Amusing criticism of eBay in his auction

[StartTheBiddingLow]

Go down to the Seller's Payment Instructions, near the bottom.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=8133431824

LOL

[farfel]

PAYPAL IS OWNED BY EBAY,THEY CHARGE YOU LISTING FEES THEN FINAL VALUE FEES AND THEN HAVE THE NERVE TO CHARGE YOU AGAIN FOR PAYPAL




and the reason people add the fees to their shipping cost. This guy's charging 8.50 pounds and I don't blame him!

[Griking]

Well he is right in his criticism. Ebay charges you fees upon fees and then talks out of its ass by saying that seller's aren't allowed to add a surcharge to the buyer for convienance of using Paypal.

So who's going to be the first to report him?

:roll:

[SoulBlazer]

I'll report him.

Don't like the fees? Don't sell on EBay or offer PayPal. Simple as that.

I do not BELIEVE that it is FAIR or RIGHT to charge ANY of my sellers for the fees! I charge for honest shipping and that is IT.

I just wish everyone did that.

Really, in the end, how much do you loose? When I sold my NES Top Loader on EBay and got paid by PayPal last year, I ended up getting $63 out of the $70 I sold it for. Fine by me.

[Aussie2B]

That's exactly why I refuse to upgrade my PayPal account. If people can't pay with an eCheck and are too lazy to transfer some cash to their PayPal balance to do an instant cash transfer, then tough-tiddlies, pay me with a money order. Unfortunately most buyers are too stupid to actually read the terms of an auction they win, so I still end up declining a million credit card PayPal payments... :/

[sisko]

Unfortunately most buyers are too stupid to actually read the terms of an auction they win, so I still end up declining a million credit card PayPal payments... :/

Thats one of the main problems I had, but I would decline them too. In fact, I still wouldn't have upgraded, but they changed their TOS and made it so non-premier/business accounts no longer had seller protection. Now I use one account for ebay and credit cards, and another for balance/bank transfers. That way I don't get stuck paying bullshit fees all the time.

If ebay and paypal didn't have such a strangle hold on the market, I would definitely not be using either of them.

[tholly]

i totally agree with him....

i still offer paypal when i sell stuff and i dont ever charge extra, but, he is 100% right and paypal should not take fees for ebay auctions, only for other $$ transfers

[SoulBlazer]

While I happen to agree with you, I still won't pass those fees on to the buyer. It's not right.

[BeckjNeo]

Way I see it, if he wants to charge let him. If you dont like it, dont bid on it and find your stuff elsewhere. I dont blame him one bit. I have to pay 5$ to insert something, extra if it goes over a certain amount, more if someone pays with paypal. Stop being childish and reporting something, and go elsewhere if you do not like it.

[SoulBlazer]

I would only report it if it was a MAJOR AND HUGE violation of policies. This is aganist the rules, but not major enough to warrent reporting it. As you said, if you don't like it, find another item.....but if it was a rare item and the fees added up, then maybe I might report it if I wanted to bid on it, or more probaly ask the seller to be resonable.

[Mayhem]

Actually shipping that bundle via Parcelforce (I'm calculating approx weight in my head) plus insurance plus if he charged for packing materials would come somewhere quite near £8.50 he's asking for shipping. Just in the UK.

[NESu]

While I happen to agree with you, I still won't pass those fees on to the buyer. It's not right.


I would ask the bidders that it is optional that you pay the surchage, and then I'll politely ask only for bidders who can be so modest.

[jonjandran]

Way I see it, if he wants to charge let him. If you dont like it, dont bid on it and find your stuff elsewhere. I dont blame him one bit. I have to pay 5$ to insert something, extra if it goes over a certain amount, more if someone pays with paypal. Stop being childish and reporting something, and go elsewhere if you do not like it.

Nice, friendly first post. LOL

[number6]

Way I see it, if he wants to charge let him. If you dont like it, dont bid on it and find your stuff elsewhere. I dont blame him one bit. I have to pay 5$ to insert something, extra if it goes over a certain amount, more if someone pays with paypal. Stop being childish and reporting something, and go elsewhere if you do not like it.

