I disagree with eBay charging Final Value fee on shipping when I don't use eBay brokered shipping or its shipping labels, but contracted a private carrier to deliver the parcels instead. This is against the Australian Consumer Law, in the Australian jurisdiction where my customers and I are located, for an agent to take commissions on its recommended shipping services even when the services were not rendered to or utilised by me and my customers. Had I used Ebay shipping to transport the goods to my customer, then I am willing to pay the Final Value on shipping, but in reality I did not use Ebay shipping services. It is unconscionable for eBay to take commission on services not yet rendered. Secondly, eBay states that it charges Final Value on shipping to induce the sellers to add postage to the cost of products in order for the customers to obtain free shipping. There are 2 flaws to this argument: (a) Increasing the costs of products through the addition of shipping fees will deter customers from purchasing, because the accrued cost will be more than the cost of the same product sold in the shops. This will lead to a reduction of online purchases, and a reduction of eBay commissions due to a decreased in sales. (b) Increasing the costs of products through the addition of shipping fees will not only misrepresent the actual costs of the products to customers, but misleads the customers into thinking that they have been given free shipping when shipping fees are in fact added. (c) By adding shipping cost to the actual cost of product, eBay is therefore able to charge a higher Final Value fee over the higher accrued cost of product (actual cost + shipping). This is a misleading and deceptive conduct under the Australian Consumer Law. I hope to continue business relations with eBay, but eBay's shipping fees are unfair and misleading.
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