well that nothing has ever been damaged. I drive
10 miles into town to ship. For this I add $2. Had one person complain
because he bid $3 on a heavy item worth many times more, and
complained about $8 shipping. I have no control over UPS prices. I
told him if he would have bid $70 the shipping would have been the
same. I have 100 percent good reviews and most say "WOW what a packing
job" WW

"Paul O." <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Have bought several items on e-bay, some planes, stuff of interest to me
> such as Stanley folding rulers ect. What I finally noticed on some items is
> that the shipping costs that is listed in the description and charged to me,
> is often more than the postage on the package when I get it, and no mention
> of handling charges. To those of you who buy off of ebay, is this a fairly
> normal occurance with the sellers. Maybe I should be e mailing for *exact*
> shipping charges and then check against postage on package when I get it?
No, you can't and do not either.
I bought 3 diamod blade for $0.98 very good price, but paid $18 for
shipping where actual shipping on the package was like $3.50, so I can
say I got 3 Blade for $16.00. Look for the additional costs allways
before you bid.
Max

> Thanks.

"Paul O." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Have bought several items on e-bay, some planes, stuff of interest to me
> such as Stanley folding rulers ect. What I finally noticed on some items
is
> that the shipping costs that is listed in the description and charged to
me,
> is often more than the postage on the package when I get it, and no
mention
> of handling charges. To those of you who buy off of ebay, is this a fairly
> normal occurance with the sellers. Maybe I should be e mailing for *exact*
> shipping charges and then check against postage on package when I get it?
> Thanks.
>
> --
> Paul O.
> [email protected]

I'm not a "power seller" on eBay by any means, but I've sold quite a few
things on eBay. I quote a fixed shipping cost based on the most it would
cost to send it within the US plus a dollar or two. On a recent clearout of
porcelain angels that the missus collected, we had so many to sell that I
had to purchase boxes and you know what, the place you buy them from doesn't
just give them away. They also don't give away bubble wrap and tape. And I
don't give my time away for free and hauling all that up to the post office
or FedEx or wherever takes time. Now, I don't go crazy with it like some
people do, but even for those people, at least they're up-front about what
the cost is. Deduct that from what you're willing to pay and you have your
maximum bid. The ones that I am wary of are the auctions that don't state a
shipping cost at all.

todd

> "Paul O." <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Have bought several items on e-bay, some planes, stuff of interest to me
> > such as Stanley folding rulers ect. What I finally noticed on some items
> is
> > that the shipping costs that is listed in the description and charged to
> me,
> > is often more than the postage on the package when I get it> >
> > --
> > Paul O.
> > [email protected]
>
>Thanks everyone, appreciate the info. I do figure the listed shipping as
part of the final price that I'm willing to pay. After reading your answers
I'm ok with a little extra the seller gets. Thanks.
--
Paul O.
[email protected]

You have "unlocked" the secret of EBay...get a great deal but then piss it
away on the S&H...I keep a few other on-line sources open (e.g. Amazon) when
bidding. If the price gets close to an outfit that ships for free, I quit
the auction. A few bucks extra from anybody that will ship promply and give
you some recourse in case the product is not quite as described is cheap
insurance.

BTW, following the above rule, I haven't bought much on EBay lately. I
think on a lot of deals there are obvious "shills" at work to drive the
prices higher. If not and the seller follows the EBay rules, a fact of life
is that a bid is only binding on the buyer and the seller can withdraw the
auction at any time he/she chooses if it doesn't look good. And last point
is that most of the time in the tool arena, other bidders don't follow the
above and will get crazy on what they will pay (been there, done that,
hanging head in shame).

