topic Re: Postage in Buying

Postage

dreamcaster51 — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 10:05:33 GMT

Hi people,
Any one noticed how some 'Top Rated Sellers' are upping the postage on auction items?
I was looking at some solar powered garden lights, one lot of 18 mtr of lights (100 globes) started at $4.99 but $10.99 postage, next item by same seller, exact same product 'buy it now' price of &16.99 but postage only $2.99 for this item. Me thinks this seller is trying to use postage to lift up his profit margin. 😞

Re: Postage

annies_fancy_dress — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 10:27:45 GMT

It's hard to comment on any sellers freight/postage as they/we all have different criteria for working it out.

All I will say is packing time, packaging products and even time taken to post are NOT FREE.

Nor do Aust POst give out stamps, tough bags or other packaging for free.

PAcking and posting are a large expense for all sellers

Re: Postage

koalablue12 — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 10:54:23 GMT

Perhaps they are charging premium postage to avoid getting neutral feedback about slow postage (which is really out of a sellers control once AP have it) ?:|

Re: Postage

dreamcaster51 — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 10:57:04 GMT

Hi there Annie,
I think you miss my point, the SAME seller is selling two IDENTICAL items, one by auction one by buy it now. They appear to be trying to make the auction price up by charging more for the postage on that item. I just think its wrong, no one should not charge the correct postage but to over charge is wrong in my book.

Re: Postage

kopenhagen5 — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 11:03:32 GMT

Ahh koala, glad to see you can be diplomatic as well. 😄

I am thinking they may have some cheaper priced items to get a better place in searches.

Cheap starting price at auction and have postage make up a difference. X-(

Not kosher of course, and the OP here is already not feeling comfortable purchasing.

Sellers only shoot themselves in the foot with this tactic.

Re: Postage

kopenhagen5 — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 11:05:17 GMT

here here dreamcaster.

Re: Postage

jensmanchester-australia — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 11:35:18 GMT

For the BIN item the seller may have incorporated some of the postage cost into the selling price.

I think it would be impossible to post a set of lights that size for $2.99.

Re: Postage

davewil1964 — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 11:44:20 GMT

So buy the BIN one.

Or bid on the auction and if total price including postage goes over the BIN price, withdraw your bid and buy BIN.

Or find another seller.

If the seller is TRS, then it means they have good feedback and no or few 1 & 2 DSRs. If they are postage pirating, they will soon accumulate enough to lose TRS.

So, it's self-correcting.

Re: Postage

thesoulyearns — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 13:03:57 GMT

Hi there Annie, I think you miss my point, the SAME seller is selling two IDENTICAL items, one by auction one by buy it now. They appear to be trying to make the auction price up by charging more for the postage on that item. I just think its wrong, no one should not charge the correct postage but to over charge is wrong in my book.

(this turned out to be a long post but there's a bit to say) 🙂

Unless you know how much it costs to ship something, trying to calculate the correct postage cost is hard. Without knowing how much it costs to send the lights, it seems that by having such a low start price, they actually factored in some of the profit into the postage and hoped the buyer would be taken by such a low starting price. It's a tactic based on perception and they aren't necessarily charging more for postage, perse, as it's the total cost that makes the profit. That's why buyers should always look at the total price they are willing to spend and not worry so much about the seller but appreciate the seller trying to make a profit and using tactics to help that along.

Regarding the increased price of the item for the BIN, it is probably increased by $1-2 to cover the additional final value fees of something that's $15 or more vs. under $3. So, that might be why some sellers put their item price up when drastically reducing the postage; because a higher fee is charged to the seller so the total profit would be about the same as if they were selling it for $3 with a higher postage. I hope that makes sense...

In the end, look at the total you'll be spending. Don't necessarily go just for Top Rated Sellers - take each seller individually and gauge how confident you feel in them and the item. At the end of the day, most sellers seem to be legit. If nothing raises warning bells, go for the cheapest in a condition you're happy with buying.

Re: Postage

thesoulyearns — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 13:04:47 GMT

messed up the quote... 😞

Re: Postage

the3coopers — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 23:40:42 GMT

Me thinks this seller is trying to use postage to lift up his profit margin.

