eBay's postage fee... here we go again!

[backlogs]

Hello to everybody who might happen to read this.

I only use this account to browse on ebay to get an idea of prices for items I list elsewhere.

I'll never sell or buy on ebay ever again due to their illegal postage fee.

I know this has been covered so many times and I know there's been so much information and links to the relevant websites, but the following information and link to the ACCC website proves in a nutshell (as far as I'm concerned) that what they do from profiting from a service they don't provide is illegal as much as ACCC or any organisation does nothing about - so it's up to the individual to take a stance against them just like I have, but instead of rambling on about what I'm doing on behalf of all Australian ebay users and to make ebay pay back every cent they've stolen... here's the information and link to the ACCC website:

The Australian consumer law prohibits businesses from misleading consumers (ie: their illegal postage fee should be displayed next to the postage cost just as GST has to be displayed).  It also prohibits them from accepting payment (for products and/or services) if they do not intend to supply (those same products and/or services).

http://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/sales-delivery/non-delivery-of-products-services

I'll leave that with yourselves and whether you take a stance against them too is totally up to yourselves.  Everyone knows (or should know) that this place if "rife" with unfair business practices and policies, but when they conduct in illegal activities and decide to steal money from the very people who make them money then that's my justification for my own stance against them.

Cheers!

[lyndal1838]

As much as nobody likes the fees on postage I don't think your argument will hold water.

Ebay does indeed provide a postage service at about 10% less than current Australia Post rates.  If sellers do not use it that is not ebay's fault.   And until such time as that service is withdrawn the argument does not hold water.

[dylan11235813]

They charge the fee on handling as well......

[lyndal1838]

So raise your prices to cover the ebay fees and your buyer is paying for everything.

I don't know what all the drama is.....any seller should be setting their prices to cover all fees and postage as well as the cost of the item.

[joethenuts]

to backlogs  i think lyndal has answered your question  .  mmmmmmmmmmm

also maybe ebay should charge people like you to surf ebay checking on prices and coming on to these boards. mmmm

[dylan11235813]

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@lyndal1838 wrote:

So raise your prices to cover the ebay fees and your buyer is paying for everything.

I don't know what all the drama is.....any seller should be setting their prices to cover all fees and postage as well as the cost of the item.

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That is exactly what I do (I have always had higher postage costs anyway and have never changed them). But as the OP has stated they are charging for a service they don't provide. In the end the buyer pays which I don't want (really I don't care). There is also the fact that the only option under ebays sytem is to use Australia Post.

I go buy a bubble mailer for $0.15 and I have to add $0.01 to each one just for the sake of ebay fees. ANd then get low DSR's for postage cost. What!!! there was only $8 worth of stamps yet I got charged $10/

[digital*ghost]

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@backlogs wrote:

The Australian consumer law prohibits businesses from misleading consumers (ie: their illegal postage fee should be displayed next to the postage cost just as GST has to be displayed).  It also prohibits them from accepting payment (for products and/or services) if they do not intend to supply (those same products and/or services).

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I strongly disagree with eBay's fee on postage costs, for a wide variety of reasons (I think it's unjustifiable by my standards, and I resent the fact that we don't have the same conditions as elsewhere, which is to only pay FVF on the first domestic option, no matter what), but technicalities are a b***ch. 

They (eBay) contribute in a very small way to limited postage services, so I personally don't feel that's the sole reason they can get away with it, otherwise surely the FVF on postage would only be on the eBay "services"?, though I do know eBay only brought it in after the introduction of eBay branded postage, but... consider that eBay don't provide any of the products or services that sellers here supply to buyers, and they are legally entitled to charge a percentage (or flat) fee for facilitating the sale of goods / services.

When you look at it in the way that postage is an additional (and technically optional) service that sellers use eBay to provide, in the same way that they use eBay to sell products, or that they (eBay) have facilitated a sale contract of X amount (where X = product price + P&H), then it's probably a bit easier to see how they get away with it. 

(NB: This is how it was explained by a member on the UK boards when the FVF on P&H was introduced over there - I know laws between countries, and how they apply, will differ, but similar things were said by others when the debate first raged, so I think it's likely a contributing factor if nothing else, and the ACCC didn't even read my submission about this way back when, they just sent me the same copy/paste reply everyone else who sent in complaints received, and I was talking about a slightly different - but related - matter... )

[x3n0m]

There can be little doubt that ebay, auspost and the ACCC all feed from the same trough..

[cq_tech]

Agreed. However, it appears that you have inadvertantly omitted Paypal.

[x3n0m]

Agreed. However, it appears that you have inadvertantly omitted Paypal.

That little piggy gets spoonfed ..