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Shipping Profiteers!!!!

Started by BigMan,

52 posts in this topic

ArAich

ArAich

Posted
Posted

Believe me Rick...That is only one of several emails that were sent and I was very obligeing in most of them since they are not my books....he was just a very difficult person to deal with... 893frustrated.gif

 

And besides...look at the package...no amount of salemenship could have prevented this bozo from shipping the items the way he did... 893censored-thumb.gif

 

Also...I did not want to rack up $$$ by calling long distance over a matter that could be dealt with via email.... confused-smiley-013.gif

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Rickdogg

Rickdogg

Posted
Posted

27_laughing.gif !!!

 

Usually most people opt for the email instead of having to talk to you directly over the phone since they have to think on cue when you ask them questions. grin.gif

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ArAich

ArAich

Posted
Posted
Oh yeah...and did you ever receive any type of reimbursement? $26 to $2! 893whatthe.gif

 

He said he would see what he could do.... 27_laughing.gif....apparently it cost too much to pack as I have yet to see any type of reimbursement....and I doubt if I ever will... crazy.gif

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Apotheosis

Apotheosis

Posted
Posted

I had a similar experience recently. I bought two Raw comics from a seller that posted the shipping and handling as $7.50 and that shipping could be combined. I, of course, was an insufficiently_thoughtful_person and didn't contact the seller before bidding. I won the two auctions for the two comics and asked for a combined invoice. He did combine shipping for me. Instead of $15 shipping it was now a bargain at $12.50! He did do a nice job packing the comics (priority mail envelope surrounded by newspaper inside a priority mail box), but even with delivery confirmation it was only $6 for shipping and since everything else was free (ok... the newspaper was $.50 for the whole thing) it seems a bit excessive. Unfortunately this will keep me from bidding on any more of his stuff even though he keeps throwing out things that I want.

 

sign-rantpost.gif

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uclapeterg

uclapeterg

Posted
Posted

 

 

Youi have/are going to neg this seller, right?

 

Oh yeah...and did you ever receive any type of reimbursement? $26 to $2! 893whatthe.gif

 

He said he would see what he could do.... 27_laughing.gif....apparently it cost too much to pack as I have yet to see any type of reimbursement....and I doubt if I ever will... crazy.gif

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supapimp

supapimp

Posted
Posted

already done

 

i don't get it,confused-smiley-013.gif i've said this many of times here.....request that the book(s) be shipped in a USPS priority box. state that you'll pay more than the $3 or whatever amount to have the books packaged securely in a USPS priority box. they usually oblige after you state that you're willing to pay more. foreheadslap.gif

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CKB

CKB

Posted
Posted

 

I tried to resist, but I must chime in.

 

When you sell an item on ebay, a certain amount of the money the item sells for must go to ebay/paypal fees. This comes off the top, as it is an up-front, out of pocket, known and consequential cost of doing business in that manner. It's not a "soft" expense like time, or rent, or electricity. It's cold hard cash out of your pocket.

 

I object to the fact that the fees are value based, based on the amount of the sale. So now I am being charged a fee on the money that is paying my fees. If something going to be against the law, it should be this!

 

I try to run my auctions so that the amount bid is the amount being paid for the item, and not these "hard" expenses. If this means the item sells for less because this cost is factored into everyone's bid, that's the way it should be. Ebay makes enough without picking up these pennies. A $100 sale could easily cost $7 in these hard fees, including a paypal payment fee.

 

I get around the "rules" (oh, we could have a discussion about the ebay ""Rules"") by setting the expenses high, and then offering discounts at my discretion. In actuality, I charge the amount for "handling" that equals about half the amount of "hard" expenses I have. So I split these expenses with the buyer.

 

And, this is all to protect against items selling on the cusp or less than what they are worth, and then getting hit with fees to make it even worse. When an item reaches a set price I am happy with (stated in the auction) - I waive all fees, even postage.

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uclapeterg

uclapeterg

Posted
Posted

I think this is kinda ridiculous too... why don't you just have auctions with set prices then? I only charge exact shipping and I understand that you are frustrated by the "hard" expenses. But you know the rules: if you list on Ebay, then you know the expenses you have to incur. You can decide not to list on Ebay. There are a couple of other auction sites or you can choose not to list on Ebay at all.

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CKB

CKB

Posted
Posted

 

Well, I certainly would not use ebay if there was viable competiton. There is not.

 

I greatly prefer to sell on comiclink, and list (non-modern) everything CGC there first. The 10% is just peachy with me.

 

My auctions for items that sell for about $50, paid by paypal have fees of exact shipping + $3. Paid for with check or MO it's exact shipping plus $3 with a $1.50 credit at checkout. If $50 was a fair price for the auction, its exact shipping plus $3 with a $3 credit at checkout. And if $50 is a good price, the $50 is postage paid.

 

I don't see how this would keep anyone away - it's way less than the people you are talking about in this thread. And, I am making no money on the shipping and fees.

