More crappy Ebay changes - Maximum shipping

[Darklord Dave]

What's really happening is that they want the buyer to specify "free shipping" and build the costs into the price of the item. That way ebay gets fees on the shipping costs too, not just the price of the item.

They're trying to make the place so buyer friendly that they're driving away all the sellers. I have a bunch of stuff I want to get rid of, but I don't even consider ebay as an alternative anymore.

 

[darthviper107]

I think they want you to enter the dimensions of the box and weight so it automatically only charges the buyer exact costs...

Didn't for me, it would only let me set it to $15 with no options to change anything that would change the price (although I'm sure it would change with different shipping carriers/options, but then you would get into problems if you didn't ship that way).

 

[Mesa]

This actually makes sense - it prevents people from having a buy it now of 20 bucks, with a shipping charge of $80. If you're planning on making a ton of money from shipping, then I can see how it would suck.

But who in their right mind would pay $80 shipping? Some people, myself included, add $2 or $3 to the shipping cost to offset the fees Ebay takes, which are becoming more and more significant.

I think they want you to enter the dimensions of the box and weight so it automatically only charges the buyer exact costs...

Didn't for me, it would only let me set it to $15 with no options to change anything that would change the price (although I'm sure it would change with different shipping carriers/options, but then you would get into problems if you didn't ship that way).

That's what I ended up doing Nash, selecting "Calculate on buyer's location" and then entering estimated weight of item (plus 1 lb.) and entering the dimensions. To do a sanity check, after it was listed, I entered different zip codes while viewing my own auction and shipping seemed to be about right.

So I ask, why not just remove the "Flat cost" shipping option all together?

 

[karamazov80]

What's really happening is that they want the buyer to specify "free shipping" and build the costs into the price of the item. That way ebay gets fees on the shipping costs too, not just the price of the item.

I've noticed that they are really trying to pimp that option--"Increase auction visibility and sales!" etc. etc.

No way am I letting EBay take a percentage of 100% of what I sell, including shipping costs. As if they aren't getting enough. And EBay owns Paypal of course. So, guess what? In the not-too-distant future (this article says it is already in effect, but I don't know if it is yet or not), all EBay payments will have to go through Paypal (no money orders, no checks). More monopolization. Then, they will just keep jacking up fees at both places multiple times through the year.

I understand that they have been pretty effective at squashing potential competition in the past, but seriously! Free market economies thrive on competition. Why isn't there an alternative to EBay??!!

 

[Kibishii]

I also have gotten sick of eBay's anti-seller policies and crazy fees. When I would calculate shipping charges, I would usually tack on an extra dollar to shipping to help cover the fees and packing material. I recently sold an SDCC Anakin for $47 and paid almost $5 in fees NOT including Paypal fees. Why shouldn't sellers be able to pass off some of these fees to the buyer like EVERY other business on earth?

That said, I understand why eBay is trying to get a handle on sellers charging CRAZY shipping fees or using shipping to avoid ebay fees. Here is a perfect example:

https://cgi.ebay.com/Sideshow-Premi...5|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294:50

 

[karamazov80]

https://cgi.ebay.com/Sideshow-Premi...5|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294:50

But something ridiculous like that should (and probably will) be reported, as posted above. If nothing else, if the person who bought it was too much of a dope to look at shipping cost, then I'm sure that EBay wouldn't make them pay. It isn't like sellers can give negative feedback for non-paying bidders anymore, and the seller surely won't complain about something like that to EBay.

Their policy is to appease the will of idiot buyers at the expense of being reasonably fair to sellers, plain and simple.

 

[Mesa]

I think they want you to enter the dimensions of the box and weight so it automatically only charges the buyer exact costs...

I also have gotten sick of eBay's anti-seller policies and crazy fees. When I would calculate shipping charges, I would usually tack on an extra dollar to shipping to help cover the fees and packing material. I recently sold an SDCC Anakin for $47 and paid almost $5 in fees NOT including Paypal fees. Why shouldn't sellers be able to pass off some of these fees to the buyer like EVERY other business on earth?

That said, I understand why eBay is trying to get a handle on sellers charging CRAZY shipping fees or using shipping to avoid ebay fees. Here is a perfect example:

https://cgi.ebay.com/Sideshow-Premi...5|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294:50

But see, this isn't an abuse of the policy we are all talking about. It's still an abuse, but it's what Ebay is forcing sellers to do. They used to have an option that if you sold a 2-3 lb item, you could just say it's $9.99 (for example) to ship to anywhere within continental US. Now Ebay thinks $9.99 is too much and should be more like $5.99 (for example) for the flat rate shipping option. So sellers instead are quoting their 2-3 lb. item as 4-5 lb, or in the case of your link, a 20 lb item as a 40 lb item, which is also clearly too much shipping for this item...

