Another shipping scam

[Callipygous]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...item=1379284805

 

The seller starts with a base price of $3.95. Okay fair enough for priority shipping. If you win other carts, however, he will "combo ship": $2 for each additional cart. What a nice guy! $2 to put each additional cart in the box. Lets see 8 carts would only be 3.95 + 7x$2 or $17 s&h.

[bangles66]

The way his ad sounds he sounds like he knows he's giving you the shaft and enjoys it or at least knows he's making extra money on shipping.

[MrRetroGamer]

I'm not REALLY defending the person, but I've seen much worse when it comes to shipping costs. Since his cost are clearly stated, if they offend you, you should just bid. Not only that, but his feedback is really not that bad - I expected worse before I read it, so he can't be all that bad.

 

Imagine if you really did win 17 carts and then he ended up shipping them by media mail for like 2 bux, that WOULD suck!

[Cap5750]

You could always e-mail the person and ask something like:

 

"Hey if I win 10 auctions, will you reduce the shipping a little more?"

 

I actually did something like this once. A guy had something with a buy-it-now and so (knowing it was a little high) asked if I used the BIN, if he'd drop the shipping (he originally wanted $20 I think...it was a heavy box which would probably cost $15 to ship...typical of e-bay).

 

Anyway, he e-mailed back and offered to drop the shipping to $10.

 

So I just put in a normal bid.

 

Cap

[lionrohrs]

Seller says "please do not ask for a different rate as it is not fair to other bidders to grant one"

 

I think it's unreasonable to ask that much for shipping. Some people give neg feedback if S&H is $3 and it says $2 on the package. I don't mind the seller adding a few bucks for supplies but I stay away from any auction where the seller sounds dishonest or misleading.

 

I got some cartridges a couple of weeks ago that were shipped in an ACT popcorn box. When I opened it, I was expecting to see the popcorn instead of the packing peanuts. I just had to laugh.

[Philflound]

Well, the price of shipping for priority mail will go up a pound for about maybe 5-6 cartridges. Which means if I got 6 carts from this dork and he wanted to charge $13.95 ($3.95 + 5x$2.00) and the shipping priority with delivery confirmation comes to like $6.00, I would be pissed. Though shipping across the county is slightly more as the weight increases, charging $20.00 shipping for 9 carts is ridiculous.

 

Yes, he has a right to do what he pleases. Yes we have the option not to bid. So guess what? I don't bid. And you shouldn't either unless you plan on winning just one or two carts.

 

Yes, supplies may cost money, but guess what? Priority boxes are FREE!!! Priority packing tape is FREE!!!! Priority labels are FREE!!!! So if he uses priority, he pays NOTHING for his supplies. Now if he was shipping a comic book like I do sometimes, I had to go and buy 9x12 envelopes which cost me 5 cents each with the tax, maybe add 5 cents more for the piece of tape I used to keep it sealed, and the 1 cent on the marker ink. So my supply cost is 11 cents for a comic book. I usually charge $4.50 on my priority for a comic book. $3.85 + $.45 mandatory delivery confirmation + $.11 supply comes to $4.41. Add the 9 cents for my gas to the post office and there is my $4.50.

 

Once in awhile I might make a buck on a package, but that is usually a fluke. Plus there are times when I actually lose a buck on a package, so I say it balances out. But if I was making like $15.00 on shipping, I wouldn't care if I sold my games for a penny.

 

My advice. Don't bid on people who scam shipping like this guy.

 

Phil

[Philflound]

Sorry needed to clarify the comic thing. I offer media mail option and that is when I need to actually purchase and use the envelopes and tape. Priority envelopes are FREE and the cardboard I use to reinforce my comics are free to me also.

 

Phil

[Sparkonian]

My advice. Don't bid on people who scam shipping like this guy.

 

I agree wholeheartedly. I have passed up what have looked like pretty good buys when on closer inspection I've seen an inflated shipping price. I don't mind paying a higher shipping price on occasion but what really peeves me is when someone says "$2 Shipping" and puts it in an envelop that was obviously taken from work at no cost and puts a single 45c stamp on it. For my $2 I expect an item to have at least $1 worth of "added protection" on it.

 

Brad Downunder.

[AtariDude]

Shipping and Handling rates are what sometimes will kill a sale. I have sometimes searched for something on Ebay, found what I thought I would like but when I saw the total cost because of the shipping, I would look at someone elses ad instead.

 

Usually if I am going to bid on several items from the same person, I ask them what the total cost of shipping will be and if I think it is too much, I just look elsewhere.

