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Yeah, but there's a catch. The freaking shipping is $32.00! I suspect the seller is hoping a bidder jumps on it without looking at the outrageous shipping cost.
Moss Scuttle Shaving Bowl By Sara Bonnyman - eBay (item 260700450930 end time Dec-06-10 06:42:07 PST)
Pretty sure you can get in trouble with ebay for doing something like that.
Same guy has a Vulfix 2233 up for sale as well.
Shipping on that is cheap at $25.
Seems like someone is trying to get around the fees or catch a sucker.
Shipping a for 2 Brushes and stands from china is only $10-11
I hate it... I try not to buy from folks who look like they profit from shipping... I dont think its strictly against the rules though..... LOTS of chinese vendors do it, gets their auction listed at .01 with $30 shipping for a 25 item LOL....
He's reduced the price to $2.99 but the shipping is still $32.00!
If this is inappropriate I apologize and please remove the post.
Dear proshop81,
Why such high shipping?
- Me
Response
Dear Me,
$32 shipped is a great deal for this brush. Just price it anywhere else. The shipping is 25 because eBay doesn't take a percent from shipping cost. Would you rather me price the brush at $28 and having shipping at $7? It would cost $3 more for the buyer for me to get the same amount of profit. It saves us both money.
- proshop81
Seller did not post the question/response for the public to see.
I do not think it inappropriate to discuss this, and it brings up a valid point! Assuming(of course) that the item is actually worth the combined shipping and actual cost, then it makes no difference to the buyer. In other countries (other than the U.S. in my experience) , the tax issue is different as well as the dreaded Ebay fees, not to mention the tax burden absorbed by some buyers! It might be theoretically sound to recieve a 3 dollar item and pay tons of shipping if the levied taxes were put on the purchase price and not the shipping price? In addition, some sellers must pay levies on items exported, which could be determined by the selling price alone and not the shipping costs. This could be true with exception of items which are NOT worth the combined price. I would surely hope insurance is included, though. It seems it is all about money, as everything seems to be! Any opinions?:hmmm:
I've reported the most egregious examples to eBay and have never noticed anything ever done about it. Personally, even if it's an overall good deal, I wouldn't bid on anything where it appears that the shipping cost is inflated. I'd still feel ripped off.
Have to admit...bottom line, it makes sense..as long as the overall value of the item is worth it to you. Have to give the guy credit for working the loophole.Quote:
Originally Posted by TeMpTiN
He's not working a loophole, he is violating eBay policy and is stealing.
Not trying to argue here but is he? I'll admit I haven't read the policy so I'm not sure. My point is that when questioned he was forthright with his reasoning. The ones that tick me off are those that charge you say $10 or $15 for shipping and you see the postage is less than $2 and those bubble envelopes don't come close to the difference.Quote:
Originally Posted by Utopian
Well, what do you think it's going to cost to ship that scuttle? The most I could imagine is in a $10 flat rate box USPS Priority with lots of peanuts and bubble wrap, but even with tracking and insurance and the cost of "supplies" that can't possibly come to more than $15.Quote:
Originally Posted by Catrentshaving
The guy said it himself, he's doing it so Ebay won't get their percentage from that much of the overall final cost. I haven't read all the ebay rules either, but from a business standpoint, I know there's no way they'd allow something like that. Cuts into their profits.
Of course he is, and he admits it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Catrentshaving
According to the eBay website. the policy on fee circumvention for shipping is as follows:
Unreasonable shipping or handling costs - The seller may add a reasonable shipping and handling fee to the final price of the item, but may not charge excessive shipping and handling fees, excessive required insurance fees, or excessive (or not applicable) taxes in an effort to make the item appear artificially inexpensive, to avoid eBay fees, or for any other purposes. A shipping and handling fee may cover the seller's reasonable costs for mailing, packaging, and handling the item. Shipping and handling fees may not be listed as a percentage of the final sale price. Please see the complete Excessive Shipping and Handling policy for more details.
yes, what he is doing is violation of ebay's policy. sometimes ebay cares about it, usually it doesn't.
once i bought something on buy-it-now and then realized the shipping was ridiculously high, like 200x the actual cost. ebay told me when the seller hits me with a strike for non payment to contact them and they'll remove it, and that's what happened. The seller got a bunch of negatives for doing this and I'm not sure if he got suspended, but i would assume the negatives damaged his business.
of course, this is also an example of a famous psychological experiment about rationality in decision-making.
I had a thread on it few years ago in the conversation forum :)
Im all for savign a buck and pocketgn a buck but I dont think its right to go agenst their policy and steal from ebay to do it. Just because ebay dosent stop every case dosent mean that it dosent effect them. If everybody did this ebay would go bankrupt so i gotta say im with ron on this one that its not ok to bump up the shipping and keep the item price low so that ebay dosent get there share. In my book its still stealing.
Yeah. I remember when a big stink was made over the increased fee's ebay propsed a year or two back. As long as the buyer is aware of the final price at the outset, seems Ok.Quote:
Originally Posted by TeMpTiN
There is an easy way to cure the guy of this. Buy yourself a cheap scuttle by hitting "buy it now" and then filing a dispute with eBay over the shipping charge. eBay will force him to charge a reasonable shipping amount and you will have saved some money and screwed over a cheater.
No, I don't think ebay can force the seller to lower the shipping. The most they will do is let you off the hook paying, since when you hit the buy-it button you agree to the stated shipping charges.
I think the report button says 'I want to report an item I didn't bid on', if you've won an auction there's a completely different dispute process to be followed.
If Eboy finds someone using the old shipping scam it's usually between them and the seller. The buyer or bidders usually don't hear about it.
There is a line you can approach in the shipping fee before you get yourself into trouble with them.
I assume that $32 is over that line.