Well you are entitled to your opinion, but it is not childish to report someone for breaking the rules on ebay. If you don't like ebay rules then don't use ebay to sell stuff.

[StartTheBiddingLow]

Well you are entitled to your opinion, but it is not childish to report someone for breaking the rules on ebay. If you don't like ebay rules then don't use ebay to sell stuff.
I don't think it's up to me (as a user) to police eBay.
If there is someone deliberately trying to mislead bidders, OK, but this bloke was just letting off a bit of steam - no big deal.
If I see something that I think is a bit off, I just don't bid.

[suppafly]

paypal is greedy, as all corporations. If people want to avoid paying fees, then make all your auctions BIN, and raise the price 3% without letting the users know. 8-)

[farfel]

I'I do not BELIEVE that it is FAIR or RIGHT to charge ANY of my sellers for the fees! I charge for honest shipping and that is IT.Every store you visit adds their costs of operation like mall rent, employee wages, electric/heating costs, credit card transaction, yada yada yada = aaded "fees" to the customer's bill. $5 Levis cost $30 on the retail ticket.

Or amazon.com. They charge $4 for a book that only costs them $1.50 to ship. The other $2.50 is for hidden fees.

In every case the buyer pays the costs of business not the seller

[Vroomfunkel]

I have no problem with Paypal charging for payments. All credit / debit card processing companies do this. The problem that I have is with Ebay denying sellers the right to pass those fees on. Under UK law, you are legally entitled to pass such fees on if you wish. So Paypal deliberately changed the wording of their TOS to make it that when you use your credit / debit card on Paypal you are deemed to be purchasing "electronic money", and then imposed their rules on the use of that "electronic money".

This is plain and simple evasion of the law - obeying the letter but deliberately undermining the spirit. As such, I feel no obligation to honour their rules at all.

I quite understand people who object to having Paypal fees passed on to them. They are perfectly entitled to object. But as far as I am concerned they can demonstrate their objection by bidding on other items, or paying through a different method. Choice is a wonderful thing.

The problem is that on the whole, most places that accept credit / debit cards have fixed prices. They can (and do) set those prices to cover the costs of accepting card payments. Thus those people who use cash or cheques etc. are effectively subsidising those who pay with cards since they are paying the hidden surcharge.

Ebay want their sellers to do this, since it encourages people to set higher prices for their goods. Some people do this, and others bump up the postage .. which has the same 'hidden surcharge' effect. However, I start all my auctions for £1 and charge postage at cost. I prefer to give people the straight choice of whether to pay the card charge or pay a different way - rather than just hiding it and thereby charging it to everyone willy nilly.

Of course, some people argue that having Paypal is somehow so beneficial to the seller that they ought to be happy to pay for the privilege. Which is bollocks. I am more than happy to accept any and all other forms of payment. I provide Paypal as a service to the buyer, not to myself.

Therefore I now only allow Paypal for international bidders, in recognition of the fact that there isn't really any other reasonable way for them to pay. UK bidders can request to use Paypal if they wish, I and I will accept their request if they volunteer to cover the fee.

This way I am technically not breaking ebay's spurious rule, which can only exists through their own devious manipulation of the law anyway.

** Stands down from Soap Box **

Vroomfunkel

[Ed Oscuro]

This is plain and simple evasion of the law - obeying the letter but deliberately undermining the spirit. As such, I feel no obligation to honour their rules at all.
:rocker:

Electronic money, huh? I'm not surprised. All the same, by U.S. law you can't issue your own currency...hmm.

I've got an article about eBay that some folks will like to see, no doubt. Scan it in when I'm up to it.

[farfel]

Really, in the end, how much do you loose?

$3 times some 200 sales last year = $600 lost if I had not padded the shipping with ebay/paypal fees

[Griking]

I don't think it's up to me (as a user) to police eBay.


Finally, somebody gets it!!! :dance:

It's nobody here's responsibility to police ebay. Now if only more people would realize that.

[jonjandran]

I don't think it's up to me (as a user) to police eBay.


Finally, somebody gets it!!! :dance:

It's nobody here's responsibility to police ebay. Now if only more people would realize that.