Although, I just shipped a Grey Hulk PF to Quad via UPS and it cost me $150 after insurance... To ship The Thing, it's going to be at least $50, probably close to $80 if cross country and insured.

 

[karamazov80]

To ship The Thing, it's going to be at least $50, probably close to $80 if cross country and insured.

I've never shipped anything really heavy in the states, but that is crazy if true. I ship heavy boxes to the UK pretty frequently, and a 20+ pound 18X18X24" box via Priority Mail costs around $100.

(also, Network is one of my all-time favorite movies--but I love that scene with Ned Beatty more )

 

[Bannister]

I don't think so, cuz I just sold a bunch of 12" horror and I was able to do a flat rate shipping across the US. Maybe the flat rate I charged was acceptable though ($9.99), but currently trying to ship a carded action figure for anything more than $4 is unacceptable. Can you even ship a box for $4 at the PO?

I believe it depends on the category. I can still charge whatever I want on collectible statues, but on things like dvds the max I can charge is $3.00 which started in October. When I do list statues it does give me a warning saying my shipping looks high compared to other stuff in the category and that I could get in trouble for overly high shipping costs.

 

[EVILFACE]

Thought Google was starting something up?

 

[galactiboy]

eBay is just like watching a train wreck. I really liked the site a lot when it started and was pretty gung-ho for a long period of time. But they are just constantly making stupid moves and pissing me off

They are now left as an absolute last resort for me.

 

[EVILFACE]

It's great if you are a buyer, but it is become frustrating selling items now.

 

[quadcent]

i've only been selling on bay for a short time, and before i just left the shipping blank and asked people to ask me for quotes, then i'd just post the responses at the bottom of the page.
that way it gave people and idea of how much to ship the item.
now though ebay makes me put in an amount for shipping. the only problem is that shipping that comes up isn't even close for international shippments.
so i just state at the bottom of my auction that the shipping calculator isn't accurate and to please contact me for shipping quote.
it's a pain, but i'm not going to the tank for $20+ shipping on a item that only sells for like $100.
seems to be working so far.

though i've tried to sell some of my items on here, with not alot of success, i have been able to sell on the bay and have gotten more than i was asking on here. so i guess it's an evil i have to live with.

 

[galactiboy]

Its better to sell on a board if at all possible, but you do get less. But once fees are removed (etc) usually come out about the same.

 

[karamazov80]

Its better to sell on a board if at all possible, but you do get less. But once fees are removed (etc) usually come out about the same.

The issue for me is, you get a wider audience on EBay. I've been trying to sell some of my stuff on various boards for a good while, but there are no takers, even at sub-eBay prices. If I put them on EBay, then they tend to sell. I would much prefer the lower amount made selling on boards if that meant avoiding the hassle of listing on EBay and giving those bastards more of my money.

 

[galactiboy]

Oh I know, that's why its a last resort for me. I try here first, but as you said you're almost always guaranteed sale on eBay. Just now its getting suckier and suckier to sell there

 

[Bodie The Cursed]

Oh I know, that's why its a last resort for me. I try here first, but as you said you're almost always guaranteed sale on eBay. Just now its getting suckier and suckier to sell there

 

[quadcent]

The issue for me is, you get a wider audience on EBay. I've been trying to sell some of my stuff on various boards for a good while, but there are no takers, even at sub-eBay prices. If I put them on EBay, then they tend to sell. I would much prefer the lower amount made selling on boards if that meant avoiding the hassle of listing on EBay and giving those bastards more of my money.

yeah, same here, had stuff listed for well below bay prices with no takers or interest at all, so was forced to go the bay route, some items did sell on this board and others, and i appreciate the buyers and thank them.

but when you don't even get an offer sometimes you have not choice but the bay route.

i just wish, yahoo or google would start up something against these jerks. they have a monopoly with ebay and paypal. sht paypal not only charges normal fees, they also charge to convert money exchange and then charge another % to transfer funds to your bank account, so in the end instead of 3% fee it ends up costing me around 8% to use them also, on top of the 10% average for ebay fees.

 

[Bodie The Cursed]

< LOL!!!

 

[galactiboy]

< LOL!!!