Buyer beware: eBay seller with unfair shipping fees (2 Viewers)

[bivey]

Just want to put out there that there is a well established eBay seller who mostly sells single chips that is abusing shipping prices. I ordered 31 single chips for a total of $33 and he charged $26 for shipping!

Since I have put a message out to him with the hopes of resolving this fairly, I will not out the identity of this seller. I have not involved eBay, yet.

Just be warned that certain sellers use shipping as a way to make money not connected with the value of their goods + services.

His identity is *******.

 

[bivey]

His stated reply is that he has to turn a profit, so the shipping is fair. Its flat out predatory to use the shipping to make money. Illegal? I'm not an attorney. Economies of scale dictate that the shipping be relatively flat as quantities shipped increase (at least with chips anyways).

 

[Jeff]

Did you agree to buy without knowing what the shipping costs were?

You can give bad feedback on shipping costs.

 

[DrStrange]

Hard to see how it could be anything but legal to charge shipping. Lots of business models thrive on that.

eBay auctions generally state shipping costs as part of the product descriptions. I have to guess that the total fees match the amount quoted. The seller doesn't have to combine shipping, thought it would be good business rather than squabble knowing how much trouble the buyer can cause. I do not know if eBay itself would get involved. But every time the seller has to deal with complaints, it eats into his profit margin even if he wins.

Feedback offers a small measure of leverage. However, a series of disputes about damaged goods or goods not matching description offer other options.

In the end, you will need to decide if it is worth your effort to make the seller's life unhappy. I am certain you could make the deal negative EV if you choose to spend the time, but that also ensures that your side of the deal even worse than it is.

 

[bivey]

I chose to start a dialogue with the seller. The fees in were listed for individual auctions, but not for a "Buy it Now" item. There were 20+ of a $1 item, and he tried to charge me a large fee for the single transaction. I generally don't buy from this seller because of his auction shipping policies, but decided against better judgement since there was no stated shipping policy for this particular item. Yes we worked it out, and no, I will not buy from him ever again.

As for leverage, it my experience that getting into a fistfight hurts both sides. I really did not want to get eBay involved and would have simply cancelled the transaction through eBay if I was forced to do so. There is a reason I didn't out the seller in OP. And I won't since he resolved the issue.

Appreciate the comments! Forget how reasonable people on this forum are. Can't be applied to all.

 

[Potsie1]

If it's the guy I'm thinking of he usually has shipping at 2.49 first chip and .75 for each additional chip. His prices are way below others selling single chips and I found his to be the best deal. Usually .99 or 1.99 per chip. He could just as easily make it 2.75 per chip with no additional shipping but he goes this route. I find it annoying but it's clearly stated in the auction. I'm guessing it's the same guy.

 

[bivey]

If it's the guy I'm thinking of he usually has shipping at 2.49 first chip and .75 for each additional chip. His prices are way below others selling single chips and I found his to be the best deal. Usually .99 or 1.99 per chip. He could just as easily make it 2.75 per chip with no additional shipping but he goes this route. I find it annoying but it's clearly stated in the auction. I'm guessing it's the same guy.

Nope it's not that seller. I find that to be reasonable.

 

[pltrgyst]

You really have to be careful about checking shipping these days. eBay used to care, but they pretty much don't since they started taking their cut on both price and shipping charges.

 

[moose]

Ask him to ship to 31 different addresses.

 

[MaxB]

$26 for shipping is crazy : ..... though eBay gets a cut of it, so they allow it

I am curious who it is..... not so much to avoid them, but to make sure I am careful with the shipping costs

 

[GoStumpy]

What about the guys charging $64.95 for shipping 1 rack? lol

 

[BiGGyT]

If seller will not combine shipping charges, request each shipped in its own package to avoid damages, since you are paying for it, might as well get it.

 

[Poker Zombie]

I always check shipping costs and add that into the equation when placing a bid. When you mention:

there was no stated shipping policy for this particular item

I question - did he hit you with a surprise number? If so, I think it would be right to out the seller - if only to let anyone here know that this guy is using guerilla tactics.

If he was up honest in his pricing, but obscured it in smaller type, a different page, etc. then he should be outed. He stated that he needs to turn a profit - that's fine. Treat him like the business that he wants to be. I have no problem telling people the $36 room at New York New York (las Vegas) is loaded with BS fees - $36 room, $33.60 resort fee, and $18 parking fee, or $87.60 per night. Am I outing NYNY? Damn straight. Does NYNY tell you about these fees? Enough to make their lawyers happy.

Like your seller, they need to make a profit. The question is, do they need to make a profit - or do they need to make an honest profit? If they are happy with their fees, they should have no problem being outed. If someone unwittingly falls victim to their fees and you could have prevented it, aren't you being complicit in the unfair practice?

 

[chris james]

shipping should always reflect the total cost of postage and not a way of making extra cash, its the honest thing to do

 

[Chicken Rob]

shipping should always reflect the total cost of postage and not a way of making extra cash, its the honest thing to do

Plus the cost of shipping supplies plus the cost of getting the packages to the shopping service?