Yea and if you see someone being mugged on the street you should turn the other way and wait for the police to handle it. :roll:

No you would either try to help or call the police .

It's the same thing on Ebay. If I see someone getting "mugged" I either try to help or call the "Ebay" police.

Now maybe you can "get it "

Oh and by the way, why do you feel the need to continue to "police" the DP forum members every time someone says they are going to contact Ebay ? It's getting quite annoying.

[farfel]

onjandran it's not the same thing.

Yes I care about halping & saving "the little guy' from criminal attack.

I don't give darn about a multi-biillion dollar corporation. Corporations screw us the consumer every day. Most don't even pay income tax. I don't care about Ebay/paypa losing a few pennies because I pass their $3 per sale fees to the buyer.



$3 times some 200 sales last year = $600 lost if I had not padded the shipping with ebay/paypal fees

:angry:

[number6]

onjandran it's not the same thing.

Yes I care about halping & saving "the little guy' from criminal attack.

I don't give darn about a multi-biillion dollar corporation. Corporations screw us the consumer every day. Most don't even pay income tax. I don't care about Ebay/paypa losing a few pennies because I pass their $3 per sale fees to the buyer.



$3 times some 200 sales last year = $600 lost if I had not padded the shipping with ebay/paypal fees

:angry:

Go ahead and justify your practices all you want. Did you ever think that if everyone played by the rules on ebay that the fees would actually be lower? How about having some integrity and doing the right thing by starting the bid price higher to offset the fees. That's how ebay wants you to pass on the cost of doing business and that's how most legitmate businesses pass the price on to the consumer. I think it is a big cop out to say "ebay is wrong so I am going to do something wrong as well". It's because of people like yourself that fees are rising.

[farfel]

deleted by farfel

[SegaAges]

hey man, you gotta make your money somehow.

some people may not think that it is fair to charge people fees, but if they do it anyway, they will do it.

some people see it this way:
the buyer pays for shipping, so why shouldn't they pay for the charges to sell the item as well.

now if shipping gets to $100 for a rare game that is in a cd sleeve, than I better get a damn free tv set to play that on, or else i won't bid on it.

simple as that. life is not fair. some people will charge fees, some people won't. does that mean you are dishonest in charging fees? probably not, as most all sellers will tell you honestly if they are also charging you for fees. I have actually e-mailed people before asking about high shipping, and was told straight out that the buyers was being charged for fees.

you can also look at it from this point of view: if i goto a flea market, i do not expect to get charged for the gas money it took for the guy to get there, but hey, i am sure somebody there has a gas eater that will put an extra dollar or 2 on everything in order to make back that gas money.

the way i see it, who cares if they charge for fees. if it is rare enough and you want it bad enough, are you going to make that big of a hassle about spending an extra $10 on a $200 game, all because of fees (just an example). if you want it bad enough, it shouldn't matter.

everybody looks at the shipping when they buy an item, so you might as well take a look in there. maybe the guy is charging for gas to get to the post office. there are auctions that have people really stating that they are so broke they need to charge for gas as well. those rarely come up, but i have seen 1. is somebody going to report that guy because he wants to make some money and can't afford to even put gas in his ride?

well that is just my opinion. many people have used the "if you don't like it, don't use it" to support their arguments. well guess what, i have one that sums up everything: "if you don't like how sellers sell things on eBay even if they violate eBay rules, don't bid on it". reporting someone will only make them not sell whatever item they had, and the item could be something that many people want.

[jonjandran]

onjandran it's not the same thing.

Yes I care about halping & saving "the little guy' from criminal attack.

I don't give darn about a multi-biillion dollar corporation. Corporations screw us the consumer every day. Most don't even pay income tax. I don't care about Ebay/paypa losing a few pennies because I pass their $3 per sale fees to the buyer.
:

So if you saw Bill Gates or any other rich person being robbed, mugged , whatever, you wouldn't help them because they "are a big corporation, screw us every day , and probably don't pay their taxes" ?