"Dave Hinz" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Wed, 14 Jul 2004 22:16:31 GMT, Paul O. <[email protected]> wrote:
> > Have bought several items on e-bay, some planes, stuff of interest to me
> > such as Stanley folding rulers ect. What I finally noticed on some items
is
> > that the shipping costs that is listed in the description and charged to
me,
>
> That's the key right there, Paul. The seller is explicitly saying "It
will
> cost you (let's say 8 dollars) for the shipping of this item". Even if it
> costs him 6 bucks, you already know what your total will be.
>
> While this may be irksome, he is being up front with you, and you have
> the exact number in front of you. When I sell stuff, I try to guess
> at the shipping, sometimes I'm high, sometimes I'm low. It all evens
> out when you consider I have to come up with the box, padding, drive it
> to the UPS store, and so on.
>
> > is often more than the postage on the package when I get it, and no
mention
> > of handling charges. To those of you who buy off of ebay, is this a
fairly
> > normal occurance with the sellers.
>
> It's expected, actually. Tell the seller exactly how much the shipping
> charge is, up front. That way, when you bid, you can decide if you want
> to pay that extra 8 bucks for the item or not. Beats a surprise of "Hi,
> you won the auction, I took it down to UPS and they want 37 bucks to ship
> it".
>
> > Maybe I should be e mailing for *exact*
> > shipping charges and then check against postage on package when I get
it?
>
> The seller sets the terms; if you disagree, don't bid on the item.
>
> Dave Hinz
>
>

...S&H not always listed up front my friend...on bigger/heavier stuff the
S&H is calculated AFTER the auction has ended...guess that's where I've been
burned.

My mistake for lumping everybody into the same category, but then again on
the smaller light-weight stuff, I usually need it now and still haven't seen
any real bargains on EBay that come close to HD retail. I truly hate the
place with a passion but all things considered, you get to see what you are
buying and get to take it home with you.


"Dave Hinz" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Fri, 16 Jul 2004 01:33:25 GMT, Tom Kohlman
<[email protected]> wrote:
> > Hi Dave
> >
> > Your first point about paying you or any other EBay seller for packaging
and
> > handling...doesn't Amazon or anybody else have to do that too? Or do
they
> > operate from the North Pole where elves have some spare time after the
Xmas
> > season?...I'll hold my ground on that one...
>
> Do you know how amazon works? They don't stock _anything_, they don't
> ship anything. Their supplier drop-ships the product to you, in an
> amazon box, with amazon labels and paperwork. They also have this thing
> called _scale_ where they do this for a living.
>
> > Reporting "shills" on Ebay is the same as reporting Spam or better yet
> > hitting that "button" for "walk/don't walk" on any street corner...goes
> > nowhere.
>
> Our experience differs. Maybe it's in your approach, or that you
> haven't really tried it and would rather complain?
>
> > Having been suckered on EBay too often for all the reasons I stated (put
me
> > in that slow learner category), I now check it rarely and when I do I
end up
> > buying elsewhere. No bargains there, all things considered.
>
> Riiiiiiight. If you've been "suckered" about shipping costs, it's because
> you haven't bothered to read the item's description and terms before
> bidding. As others have said, if the shipping costs aren't listed,
> ask. If they won't tell you, don't bid. If the shipping as listed is
> higher than you want to pay, don't bid. Blaming a seller for something
> when that information was right in front of you is, er, a bit backwards.
>
> It's simple, really. If I list something with $8.00 for S&H, that's
> because I'm guessing at my expenses and padding it a bit to cover
> the hassle factor, and the inevitable low guesses. It's all right there,
> listed up front, and anyone is welcome not to bid based on if they feel
> it's worth it or not.
>
>

Hi Trent...

Be careful on using the "taxable" argument to justify buying On-line...you
may skip the "sales tax" charged by the seller, but then YOU are responsible
for paying a "use" tax (same thing other than it shifts from them to you).
More and more states are putting a line on their income tax returns for you
to "ante up". Lie to that one and everything else you lied on in your
return is vulnerable.

We ain't in Kansas anymore Toto...

"Trent©" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Wed, 14 Jul 2004 22:16:31 GMT, "Paul O." <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> >Have bought several items on e-bay, some planes, stuff of interest to me
> >such as Stanley folding rulers ect. What I finally noticed on some items
is
> >that the shipping costs that is listed in the description and charged to
me,
> >is often more than the postage on the package when I get it, and no
mention
> >of handling charges.
>
> There's ALWAYS handling charges...whether charged or not. How do you
> think the thing gets put into the shipping container?...and gets to
> the shipper?
>
> >To those of you who buy off of ebay, is this a fairly
> >normal occurance with the sellers. Maybe I should be e mailing for
*exact*
> >shipping charges and then check against postage on package when I get it?
> >Thanks.
>
> Yes...you should get the exact S&H charges...not just shipping
> charges...and add that to your bid. If the S&H seems too high to you,
> simply don't bid.
>
> I generally charge at least $5-$10 extra for handling...often more.
> This is to cover the cost of the container, tape, wear and tear on my
> car or truck, insurance...ANYTHING associated with getting the package
> to the purchaser.
>
> Watch QVC some night...pay attention to the shipping charge in
> relation to the price of the item.
>
> Also, don't forget that the sale might also be taxable in some cases.
> That fact is usually stated as a separate item.
>
>
> Have a nice week...
>
> Trent©
>
> What do you call a smart blonde?
> A golden retriever.