No, actually what is happening is that the seller is using the item price of the Buy It Now,to subsidise the postage price. Do you realise that only a letter can be posted for $3.00?

Why do YOU care how the price is made up? Why do you care how, what and why the seller makes profit. Profit is profit, they cannot afford to sell stuff if they lose money on it.

I think that somebody is focussing on things that are not important. You are being given a choice, and it's up to you to choose what price structure you prefer. To me, and every other buyer who owns a calculator, the $15.98 is $4 cheaper.

Would you prefer to pay $20.99 with FREE Postage?

How about I buy the one for $4.99 + $10.99 postage, and then make a Buy It Now just for you? Of course, I'll need to make a profit so let's make it $20.99 in total. Please inform me of your preferred cost breakdown of Item and Postage so I can set it up for you.

Re: Postage

digital*ghost — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 00:33:13 GMT

Hi there Annie, I think you miss my point, the SAME seller is selling two IDENTICAL items, one by auction one by buy it now. They appear to be trying to make the auction price up by charging more for the postage on that item. I just think its wrong, no one should not charge the correct postage but to over charge is wrong in my book.

Appear being thge operative word - as has been pointed out, you're assuming that because the $2.99 P&H quote is lower, that's what it's going to cost to post. Why?

I do exactly the same thing, by the way, with items that use 3kg satchels (which cost me around $11 to post). When they're BIN, I prefer to quote under $10 for postage so I subsidise the BIN price with the rest (I guess you could say I'm 'overcharging' the item price). If I send the item to auction, I charge actual P&H price so that not only are my costs are covered but it doesn't cost me more to sell the item at a lower price (which is always a lower total price, just like this seller's).

While I do not advocate nor practice postage piracy, the way I look at it is this - no seller makes profit on postage. They make profit on the items they sell - sometimes that profit is all in column A, sometimes there's a little in column B. I get why people don't like or appreciate when some of it is in column B, but I think part of the problem is that if you buy something for $5 + $10 P&H, even if it's an item that reatails for $50, and it arrives in an envelope with $1.20 stamps, people start thinking they should have paid $5 + $1.20 post, which would never happen no matter which way the seller divided their costs & profits.

Re: Postage

digital*ghost — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 00:36:02 GMT

Well, that didn't work...

I was responding to, and quoting, post #3 by dreamcatcher

(Hi there Annie,
I think you miss my point, the SAME seller is selling two IDENTICAL items, one by auction one by buy it now. They appear to be trying to make the auction price up by charging more for the postage on that item. I just think its wrong, no one should not charge the correct postage but to over charge is wrong in my book)

Re: Postage

dylan11235813 — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 01:25:31 GMT

Hi there Annie, I think you miss my point, the SAME seller is selling two IDENTICAL items, one by auction one by buy it now. They appear to be trying to make the auction price up by charging more for the postage on that item. I just think its wrong, no one should not charge the correct postage but to over charge is wrong in my book.

I dont find this wrong at all and would actullly encourage this practice. All my profit is going into postage which is wrong.

It is stated up front so dont bid.....

Re: Postage

dylan11235813 — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 01:26:35 GMT

sorry screwed up my post and the quote but I am sure you get the idea

Re: Postage

dylan11235813 — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 01:31:48 GMT

No, actually what is happening is that the seller is using the item price of the Buy It Now,to subsidise the postage price. Do you realise that only a letter can be posted for $3.00?

Why do YOU care how the price is made up? Why do you care how, what and why the seller makes profit. Profit is profit, they cannot afford to sell stuff if they lose money on it.

I think that somebody is focussing on things that are not important. You are being given a choice, and it's up to you to choose what price structure you prefer. To me, and every other buyer who owns a calculator, the $15.98 is $4 cheaper.

Would you prefer to pay $20.99 with FREE Postage?

How about I buy the one for $4.99 + $10.99 postage, and then make a Buy It Now just for you? Of course, I'll need to make a profit so let's make it $20.99 in total. Please inform me of your preferred cost breakdown of Item and Postage so I can set it up for you.

I actually like my free post items that way when people buy 2 lots I have no worries as the cost is already incorperated into it.

I dont think the letter rate post needs to be a document....

Re: Postage

dreamcaster51 — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 02:40:44 GMT

Jesus, some of you need to take a chill pill