topic Re: High postage cost in Buying

High postage cost

takut0 — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 07:52:04 GMT

I just recieved my item today and I'm overal very pleased with the goods but not the postage/handling fee. I fully agreed to pay the postage cost when I hit 'buy' button BUT I didn't expect to get majorly ripped off either.

They charge $6 for standard postage.

Well item turns up to doay...The package costs $1.05 (even cheaper if bought in bulk) and the stamp $1.40 (two 70cents stamps).

Plus, the package it came in is padded bag so there wasn't charges for bubble wrap.

Sooo..the "handling fee" is $3.55? That seems to be a bit high, right?

Re: High postage cost

michellebartley — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 07:56:51 GMT

I don't argue about post costs. If something is too costly to post I don't bother buying it.

Re: High postage cost

lane-ends — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 08:07:53 GMT

Depends what it is, how easy it is to accurately predict postage cost, sellers general postage policy, whether flat rate, same for all items.

Getting excited about such small amounts is hardly worth it.

What were you expecting for $6 given its less than parcel rate so was obviously going to be a letter.

Re: High postage cost

nevillesdaughter — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 08:25:49 GMT

Don't forget, he or she also delivers it to the PO (or box) and then has to pay commission on the item price as well as what they have charged for P&H. It's not really worth a sellers while to over-inflate this cost and I don't really think they have in this case.

Just my opinion.

Marina.

Re: High postage cost

harley_babes_hoard — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 09:23:14 GMT

if the postage was included in the listing and you didn't know what it was, would you have still bought the item? if so stop being petty

Re: High postage cost

phorum_junkie* — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 09:22:58 GMT

Would it have made a difference if the item had cost the total you paid with a quote for free postage? You got the item for a total price you were happy with so how does if matter how the components were allocated.

Would you have been happy with what you paid had the seller used eparcel so no cost was displayed?

It is not how it used to be when a seller could save on final value fees by selling the item cheaper and charging more for postage , they now pay nearly 10% in fees on the totsl price.

If it annoys you that much you could perhaps only give them 3 or 4 stars for postage cost but really you should keep less than pos feedback and DSR ratings for the sellers who are actually trying to rip you off or not offering good customer service.

Re: High postage cost

diecastcarsvicki — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 09:37:57 GMT

add the 10% ebay charges in fees on postage & if paid though paypal 2.4 % in fees.

that $3.55 your complaining about is in fact approx $1.50 so handling fees at $1.50 seems pretty fair too me.

Re: High postage cost

chezzy — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 09:39:57 GMT

Some people here will defend a seller's right to charge a 'reasonable' handling fee, some people want to account for every little cent, for petrol, time, inconvenience of standing in a queque in the PO etc, for printing a label, ink, for sticky tape etc.

I do see where you are coming from. One pays a certain amount charged, fully believing it will cost that amount because maybe the seller has to send it as a parcel or in a satchel etc. They don't feel a need to question it at the time. Then the item arrives and it seems the seller sent it by the cheapest way possible, cutting corners etc to maximise their profit - it seems cheeky doesn't it?

Guess you have to decide whether the difference in amounts is worth saying something to the seller? I have raised postage costs with sellers a couple of times, but the amount was far greater and I think it was a genuine oversight (they were suppose to send by express or registered but forgot and sent it standard mail) and a refund was given. Another time was a blatant rip off but I had to suck it up. The seller probably laughed all the way to the bank.

I wish you happy buying experiences - hopefully ones that will make up for this one and balance things out a bit.

Re: High postage cost

bsal6160 — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 10:07:38 GMT

well diecast, the OPs postage was $6.00. Actual total cost for that postage was $2.45. Total fees payable would have been something like 30 cents. Now I would assume they could have charge about $2.75 - $3.00 to cover all costs. Sounds like a clear 100% mark-up in price to me.

Re: High postage cost

dylan11235813 — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 10:39:26 GMT

According to a show I saw on TV the other day the average pay in Australia is $80,000 / year. If it take 5 minutes to package an item that equates to about $3.20 just for handling.

