Ebay Sellers Postage Costs

robo

I have just started using Ebay recently and have had a few things posted to me that the postage was a few quid less than the said and paid cost, I understand that it is not going to be exact, but one item I paid postage for, came to me with about £6 short the price of postage.
I know packaging costs money also, but not that price.
Just wondering if anyone has had issues with the price they paid for postage vs the amount that it actually cost to send the item? And did you do anything about it?
I always ask about postage before buying, if it is not already stated and I do try and get a deal with a buyer when buying more than one item, so it is not too bad. I guess I would just like to know how others feel about it and whether they were ripped off?

Our man in Havana

Postage is the biggest scam on ebay. Postage doesn't attract selling fees, so it is better for the seller for an item to sell low as the rip off postage keeps their bottom end looking good.

Ebay don't seem to care about this.

Ruu_Old

Not much you can do about it OP. If you reckon that the postage is far too much (alot of the times it is) then just don't bid on the item. Sellers make sure to cover themselves and most use a flat rate cost regardless of the size of the item.

robo

Ah yeh I know it is my own choice on what I bid for and how much the postage is valued at, then when you get the item, the postage can be a bit lower.
And to avoid hefty postage for something that shouldn't cost that much, I have been in contact with sellers about their postage before bidding and when I point out that I have bought sinmilar items with less postage, they do come down.

In my expereince(8 items), some have been very good and not a rip off, just one was about £6 difference. I don't mind if the postage is about £2 below what I paid, cos of packaging.

What I was just looking for on here, was what other board users experience on postage costs were and did they pay the postage, to see it delievered at only a fraction of the costs and what did they do about the rip off? Did they post negative feedback?

byte

As Ruu says, if the postage seems too high, look for another seller selling the same/similar item with lower postage.

I got a Nokia phone recently, and paid £12 postage. What annoyed me wasn't the postage cost, but the fact that it was sent by standard mail (not even recorded delivery), and the price on the stamp sticker was just over £4!

What I find annoying is UK sellers who say they'll ship to UK, Ireland, Germany, etc, but only show postage costs for UK, meaning needing to contact them for charges. But I suppose this is no big deal, and if they are slow in replyig to your request (or don't relpy at all), I prefer to go to another seller, who has an interest in selling!

As for the neg. feedback thing, I'll not go into this, as I'll go off on a rant! Basically, sellers usually don't give the buyer feedback until the buyer gives them f/b first! Even if the buyer has done their part by paying on time! :mad:

Darando

Dont mind paying mad postage costs as long as the bidding price is well below its value. i.e. postage + bidding price = sensible, it usually works out ok. However I do stay away from items with stupid postage costs which havent mad up for it in teh price of the item.

I know most people probably do, but add the postage cost column to your display and it makes things alot easier.

I find that its usually private sellers have the best deals on postage etc.. also amazing how some times its cheaperto get from US or Germany that from the UK!!!

myjugsarehuge

byte wrote:

As for the neg. feedback thing, I'll not go into this, as I'll go off on a rant! Basically, sellers usually don't give the buyer feedback until the buyer gives them f/b first! Even if the buyer has done their part by paying on time! :mad:

Sorry, I know sellers should leave feedback on the swiftness of payment regardless of whether the buyer leaves feedback for them but I after 4 years selling I have just stopped doing this. Not that I have had negatives its just that I ended up with about 20 or more buyers (mostly new ebayers) that just didn't bother leaving feedback at all after I left them glowing feedback. I gently reminded them once and a few bothered but thats too much hard work. Now I guess I've gone the same way as most sellers, if they don't bother I don't.

When I buy items I always leave feedback on arrival regardless of whether the seller does or not.

