Attention Postage Police

[Albert]

Free packing filler would be great, but that will never happen since you could use it to ship via non-USPS services.

Can you just envision little packing peanuts labeled like M&Ms "priority mail"

That would be funny, but people would just turn them inside out...

Who has that kind of time?

You'd be amazed at what some people will do to save a few peanuts..

 

..Al

[brucebidder]

Going back to the "too busy" excuse, alot of post offices down here offer 24hr shipping & drop offs via a kiosk that accepts credit cards, and a revolving drop box that accepts most smaller packages. I often use paypal for shipping, and then run it by the drop off at the post office before/after work. It's hard sometimes to wait in line at the post office during a work break, but if you can weigh & print your postage online there's no excuse for not being able to toss it in a drop box around the work schedule.

 

Regarding USPS carrier pickups, I personally have never used them, but I'd worry they wouldn't be there in time, if you are working, and leaving items on the front porch for the carrier is not the best option IMHO, regardless of value.

 

 

Wel I can tell you also from being from Columbus 70 percent of the PO's around here have kiosks and 24 hour drop off service so there is no excuse for "too busy". I drop packages off sometimes from 2AM to 6AM no problems.. SO I agree with you about the drop boxes and ours I'm sure are the same as yours will fit most size packages. Also our PO's allow prepaid postage items to be dropped off at the business counter thus allowing drop off anytime during the day with no wait. So really "too busy" is an excuse.

[brucebidder]

I don't charge "handling fee" either. That's just a sleazy way (in my opinion) to further pad your profits. The price for the items you are selling should contain your profit, minus your expenses. These expenses should include the price you paid for the item, your eBay and PayPal fees, and any additional shipping expenses you incur beyond what you charge for shipping.

 

..Al

 

Spot on here. I agree completely, I think if its so much of a bother to someone to package and ship an item they posted on ebay that they feel I should pay them for their precious time to complete the transaction, they may be best to just keep their items. Just my two cents though...

 

Bruce

[Christophero Sly]

Can you just envision little packing peanuts labeled like M&Ms "priority mail"

[Jimmy Yakapucci]

I don't charge "handling fee" either. That's just a sleazy way (in my opinion) to further pad your profits. The price for the items you are selling should contain your profit, minus your expenses. These expenses should include the price you paid for the item, your eBay and PayPal fees, and any additional shipping expenses you incur beyond what you charge for shipping.

..Al

 

Can you imagine going to the grocery store or Wal-Mart or wherever and they charge you a "handling fee" for ringing up and bagging your items? That is one reason why I rarely use the self check out lanes. Offer me a discount for doing their job, and I might use it.

 

JY

[+LS650]

You know, I have no problems with people charging "excessive" S&H fees if they are upfront with the details in the auction.

 

For example, recently a friend asked me to buy her an N64 with 12 games off eBay (she doesn't have an account). The seller made it very clear that the cost to ship would be $40, but that would include all charges. My friend won the auction for about $50 - plus shipping.

 

When the package arrived the postage charge was only $17 - but the package had terrific packaging. A very sturdy cardboard box, lots of crumpled newspaper, and every cart, cables, the power supply, the controller, the memory card, and the rumble pack were individually wrapped with Glad bags. The box was wrapped with heavy brown paper and heavy shipping tape. The addresses on the package were very clearly and neatly written. The package was also shipped the day after I paid with PayPal, and it arrived promptly.

 

Where I think folks have issues is when a seller charges say $8 for shipping, chucks the cart or disc in a $1 bubble envelope, and pays $3 for postage. C'mon. It did NOT cost $4 for the gas to the post office or for the time and effort in handling.

[Almost Rice]

Where I think folks have issues is when a seller charges say $8 for shipping, chucks the cart or disc in a $1 bubble envelope, and pays $3 for postage. C'mon. It did NOT cost $4 for the gas to the post office or for the time and effort in handling.

 

It was $2.09 for me and the envelope must have been 20-30 cents max. I pay 20 cents for a 7x7x7 box. I was pissed at the seller and his excuses. also the excuses made by some people here for the actions of this seller.

[brucebidder]

You know, I have no problems with people charging "excessive" S&H fees if they are upfront with the details in the auction.

 

For example, recently a friend asked me to buy her an N64 with 12 games off eBay (she doesn't have an account). The seller made it very clear that the cost to ship would be $40, but that would include all charges. My friend won the auction for about $50 - plus shipping.