If it's a business, they have to cover their costs or go under. I don't care what a person charges, as long as the costs are clear. Then I can decide if I want to buy their product knowing the total cost.

 

[DJ Mack]

shipping should always reflect the total cost of postage and not a way of making extra cash, its the honest thing to do

Plus other reasonable costs. When something is shipped it's more than just the cost of postage. There's the box. There's the packing material. There's the tape. There's the cost of the label. Then there's the cost of one's (or one's employee's) time. Maybe even gas if you have to drive the package to the shipping point. Granted I'm not a professional seller of anything so most of the time when I ship something the box and packing materials are reused from items I have on hand, but I do still have some consumables to consider.

To that end I don't begrudge someone a few bucks above what the postage costs. I don't really care how the price is broken down - I tend to look at the total price. If it's more than I'm willing to pay then I'll pass. If you want to sell an item I value at $50 for $1.99 plus $55 shipping, fine whatever. But if you're selling it for $40 plus $35 shipping it's no sale for this guy.

 

[MaxB]

If we are all buying and selling thousands of dollars worth of chips, then should we be complaining about the cost of a roll of tape, a box of bubble wrap, the gas driving by any post office while going to work or somewhere else, or using a free box that the USPS provides? If they are a business, then tack on a little bit for the cause, but for private sales...really? :

 

[joker80]

6 of one, half dozen of another. If the chip price is cheap it's no big deal if they don't combine shipping. If it's an auction and the price gets higher, I find it annoying

 

[RowdyRawhide]

That's bullshit. I can understand a couple of bucks overage on the shipping, this is not.

this should be resolved by now. Out the seller.

There was another thread where a newer member got raked over the coals for not outing the seller. Where's all of the torches at in this thread?

let's at least have some parity

 

[MaxB]

Where's all of the torches at in this thread?

 

[bivey]

I didn't out the seller because he resolved the issue.

$26 for 33 chips is lame even if it posted by seller as policy. Most of the individual chip sellers are cavalier with their packaging and there's no way that their costs + materials + time = $26. I guess my point is that I find it backhanded to charge 99c for a chip and make profit from shipping.

Economies of scale should apply. Can you imagine maying $75 for shipping on a $100 rack of chips? Of course not. But that's where this was headed.

In the end $12 was the agreed shipping price. I agree with dr. Strange and others who state that is my responsibility to check shipping. This was a bit different than simply not paying attention, but in the end I'll pay more attention next time.

There is a reason I'm not in business and the poker table is the only place I go to war without remorse over slapping someone around. In life I think it bodes well to treat people fairly and remain transparent with respect to your intentions.

I won't out the seller because you don't need me to. I feel the seller is sly, but his actions are written for all to see. I just wouldn't invite him over to dinner.

 

[DJ Mack]

Mono.....DOH!

 

[Poker Zombie]

I didn't out the seller because he resolved the issue.

$26 for 33 chips is lame even if it posted by seller as policy. Most of the individual chip sellers are cavalier with their packaging and there's no way that their costs + materials + time = $26. I guess my point is that I find it backhanded to charge 99c for a chip and make profit from shipping.

Economies of scale should apply. Can you imagine maying $75 for shipping on a $100 rack of chips? Of course not. But that's where this was headed.

In the end $12 was the agreed shipping price. I agree with dr. Strange and others who state that is my responsibility to check shipping. This was a bit different than simply not paying attention, but in the end I'll pay more attention next time.

There is a reason I'm not in business and the poker table is the only place I go to war without remorse over slapping someone around. In life I think it bodes well to treat people fairly and remain transparent with respect to your intentions.

I won't out the seller because you don't need me to. I feel the seller is sly, but his actions are written for all to see. I just wouldn't invite him over to dinner.

I think the OP omitted that you got a 54% reduction in shipping costs. This at least indicated some willingness on behalf of the seller to meet you in the middle, so his "crime" is less egregious. Still you don't want to do any more business with him, and the bulk of us would not want to do business with him either - except in this particular case, you're the only one that knows who he is.

 

[bivey]

To all who are calling for this seller's head. I'm not going to out him. I have standards and since his policies are posted, there is no reason to crucify him. I don't agree with the practice and won't do business with him but as long as you are literate, you can choose to do business with any seller whose products' value you deem equal to or greater than cost.

In post #5 I indicated that we worked things out without specifics. The resolution was reached quickly. Moral of the story I should have been more careful.

There will be no public display here today or any other day. It is the courtesy I would extend to all of you. I deal with matters privately and sadly I vented my frustrations publicly. If I find a seller who outright cheats members of this forum, you can be sure I will out them publicly.

 

[Psypher1000]

but for private sales...really? :

I don't run my sales through a business, and after having packaged and sent triple-digit shipments this year I no longer care if someone tacks on an extra dollar or three to compensate themselves for time & materials used during shipping. That adds up.

I think it's crazy - and maybe predatory? - to not at least offer combined shipping when it makes sense. Tacking on a couple bucks to every individual chip purchase even when you're dealing with quantities greater than 5 is a bit absurd to me. If a company needs to make a profit, just bake the profit into the price of the goods themselves. Nobody like hidden fees/baggage fees/resort fees/bullshit fees.