Hello there,

I have sold a number of router bit sets on Ebay and I charge a flat rate of
$10 shipping. The average ticket price is about $150. Actual shipping can be
anywhere between $8 to the most I ever paid of $15. The guy who paid $8, I
didn't send him his $2 back, and the $15 guy I didn't invoice the $5
difference.

They are estimates. If you feel the shipping rates are too high, don't bid.

David.

Hi Dave

Your first point about paying you or any other EBay seller for packaging and
handling...doesn't Amazon or anybody else have to do that too? Or do they
operate from the North Pole where elves have some spare time after the Xmas
season?...I'll hold my ground on that one...

Reporting "shills" on Ebay is the same as reporting Spam or better yet
hitting that "button" for "walk/don't walk" on any street corner...goes
nowhere.

Having been suckered on EBay too often for all the reasons I stated (put me
in that slow learner category), I now check it rarely and when I do I end up
buying elsewhere. No bargains there, all things considered.



considering that apples to apples any higher than anybody else
"Dave Hinz" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Thu, 15 Jul 2004 02:05:20 GMT, Tom Kohlman
<[email protected]> wrote:
> > You have "unlocked" the secret of EBay...get a great deal but then piss
it
> > away on the S&H...
>
> For crying out loud, Tom, there's no "secret" when it's posted right
> in the terms of sale. My hassle packaging the thing, buying the
> supplies, and going out of my way to the shipping place isn't worth
> a buck or two? Fine, don't bid; we'll both be happier.
>
> > BTW, following the above rule, I haven't bought much on EBay lately. I
> > think on a lot of deals there are obvious "shills" at work to drive the
> > prices higher.
>
> If you suspect a shill, you can (and damn well should!) report it to
eBay's
> SafeHarbor group, and they'll terminate the shill and their benefactor
> with great speed.
>

J. Clarke wrote:

> Larry Jaques wrote:
>
>>On Thu, 15 Jul 2004 01:08:41 -0500, Elwood Dowd <[email protected]> calmly
>>ranted:
>>
>>>Most ebay sellers are us. Normal people with jobs who prefer dealing
>>>online than hanging out a shingle and having a yard sale. They neither
>>>know nor care what the actual shipping charge will be by the time they
>>>pack the thing and take it down to the post office or UPS.
>>
>>If you cared about your business or your customers, you'd invest
>>in a new/used scale and KNOW how much it costs to ship things
>>before they're sold.
>
>
> Read what he said. A person having a yard sale is not interested in running
> a business, he's interested in getting rid of some stuff that he doesn't
> need and prefers selling it to someone else over tossing it in the trash.

Bingo

> maximum bid. The ones that I am wary of are the auctions that don't state
a
> shipping cost at all.
>
I saw one that said he would determine the shipping cost after the auction;
and ignored my emails.
I chose not to bid.

Most ebay sellers are us. Normal people with jobs who prefer dealing
online than hanging out a shingle and having a yard sale. They neither
know nor care what the actual shipping charge will be by the time they
pack the thing and take it down to the post office or UPS.

I have sold... let's see... 36 items on ebay in the past 5 years, and
have probably made out even with shipping, or maybe lost a bit. Even
when I weigh whatever it is and look it up, the actual cost comes out
different.

It is true, some sellers quote a little high to make up the difference
and call it a handling charge. Some actually work a handling charge
into their calculations. Some lie about it outright. The bottom line
is, if there is a shipping charge quoted on the item, believe it, no
matter what the stamp says when you get it. If not, you're probably
being charged something close to actual costs.

Yes, there are probably some ebay sellers who need to make an extra few
bucks by over-charging on shipping, but they are in the minority. My
advice would be, unless you are talking about a large amount here, let
it go, or buy from another seller. There are better ways to save a buck
or two.


