e-Bay shipping charges

[Oskar]

Maybe I'm just waking up to this since I've been looking at e-Bay more often, but it is a bit irksome to see someone offering an item for sale and then gouging you on shipping & handling. I've seen items such as a set of plastic Strat knobs with $8-$10 shipping and handling. Give me a break! You can ship those for $2 tops and still have some coin in your pocket. When I ship something I really try to charge pretty much what it costs me, primarily because I don't want to discourage bidders, and try to be fair as well.
I can't believe people actually end up paying those outrageous charges. I was bidding on a Tele that had no shipping estimate listed. So I contacted the seller to ask. He's in Philadelphia and I'm in Massachusetts. Response? $70. Yikes! $70 to ship a Tele from Philly to Western Massachusetts? Forget it.
It's just disheartening to see such greed out there.

[jwsamuel]

Originally Posted by Oskar

He's in Philadelphia and I'm in Massachusetts. Response? $70. Yikes! $70 to ship a Tele from Philly to Western Massachusetts? Forget it.
It's just disheartening to see such greed out there.

In some cases it is greed but in many cases, it's because the sellers go to a UPS Store or a place like that and don't know how much they charge. When you take a guitar to a UPS Store and get them to pack it and ship it, they charge about $70-80.

Jim

[mellecaster]

I'm pretty sure E-Bay is clamping down on overpriced shipping....seems like I saw that somewhere ?

[Durtdog]

I have often taken a beating when shipping. I get a quote on the UPS or FedEx website, but then the actual shipping is a good 30% more. Hate it when that happens.

[RichardL]

I think a lot of sellers try to make up on the "deal" you're getting on the item by upcharging on the shipping. I don't buy much but CD's on ebay but I regularly see people trying to charge $5 - $8 to ship a cd. First Class postage for a CD is around $1.25. Even when you figure in the cost of a padded mailing envelope you still less the $2.

What really cracks me though up is the shipping charges on high priced guitars on ebay. I mean if I've won a vintage Tele for $25K should I really have to pay another $100 to have it shipped. Seems silly given the price of the item.

[51mike]

A lot of them are just trying to save on the comission paid to Ebay. If they sell the item for $20 and then charge $20 to ship, they really just told the bidder that they want $40 for the item and Ebay will only get a % of 20.

[Oskar]

Yes, fair point on the UPS store. One reason I don't use them. I guess my beef is more with the smaller, lighter items. Gosh, you don't need $10 to ship three plastic Strat knobs. I had someone mail me three Fender amp knobs... total cost? 52 cents.
I don't know about others, but I don't bother with items that have outrageous shipping and handling. I just refuse to pay the seller that "premium".

[RichardL]

Originally Posted by Oskar

Yes, fair point on the UPS store. One reason I don't use them. I guess my beef is more with the smaller, lighter items. Gosh, you don't need $10 to ship three plastic Strat knobs. I had someone mail me three Fender amp knobs... total cost? 52 cents.
I don't know about others, but I don't bother with items that have outrageous shipping and handling. I just refuse to pay the seller that "premium".

Same here if I see that the shipping charges are out of line. I just move on.

[teleman65]

I try to to take into account the person's travel and time when looking at shipping costs. If they want $10 and the actual cost was $2 I wonder if they had to drive to the post office, buy packaging etc. If a person has shipping costs that seem a little high but still within reason I don't mind, especially for small sellers. I get annoyed when somebody wants USD$50.00 for shipping a cheap guitar pickup.

[chickenpicker]

I've recently sold a few items on eBay, and it's actually very difficult and unexpectedly time-consuming to package things properly, especially guitars without cases!

Also, the uk postal service just changed its charging system. I sold an antique book, and got exactly 1 penny (of course, I thought I was about to retire on the proceeds), plus £3.00 postage. It cost £4.74 to post...

[DerekMcTele]

I charged $50 shipping for a Les Paul and $45 for a Blues Jr Amp. By the time I paid for insurance and signature confirmation, I lost money on both. That did not include the time spent packing and lunch hour standing in line to mail them.

What irks me is when you pay $5-$7 S&H on a small buy-it-now item, such as a CD, and then you get a notice 10 days later that the item has finally been shipped.

[tomi]

One problem with UPS is that their rates go WAY up when they decide a package is "oversize." And the cardboard guitar boxes they want to sell you for $25 are most definitely "oversize." I scrounge at music stores when I need a box to ship a guitar.

[0le FUZZY]

...Good and bad, buyer beware !!

...Yew cee the same stuff goin on T.V. where the shippin and handlin kin cost as much as the product.

...I thought this shippin waz a liddo high till I got it and weighed it. 7 pounds from Texas! As much as a TELECASTER!!




(deranged internet-based alter ego, with my own lexicon and all.)

Please visit my page

[sean79]

I always take the shipping costs into account when choosing whether or not to bid on an item. If I'm willing to pay $300 for something, and shipping is $50, I just don't bid over $250. If the shipping charges aren't listed, I won't bid unless I email the seller and get the shipping charges first (learned that the hard way).

[getbent]

I always confirm the price for shipping and total costs prior to purchase. I agree with Chickenpicker, packing stuff and going to the UPS store is a pain and not something I'm particularly good at. Frequently on small items I give GC a shot at ordering it for me or picking it up at Sylvan or Starving musician or whatever.... but, I measure the deal before I click.

