Free postage myth seems to pay.

[richard.0408]

Some eBay customers never cease to amaze me.

They bought a item for $9 plus $10.95 postage small satchel.

They left positive feedback “good value postage expensive”

So, I check my listing and see my competitor sells the same for $29 with free postage delivered.

I'm wondering if free postage truly confuses people into thinking of a bargain.

Anyway, I've changed my listing to $25 free postage delivered.

It seems hard convince some that don't perhaps own a calculator.

[shoppingbag*]

I really think that the feedback question on postage should be removed.  The Buyers are rating the carrier which is out of the control of the Seller.  If by chance the Seller quotes postage way above what the carrier would want, then it is the Buyer's option to go ahead with the sale or buy elsewhere.  After accepting the quoted postage costs, they should not be able to come back and complain about such costs later. I suspect that any postage costs would be unacceptable to some Buyers, and that some actually believe that there is such a thing as FREE postage.

[springyzone]

You are not wrong.

It has been a long while since we sold on ebay but the thing I noticed was that a lot of people look at postage in relation to the price of an item.  

When postage is dearer than the item, most people will think the postage component is a bit expensive. I have to admit, I do it myself. In my case, it makes me wonder if I would be better off buying from a real store etc

People often know that the postage cost is roughly what Australia post is charging, but what they are saying is that it is a cheap item but it costs a lot to get it delivered. And they are not wrong.

You would have been better off advertising it as $19.95, free postage. That way, they don't know the actual break up of cost. Even at $25, if you are beating a competitor for the same item, you'll probably sell it with no problems.

And yes, a lot of people can't be bothered doing simple maths. They find it easier to have an at a glance total there in front of them.

[*casey*]

"Free postage myth seems to pay"

"some actually believe that there is such a thing as FREE postage"

We all know that someone has to pay the postage  cost but I think, once again, that some  buyers compare  eBay to  sites not made up of individual sellers.  

Hypothetically  Myer may have a "special offer " of  "free postage for 2 weeks"  without changing the price of anything they sell.

I read some negative feedback just yesterday about this exact thing.

First of all, the shonky seller deserved negative feedback as his orders were sent from Amazon but that's not the reason the buyer left negative feedback.

Seller Price :  $21.41 with free postage

Parcel arrived with an Amazon invoice showing $9.86 for the item and $9.72 shipping.

Buyer with a feedback score of 700 wrote :

Negative :  The item is advertised as FREE POSTAGE. This is INCORRECT. The ticket inside states the item cost as $9.86 and postage as $9.72. I have been charged for postage. This is false and misleading advertising and against Australian Consumer Law. I have requested a refund for the postage cost. Weird how this item is sold by Amazon on Ebay and the same item is available on Amazon for $16.22 (postage is still a hidden charge).

[curraone]

Without knowing more facts, I do not think it is justified to say the shonky seller deserved negative feedback as his orders were sent from Amazon 

Let's pretend that the seller - let's call him Joe - ordered a thingymajig from Amazon (Joe paid $19.58) but while he was waiting for it to arrive, Josephine his wife gave him a thingymajig for his birthday.   So Joe thinks I'll sell the Amazon one on in ebay.    Joe only lists it for $21.41 (his first mistake, he should have listed it for at least $19.58 plus the $10.60 he will have to pay for postage plus more dollars to cover ebay fees).       Joe only gets one bid, $21.41 and he sends it off (weeping bitter tears because he has lost money on the whole transaction) and he forgets to take out the original Amazon invoice (mistake two).     Then a few days later he gets a weird feedback from the buyer who doesn't understand about free postage listings.   Poor Joe.

[*casey*]

"Without knowing more facts.  Poor Joe"

Poor buyers  -  Shonky Seller and the sort that causes  buyers to leave eBay, which affects ALL sellers.

The seller 's   registered in Australia and has  93% feedback.

Negative:    Dishonest seller, this is not local stock, drop shipped from China, avoid

Negative:    The seller advertises that it is coming from Brisbane which was a total lie as it was coming from                          China, so buyers beware,  they are untrustworthy

Negative:    item was cancled.  ebay should do something about it poor service 

Negative:    Seller sent wrong item,

Negative :  this supplier obviously does not have the item and is simply a middle person

Negative :  Lost in transit apparently

Negative:   Seller sent wrong item

Neutral:     Did not receive, was informed that the item was lost in transit

Neutral:  Purchased and paid for item, later received a message from seller advising that they didn’t have the product

Neutral:    It never arrived

Neutral:    Wrong product sent

[curraone]

You are right.   No more sympathy for Joe.

[springyzone]

---

@*casey* wrote:

Seller Price :  $21.41 with free postage

Parcel arrived with an Amazon invoice showing $9.86 for the item and $9.72 shipping.

Buyer with a feedback score of 700 wrote :

Negative :  The item is advertised as FREE POSTAGE. This is INCORRECT. The ticket inside states the item cost as $9.86 and postage as $9.72. I have been charged for postage. This is false and misleading advertising and against Australian Consumer Law. I have requested a refund for the postage cost. Weird how this item is sold by Amazon on Ebay and the same item is available on Amazon for $16.22 (postage is still a hidden charge).

---

I feel that the buyer in this case is a bit of a fool because he was in the right to give a neg but he has harped on about the wrong issues. Of course postage is a hidden charge in most cases, or else it is a flat charge or subsidised charge, where you may get it free if you buy over a certain amount.

But customers absolutely loathe being taken for a ride and made to feel like a fool. That's what happens when they buy on ebay and then get sent something from Amazon or Kmart or wherever and they feel the ebay seller was pulling a bit of a fast one, just acted as a middleman.

It is okay for a seller to buy stock from wherever they want to, but they should (if they have a single brain cell) have it sent to themselves,  and remove the invoice before posting it on. 

I think this issue has been out a few times before and if I recall, selling this way is against ebay policy so the buyer should report that seller.

[sandypebbles]

To be quite honest, I would not have read anything past the 'Australian Consumer Law' comment

That one is right up there with 'you work for eBay'

Gives zero credit to the person making the comment

Especially if /when the seller in question is registered in China