Paul O. wrote:

> Have bought several items on e-bay, some planes, stuff of interest to me
> such as Stanley folding rulers ect. What I finally noticed on some items is
> that the shipping costs that is listed in the description and charged to me,
> is often more than the postage on the package when I get it, and no mention
> of handling charges. To those of you who buy off of ebay, is this a fairly
> normal occurance with the sellers. Maybe I should be e mailing for *exact*
> shipping charges and then check against postage on package when I get it?
> Thanks.
>

"Paul O." <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Have bought several items on e-bay, some planes, stuff of interest to me
> such as Stanley folding rulers ect. What I finally noticed on some items is
> that the shipping costs that is listed in the description and charged to me,
> is often more than the postage on the package when I get it, and no mention
> of handling charges. To those of you who buy off of ebay, is this a fairly
> normal occurance with the sellers. Maybe I should be e mailing for *exact*
> shipping charges and then check against postage on package when I get it?
> Thanks.

The better sellers quote shipping charges in the listing. If they
don't I ask what shipping will be. If I don't get a reasonable
figure, or I get BS, I won't bid. I've found that patience is
rewarded, and biding my time will allow me to find what I want at a
price and terms I'm willing to pay. Excessive postage always gets
noted in my feedback, which may not be negative. If I do get burned I
will leave negative feedback, and that seller has lost me as a buyer
for ever. I won't tolerate anonymous abuse and come back for seconds.
Good luck, bid smart, have fun.

Dan

"Paul O." <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> ... What I finally noticed on some items is
> that the shipping costs that is listed in the description and charged to me,
> is often more than the postage on the package when I get it, and no mention
> of handling charges. To those of you who buy off of ebay, is this a fairly
> normal occurance with the sellers.

Some sellers do try to get a little extra gravy by inflating their
shipping costs, but ebay does frown upon that.

As somebody who's sold a lot of stuff via ebay, I can say that the
real shipping costs usually end up being more than I feel they should.
If I were shipping a plane, say, I'd take it down to the UPS store and
say "ship this to so-and-so...". They'd get out a box for it (there's
about $2-$3) and then maybe wrap it in bubble-wrap (another few bucks)
and then top the box off with foam peanuts (which sometimes seem to
cost about a buck per peanut). I'd expect to have to fork over about
$20 to pack/ship a simple plane to someone. And keep in mind that
about $12-$14 of that goes toward the actual shipping.

- Joe

"Paul O." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Have bought several items on e-bay, some planes, stuff of interest to me
> such as Stanley folding rulers ect. What I finally noticed on some items
is
> that the shipping costs that is listed in the description and charged to
me,
> is often more than the postage on the package when I get it, and no
mention
> of handling charges. To those of you who buy off of ebay, is this a fairly
> normal occurance with the sellers. Maybe I should be e mailing for *exact*
> shipping charges and then check against postage on package when I get it?
> Thanks.
>
> --
> Paul O.
> [email protected]

Check with the seller about shipping before you buy. If they aren't willing
to disclose shipping and handling terms in advance, don't buy.
If the shipping is only off a quarter or so I wouldn't worry about it but if
they are adding an undisclosed handling charge then forget about them.

-Jack

Larry Jaques wrote:

> On Thu, 15 Jul 2004 01:08:41 -0500, Elwood Dowd <[email protected]> calmly
> ranted:
>
>>Most ebay sellers are us. Normal people with jobs who prefer dealing
>>online than hanging out a shingle and having a yard sale. They neither
>>know nor care what the actual shipping charge will be by the time they
>>pack the thing and take it down to the post office or UPS.
>
> If you cared about your business or your customers, you'd invest
> in a new/used scale and KNOW how much it costs to ship things
> before they're sold.

Read what he said. A person having a yard sale is not interested in running
a business, he's interested in getting rid of some stuff that he doesn't
need and prefers selling it to someone else over tossing it in the trash.

Even if you have the most sophisticated scale in the world, you don't know
what the shipping will be until you know the destination.

> I'm now using Stamps.com and they gave me a
> free 5 lb digital scale. I can re-zero it to weigh a lot more.
> It helps me to set my pricing beforehand. The USPS gives you
> downloadable charts and software to check pricing from zip to zip,
> so what's the deal? You'd probably sell more if customers knew
> exactly what they would be charged ahead of time.

