Shipping Profiteers, I Hate Them

[sckao]

 

The exact cost of shipping is not the same thing as charging for shipping and handling. It does not take into account the cost of the box or the packing materials..or the possible 20 mile drive to the post office if that person lives somewhere out of the way.

 

I'm always a little annoyed when buyers quote the exact postage charge on the box as proof to what they should pay. As both a seller and a buyer, I've seen it both ways. As a seller, I have to take the word of the buyer if something is wrong with the merchandise. On the rare occasion, I will eat the cost of the shipping and the cost of the item and send them another item (same model) free of charge and with free shipping. It's not worth it to have them send back the defective model so they get to keep it if they wish. (Although, it's probably easily fixable, it's not worth it from a customer service standpoint.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[tkg2627]

From my experience with Ebay's non customer service I'd willing to bet the quoted cost could be ten times the actual amount and they wouldn't lift a finger to help the buyer who got screwed

 

I hate bogus shipping costs also

 

dave h

Yes, I'm probably SOL. Personally, if I was the seller in this case I would have emailed & refunded the buyer the minute I got home from the post office. That's the type of person I am. It's too bad for the seller that he lost a repeat buyer. I was happy with the product and the price I paid. However, I'm not responsible for paying all his fees and more. I would have bought from him again, but I won't now. Not dealing with this situation in a satisfactory manner cost him in terms of future business from me. In other words, $14.35 potentially cost him hundreds in the future.

[tkg2627]

The exact cost of shipping is not the same thing as charging for shipping and handling. It does not take into account the cost of the box or the packing materials..or the possible 20 mile drive to the post office if that person lives somewhere out of the way.

 

I'm always a little annoyed when buyers quote the exact postage charge on the box as proof to what they should pay.

In this case, there were no extra shipping materials at all. The extra $14.35 was to cover his fees and to line his pockets.

[tkg2627]

Found this on eBay:

 

Excessive Shipping/Handling

 

Sellers may charge reasonable shipping and handling fee to the final price of their item, providing that this fee is disclosed up front in the listing. A shipping and handling fee can cover the seller's reasonable costs for mailing, packaging and handling the item. Shipping and handling fees cannot be listed as a percentage of the final sale price.

 

 

[richnerd]

The exact cost of shipping is not the same thing as charging for shipping and handling. It does not take into account the cost of the box or the packing materials..or the possible 20 mile drive to the post office if that person lives somewhere out of the way.

 

This is what I was hoping someone would say.

 

I as a seller on ebay durring the summer months live at a lake 60 miles from the nearest post office. So When I sell durring the summer my cost of shipping and handling does include the cost of me driving 60 miles to mail out the item. Also there are many times I quote a price for shipping just to find out when I mailed it out it cost me extra. So should I contact you the buyer and say hey it cost me an extra $ can you send me a check?( for example I just mailed out a book that I said in the listing S/H would be $5. Well it cost me $8 to ship it...I look at it as my loss)

 

What I don't get is you bid on an item and knew what the item would cost including shipping and you were OK with this. Until you get the item and all of a sudden you decide the price isn't right and you want a refund. I bet you still got the shoes cheaper then you would retail!

 

JMFO!!

[the_Greatest]

NJYFO Richnerd ( Not Just )... This whole thread would be over if SOMEONE would call USPS tomorrow and ask them what it costs to send a 2 and a 1/2 lb.

BOX from Florida to Canada INSURED for $ 50. If it is less than $10, I'll eat my copy of Spidey 100.

[tkg2627]

This is what I was hoping someone would say.

 

I as a seller on ebay durring the summer months live at a lake 60 miles from the nearest post office. So When I sell durring the summer my cost of shipping and handling does include the cost of me driving 60 miles to mail out the item.

 

If this is the case then you should make a note of it in your summer auctions that you are charging an extra s/h fee because you have to drive 60 miles to mail out the item.

 

What I don't get is you bid on an item and knew what the item would cost including shipping and you were OK with this. Until you get the item and all of a sudden you decide the price isn't right and you want a refund.

I've never purchased shoes online before. I put my faith in the seller. I guess I was wrong to assume that everyone else has morals and a good conscience like me.

 

I bet you still got the shoes cheaper then you would retail!

No I paid about the same after you factor in the $40.69 I paid in duty. Nevertheless, even if I had got them for less than retail why should I be happy with being gouged by a shipping profiteer?

[tkg2627]

NJYFO Richnerd ( Not Just )... This whole thread would be over if SOMEONE would call USPS tomorrow and ask them what it costs to send a 2 and a 1/2 lb.