[tdu]

There is gouging, but I can see why some shipping prices are a little higher. If you want to cover your butt as a seller, you pretty much have to use a method that requires a signature, insurance, delivery confirmation etc. In Canada this means the safest bet is using Xpress Post. I personally don't mind paying extra for that as a buyer because it also means the item will get here quicker. I also think it's reasonable to add some handling fees to an item for packing etc.

But when it comes to small items I totally know what you are saying. And it's not limited to eBay. I wanted to get a Les Paul wiring kit from Stewmac. The shipping on it would have been about $24 to Canada just for standard shipping of a small item like that. I have had guitars shipped here for $35. So stuff like THAT is gouging.

[Stuco]

Just always check the shipping prices, if they are ripping you on shipping they are not the type you want to buy from anyway.

[Tom A.]

I charge exactly what the product cost to ship and I ship it the next day. Just good business.

[tele12]

Originally Posted by 51mike

A lot of them are just trying to save on the comission paid to Ebay. If they sell the item for $20 and then charge $20 to ship, they really just told the bidder that they want $40 for the item and Ebay will only get a % of 20.

Good point! I had never thought of that. As long as the seller states the cost of the shipping I don't care, I just adjust my bid accordingly.

[dean]

Tom A. sez:

I charge exactly what the product cost to ship and I ship it the next day. Just good business.

I agree 100% with that, and that's how I usually do things. In my auctions, I frequently advertise that I won't overcharge for shipping, and I think that has an impact on the number of bidders. Another thing that I will do sometimes is quote a shipping price more than high enough to cover the cost of shipping, but I will reimburse the buyer any amount that he overpays - a shipping rebate, I guess.

I hate the way many people overcharge for shipping, and once in a while, if the charges are obnoxious, I'll contact the seller to see if he could be more reasonable. They seldom are. I figure, just build your expenses into the reserve price and go from there.

Dean

[CSS]

Just today I received a small guitar part that I paid 4.50 for Priority mail shipping on so I would have it last week. I paid on Tuesday, that left 4 extra days to get here. It just came today and guess what, it was mailed out media mail @ .78 cents postage. I am thining about asking for my 3.75 back or reflect this in the feedback. It is not the money, it is the principle.

[RichardL]

Originally Posted by CSS

Just today I received a small guitar part that I paid 4.50 for Priority mail shipping on so I would have it last week. I paid on Tuesday, that left 4 extra days to get here. It just came today and guess what, it was mailed out media mail @ .78 cents postage. I am thining about asking for my 3.75 back or reflect this in the feedback. It is not the money, it is the principle.

Forget the $3.75, report him to the post office! Here's what Media Mail is supposed to be used for

Small and large packages and thick envelopes can be sent using Media Mail. Contents are limited to books, manuscripts, sound recordings, recorded videotapes, and computer-readable media (not blank). Informally called "Book Rate," Media Mail cannot contain advertising, except eligible books may contain incidental announcements of books. Media Mail is usually less expensive than Parcel Post.

Don't see guitar parts anywhere on that list. Pretty sure the USPS would take a dim view of his shipping practices.

[PapaBeef]

The problem is, everybody puts the screws to you.
I sold a guitar last year & charged $35. for S&H, since that was the average I'd been paying for shipping on guitars. Took it to UPS store & they charged me $96. to pack it & ship it from NJ to California. EBay took their cut. PayPal took their cut. And I ended up breaking even.
Recently, I sold a Tascam 4 track mini studio, not working, for $4.50, charged $10. to ship priority mail & it cost me 14.50 when I got to the PO. After EBay & PayPal took their cut, I lost money. Same with a speaker I sold I charged $12. because I just bought a similar one & paid $7.50 for shipping before the rates went up. It cost me $21. to send it priority mail.
I think eople are just trying to cover their butts because shipping costs are always biting them on the @$$.
The exception would be the wonderful Magnificent Electrical Music Tools you see for sale all the time, you know, the Gibson & fender & other knock offs from China that you can but for $10. But shipping costs you $350.
Those clowns should get the chair for that.

[jwsamuel]

Originally Posted by PapaBeef

The problem is, everybody puts the screws to you.
I sold a guitar last year & charged $35. for S&H, since that was the average I'd been paying for shipping on guitars. Took it to UPS store & they charged me $96. to pack it & ship it from NJ to California. EBay took their cut. PayPal took their cut. And I ended up breaking even.

NEVER, NEVER use a UPS Store. They will charge you that kind of money. If you had packed it yourself and taken it to a UPS depot or used the U.S. Postal Service, it would have shipped for between $20 and $35.

Jim

[Colo Springs E]

Originally Posted by CSS

Just today I received a small guitar part that I paid 4.50 for Priority mail shipping on so I would have it last week. I paid on Tuesday, that left 4 extra days to get here. It just came today and guess what, it was mailed out media mail @ .78 cents postage. I am thining about asking for my 3.75 back or reflect this in the feedback. It is not the money, it is the principle.

.....did his auction state he'd ship via Priority Mail?

If so, I agree it's not the money, it's the fact he didn't use the more timely method he stated he'd be using.