Please help me nail a crooked seller!

[Rev. Link]

I found a small lot of Master System games being sold by a person in my area. I e-mailed them and asked if it would be alright for me to make a local pickup. They were asking $8.50 or so for 8 SMS games, which sounded a little high, so I figured I'd be better off picking them up if I decided to bid.

The seller wrote me back saying no local pickup unless I payed $5, 'cuz not getting the money for shipping would take away from their profit!

So this person expects me to buy their games, spend gas money driving to their house, and then pay $5 more for the right to pick the games up? No, I don't think so. I'd like to forward their reply to eBay, since they've pretty much admitted they've upped the shipping cost to make more money. I know this is against eBay policy, but I can't find the address to forward the e-mail to.

All I can seem to find is an online form that you fill out, where you pick from a list of complaints and give the auction number. But the incriminating evidence is in the e-mail I got from the seller. So can someone please help me out and give me the address I need to forward this to in order to get something done about this?

Thank you!

[jonjandran]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but Ebay does allow a "Handling" Fee.

And they would probably be quick to point out that your winning the auction is a contract agreeing to the sellers term.

I think you're SOL on this one.

[Rev. Link]

I haven't even bid on this yet, and I don't plan to now.

But this isn't a "handling" fee. This person has blatantly told me that they've upped the shipping cost to make a profit. This is against eBay's policy, as it's seen as a way of avoiding eBay fees.

Does anyone know the address to forward this e-mail to?

[jonjandran]

That is what Ebay considers a Handling fee.
It's a way for sellers to make a little more profit and get compensated for the labor involved in selling an item.

But go ahaed and e-mail them . They won't care.

[Kejoriv]

Thats what is known as handling.

[SoulBlazer]

It DOES sound crazy, though. If I sold something and the seller wanted to pick up it in person, I would'nt charge anything extra for it! What's the big deal? I just tell them where to come to and what time, hand it off, get money at the same time, boom, no hassle.

[Rev. Link]

Thank you SoulBlazer. I'm glad somebody here agrees with me.

I mean, if eBay says that upping shipping in order to avoid eBay costs is against their policy, how is this any different?

[Cmosfm]

Yeah man, handling, sorry to tell you but everyone else has already. They may have said it was for "profit" but picking it up and bringing it to the door for you is considered handling and I suppose he want's to profit off that.

[Rev. Link]

Well, at least I didn't bid.

I hate sellers that milk people for shipping! >.<

Why does eBay allow that, anyway? It doesn't help them any. If anything, it causes less people to bid.

[Gamereviewgod]

Just go pick it up and when he opens the door, stab him in the face with your penis.


God I love having the opportunity to use that line....

[Cmosfm]

Just go pick it up and when he opens the door, stab him in the face with your penis.


God I love having the opportunity to use that line....

And the line of the week award goes to GAMEREVIEWGOD!

[Gamereviewgod]

Credit for the line is all Sothy's. He created it, I'm just stealing a trademark.

[SoulBlazer]

If someone wanted to charge ME freakin $5 to pick up a box of something and walk ten feet to the door to hand it someone, I'd punch them dead in the face.

[Achika]

Just a thought, if $5 is ok for a "handling" fee, when no shipping is actually just taking place, what is wrong with a $30 shipping & handling fee with a CD when shipping and supplies are used?

[SoulBlazer]

Easy one -- those are both WAY WAY OVERPRICED and I'd punch BOTH of them in the face for trying.

[Flack]

Here's the thing. People sell stupid stuff and charge outrageous fees for stuff on eBay all day, every day. If you don't like it, don't bid on it. The guy probably planned on shipping the games and adding a buck or two in the shipping price to cover his ebay/paypal fees. No need to call in the national guard, just don't bid. If people want to charge $5 for walking a cart to the front door or $30 for shipping a CD or $8,000,000 for shipping a purple cow from China, who cares? Just don't bid on it!

[jonjandran]

If people want to charge $5 for walking a cart to the front door or $30 for shipping a CD or $8,000,000 for shipping a purple cow from China, who cares? Just don't bid on it!

That's outrageous. I'd never pay more than $7,000,000 shipping for a purple cow. And it better be from India. :P

[PapaStu]

Just go pick it up and when he opens the door, stab him in the face with your penis.


God I love having the opportunity to use that line....

And the line of the week award goes to GAMEREVIEWGOD!

And its only tuesday....

Seriously, as was said by Flack and most everyone else, we all know that most people are ducking the listing fees and all that when that 7,000,000 shipping for that cow is offered, and now since you know, just avoid it. It was worth the shot to do a pickup, to save YOU some money, and he's doing everything he can to MAXIMIZE his money...

You said it yourself, that you felt that the games were overpriced in the first place, consider yourself happy that you saved yourself $13.50.

[farfel]

Well, at least I didn't bid.I hate sellers that milk people for shipping! >.<

The $5 probably covers the listing fees and final value fees. The seller is pulling them out the buyer's pocket.

And no I dont see anything wrong with that. Although I'd only charge a $1.


Also I wouldn't let someone pick stuff direct from me. I lik to keep distance between me and strangers. Let the post man dilver it.

[SoulBlazer]

Personaly, the way I sell stuff is that I assume the listing fees will come out of the WINNING BID. That's what you're SUSPOSED to do. Shipping is susposed to be just that -- SHIPPING the item in question and paying for packing materials.

Buh. That's why I sell 95 percent of my stuff on Amazon instead. They automaticaly include a shipping fee based on how the seller wants your item sent and the cut Amazon takes is automatic as well, so there's no chance to rip someone off.