Most ebay sellers do say exactly what will be charged ahead of time. But
it's usually more than the postage.

> I won't buy an
> item without knowing the actual shipping cost.

The actual cost or the actual amount that you will be charged for shipping?

> I had someone like
> you, who didn't quote a price, go down to a shipping place and
> had them put it in a box and ship it. A 3-pound item cost me nearly
> $17 in shipping & handling through them while I could have shipped
> it for $5. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
>
>
> ---
> Annoy a politician: Be trustworthy, faithful, and honest!
> ---
> http://www.diversify.com Comprehensive Website Development

--
--John
Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

> > Reporting "shills" on Ebay is the same as reporting Spam or better yet
> > hitting that "button" for "walk/don't walk" on any street corner...goes
> > nowhere.
>
> Our experience differs. Maybe it's in your approach, or that you
> haven't really tried it and would rather complain?

I've reported half a dozen cases of shilling. It continues. No action on
Ebay's part at all.
Why should they care? Their fee is based on bid price.

-Jack

"Dave Hinz" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Fri, 16 Jul 2004 09:51:36 -0700, Jack <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >> > Reporting "shills" on Ebay is the same as reporting Spam or better
yet
> >> > hitting that "button" for "walk/don't walk" on any street
corner...goes
> >> > nowhere.
> >>
> >> Our experience differs. Maybe it's in your approach, or that you
> >> haven't really tried it and would rather complain?
> >
> > I've reported half a dozen cases of shilling. It continues. No action on
> > Ebay's part at all.
>
> Our experience differs. When I report it, I give the item numbers,
> seller IDs, bidder IDs, and so on related to it, doing their homework
> for them so it's convenient to see the pattern immediately. Maybe
> you have done it differently.

Of course, how are you going to report it without the specifics?
"uh, ebay, someone is using shills..."

> > Why should they care? Their fee is based on bid price.
>
> Right, it's a big conspiracy, that's it.

No, just a lack of concern.
Simple as that.

-Jack

Trent© wrote:

> On Sat, 17 Jul 2004 02:34:11 GMT, "Tom Kohlman"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>Hi Trent...
>>
>>Be careful on using the "taxable" argument to justify buying On-line...you
>>may skip the "sales tax" charged by the seller,
>
> How can you skip sales tax charged by the seller? If he charges you,
> you must pay his bill...or he won't ship the item.
>
>>but then YOU are responsible
>>for paying a "use" tax (same thing other than it shifts from them to you).
>
> That's not always true...especially on interstate sales.
>
> For instance, if I'm in business in Kansas...and I sell to someone who
> lives in Kansas...as the vendor, I'm responsible for the sales tax.
> Its always assumed that the sales tax is included in the selling
> price...if its not itemized that way.
>
> When the state does an audit...if they catch it...they will list it as
> sales tax due...from the seller. Its always assumed that the
> purchaser has paid the sales tax.
>
> This becomes very important with cash sales...where the state has no
> way to collect the money from the purchaser.
>
>>More and more states are putting a line on their income tax returns for
>>you
>>to "ante up". Lie to that one and everything else you lied on in your
>>return is vulnerable.
>
> Yeah...I've heard that! I'll hafta look into it someday. lol
>
>
> Have a nice week...

Trent, believe whatever you want to, the fact is that nearly all states have
a "use tax" that is equal to the sales tax and that you are required by law
to pay on purchases made from out of state sources. Since there is no
obligation for out of state sources to report such sales, the state
generally has difficulty enforcing such a provision. But every once in a
while such a vendor gets audited, and the out of state sales get reported
to the appropriate taxing authorities. There was a place up in
Springfield, MA, that got audited that way a while back--I was one of the
out of state customers who got a bill from my state for use tax.

The real question is how much risk you are willing to tolerate.
>
> Trent©
>
> What do you call a smart blonde?
> A golden retriever.

--
--John
Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

"Paul O." <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Have bought several items on e-bay, some planes, stuff of interest to me
> such as Stanley folding rulers ect. What I finally noticed on some items is
> that the shipping costs that is listed in the description and charged to me,
> is often more than the postage on the package when I get it, and no mention
> of handling charges. To those of you who buy off of ebay, is this a fairly
> normal occurance with the sellers. Maybe I should be e mailing for *exact*
> shipping charges and then check against postage on package when I get it?
> Thanks.
I have purchased many items on E-bay also and I agree with other
responses the shipping prices stated includes a profit or handling
charge as more commonly called. If the S & H charge is not stated ask
the seller before bidding. Sometimes I notice that the price is almost
at cost and seller makes up part of the profit with S & H. As always
"Caveat Emptor".