That's some pretty twisted morals. Hope you don't teach kids that. :P

[farfel]

(checks dictionary) Yep Bill Gates or Donald Trump are people not corporations. I'd help them.
starting the bid price higher to offset the fees..... that's how most legitmate businesses pass the price on to the consumer.
No.

amazon charges $4 to ship a book at only $1.50 - (media)
sears charges $10 to ship a shirt at only $2 - (1st class)
ebgames charges $6 to ship a game at only $3 - (priority)

I think your statement is in error

[jonjandran]

(checks dictionary) Yep Bill Gates or Donald Trump are people not corporations. I'd help them

I'm incorporated , you wouldn't help me ? :)

[Vroomfunkel]

How about having some integrity and doing the right thing by starting the bid price higher to offset the fees. That's how ebay wants you to pass on the cost of doing business and that's how most legitmate businesses pass the price on to the consumer.

How on earth did you manage to come up with the idea that starting the bid price higher is "doing the right thing"?? There is no logic behind that at all!! What's so wrong with low starting prices?

A low start price and a clearly stated fee for using Paypal is both honest and transparent, and gives the buyer opportunity to avoid the fee if they want by using other payment methods ... or bidding on someone else's item. Ebay's rules simply encourage deceptive shipping prices and penalise upfront honesty, and reduce freedom and choice.

Here's the thing. Ebay is an AUCTION site. It is an ENTIRELY DIFFERENT kind of arena than what you refer to as 'legitimate businesses' - many of whom are not at all reticent about pumping up shipping prices to cover their costs. So I ask you - what is more 'the right thing to do' - have clearly stated costs for using a particular payment service - or just hide those costs in bulked up shipping rates, and thereby charge them to all and sundry, whether they use a payment service that incurs that cost or not?

Vroomfunkel

[Griking]

I don't think it's up to me (as a user) to police eBay.


Finally, somebody gets it!!! :dance:

It's nobody here's responsibility to police ebay. Now if only more people would realize that.

Yea and if you see someone being mugged on the street you should turn the other way and wait for the police to handle it. :roll:

No you would either try to help or call the police .

It's the same thing on Ebay. If I see someone getting "mugged" I either try to help or call the "Ebay" police.

Now maybe you can "get it "

If one thing to report someone on ebay who is blatantly trying to rip another person off. It's something else to work yourself up about people who clearly aren't trying to hurt innocent unknowing bidders. Fee avoiders for instance; I wonder if some people here also patrol their town's streets to make sure that everyone is putting coins in the parking meters


Oh and by the way, why do you feel the need to continue to "police" the DP forum members every time someone says they are going to contact Ebay ? It's getting quite annoying.

I really don't police the forums, I just don't hide my feedling about things that I read that I agree or disagree with. And I'm sure that my comments about you guys policing ebay aren't any more annoying to you than you guys actually policing ebay is to me.

[Promophile]

Yes fees are going up because sellers are adding 3 dollars to their shipping costs... That sure makes alot of sense! Wait no, that makes no logical sense at all! The only thing driving up ebay's / paypals prices are greed. I put a 5 dollar shipping charge on all my small items, for three reasons.

1) It makes it easy for the buyer to send payment quick without waiting for a shipping price.

2) It usually is enough money to pay for Paypal fees + shipping

3) It saves me the headache of looking up shipping prices.

[SoulBlazer]

I do almost the exact same thing as the last poster. Tack on a fixed $5 Priorty mail charge for US shipping, knowing that a little extra will be left out of that after shipping it and that will cover my gas money going down to the post office.

But I never even think about the EBay/PayPal fees. I just pay them after the auction is done.

I still will never pass on those fees to buyers, but then again I sell 99 percent of my stuff on Amazon, and let them worry about shipping fees.

If I was a large business selling a lot on EBay, yeah, I might charge for the fees, but I would mention that in the auction descrptions.

[Vroomfunkel]

If I was a large business selling a lot on EBay, yeah, I might charge for the fees, but I would mention that in the auction descrptions.

This is kind of my point. I'm not a large business, but I do sell a lot on ebay. I would make it clear that I charge for Paypal if ebay allowed me to. I don't charge for the ebay fees, I don't mind paying those at all.