BOX from Florida to Canada INSURED for $ 50. If it is less than $10, I'll eat my copy of Spidey 100.

It's inconsequential in this particular case. FACT: It was $7.65 for my package. FACT: I paid $22.

[Mushroom]

NJYFO Richnerd ( Not Just )... This whole thread would be over if SOMEONE would call USPS tomorrow and ask them what it costs to send a 2 and a 1/2 lb.

BOX from Florida to Canada INSURED for $ 50. If it is less than $10, I'll eat my copy of Spidey 100.

It's inconsequential in this particular case. FACT: It was $7.65 for my package. FACT: I paid $22.

 

Fact - you bid on an auction that stated $19- + $3- for insured shipping. Fact - you won the auction and therefore entered into a legal contract to buy the goods on those terms.

 

This is not an ethical or moral dilemma. The seller fulfilled his part of the contract as specified.

 

Is he morally right .....that is a different question.

[tkg2627]

Fact - you bid on an auction that stated $19- + $3- for insured shipping. Fact - you won the auction and therefore entered into a legal contract to buy the goods on those terms.

 

This is not an ethical or moral dilemma. The seller fulfilled his part of the contract as specified.

 

Is he morally right .....that is a different question.

eBay statement on Excessive Shipping/Handling:

 

Sellers may charge reasonable shipping and handling fee to the final price of their item, providing that this fee is disclosed up front in the listing. A shipping and handling fee can cover the seller's reasonable costs for mailing, packaging and handling the item.

 

FACT: an extra $14.35 is not reasonable.

[the_Greatest]

Ahhhh. The old " its inconsequential because I say so " argument. Do me a favor OK? Find out what the charge is SUPPOSED to be to ship that article from friggin Florida to friggin Canada, insured for $50. If it is more than $10, assume that the postal clerk is the seller's girlfriend in Florida, assume you really got your money's worth and GET OVER IT. There is an ENORMOUS difference between hidden shipping charges and STATED. why? Because I say so.

[tkg2627]

Ahhhh. The old " its inconsequential because I say so " argument. Do me a favor OK? Find out what the charge is SUPPOSED to be to ship that article from friggin Florida to friggin Canada, insured for $50. If it is more than $10, assume that the postal clerk is the seller's girlfriend in Florida, assume you really got your money's worth and GET OVER IT. There is an ENORMOUS difference between hidden shipping charges and STATED. why? Because I say so.

Whatever, the fact is I paid $14.35 extra & neither you nor the seller has satifactorily addressed why. What does the SUPPOSED cost matter when it was $7.65 on my package? Assuming it's incorrect, the seller gets to pocket the extra $14.35? What for? Regardless, I think this issue clearly shows who operates with a high level of morality and who does not.

[the_Greatest]

I guess that is the price we have to pay for living in a world that isn't Utopian. If it makes you feel ANY better, I just looked up a receipt for a box of comics I shipped to Canada ( to a Paypal customer with great feedback I might add). The box weighed 6 lbs and 14 oz. I shipped it air parcel post with insuranceof $50 and the charge was $20.25.. It took two months for it to get to him and the seller gave me great feedback for keeping him posted on the insurance claim. I know it can be aggravating sometimes, but vitriol never wins,

[tkg2627]

I guess that is the price we have to pay for living in a world that isn't Utopian. If it makes you feel ANY better, I just looked up a receipt for a box of comics I shipped to Canada ( to a Paypal customer with great feedback I might add). The box weighed 6 lbs and 14 oz. I shipped it air parcel post with insuranceof $50 and the charge was $20.25.. It took two months for it to get to him and the seller gave me great feedback for keeping him posted on the insurance claim. I know it can be aggravating sometimes, but vitriol never wins,

Yeah, I'll get over it man. I just needed to vent. I'm still ticked off when I think about it, but I will make sure something like this never happens to me again. And I hope it never happens to any of you.

[richnerd]

I bet you still got the shoes cheaper then you would retail!

No I paid about the same after you factor in the $40.69 I paid in duty. Nevertheless, even if I had got them for less than retail why should I be happy with being gouged by a shipping profiteer?

 

So now it's the sellers fault you had to pay duty!

 

Thats why many people don't ship to CANADA., frikin headache ..and this time I didn't call it Hockey Land!!

[tkg2627]

So now it's the sellers fault you had to pay duty!

 

Thats why many people don't ship to CANADA., frikin headache ..and this time I didn't call it Hockey Land!!

