ebay sellers postage costs

[rondoolaa]

why does ebay let so many seller get away with extortionate postage on such small items,

most sellers from the states charge say $2-$3 postage for the kind of items i look for but some charge $7-$20 postage for such small items:

eg: the first link below, whatever item you get from this seller is $11.39 postage, whether its a big item or a packet of 4 miniture screws



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-DuraTr...f#ht_700wt_952


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/S-Shock-Sh...4#ht_500wt_969


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WPS-5-Gold...d#ht_500wt_969

[Big G]

yup. or the HK sellers who put their items on £1 BIN and then £19 postage.

[mattybucks]

Originally Posted by Big G

yup. or the HK sellers who put their items on £1 BIN and then £19 postage.

The HK guys do that so you avoid customs charges.

[skiv]

Or is it because they only get charged ebay fees on listing price, not postage inclusive prices??

[bodgit]

Originally Posted by mattybucks

The HK guys do that so you avoid customs charges.

They also do it to avoid ebay fee,s. Its called "Circumventing Fees"as ebay are not allowed to charge fee,s on postage costs the seller just pays fee,s on the smaller $1 item and keeps the $20 postage costs without charge.
You can report them for that if you feel strongly about it. Look under ebay help tab.

[mattybucks]

Originally Posted by bodgit

They also do it to avoid ebay fee,s. Its called "Circumventing Fees"as ebay are not allowed to charge fee,s on postage costs the seller just pays fee,s on the smaller $1 item and keeps the $20 postage costs without charge.
You can report them for that if you feel strongly about it. Look under ebay help tab.

I used to buy alot of stuff fron the US back when the B4 was first out, however only use UK model shops for anything I can't get myself now.

[Nick Goodall]

To be fair though, at least you can see the postage price so just don't buy if you think it's too much....

[rondoolaa]

I can understand some do it to avoid you paying customs at our end but the 3 examples I have given are all below the £15 uk threshold before tax comes into play so their postage rates in my opinion are just high so they can make extra money that eBay can't put charges on,

Because the postage is so high and you can see the cost I don't buy from those and other certain sellers and never would, it just winds me up how they can charge so much postage when I know it wouldn't cost half of the cost quoted,

[purpletimbo]

As of last year eBay charge fees on the final total inclusive of postage, so they aren't gaining anything, only exception from the UK is I get charged on the UK rate I offer even if I post abroad to encourage sellers listing worldwide

[justleanitupabit]

Originally Posted by Nick Goodall

To be fair though, at least you can see the postage price so just don't buy if you think it's too much....

Yep - same applies for paypal fees.

Factor in all costs before bidding/buying.

[Getpip]

There are no hidden charges you know exactly what you are paying before you click the buy button.
What difference does it make how the seller divides it up?
If I get what I want at a price I am happy with then good luck to them.
And if it stops eBay making even more profit so much the better.

[mdb_75]

Originally Posted by Getpip

There are no hidden charges you know exactly what you are paying before you click the buy button.
What difference does it make how the seller divides it up?
If I get what I want at a price I am happy with then good luck to them.
And if it stops eBay making even more profit so much the better.

If for some reason you send the item back though you may only get the item value back, not the postage they charged you too so you could be well out of pocket or it might not be not worth sending anything back at all. I'm not sure what the ebays UK legal terms are, but buying from abroad anything could be legal.

Postage not being refunded is especially normal when buying second hand items from individuals.

[Getpip]

Originally Posted by mdb_75

If for some reason you send the item back though you may only get the item value back, not the postage they charged you too so you could be well out of pocket or it might not be not worth sending anything back at all. I'm not sure what the ebays UK legal terms are, but buying from abroad anything could be legal.

Postage not being refunded is especially normal when buying second hand items from individuals.

Fair point.
This has happened to me a couple of times and I have not ended up out of pocket but it has required an extraordinary level of persistence!

[TARTMAN]

when you buy from abroad, you risk many things, custome chargers, clearence fees, VAT, Missing items, Faulty goods, non delivery, late parcels, not as described items etc etc....

Just pays ya money and make ya choices.................

[Col]

Don't like the postage cost? Don't buy the item then.

Paying by paypal gift without knowing the seller? It's called gift for a reason. You deserve to get ripped off in my opinion.

[SlowOne]

Originally Posted by Col

Don't like the postage cost? Don't buy the item then.

Paying by paypal gift without knowing the seller? It's called gift for a reason. You deserve to get ripped off in my opinion.

Spot on. Why are postage costs any different to any other costs?

If you see a good deal on anything in a shop, do you travel from London to Glasgow to save £30 on (say) a nice pair of jeans? Of course not, you take into account all the costs of obtaining an item. Why is that any different when you are on line?

Why is it that people feel they should not have to do any work at all, that everything should be free, and that if they are stupid someone else should pick up the pieces? I'm with Col; it's up to you. Buy; don't buy - your call.

[coleman758]

We sell loads on eBay,

Basically the old eBay system worked on "Time Ending Soonest"
Now it works on "Best Match"

Its automated to look at the specifics of the listings. So the best match system will clock it as being over inflated and items with cheaper/free postage will be displayed before.

So really they don't gain anything. If anything the loose out.

[rondoolaa]

Originally Posted by SlowOne

Spot on. Why are postage costs any different to any other costs?

If you see a good deal on anything in a shop, do you travel from London to Glasgow to save £30 on (say) a nice pair of jeans? Of course not, you take into account all the costs of obtaining an item. Why is that any different when you are on line?

Why is it that people feel they should not have to do any work at all, that everything should be free, and that if they are stupid someone else should pick up the pieces? I'm with Col; it's up to you. Buy; don't buy - your call.

i dont like so i dont buy,

i'm not stupid, i know how to add up,

i was only asking how they can charge the correct rrp for an item and then a stupid price for postage which then makes the item not worth buying.

i didnt think it would esculate into people stating the obvious, dont like dont buy and thinking i dont know that, i wasnt born yesterday, lol

[adam_u]

I'd say some of the additional postage costs (when buying from the USA for example) will cover their additional time to have to fill out customs declarations etc. - it's not just a case of sticking it in the mail

Also I think sometimes you may be up against an automatically calculated postage rate for your country/region when buying from some overseas sellers - perhaps if you contacted them and asked them they may be able to reduce it, maybe not, as they may not be too bothered going through the additional effort for you to buy a cheap pack of wheel nuts etc.

They may also be trying to make their products look more attractive price-wise before you factor in the postage.

I have bought stuff from the US, but usually have to club a few things together to make it worth paying the additional postage costs.

Ebay is just a huge money making machine really, I don't think they are too bothered as long as the money keeps on rolling in in their favour.

[SlowOne]

Sorry Rondoolaa, perhaps I could have phrased it better. My point is that the question can't be answered, like so many others people ask. Prices are what they are because they get paid by people. If people wouldn't pay the price, then they wouldn't ask for that price.

It's the same argument with cars. No one can explain why people pay 30% over the market rate for a car to buy a BMW or Mercedes! Why would you pay such a high price for a car that never features in the top 20 most reliable cars in the Dektra index, has almost no features worth the cost, and costs a lot of money to run? Still, people do it. Until they stop doing it, the prices will be high.

Ebay makes money because we use it. We do all the work and they take our money. People must find something convenient about using eBay otherwise they wouldn't do it, in the same way that people must find some value in an over-priced less-reliable car!

While we are all prepared to pay these prices, people will keep charging them. That's the only answer that fits the facts in our economic system!