On the postage issue I too paid £12 for a Nokia mobile phone from the UK but it was sent recorded delivery. The price on the packet was £6 I think so I felt I was ripped off slightly but I won the phone at a reasonable price, unlocked as stated and works well so I can't complain too much.

subway

i dont worry too much about postage.
like others ive noticed that high postage sometimes means less bidders which can equal bigger bargains.

from smaller sellers i expect higher postage costs too,
someone selling 20 or 30 items a day can easily afford to bulk buy envelopes and drive to the post office and still make a profit,
whereas a smaller seller has -
cost of envelope = about £1 for a padded one
guess at an average 10 miles round trip to the post office since their all closing = £1 petrol [more if they use public transport]
plus the actual cost of their time spent doing all this
to me that means that postage is more expensive in real terms than just envolope plus stamp

Wertz

I'll tell you one that thing that pisses me off about postage rates, is when an item is in the UK and a seller will quote something ridiculous like almost twice their UK mailing costs, when in actual fact the real rate to here can be got for the same rate to mainland UK and NI.
Bugs me even more when you stump up and they send it 2nd bloody class and it takes weeks to arrive! :mad:

From places like Asia etc, I don't mind as it's fee avoidance and is reflected in the price

As for people going on about costs of jiffy bags, do what I do and recycle em (print out the address and tape over the original). Obviously that's not gonna work for people who only sell, but then they can buy bulk envelopes....€1.50 per is NOT what they're paying...

Oryx

I think once you find out the postage beforehand, its up to you to decide if the total price is a good deal or not. If not, buy elsewhere. Ive often bought stuff for 99p with £10.00 postage, which you know is a rip off with the seller covering costs, but its still a cheap item. I think leaving neg feedback for excessive postage, if you agreed to pay it when bidding, is a big no no.

As a seller, I always give feedback once Ive sent the item, and I let the buyer know its on the way. That way Im done with the whole transaction. Although I have the same problem as myjugsarehuge with not getting feedback in return.

qwertplaywert

i ALWAYS rip off my buyers lol

scopoo

Hello Seller Complement Of The Sensen My Mane Is Jhone Brabo Am The General Maneger Of The New Open Complen In Dobie And In Our Complen We Buy And Sell Of Electronic Phone And Laptop So We Her In Need Of Meny Of Item In Our Comply And We Will Like To Inform You That Our Methord Of Payment Is (cheque ) Which Will Be Deliver To Your Home Address And I Will Be Buying 6 Of The Item So Kingly Get Back To Us In Our Comply Wet Your Full Information So That The Payment Can Be Made Fast Thanks And The Amount Of The 6 Item Thanks

Wertz

Alright I'm going to go out on a limb here and be the first to say WTF.

Ruu_Old

Previous posts on boards make little or no sense, crushed! Carry on chaps.

Cork

Postage can often be very high for small items.

I think - sellers try to attract views with low prices & buyers bid based on price.

Advice: Tot up the complete cost including postage before bidding.

Postage may be far high. This is unfair.

Amazon Market place have fixed postage fees on items - this may be a better solution for ebay.

deman

I just paid £4 for a small package that took £1.33 to send.

Crazy!! I've sent him a message as to WHY???

robo

deman wrote:

I just paid £4 for a small package that took £1.33 to send.

Crazy!! I've sent him a message as to WHY???

Let us know what the seller has to say...probably will say that the packaging costs extra. Did you leave feedback yet? Or are you waiting for the seller to get back to you and have they left feedback for you???

deman

robo wrote:

Let us know what the seller has to say...probably will say that the packaging costs extra. Did you leave feedback yet? Or are you waiting for the seller to get back to you and have they left feedback for you???

I'm waiting for the seller to get back to me before I leave feedback. They haven't feedback about me. Neither has he replied!!

rubadub

A sticky is sorely needed about this. I, and others have explained the reason for high postage on ebay many, many times. I am all for it, I always end up buying from people with extortionate postage costs, I actively seek them out. If you wonder why just do a few searches here or on google.

Keep post high, keep my cost low, keep ebays profits for yourself...

Oryx

rubadub wrote:

A sticky is sorely needed about this. I, and others have explained the reason for high postage on ebay many, many times. I am all for it, I always end up buying from people with extortionate postage costs, I actively seek them out. If you wonder why just do a few searches here or on google.

Keep post high, keep my cost low, keep ebays profits for yourself...

Im with you on this one.

A friend* of mine just got neg feedback for an item because she charged 4.50 p&p for and it cost 1.50 to post. Despite the fact that the item was dirt cheap anyway and it arrived in 24 hours!
*no im not talking about me