 

I try to keep shipping low and sometimes it costs me more to ship something to someone than what I mentioned in the Ebay ad. But as long as they receive the item and I get good feedback then I consider it even rather than a loss.

[+cvga]

When I've won multiple items from a seller who will not combine shipping, then I force them to mail all of the items separately. Once, a seller changed his mind and agreed to reduce shipping and another time the seller got very upset with me for requesting each auction to be shipped separately even though he wouldn't combine shipping charges.

[MegaManFan]

Earlier this summer I won two loose Sega games from the same seller (Archer Hoffman) for 50 cents each: one SMS game, one Game Gear game. His stated shipping charge was $5, so I sent him a PayPal payment for $6. A week goes by, no games. Two weeks. I ask politely and he says that normally he doesn't combine shipping, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE HE MAKES MOST OF HIS MONEY. I'm not kidding. He actually admitted it to me in an e-mail. I pointed out to him that this is a violation of eBay's auction policy, as you're not allowed to charge a blatant amount way above and beyond the item's cost to run up a profit eBay can't tax as a winning bid. He says fine, he'll "look into" combining the shipping. Another week goes by, no games, no responses. I finally send him a mail and say look, policy is policy, if you don't make exceptions that's fine. Just send me back my $6 and I'll leave you pos. feedback on both auctions, we'll both just walk away from it. He still won't do it. Then I get a vague message from his FATHER of all people that Archer can't pay my refund because he's on vacation in Yellowstone, and I realize that not only have I been getting hosed I've been hosed by A MINOR HALF MY AGE. Long story short I left one neutral hoping he would come around, and he left me TWO NEGATIVES in response and I'm +STILL+ out my $6. It's such a small amount of money, but it's easily THE SINGLE MOST FRUSTRATING THING that I have ever experienced. I almost quit eBay altogether over the whole incident.

[AtariDude]

That is extremely petty. It is a shame that you had to go through that. I would have left a negative simply because you did not get your products as you were supposed to.

 

As for making money on shipping, people show know better. You should never do anything to anger a customer because it will only hurt you in the long run. It is ok if you make the occasional profit from shipping but you shouldn't insist on it. As I said before, sometimes I underestimate the cost of shipping but I ship it to the person and take the loss as part of doing business. As long as the person gets the product and leaves good feedback on Ebay, I consider it a good deal.

[MegaManFan]

That is extremely petty. It is a shame that you had to go through that. I would have left a negative simply because you did not get your products as you were supposed to.

 

I did on the second auction that I hadn't left feedback on, but by then it was much too late. eBay of course refuses to pull his negatives, the seller refuses to refund my money even though I have no games to show for it, and I'm just SOL. The funny thing is, even if we all agreed as reasonable people that he has the right to charge any price he wants for shipping, shouldn't he have sent at least ONE of the two games? I mean in theory I did pay full shipping on ONE. But nope, I never got jack s#%t.

[bloatedmonkey]

I don't know what y'all are complaining about. If the shipping prices are clearly stated, then you know exactly what you will be paying if you win. If the total is more than you want to pay, then don't bid. But don't assume that you can talk him into changing his policy just because yours would be different. Now if shipping isn't a set price, that's another story.

Lesson: don't assume, and if you're not sure, ask.

[Philflound]

Ok, time to chime back in.

 

1. Paypal will refund your money, or some of it or something like that if the item has not been received. This may also cost him his paypal account, so you may want to threaten him with this.

 

2. Ebay will refund money on items won, but for 50 cents each, not sure if you'll get anything.

 

3. I think you're wrong on this one Bloatedman. Yes, the shipper may have policies, but if you're not a jackass like this kid is, then usually you can work out a deal on shipping. Also, some people are jackass sellers that they won't answer the question. Also, if you see the auction and there isn't much time yet, then you have to make that decision, though it may be the wrong one. I think seller's have a responsibility in stating that multiple items will not discount shipping. In half.com, you are given a specific amount of money for shipping. THEY DETERMINE IT. This prevents the buyer from getting hosed. Though this is good, you also have the option of not using their shipping prices and putting your own price. There is also an incremental increase on shipping charges for multiple items. If half.com sees you selling 3 hardcover books, they will alot you your first shipping fee of whatever, maybe $3.00, then $1.00 each additional book. You don't get $9.00 to ship, you get $5.00.

 

4. The buyer can make a fuss about the seller if they are underage and they have proof. In this case, the email from the father may be enough, though you need the whole address or whatever it is called that shows it is going from one server through the routes to your server. If Ebay finds out the person is under 18, they can cancel this person's user id.

 

Phil