The price listed for postage is what you will pay for postage; regardless of
what it actually costs.

Don't email for an exact price; you will just get a reply saying the above.

If you think it is too high, don't bid.

On Fri, 16 Jul 2004 23:05:44 -0400, Trent© <[email protected]>
wrote:

>On Sat, 17 Jul 2004 02:34:11 GMT, "Tom Kohlman"
><[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>Hi Trent...
>>
>>Be careful on using the "taxable" argument to justify buying On-line...you
>>may skip the "sales tax" charged by the seller,
>
>How can you skip sales tax charged by the seller? If he charges you,
>you must pay his bill...or he won't ship the item.
>
>>but then YOU are responsible
>>for paying a "use" tax (same thing other than it shifts from them to you).
>
>That's not always true...especially on interstate sales.

It certainly is in CT. They go as far as making you enter a "0" on a
line on your 1040-CT, if you claim no out of state purchases. Leaving
the line blank gets your return rejected, entering a "0" and getting
caught adds intent to the filer's tax fraud charges, erasing claims of
forgetting.

If the seller is out of state and dosen't collect the tax, the
resident is required to submit it.

I'm sure this goes state by state.

Barry

On Sat, 17 Jul 2004 02:26:43 GMT, "Tom Kohlman"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>...S&H not always listed up front my friend...on bigger/heavier stuff the
>S&H is calculated AFTER the auction has ended...guess that's where I've been
>burned.

How hard is it to ask for an estimate during the auction?

Example:

Dear seller,
How much to ship the fruraffer to 06016?

Thanks,
Potential Bidder

No satisfactory answer = no bid

Barry

On Sat, 17 Jul 2004 02:34:11 GMT, "Tom Kohlman" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Hi Trent...
>
>Be careful on using the "taxable" argument to justify buying On-line...you
>may skip the "sales tax" charged by the seller, but then YOU are responsible
>for paying a "use" tax (same thing other than it shifts from them to you).
>More and more states are putting a line on their income tax returns for you
>to "ante up". Lie to that one and everything else you lied on in your
>return is vulnerable.
>
>We ain't in Kansas anymore Toto...
>

Speak for yourself on the Kansas part there, Tom.

On the rest of it, you've got it right. Purchasing something out of state (or online) doesn't exempt the purchase from sales tax in
your home locale. Recently, the Kansas legislature even went one step farther. Anything purchased in Kansas, by a Kansas resident,
is supposed to be charged the sales tax rate effective in the buyer's home area. So, if you live in a city or county with a high
local sales tax you can't avoid the tax by purchasing in some other political jurisdiction

I think that turned into such an implementation and enforcement nightmare that it has been "temporarily" put on hold while the
legislature/courts/etc. scratch their heads over what to do about it.

Tom Veatch
Wichita, KS USA

On Wed, 14 Jul 2004 22:59:23 GMT, "toller" <[email protected]> wrote:

>The price listed for postage is what you will pay for postage; regardless of
>what it actually costs.
>
>Don't email for an exact price; you will just get a reply saying the above.
>
>If you think it is too high, don't bid.
>

OP: This is my experience, too. I have often bid on "commodity" items at
eBay that many people are selling and the "shipping" charges vary greatly.
I know how much UPS and USPS charge, since I sell stuff on-line, and it is
clear that "handling" is in there whether or not it is explicitly stated.
In fact, as some here may know, if you use Fedex or UPS they offer a
service that automatically inflates the price. So, the seller can have a
zip look-up thingie on their website for UPS/Fedex and while the result
looks like the "official" charges, there is a hidden add-on as requested by
the shipper/retailer.

Basically, Shipping is a profit item for sellers at e-Bay just as it is for
all webstores. Just like auction houses add as much as 15% to whatever is
bid, paid by the buyer. Psychology of marketing.

