Ebay Question

bob · 01-07-2005, 11:44 AM

I recently sold off my copy of the original FOF, and have decided to go ahead and sell some other stuff that I don't really use anymore, but before I go too far, I have a question for experienced Ebay sellers:

What shipping methods do you normally use? Shipping without a tracking number opens you up to more risk ("but I never received the item"), but shipping with a tracking number is more expensive and can scare off a bidder.... Have any of you had any problems with buyers claiming to not receive the item you sold?

Bob

Suicane75 · 01-07-2005, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob

I recently sold off my copy of the original FOF, and have decided to go ahead and sell some other stuff that I don't really use anymore, but before I go too far, I have a question for experienced Ebay sellers:

What shipping methods do you normally use? Shipping with a tracking number opens you up to more risk ("but I never received the item"), but shipping with a tracking number is more expensive and can scare off a bidder.... Have any of you had any problems with buyers claiming to not receive the item you sold?

Bob

Never had a one. And i don't that having a tracking # will scare anyone away, in fact it makes me more confortable as a buyer.

bob · 01-07-2005, 11:50 AM

Ok, mistake in my original post - without a tracking number leaves you open to risk. Also, its not the tracking # that will scare people off, but the additional shipping cost.

Suicane75, how do you normal ship?

azjoe_02 · 01-07-2005, 11:53 AM

Delivery confirmation is only $.45 from the USPS.

And Signature Confirmation is only $1.80.

Suicane75 · 01-07-2005, 11:55 AM

I usualy ship priority. But i never offer a tracking # as I don't sell that much and am not looking to make money as much as just get it out of here.
As a buyer however I do look for tracking/insurance available in the auctions im considering. As far as shipping costs go, i could be in the minority, but as long as its not over exorbonant i never really consider it too much. I only buy Figures/Games so im used to a pretty flat fee in the area of $4-$7 depending on the item size.

MizzouRah · 01-07-2005, 11:55 AM

I offer normal and insurance rated shipping.

ex- Shipping $5.00
Insurance +$1.00

I also ship everything express mail and with delivery confirmation to cover my arse.

Todd

bob · 01-07-2005, 12:04 PM

The reason I ask is I shipped out an item today - sold for about $9, with a shipping cost of $5.50 (USPS Priority). To get a delivery confirmation, they wanted another $2 and change. I guess I could just force the delivery confirmation on everyone....

MizzouRah · 01-07-2005, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob

The reason I ask is I shipped out an item today - sold for about $9, with a shipping cost of $5.50 (USPS Priority). To get a delivery confirmation, they wanted another $2 and change. I guess I could just force the delivery confirmation on everyone....

Yep, give them no choice.

Shipping: $10.00 (includes delivery confirmation)

Todd

Godzilla Blitz · 01-07-2005, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob

The reason I ask is I shipped out an item today - sold for about $9, with a shipping cost of $5.50 (USPS Priority). To get a delivery confirmation, they wanted another $2 and change. I guess I could just force the delivery confirmation on everyone....

Are you sure that wasn't delivery confirmation and a signature? As was mentioned, it's usually about 50 cents to get delivery confirmation. $2.00 sounds off, unless they have dramatically increased the price for this service.

I always use delivery confirmation, and decide signature confirmation on a case by case basis depending on how reliable I think the buyer is and on the value of the item. I almost always just go with delivery confirmation.

RendeR · 01-07-2005, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

Yep, give them no choice.

Shipping: $10.00 (includes delivery confirmation)

Todd

I never buy anything with shipping costs of more than 5 bucks. Its a rip-off people selling on ebay use. I have yet to ship a package where the shipping fees were higher than 7.00 and that went to Australia. (priority mail even)

JonInMiddleGA · 01-07-2005, 01:08 PM

While I wouldn't go quite so far as Render does (weight of some items alone takes them well past $5 under any shipping method), I believe there's pretty strong indications that many eBay items (I daresay most) have shipping costs that well exceed the actual cost of shipping. It isn't so bad once you add in cost of packaging, packing materials, and such, but of the multitude of purchases made by my eBayaholic wife, I'd say easily half of them are adding an additional "handling fee", basically paying for their effort/increasing their profit margin.