What bugs me is eBay introducing all these rules which basically discouraging people from actually using ebay as an auction site, and encouraging them to use it as an online shop, with fixed prices and all that jazz.

Ebay is becoming less and less of an actual auction site as time goes by, and it is because of this sort of thing that it is happening.

Vroomfunkel

[SoulBlazer]

Well, that's one of the many reasons I sell 99 percent of my stuff on Amazon instead. ;)

[Promophile]

Amazon charges way more fees though.

[SoulBlazer]

Not really. Besides, I can sell stuff easier and usually quicker on that site, and get my money right away, plus Amazon is MUCH better at solving problems and issuing refunds.

[NintendoMan]

I'll report him.

Don't like the fees? Don't sell on EBay or offer PayPal. Simple as that.


Fucking Exactly!!

[farfel]

I'll report him. Don't like the fees? Don't sell on EBay or offer PayPal. Simple as that.
Fucking Exactly!!
There's no place else to sell that is better


I don't why Buyers think weSellers should drive themselves into debt to satisfy them.
1 dollar games
free shipping

We Sellers can't profit doing that.

[SoulBlazer]

If you end up getting the same ammount of money by selling a $10 game for $5 and charging $5 on shipping, that's fine. What I hate is people who gouge buyers on shipping beyond what is resonable, or ask them to pay for fees that the seller is susposed to take care off. If you don't like the PayPal fees, don't offer PayPal. EBay is far from perfect, and I agree they gouge you, but as long as you sell on them you have to obey their rules. I do the same thing on Amazon.

[number6]

(checks dictionary) Yep Bill Gates or Donald Trump are people not corporations. I'd help them.
starting the bid price higher to offset the fees..... that's how most legitmate businesses pass the price on to the consumer.
No.

amazon charges $4 to ship a book at only $1.50 - (media)
sears charges $10 to ship a shirt at only $2 - (1st class)
ebgames charges $6 to ship a game at only $3 - (priority)

I think your statement is in error

On Amazon I have been able to get free shipping using the media mail option so I stand by my claim.

I can't answer for the other sites you mention. Maybe there's a reason I don't use those other sites you mention.

[Hep038]

don't why Buyers think weSellers should drive themselves into debt to satisfy them.
1 dollar games
free shipping

We Sellers can't profit doing that.


The problem is if you sold the same game for 100$ you would still stick the buyer for the paypal charge and talk about "$3 times some 200 sales last year = $600 lost if I had not padded the shipping with ebay/paypal fees."

Lost? where did this money go? Its called the price of doing business on Ebay/Paypal. If you ran a restaurant would you charge extra for hamburgers because people are going to use the ketchup?

[Griking]

Lost? where did this money go? Its called the price of doing business on Ebay/Paypal. If you ran a restaurant would you charge extra for hamburgers because people are going to use the ketchup?

Um, YES.

A business owner takes all expenses into consideration when setting a price for their services or product. when you go to a restaurant for dinner you aren't just paying for the cost of the fod that you just ate, you're also partially paying for what the restaurant owner pays for labor, rent, electricity, water, taxes, delivery, etc...

and yes, even the ketchup

[petewhitley]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Why the f*ck should the average eBay seller be expected to be more honorable than any other merchant? No one in the retail sector would ship at a loss (and that includes time, fees, and other extraneous costs above the price of postage). Anyone that says otherwise knows NOTING about business. Keer-ist.

[StartTheBiddingLow]

I notice more sellers are offering a sort of reverse surcharge.

If they take Paypal or cheques, instead of putting "add 50p if using Paypal" or whatever, they put "deduct 50p if paying by cheque".

One bloke even made a big deal of it:
"!!! SPECIAL OFFER !!! Discount for buyers with cheques or postal orders!"
LOL

[Promophile]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Why the f*ck should the average eBay seller be expected to be more honorable than any other merchant? No one in the retail sector would ship at a loss (and that includes time, fees, and other extraneous costs above the price of postage). Anyone that says otherwise knows NOTING about business. Keer-ist.