Re: High postage cost

stampingpaws — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 11:29:32 GMT

I had this occur to me before, buyer sqabbling over postage; and wanting a discount after they have bought multiple items, each paid separately thus incurring maximum PayPal fees.

I sell Stamp Albums on CD of my own creation weigning 40gm each and have decided on the following:

1 - Free Postage world wide. I simply averaged out a months postage costs and handling fees and added that to the item price.

2 - No discount on postage. Its free!

3 - No refunding post sale discount. Do it before buying and I set up a special item with the discounted price, again with free postage.

I have added the following to my listings when changing the price to include postage and handling

DISCOUNTING
We do not charge for postage anywhere in the world. We are unable to offer a discount on postage. If you wish to buy more than four Stamp Albums together, please contact us PRIOR to ordering. We will negotiate a discount and provide one listing for all your items. Under no circumstances can discounts be given after purchase has been made.

So I now have a FREE POSTAGE banner on every one of my listings world wide. According to EBay this is what the buyer wants and I hope sales inprove.

Best wishes

Robert

Re: High postage cost

phorum_junkie* — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 11:32:17 GMT

Didn't you realise that buyers expect sellers to donate the time spent selecting and preparing the item for postage for free rather than charging for the time which is perfectly allowable under ebay's terms. It is all very well estimating what the seller paid for the packaging materials and then adding on the actual postage cost but what about the cost of the label or the ink to write the address plus depending on the brand of toothpaste and mouthwash the seller uses they may consider their spit for sticking the stamps on to be worth at least 50c

Re: High postage cost

harley_babes_hoard — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 11:43:24 GMT

Re: High postage cost

dylan11235813 — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 12:07:36 GMT

I forgot to add the fee that ebay charge on the service provided by me. So it would be about $3.50 for handling.

Re: High postage cost

chezzy — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 12:35:45 GMT

@dylan11235813 wrote:
According to a show I saw on TV the other day the average pay in Australia is $80,000 / year. If it take 5 minutes to package an item that equates to about $3.20 just for handling.

And going by some postage/handling fees I have seen on listings over the years, $80,000 must be a drop in the ocean for some people

Re: High postage cost

dylan11235813 — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 14:01:09 GMT

They must treat and pay their employees quite well

The only reason I would be unhappy with a postage/handling costs as stated upfrount is if the item got damaged in the post due to lack of packaging, in which case a buyer can put a claim in with paypal (assuming this is the payment method). Not that I fully agree with this type of scenario anyway.

And before someones says that Australia Post doesn;t offer a fragile service and packages need to withstand 20kg dropped on the item, I think Australia Post should be less vague and convoluted in their policies, which no doubt is done on purpose.

Re: High postage cost

lyndal1838 — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 14:44:18 GMT

What is vague and convoluted about the statement that there is no Fragile service offered by Australia Post?

As for packages having to withstand 20 kg being dropped on them...that is just common sense. As 20 kg is the upper weight limit carried by AP that is the weight that could be dropped on top of any other parcel.

What is hard to understand about either of those statements?

Re: High postage cost

dylan11235813 — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 15:10:00 GMT

How big is the parcel being dropped (that weighs 20kg)? Do they drop parcels?

Re: High postage cost

phorum_junkie* — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 15:22:01 GMT

How big is the parcel being dropped (that weighs 20kg)? Do they drop parcels?

Does it matter how big they are, if they are large and heavy the underparcel goes splat, if they are small and heavy the underparcel goes keerrrrrrackkkk. Do they drop parcels, how else do you think they are going to fill a container, do you think they are going to lean over and gently place each individual parcel in the sack or box or whatever?

Popular belief, and this has been posted by AP workers, is that the word FRAGILE is interpreted as "Please use me as a football" or "See whyo can throw me the furthest"

Re: High postage cost

dylan11235813 — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 15:23:22 GMT

so all packages need to withstand a 20kg crowbar (a long metal bar for digging/grinding) from waist hight.