Why doesn't "Free Postage" mean "Free Postage" - Why are sellers permitted to lie about this?

[dkitson]

So many times, sellers in Eastern States say "Free Postage" to gain the benefits, but then, in the fine print, they have hidden away their postage charges - usually it's only free if you're local or close - but the hidden postage charges can be huge ( hundreds of dollars in some cases ) and you can't sort these out in the results! It means having to read the fine print and contact EVERY seller.

WHY???

How do I complain to force these people to declare the real maximum cost to send anywhere in the zone in which they are selling? Or why can't Ebay allow different postage fees per state? 

But allowing the sellers to keep on getting away with declaring their stuff "free" is dishonest, and it appears that Ebay wholeheartedly supports this dishonesty!

David. 

[trusteduserid]

The reason why sellers offer ''free'' postage must be the reasons highlited in yellow below. Can't be the reason in red surely!

EBay actually support ''free'' postage and claim 60% of sellers on eBay are already using ''free'' postage.

If you are not prepared to pay as much as a certain seller is charging- buy elsewhere or wait for another seller to list the item.

[curraone]

All I can say is that some sellers are listing their items badly - there is a lot of confusion for example about how to list an item when you only want to sell locally as PICKUP ONLY -  it is quite complicated to make a listing that doesn't say "free postage" and then "local pickup only" in the actuall listing.

Of course there is an option for sellers  to use calculated postage for the items they do want to post,    then the postage is correct for whichever state the buyer is in.

At the moment, there is pressure on sellers by ebay to list their items as "free postage" and a lot of sellers are struggling with how to achieve that, when obviously it is not free to post and they have to build their postage into the item price.

Sorry that you have having a bad time, but there are plenty of items out there that have the correct postage - whether "free" or "calculated".    Just try to perservere, we need buyers at the moment!!! 

[phorum_junkie*]

If it states free shipping in the postage and payments section then it doesn't matter what they say about that only being for local areas in the description they cannot charge you any more than is in the quote. 

There are problems when using tablets and smart phones where some things show as free post in a title search but the postage is clearly quoted when you click to view the item.

[ajarnjenny]

eh? Chicken Licken?  Or are you taking some poetic licence there?

[extra-keen]

Oh, how I wish it were in reality free to post.

In defense of sellers - they are being pressured by ebay to use "free post", in fact to some degree they are penalised in searches for not using the "free post" format for selling.

Perhaps you should direct your question to ebays customer service as clearly "free post" isn't possible, certainly it isn't in Australia. So I guess most sellers add the cost of post onto the item they are selling if they choose "free post" format for their listings.

[davewil1964]

I thought it was Chicken Little, but I thought I might have been missing a newage reference.

[phorum_junkie*]

I use free post for all my new store items and have done so for many years, I charge postage on my other two selling ids which I use for auction and BIN with Best Offer listings and there is no difference in their ranking unless of course you search by ending soonest.

Perhaps it would be best if ebay renamed it free delivery but nobody in their right mind could think that free postage meant it was not included in the price.

As for Chicken Licken as far as I know that has always been the name.

http://fairytales4u.com/story/chicken.htm

[trusteduserid]

I use free post for all my new store items and have done so for many years, I charge postage on my other two selling ids which I use for auction and BIN with Best Offer listings and there is no difference in their ranking unless of course you search by ending soonest.

Well that info surely condridicts the info that eBay has advised HERE

Not saying that you are wrong but if you are right it means eBay is lying incorrect!

[davewil1964]

On the balance of probabilities....