 

Set prices? I start my auctions at $0.99, no reserve. All of them. You can get a $40 item from me for say $20 + shipping cost + $1.50 handling (if not bid up higher), or $40 + shipping cost (if bid to $40). It's not a big deal.

 

I think this is kinda ridiculous too... why don't you just have auctions with set prices then? I only charge exact shipping and I understand that you are frustrated by the "hard" expenses. But you know the rules: if you list on Ebay, then you know the expenses you have to incur. You can decide not to list on Ebay. There are a couple of other auction sites or you can choose not to list on Ebay at all.
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kahml

kahml

Posted
Posted

EBay sellers are not the only ones - What about CGC?

 

I sent two modern books to be slabbed. The charge for shipping was $16.75.

 

The USPS box has $8.00 postage on it - which includes the insurance.

 

Someone just made a tidy profit on that order...

 

Larry.

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Lockjaw

Lockjaw

Posted
Posted

It looks like this would be a good thread to post the following:

 

Speaking of shipping and handling costs, and wanting to continue my streak of having not been accused of shipping profiteering (I have over 1460 feedbacks, all positive, no neutrals)...does anyone know how much it would cost me to send an 18 x 24 lithograph to Canada in a poster tube (item came to me rolled, and will be mailed that way) using only the USPS shipping services?

 

I am quoting $14.00 for shipping and handling for Airmail Parcel Post in my auction TOS, but I have a potential customer who says he has received lithos for only $5.-8.00 S&H (does not specify from where, or what service was used, but that is kind-of beside the point).

 

I know that given the dimensions of the litho safely packed in a box allows for my $14 S&H quote to stand, but I have never sent anyone in the U.S. or Canada an item in a poster tube...so I have no idea if that drastically lowers the AIRMAIL S&H costs on my end. If it helps, I am in California.

 

Thanks a million in advance to anyone who can enlighten me on shipping something in a poster tube using airmail.

 

Regards

Christopher H

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sterlingcomics

sterlingcomics

Posted
Posted

I just bought a CGC book from smortesen (ya know, the 9.8 Modern subscription king) and I was shocked to see he charges $8 for FREAKIN MEDIA RATE and $4 INSURANCE for a $100 book. Easily cleared $6 from that one... insane.gif

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Steve_HOCP

Steve_HOCP

Posted
Posted

I tried to resist, but I must chime in.

 

When you sell an item on ebay, a certain amount of the money the item sells for must go to ebay/paypal fees. This comes off the top, as it is an up-front, out of pocket, known and consequential cost of doing business in that manner. It's not a "soft" expense like time, or rent, or electricity. It's cold hard cash out of your pocket.

 

 

I have said this a billion times, so I'll cut and past my response to this:

 

As any business owner knows, all that stuff is paid for out of the PROFIT YOU MAKE FROM THE SALE!!! If you are not profitable enough to pay your expenses out of the sales profits, you need to find another "business" to be in.

 

The problem is THIS:

 

Ebay and other sites like it are auction sites ( not a business ) where you are not guaranteed a final sale price, so people do SCARELESS censored-sht.gif like sell you a comic for $8.00 and then charge you $10.00 S&H...the comic arrives in a $1.42 media mail envelope beat to hell. Anyone who says this HASN'T happened to them is lying out their @ss.

 

If you tried to run a business that way you'd have no customers. If your operating cost is $0.60 on every item sold in the store, then charge me $1.99 on the STICKER PRICE for a $1.39 can of soup. I know it might be higher than other stores (who presumably have operating costs added on to that same can of soup) but I like this store and I enjoy the customer service and atmosphere...I don't feel like they are "grubbing" my money.

 

by the same token......don't put a price of $1.39 on that can of soup on the shelf and then tell me some bvll at the register that you are tacking on $0.60 for "operating costs"...I'll sock you in the mouth.

 

 

I am a business owner...not a comics business and certainly not an eBay business...but that is the way business is done.

 

All GOOD salesman and businessmen know that basically people just want to feel good about themselves and their purchase.

 

EXAMPLE:

 

You can give me a great deal, free shipping & handling etc., but make me feel like a piece of cr*p over the deal or make it a huge hassle to buy from you...suddenly, it isn't a very good deal anymore. I can do without those types of deals.

 

on the other hand

 

You can sell me a comic for $3 - $5 more than I normally would have paid but make it a painless deal, handle the shipping and handling yourself and generally make me feel good about the deal...I'd buy from you every time.

 

When the end price of the comic (or product) is going to be the same

 

$15 product with no shipping & handling

 

$8 product with $2 shipping & $5 handling

 

both cost $15, which makes you feel better? Which was a "better deal" to you? Who would you buy from again? Which deal made you feel like the seller was a money grubber?

 

Oh well, it only hurts bad sellers...and we can all do without them. 893crossfingers-thumb.gif

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