 

When the package arrived the postage charge was only $17 - but the package had terrific packaging. A very sturdy cardboard box, lots of crumpled newspaper, and every cart, cables, the power supply, the controller, the memory card, and the rumble pack were individually wrapped with Glad bags. The box was wrapped with heavy brown paper and heavy shipping tape. The addresses on the package were very clearly and neatly written. The package was also shipped the day after I paid with PayPal, and it arrived promptly.

 

Where I think folks have issues is when a seller charges say $8 for shipping, chucks the cart or disc in a $1 bubble envelope, and pays $3 for postage. C'mon. It did NOT cost $4 for the gas to the post office or for the time and effort in handling.

 

ANother interesting take you are upset when charged 8 dollars but only four were used in the actual process, but you paid 40 for another system, which the seller paid actual postage of 17, probably paid 1 or 2 dollars for a box and used household items to pack the rest and your OK with paying 23 dollars for handling and supplies? If it didn't cost 4 dollars in gas to go to the PO, I don't think it cost 20 either. I would be pissed in both situations. Again I am not a fan of paying somebody a seperate fee for the good graces of them packaging my item correctly and mailing it. If I go to McDOnald's and get a Big MAc value meal I expect to pay the actual price of the item and tax where applicable, I don't expect to have a seperate fee to have the guy put by burger in a nice sturdy big mac box. I guess its a matter of opinion, but I just am not sure why you would be upset with 8/4 as opposed to 40/20 THe ratios are the same to me. Well I guess its just my opinion. Worth about 2 cents... Of course if I was selling my opinion on ebay I would charge an extra fee for the time it took me to formulate it..... J/K

[+LS650]

ANother interesting take you are upset when charged 8 dollars but only four were used in the actual process, but you paid 40 for another system, which the seller paid actual postage of 17, probably paid 1 or 2 dollars for a box and used household items to pack the rest and your OK with paying 23 dollars for handling and supplies?

I thought I was pretty clear, but apparently not. The packaging was extremely well done, and obviously took a great deal of time and effort. If I were to wrap up a parcel as carefully as this one was, it would take me about 45 minutes. I make about $25/hour at my job, so I don't begrudge sellers charging me that sort of money if they get off their butts and put major efforts into packaging up a shipment.

 

Throwing a cart into a bubble envelope and scribbling my address on the front might take all of one minute. It's not in the same league at all.

[brucebidder]

ANother interesting take you are upset when charged 8 dollars but only four were used in the actual process, but you paid 40 for another system, which the seller paid actual postage of 17, probably paid 1 or 2 dollars for a box and used household items to pack the rest and your OK with paying 23 dollars for handling and supplies?

I thought I was pretty clear, but apparently not. The packaging was extremely well done, and obviously took a great deal of time and effort. If I were to wrap up a parcel as carefully as this one was, it would take me about 45 minutes. I make about $25/hour at my job, so I don't begrudge sellers charging me that sort of money if they get off their butts and put major efforts into packaging up a shipment.

 

Throwing a cart into a bubble envelope and scribbling my address on the front might take all of one minute. It's not in the same league at all.

 

No you were clear, I jsut honestly wouldn't be to thriled about paying 40 for 17. I understand they took extra time in doing a good job but still I am not a fan of handling fees. Specifics aside I make more than 25/hour at my job, but I can't turn around and tell people that is justification for an overcharged handling fee. I pack all my items well whether that be a single loose Atari game or an Atari system with 100 games. Everything I sell goes in a cardboard sturdy corrugated shipping box, packed in with peanuts or other form of packing, taped with heavy duty shipping tape and I use paypal for all my shipping labels so they are typed and easy to read, if you were left to my chicken scratch none of my items would arrive. I buy my boxes and supplies in bulk and when it is all said and done I charge actual shipping via USPS or ups plus 1 or 2 bucks depending on size for supplies. I also don't scam people and ship media mail, as that is explicitely not allowed by the USPS, even though people still do it. So yes you were clear and while I understand your point about doing a good packaging job, I still feel kind of ripped when I see that kind of handling. But yes I do see your point its easier to accept being overcharged if they do it with a nice box and bow and a smile, as opposed to a bubble mailer and a scowl.. Just my thoughts its worth less than 1/999 of a cent though, about as much as my 401K....