I agree 100 pct. I'm not gonna list my auction 3-20 dollars higher to cover for the payments. I'll just charge a universal shipping charge to make things easier. Note that I usually sell things for under 100 dollars, so I don't have to pay THAT much to Paypal per sale, thus my shipping isn't very high anyways. Most of you that are bitching seem to be ebay buyers who have no idea how hard it is to make a profit on ebay. I sure don't sell on ebay for my health. Come back when you sell 1000+ items a month and then we'll see how you feel about taking the Paypal fees on the chin

[number6]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Why the f*ck should the average eBay seller be expected to be more honorable than any other merchant? No one in the retail sector would ship at a loss (and that includes time, fees, and other extraneous costs above the price of postage). Anyone that says otherwise knows NOTING about business. Keer-ist.

The point is ebay has rules and you are saying it's OK to break them to cover costs. Most merchants cover their costs by raising the price of their goods and not by raising shipping costs. On ebay it is not reasonable in my opinion for the seller to cover costs solely from the shipping and handling. I am sorry if you think it's OK that the ends justify the means. To me that is just wrong.

[Promophile]

Ebay sellers don't have multi-billion dollar companies backing them up. The truth of ebay is if you don't have the lowest price your item will NOT sell, at least for 95 pct of items.

[petewhitley]

The point is ebay has rules and you are saying it's OK to break them to cover costs ... I am sorry if you think it's OK that the ends justify the means. To me that is just wrong.

It's just funny how eBay triple-dips everyone and then goes and says "don't do what we're doing!" Besides, eBay isn't really the compass by which I set my morals ...

[Griking]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Why the f*ck should the average eBay seller be expected to be more honorable than any other merchant? No one in the retail sector would ship at a loss (and that includes time, fees, and other extraneous costs above the price of postage). Anyone that says otherwise knows NOTING about business. Keer-ist.

The point is ebay has rules and you are saying it's OK to break them to cover costs. Most merchants cover their costs by raising the price of their goods and not by raising shipping costs. On ebay it is not reasonable in my opinion for the seller to cover costs solely from the shipping and handling. I am sorry if you think it's OK that the ends justify the means. To me that is just wrong.

What drives me crazy though is that some people here act so rightous about the rules one moment but conveniantly ignore them the next when it suits them. For example, how many times have we read about members here who;

- Interfere with someone elses auctions by emailing the bidders.
- Bid on auctions with throw away accounts just for laughs with no intentions on paying the amount that they bid.
- Offer and make behind the scenes deals through ebay
- Harass sellers via the "Ask seller a question".

[Promophile]

Not to mention "cough" emulators and downloaded music which covers about 95 percent of the population.

[farfel]

No one in the retail sector would ship at a loss (and that includes time, fees, and other extraneous costs above the price of postage). Anyone that says otherwise knows NOTING about business. Keer-ist.The point is ebay has rules and you are saying it's OK to break them to cover costs. Most merchants cover their costs by raising the price of their goods and not by raising shipping costs.No.

amazon charges $4 to ship a book at only $1.50 - (media)
sears charges $10 to ship a shirt at only $2 - (1st class)
ebgames charges $6 to ship a game at only $3 - (priority)
On Amazon I have been able to get free shipping using the media mail option Not on private auction sales and/or only above a certain amount, and it doesn't explain ebgames or sears profiting off delivery charges. Most merchants do cover their costs via high shipping charges or hidden fees. With research I could find hundreds of merchants adding inflated shipping charges. This is how they pay their rent, advertising, workers - pass the cost to customers



The point is ebay has rules and you are saying it's OK to break them to cover costs.Ill follow ebay's rules - when ebay/paypal follows the U.S. government's rules (pay income tax, provide secure accounts, et cetera).

I don't think it's coincidence that U.S. courts are now making judgements against ebay/paypal businesses. They don't follow the rules. Until they do, I feel no obligation to follow theirs.