There is a site called nextag.com that helps you find total cost for buying
certain items from webstores - including S&H. While their data is not
always accurate, they have helped me find good deals based on the price *as
delivered*. Example: I just shopped for a new computer hard drive and the
S&H charges from different stores varied for $14.95 - zero. -- Igor

ive seen some that say you will be charged the shipping price actually on
the package when it is sent, ask for a flat fee to cover worst case, then
return the unneeded postage with the item. if a seller has good feedback i
wouldnt have any problem with this.

randy

> >
> I saw one that said he would determine the shipping cost after the
auction;
> and ignored my emails.
> I chose not to bid.
>
>

On Wed, 14 Jul 2004 22:16:31 GMT, "Paul O." <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Have bought several items on e-bay, some planes, stuff of interest to me
>such as Stanley folding rulers ect. What I finally noticed on some items is
>that the shipping costs that is listed in the description and charged to me,
>is often more than the postage on the package when I get it, and no mention
>of handling charges.

There's ALWAYS handling charges...whether charged or not. How do you
think the thing gets put into the shipping container?...and gets to
the shipper?

>To those of you who buy off of ebay, is this a fairly
>normal occurance with the sellers. Maybe I should be e mailing for *exact*
>shipping charges and then check against postage on package when I get it?
>Thanks.

Yes...you should get the exact S&H charges...not just shipping
charges...and add that to your bid. If the S&H seems too high to you,
simply don't bid.

I generally charge at least $5-$10 extra for handling...often more.
This is to cover the cost of the container, tape, wear and tear on my
car or truck, insurance...ANYTHING associated with getting the package
to the purchaser.

Watch QVC some night...pay attention to the shipping charge in
relation to the price of the item.

Also, don't forget that the sale might also be taxable in some cases.
That fact is usually stated as a separate item.


Have a nice week...

Trent©

What do you call a smart blonde?
A golden retriever.

On Sat, 17 Jul 2004 02:34:11 GMT, "Tom Kohlman"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Hi Trent...
>
>Be careful on using the "taxable" argument to justify buying On-line...you
>may skip the "sales tax" charged by the seller,

How can you skip sales tax charged by the seller? If he charges you,
you must pay his bill...or he won't ship the item.

>but then YOU are responsible
>for paying a "use" tax (same thing other than it shifts from them to you).

That's not always true...especially on interstate sales.

For instance, if I'm in business in Kansas...and I sell to someone who
lives in Kansas...as the vendor, I'm responsible for the sales tax.
Its always assumed that the sales tax is included in the selling
price...if its not itemized that way.

When the state does an audit...if they catch it...they will list it as
sales tax due...from the seller. Its always assumed that the
purchaser has paid the sales tax.

This becomes very important with cash sales...where the state has no
way to collect the money from the purchaser.

>More and more states are putting a line on their income tax returns for you
>to "ante up". Lie to that one and everything else you lied on in your
>return is vulnerable.

Yeah...I've heard that! I'll hafta look into it someday. lol


Have a nice week...

Trent©

What do you call a smart blonde?
A golden retriever.

On Thu, 15 Jul 2004 01:08:41 -0500, Elwood Dowd <[email protected]> calmly
ranted:

>Most ebay sellers are us. Normal people with jobs who prefer dealing
>online than hanging out a shingle and having a yard sale. They neither
>know nor care what the actual shipping charge will be by the time they
>pack the thing and take it down to the post office or UPS.

If you cared about your business or your customers, you'd invest
in a new/used scale and KNOW how much it costs to ship things
before they're sold. I'm now using Stamps.com and they gave me a
free 5 lb digital scale. I can re-zero it to weigh a lot more.
It helps me to set my pricing beforehand. The USPS gives you
downloadable charts and software to check pricing from zip to zip,
so what's the deal? You'd probably sell more if customers knew
exactly what they would be charged ahead of time. I won't buy an
item without knowing the actual shipping cost. I had someone like
you, who didn't quote a price, go down to a shipping place and
had them put it in a box and ship it. A 3-pound item cost me nearly
$17 in shipping & handling through them while I could have shipped
it for $5. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!