On a barely related note, I just heard Clark Howard reporting new restrictions on sales of gift cards on eBay, limiting sellers to no more than $500 per month in that category.
The change was due, at least in part, to a recent study that found more than half of all gift cards sold on eBay were either fraudulent or stolen or paid for with stolen credit cards -- in each case, worthless to the buyer. Worst case mentioned was a seller who had turned $150k worth (retail value) of gift cards at an average of .75 on the dollar, all of which were worthless.

MizzouRah · 01-07-2005, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RendeR

I never buy anything with shipping costs of more than 5 bucks. Its a rip-off people selling on ebay use. I have yet to ship a package where the shipping fees were higher than 7.00 and that went to Australia. (priority mail even)

I'm the same way, that's just an example. I use $5.00 typically. That's definitly a way some companies/people make more money off the sale and ask for a cheaper price.

Todd

Mustang · 01-07-2005, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RendeR

I never buy anything with shipping costs of more than 5 bucks.

? You do realize some things ACTUALLY cost more than $5 to ship. Unless you are suggesting the seller pay for anything over $5? (yes, I do realize some sellers attach ridiculous handling costs) but, just because something is more than $5 to ship doesn't mean the seller is scamming you.

But, anyways...

Easiest way to ship is if you are using paypal and the buyer has paid from paypal is to click on that 'ship' button. You can then input the weight, date you are dropping the package off to the post office and you can select how you are shipping (priority/parcel/media/etc.. they do not have the new one weight/one price option yet though.) You can then print off the shipping label, fix it to the package and just drop it off at the post office. Funds come out of your paypal acct and confirmation is free for items shipped that way.

I ship around 20-25 packages a week for things I sell on Ebay.. easiest way to do it.

Mustang · 01-07-2005, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob

The reason I ask is I shipped out an item today - sold for about $9, with a shipping cost of $5.50 (USPS Priority). To get a delivery confirmation, they wanted another $2 and change. I guess I could just force the delivery confirmation on everyone....

I missed this before...

$2 delivery confirmation???

Delivery confirmation from the post office is .45 cents..

Signature confirmation is $1.80. (Someone has to sign it)

Both are proof of delivery, one someone has to sign for it.. the other says it was just delivered/dropped off.

RendeR · 01-07-2005, 01:17 PM

Let me qualify my statement about the 5.00 shipping fees. If you're buying an elephant, YES your shipping will cost more, everything is relative, but for the vast amount of small items that people tend to purchase on ebay, 5 bucks is far more than the shipping will cost the seller and anything beyond that is simply mooching more money out of the buyer.

Suicane75 · 01-07-2005, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RendeR

Let me qualify my statement about the 5.00 shipping fees. If you're buying an elephant, YES your shipping will cost more, everything is relative, but for the vast amount of small items that people tend to purchase on ebay, 5 bucks is far more than the shipping will cost the seller and anything beyond that is simply mooching more money out of the buyer.

On the other hand you do have to concede that it costs time and money to package something, so it's more than just the cost of the shipping, remember, it is shipping AND handling. I usualy end up charging a dollar or 2 more than it costs to ship an item because of the costs of boxing, packing and actualy going to the post office, and i dont feel like im ripping anyone off.

Mustang · 01-07-2005, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RendeR

Let me qualify my statement about the 5.00 shipping fees. If you're buying an elephant, YES your shipping will cost more, everything is relative, but for the vast amount of small items that people tend to purchase on ebay, 5 bucks is far more than the shipping will cost the seller and anything beyond that is simply mooching more money out of the buyer.

