Ebay charging fees including postage

[bric-a-brac-online]

How does Ebay allowed to charge a final fees which include the postage - I would have thought that the postage cost was only the seller and Australia post - how do they get away with it - loophole in the system may be

[ach01]

Yes, as if 10% on sale wasn't enough the additional fee levied on postage and handling is the ultimate in greed by eBay and is tantamount to an illegal tax on the P&H amount, especially when this amount is paid wholly to the Post Office etc. I have been a Buyer and Seller on eBay for many years now (1999) and I'm afraid that with their latest grab for cash I am strongly considering not bothering to sell anything on eBay anymore. PS: The compulsory inclusion of PayPal as a payment 'option' when selling is another example of greed by eBay, who own PayPal. ach01

[dithommo]

Whilst still farily new to selling I have adopted the policy of "Free Shipping" on all my items unless they are substantially large/heavy items that the postage will differ between different locations.

I know what the postage is likely to be including any tracking SOD etc plus any overheads including any eBay fees and PayPal fees plus a few dollars minium for me depending on the items real value (which is usually a moot point as I am selling it because I do not need it). Then that forms the basis of my listing start price (not the stupid 99cent recomended by eBay). Some times I have a win with postage some times I dont. A couple of times I have just broken even but what the heck at least someone is getting a good deal. In the long term I am only interested in finding new homes for the many generations of accumulated clutter that I have acquried (I do not actively go out to buy anything for resale on eBay).

If the Australia Post Calculator charges too much (which sometimes is does) and the difference is more than a couple of dollars I will refund (this has happend twice and I have refunded about $10 each time). There are other times that I have a win when I allow for a 5 kg prepaid bag and manage to fit in a under 3Kg prepaid, if I have advertised as "Free Shipping" then that is my win and the buyer is none the wiser ( and still happy with positive FB)

Same as with low value items, I often look up the buyer address on Google maps and look at the demographics and make a judgement call as to likely "non delivery claim". If it looks like a block of flats with little security in a urban jungle I will SOD, If it looks like a genuine middle class home in a nice suburb I take the risk with a low value item and just send with no tracking or SOD.

Same as if delivered to a PO Box. I usually take the risk of no tracking or SOD.

So far I have been 100% accurate in my "assumptions" but I am sure one day I will wear a "non delivery".

Just the way I do business but I am sure if I was doing this for a living I would probably adopt a more agressive approach.

[girl82721]

From the announcements ebay advises have nefotiated the $7.15 etc rates.  Anyone who sells more than 250 items per year can also apply for the same discount.  

As for charging fees on the total amount to ensure some sellers do not get away without paying any fees at all I think is quite acceptable, what I dont think is acceptable is to support this they did not compensate by lowering the total fees.  The extra revenue from catching all those transactions plus the additional 10% revenue collected on postage paid for every transaction must be a massive increase.  Not to not to redirect some of that back by reduced fees is just shocking.  Or now that ebay have the postage linked they know exactly how much postage is costing for items purchased on the site.  What is their justification for charging 10% on top of postage paid via these means?

Could the push to offering 'free postage' be their tactic to reduce the reported $'s collected for postage and in turn for fees collected on postage?  And also push that into listing amounts to boost up their $'s collected from listings?

[x3n0m]

The ACCC is obviously run for the behefit of the American chamber of commerce and should be dismantled along with criminal charges leveled at the king-pins of the operation .. The ACCC is obviously designed to screw Australian businesses over and allow the International untouchables to squirel their blood money away in Swiss bank accounts all the while dodging tax .. no way an Australian business could actually compete against these criminal thugs .. just disgusted!!! ..

[x3n0m]

.. our own ACCC just allows us to be rolled around in it and taking it from the rear end .. these people running the ACCC obviously receive the bulk of their remuneration in brown paper bags from gangsters .. there can be no other explanation for any of it ..

http://www.onlinemarketexperts.com/blog/ome-news-tips/carsales-com-au-expansion-blocked-by-accc/

[egglesdtp]

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@x3n0m wrote:

http://www.onlinemarketexperts.com/blog/ome-news-tips/carsales-com-au-expansion-blocked-by-accc/

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That article is over 2 years old. What was the polint of posting the link?

[x3n0m]

Your question reallly doesn't dignify a reply but; I thought people may be interested in the fact the ACCC is a sham and is in league with a pack of multinational tax dodger monopoly practices gangsters  .. hope that is clear enough for you ..

[arlottstreetstation]

The way I try to handle this impost is to build all of the extra Fees into the actual Cost Price of the Item, then add your profit margin & only charge normal postage..... It DOES cut my profit margin down when trying to compete but at least I don't have the problem of Buyers accusing me of overcharging for Postage.

I only use Free Post on small items but even the cost of that has to go into my cost price or it's a waste of time trying to sell at all.

I'm beginning to get hounded to use Fast & Free but of cause on large items that cost over $7.20 or more to post that's impossible because it gives the appearance of the item being too expensive & they don't sell......But I'm willing to bet that before too long we'll all be forced into using it as a way of trying to get rid of more of us.

The crazy thing about all of this is that Ebay have it completely wrong...... My own discussions directly with Buyers have revealed that 95%+ haven't fallen for the Free Post Scam & they know full that there is no such thing a free lunch.

Ebay need to realise that they have done THEMSELVES a great dis-service here as these types of things only make the BUYERS suspicious... Not of the Sellers, but of Ebay itself...

[baby*toddler*child]

Because we are now paying fees on postage shouldn't they  be included in our sales report ?

I have just realised that I will now need to write down all postage costs to include in tax as I am paying fees on them.

What has everyone else done about this ?

[pennyforum14]

If you include postage separately you should see two entries on your account statement for each sale, one for FVF and one for FVF on shipping.