[Promophile]

No one in the retail sector would ship at a loss (and that includes time, fees, and other extraneous costs above the price of postage). Anyone that says otherwise knows NOTING about business. Keer-ist.The point is ebay has rules and you are saying it's OK to break them to cover costs. Most merchants cover their costs by raising the price of their goods and not by raising shipping costs.No.

amazon charges $4 to ship a book at only $1.50 - (media)
sears charges $10 to ship a shirt at only $2 - (1st class)
ebgames charges $6 to ship a game at only $3 - (priority)
On Amazon I have been able to get free shipping using the media mail option Not on private auction sales and/or only above a certain amount, and it doesn't explain ebgames or sears profiting off delivery charges. Most merchants do cover their costs via high shipping charges or hidden fees. With research I could find hundreds of merchants adding inflated shipping charges. This is how they pay their rent, advertising, workers - pass the cost to customers



The point is ebay has rules and you are saying it's OK to break them to cover costs.Ill follow ebay's rules - when ebay/paypal follows the U.S. government's rules (pay income tax, provide secure accounts, et cetera).

I don't think it's coincidence that U.S. courts are now making judgements against ebay/paypal businesses. They don't follow the rules. Until they do, I feel no obligation to follow theirs.

Nice post 8-)

[number6]

amazon charges $4 to ship a book at only $1.50 - (media)
sears charges $10 to ship a shirt at only $2 - (1st class)
ebgames charges $6 to ship a game at only $3 - (priority)
On Amazon I have been able to get free shipping using the media mail option Not on private auction sales and/or only above a certain amount, and it doesn't explain ebgames or sears profiting off delivery charges.


Like I said I have rarely paid shipping on amazon and when I do it is at a reasonable price. I don't use the other sites you mention probably because of the high shipping costs. You see if a online merchant gouges on shipping the consumer can most certainly find a better deal and save money. It's not my fault you choose to use the most expensive options when buying things online.


Most merchants do cover their costs via high shipping charges or hidden fees. With research I could find hundreds of merchants adding inflated shipping charges. This is how they pay their rent, advertising, workers - pass the cost to customers

That's news to me. I have been able to buy all kinds of stuff online without paying the ridiculous prices ebay sellers seem to charge for shipping to make ends meet. I don't mind paying a little extra for shipping, but I resent the fact that most sellers are trying to make money, almost exclusively, off of shipping. If you want more money set a high reserve price/buy it now. If it does not sell for that price then the market will not bare what you want for it. You need to realize that ebay is a business also and they provide you the seller with a very valuable service. Ebay needs to make money just like you do. That's all I am really trying to say here.



The point is ebay has rules and you are saying it's OK to break them to cover costs.

Ill follow ebay's rules - when ebay/paypal follows the U.S. government's rules (pay income tax, provide secure accounts, et cetera).

...

I don't think it's coincidence that U.S. courts are now making judgements against ebay/paypal businesses. They don't follow the rules. Until they do, I feel no obligation to follow theirs.



All I have to say to this statement is that 2 wrongs don't make a right. Sure Ebay is not without faults, but you should not base your decisions on how to run your business based on others bad business practices. I really don't care what you do on ebay as long as I never have to deal with you. The whole reason I got into this discussion was because someone complained about others reporting people on ebay for fee avoidance. I will always report suspicious ebay activity when I see it in my searches. It may never truly help, but I will feel that I have done my part to make ebay a better place for all users. Good ebay buyers/sellers follow the rules period.

[farfel]

I don't use the other sites you mention probably because of the high shipping costs. You see if a online merchant gouges on shipping the consumer can most certainly find a better deal and save money.
Please do that (shop somewhere else) rather than reporting auctions just cause the ship=$5





I don't think it's coincidence that U.S. courts are now making judgements against ebay/paypal businesses. They don't follow the rules. Until they do, I feel no obligation to follow theirs. All I have to say to this statement is that 2 wrongs don't make a right.
It does. If a business screws its customers or the government I think it deserves to be screwed back. For ebay/paypal to sit there and tell me I must obey their rules - while they break the law - is hypocritical. "Do as we say; not how we act" is ebay/paypal mantra. No; I refuse.






If you want more money set a high reserve price/buy it now
I wish it worked that way but it does not.
I listed old videos for $2.00 bid plus $2 shipping ($4 total) and did not sell.
A week later I marked them down to 0.01 cents and $4 ship and they sold.

I'd rather have a sale thn no sale. If I must mark things down to 0.01 cents & raise ship to get that goal - so be it.