---
Annoy a politician: Be trustworthy, faithful, and honest!
---
http://www.diversify.com Comprehensive Website Development

On Sat, 17 Jul 2004 11:11:07 GMT, B a r r y
<[email protected]> wrote:

>On Fri, 16 Jul 2004 23:05:44 -0400, Trent© <[email protected]>
>wrote:
>
>>On Sat, 17 Jul 2004 02:34:11 GMT, "Tom Kohlman"
>><[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>>Hi Trent...
>>>
>>>Be careful on using the "taxable" argument to justify buying On-line...you
>>>may skip the "sales tax" charged by the seller,
>>
>>How can you skip sales tax charged by the seller? If he charges you,
>>you must pay his bill...or he won't ship the item.
>>
>>>but then YOU are responsible
>>>for paying a "use" tax (same thing other than it shifts from them to you).
>>
>>That's not always true...especially on interstate sales.
>
>It certainly is in CT. They go as far as making you enter a "0" on a
>line on your 1040-CT, if you claim no out of state purchases. Leaving
>the line blank gets your return rejected, entering a "0" and getting
>caught adds intent to the filer's tax fraud charges, erasing claims of
>forgetting.
>
>If the seller is out of state and dosen't collect the tax, the
>resident is required to submit it.

I meant to say 'intrastate sales', Barry...sorry.

But my example was correct...seller and buyer in Kansas.


Have a nice week...

Trent©

What do you call a smart blonde?
A golden retriever.

On Sun, 18 Jul 2004 21:40:00 GMT, "[email protected]"
<[email protected]> wrote:


>in my state they ask on your state income tax form of any purchases via
>catalog, internet or from tv ads... they want you to list the cost and
>then want a 8 percent tax on that.... state keeps 4 % adn the county get
>4%............

Does your state ask you to write a zero if you purchased nothing
without the sales tax being collected, or do you simply leave the
section blank?

I always got a kick out of Connecticut's attention to detail around
this issue. <G>

Barry

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] (Warren) wrote:
> I have sold some items on E Bay also. I don't list shipping charges
>as they vary as to distance shipped.

Which is why eBay provides a "Shipping Calculator" which you can add to your
listings (look for that the next time you sell something). You put in what
method(s) you will ship by, and the amount of any handling fees that you
charge. The shipping calculator appears as part of your listing, and potential
bidders can get an accurate quote for shipping without having to email you.

Here's an example. Scroll down toward the bottom of the listing, and you'll
see the calculator.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=4305254129

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

Get a copy of my NEW AND IMPROVED TrollFilter for NewsProxy/Nfilter
by sending email to autoresponder at filterinfo-at-milmac-dot-com
You must use your REAL email address to get a response.

"mrmortise" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> As a seller, as well as buyer on EBAY for many years, I find that most
> sellers are "reasonable" on their shipping charges. I charge a little
> extra for the time, materials, gas to get to the post office etc. It
> all adds up. But there is a happy medium for that service. If an item
> costs $5.57 exact postage, I don't have a problem charging $6.50 or
> so. I state in my ad ....Shipping AND Handling! Often the shipping is
> estimated and I have lost money too, so a small cushion is not
> unreasonable! Now on the other hand, some sellers charge $8.00 on a
> $2.00 item and that seems like highway robbery to me. It is an
> unscrupulous practice and the only way to fight it is not bid on those
> seller's items. I also find that if you ask the seller , in advance,
> if he will be willing to lower his shipping charges by switching to
> media mail or surface instead of Priority etc. the chances are good
> you can get a break. For those sellers not willing to bend when they
> charge too much...............Simply don't buy!
> All in all the more experience you have on Ebay the "Norm"
> becomes clear. I find some really great sellers out there and I have
> many happy buyers too! What goes around comes around!
> Good Luck Bidding!,
> MrMortise

all of this can be avoided by simply lowering your bid price by the amount
you think the seller is overcharging for shipping. if this brings your bid
below the current minimum bid, dont bid.

randy

Paul O. wrote:
> Have bought several items on e-bay, some planes, stuff of interest to
> me such as Stanley folding rulers ect. What I finally noticed on some
> items is that the shipping costs that is listed in the description
> and charged to me, is often more than the postage on the package when
> I get it, and no mention of handling charges. To those of you who buy
> off of ebay, is this a fairly normal occurance with the sellers.
> Maybe I should be e mailing for *exact* shipping charges and then
> check against postage on package when I get it? Thanks.

When you bid, you agree to the terms as listed. If those terms include a
fixed amount for shipping, then you need to factor that into the total cost
of the item.