Where did I say it was the seller's fault I had to pay duty? Please show me where.

 

Yeah it's real tough shipping to Canada--a couple of minutes to fill out a customs form and a few minutes waiting in line at the post office. Lord Forbid we should waste your precious time!

[richnerd]

So now it's the sellers fault you had to pay duty!

 

Thats why many people don't ship to CANADA., frikin headache ..and this time I didn't call it Hockey Land!!

Where did I say it was the seller's fault I had to pay duty? Please show me where.

 

Yeah it's real tough shipping to Canada--a couple of minutes to fill out a customs form and a few minutes waiting in line at the post office. Lord Forbid we should waste your precious time!

 

 

No you was just blamming the seller for everything else so I thought I would help you out and blame him for the duty cost too. And just so you know I just finished shipping 4 large parcels to CANADA full of 754 comic books. Look at any of my auctions I ship World wide!!!

[jbud73]

I hate shipping profiteers as well and in this vein alot of good arguements have been made. There is truth to the fact that you should read the entire auction and ber aware of the shipping and factor it into your bid I AGREE WITH THAT, however I think that if any of us were to find ourselves in Tkg's place we would be as well. I have run into this before and the line that really pisses me off and I got it almost verbatum. "My shipping cahrges are clearly stated, by purchasing the item you agreed to pay them."

 

Ya I thinks thats true, UNTIL YOU FAIL TO COME WITHIN $14 of the shipping price. I mean as sellers we need to have the right to expect that a shipper pays for the act of shipping, but when the seller actually admits that hey I overcharged you by not even bothering to dispute his costs then that where you as the buyer know, I MEAN YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF AND THAT HAS GOTTA P!SS YOU OFF.

 

In any Ebay transaction there are elements of trust on both sides, IMO the seller in this instance has crossed the line and admittedly overcharged his client for a value of service they did not receive.

 

Cut and dried, the seller has the right to expect the buyer to pay for the cost associated with distributing the item to him/her.

 

the buyer on the other hand has the right to expect that these costs will be associated with the act of delivering the goods. In this case they exceeded the act of distribution and there should be a form of restitution.

 

I have a question... how was the sellers feedback, IE has this happened before, if it has then it again illustrates that feedback is only a tool if it is indeed accessed. Personally I wish you all the luck in sticking to your principles which should be to discourage this sort of activity.

[ninanina]

I hate shipping profiteers as well and in this vein alot of good arguements have been made. There is truth to the fact that you should read the entire auction and ber aware of the shipping and factor it into your bid I AGREE WITH THAT, however I think that if any of us were to find ourselves in Tkg's place we would be as well. I have run into this before and the line that really pisses me off and I got it almost verbatum. "My shipping cahrges are clearly stated, by purchasing the item you agreed to pay them."

 

Ya I thinks thats true, UNTIL YOU FAIL TO COME WITHIN $14 of the shipping price. I mean as sellers we need to have the right to expect that a shipper pays for the act of shipping, but when the seller actually admits that hey I overcharged you by not even bothering to dispute his costs then that where you as the buyer know, I MEAN YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF AND THAT HAS GOTTA P!SS YOU OFF.

 

In any Ebay transaction there are elements of trust on both sides, IMO the seller in this instance has crossed the line and admittedly overcharged his client for a value of service they did not receive.

 

Cut and dried, the seller has the right to expect the buyer to pay for the cost associated with distributing the item to him/her.

 

the buyer on the other hand has the right to expect that these costs will be associated with the act of delivering the goods. In this case they exceeded the act of distribution and there should be a form of restitution.

 

I have a question... how was the sellers feedback, IE has this happened before, if it has then it again illustrates that feedback is only a tool if it is indeed accessed. Personally I wish you all the luck in sticking to your principles which should be to discourage this sort of activity.

 

 

Umm...did you read my post?

[garthgantu]

the seller does have a point, but i'd leave neutral feedback and explain why.

No, the [!@#%^&^] [!@#%^&^] will get the negative feedback he deserves. And why would I leave myself open for retaliatory negative feedback? What he did was wrong, plain and simple. Why the [!@#%^&^] was I given the option of $3 insurance per $50.00 coverage? More of my money to line his pockets with? Why do I have to pay his eBay fees, PayPal fees, and more? It's all unacceptable, and I won't stand for it.

 

Hear Hear (or is it, "here here" ?) !! Good man (or is it, 'good woman'?) Regardless, I applaud your moral fiber. Give this flim-flammer the neg they deserve. Utterly ridiculous practice, even if they are stating the shipping up-front.