Epay postage

[martrix]

can you show me the link? I had a look but there is heaps. The only one I could find under $20 for x2 was from S.A.

[joe greiner]

A whole lot of merchants have discovered Shipping & Handling as a separate profit center. Not designed to please me, and I've passed on some great "bargains" because of it. Even when the product is "free."

Joe

[sea dragon]

It is a real trap when the seller says "posts".
I had taken that to mean no hidden packaging and handling charges. When in any doubt because of what was said, I always had checked before auction end.
I was recently burned when I was hit with a $22 cost to send three chisels in Australia. The vendor had not mentioned any charges over the cost of postage. Actual cost was apparently $& something.
When I took issue but begrudgingly paid the $22, wonder of wonder, the goods were lost in transit and so now, we are in dispute and I am out of pocket.
Somehow, I suspect that if I had copped it on the chin, the goods would have arrived.

[Coldamus]

The whole point is that many eBay sellers have adopted the tactic of artificially inflating the postage and lowering the minimum price of their item because there is no eBay selling fee on the postage component of the sale.

For example, say an item is worth $45 and actual postage $6, making $51 all up. The seller lists the item for $1 with postage charges of $50. If it sells at that price, eBay selling fee (commission) is charged only on $1 instead of on $45. Result is less cost to the seller and ultimately to the buyer because, in the long run, the seller can decrease his overall prices. eBay is the only loser but, since it is a faceless corporation and seen by most as being greedy, nobody else cares - Well, that's the theory anyway.

It is a common practice with sellers from Singapore, Hong Kong, etc. However it is becoming more widespread in Australia.

Frequent eBay users are well aware of the tactic and always careful to take the inflated postage into account. Of course the unwary can be caught out if they don't notice the postal charges and think they are getting a $1 bargain.

Let's face it, the practice is fraudulent, even if eBay deserve it. If sellers are willing to resort to such tactics, can you expect them to be honest and ethical in their dealings with you?

If the postal charges aren't stated up front, that is a different matter again. In that case, you should always ask what the charges are before bidding.

[Gumby]

I agree with Grunt, the $6 isn't worth the agro or the negative feedback.

[Bob Willson]

It is a real trap when the seller says "posts".
I had taken that to mean no hidden packaging and handling charges. When in any doubt because of what was said, I always had checked before auction end.
I was recently burned when I was hit with a $22 cost to send three chisels in Australia. The vendor had not mentioned any charges over the cost of postage. Actual cost was apparently $& something.
When I took issue but begrudgingly paid the $22, wonder of wonder, the goods were lost in transit and so now, we are in dispute and I am out of pocket.
Somehow, I suspect that if I had copped it on the chin, the goods would have arrived.

You did check with Australia Post's dead letter office didn't you?

[Bodgy]

I recently won the bid on a very low angle block plane. The seller quoted $20 on his site to post to Oz from the Great Satan.

When my invoice arrived the seller had jacked up the frieght to $25. I sent 4 x emails querying this, which he ignored.

I didn't pay and consequently got an 'unpaid strike' against me from the eBay wallahs. Still no communication from the seller.

I disputed this 'strike' and I must say that the response from eBay was terrific. Next day it was cancelled after I explained and provided all the emails as proof.

Still got my first one of those red things from the seller tho.

In addition to postage fees being non comissioned item in Ebay, the plane only cost $45, so the additional postage was an 11% hike in net income.

Most businesses would kill for that.

I always blunty email a seller that his freight costs are too high and I won't be bidding. If we all did that it would stop. Some of them get a bit tushy - then you can really have some fun.

[Dean]

You can provide a feedback rating based on postage charges now, so just give him a 1 star postage fee rating!

[rrich]

I recently acquired something from Tasmania. The goods weigh about 189g. I was shocked that the postage was $3.85Aus. That seemed a bit steep until I checked what our Post would charge. Surface $4.25 and air $16.