Yes.. use an Elephant as an example. Thats a good example

I sell games/toys. The typical board game in a priority mail box sent from WI -> CA is $7.85 priority or $5.77 parcel. Even sending it across town its $4.85

bob · 01-12-2005, 11:20 AM

I learned my mistake - there really isn't a post office near where I work, so I had been going to a Mail Boxes - man, do they knock up the prices.

I took a long lunch to go to the post office for my latest two items - they shipped for quite a bit less than the other items (same size), even with delivery confirmation.

01-07-2005, 11:53 AM	#4
azjoe_02 High School JV Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chandler, AZ	Delivery confirmation is only $.45 from the USPS. And Signature Confirmation is only $1.80. Last edited by azjoe_02 : 01-07-2005 at 11:55 AM.

01-07-2005, 11:55 AM	#6
MizzouRah Hall Of Famer Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Troy, Mo	I offer normal and insurance rated shipping. ex- Shipping $5.00 Insurance +$1.00 I also ship everything express mail and with delivery confirmation to cover my arse. Todd Last edited by MizzouRah : 01-07-2005 at 11:57 AM.

01-07-2005, 01:08 PM	#11
JonInMiddleGA Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Behind Enemy Lines in Athens, GA	While I wouldn't go quite so far as Render does (weight of some items alone takes them well past $5 under any shipping method), I believe there's pretty strong indications that many eBay items (I daresay most) have shipping costs that well exceed the actual cost of shipping. It isn't so bad once you add in cost of packaging, packing materials, and such, but of the multitude of purchases made by my eBayaholic wife, I'd say easily half of them are adding an additional "handling fee", basically paying for their effort/increasing their profit margin. On a barely related note, I just heard Clark Howard reporting new restrictions on sales of gift cards on eBay, limiting sellers to no more than $500 per month in that category. The change was due, at least in part, to a recent study that found more than half of all gift cards sold on eBay were either fraudulent or stolen or paid for with stolen credit cards -- in each case, worthless to the buyer. Worst case mentioned was a seller who had turned $150k worth (retail value) of gift cards at an average of .75 on the dollar, all of which were worthless. __________________ "I lit another cigarette. Unless I specifically inform you to the contrary, I am always lighting another cigarette." - from a novel by Martin Amis

01-07-2005, 01:17 PM	#15
RendeR Coordinator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Buffalo, NY	Let me qualify my statement about the 5.00 shipping fees. If you're buying an elephant, YES your shipping will cost more, everything is relative, but for the vast amount of small items that people tend to purchase on ebay, 5 bucks is far more than the shipping will cost the seller and anything beyond that is simply mooching more money out of the buyer. __________________ http://wotlabs.net/s...8/signature.png http://wotlabs.net/sig_dark/na/banichi18/signature.png

01-07-2005, 11:50 AM	#3
bob College Starter Join Date: Oct 2004	Ok, mistake in my original post - without a tracking number leaves you open to risk. Also, its not the tracking # that will scare people off, but the additional shipping cost. Suicane75, how do you normal ship?

01-07-2005, 11:55 AM	#5
Suicane75 Coordinator Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NJ	I usualy ship priority. But i never offer a tracking # as I don't sell that much and am not looking to make money as much as just get it out of here. As a buyer however I do look for tracking/insurance available in the auctions im considering. As far as shipping costs go, i could be in the minority, but as long as its not over exorbonant i never really consider it too much. I only buy Figures/Games so im used to a pretty flat fee in the area of $4-$7 depending on the item size.

01-07-2005, 12:04 PM	#7
bob College Starter Join Date: Oct 2004	The reason I ask is I shipped out an item today - sold for about $9, with a shipping cost of $5.50 (USPS Priority). To get a delivery confirmation, they wanted another $2 and change. I guess I could just force the delivery confirmation on everyone....

01-12-2005, 11:20 AM	#18
bob College Starter Join Date: Oct 2004	I learned my mistake - there really isn't a post office near where I work, so I had been going to a Mail Boxes - man, do they knock up the prices. I took a long lunch to go to the post office for my latest two items - they shipped for quite a bit less than the other items (same size), even with delivery confirmation.

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