Impossible to please buyers

[shoppingbag*]

Please tell me what I must do to please buyers. DSR ratings, the usual gripe.  Now we can no longer find out who left them.

I struggled very hard in the beginning with ridiculous DSR's. $2 postage for a large letter (actual postage cost), rated as 3 stars, even though I supplied the padded envelope. (Just one example)  I have always, only charged the actual postage, and stupid me buys boxes, tissue paper, bubble wrap, and sticky tape, as well as I drive to the Post Office every day that there is a parcel that can be sent. AND, stupid me, never charges a handling fee of any kind. Only sometimes, I can cut costs a little by recycling a box.  So, after finally getting my 5 star ratings on everything, some kind soul has given me 4 stars for postage costs, (just wondering if only one would suddenly drop me down to 4.9)

So to all you who have hardened up against inconsiderate and ungrateful buyers, please tell me how much handling costs I should charge. I think it is probably about time.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

[imastawka]

Hey Crow.....thanks and all that, but go easy on the 'big time' label eh?

Sales are just ordinary atm

[enigmabear]

I had a buyer tell me once I was ripping off on postal charges because they 'know for a fact' that Ebay supply all sellers with packaging materials a few times a year

Mmmm hmmm

[collect247]

Hey everyone imastawka is only an ordinary seller not a 'big timer' sorry for pumping you up like that stawks 

[imastawka]

Now that's more like it. 

[brerrabbit585]

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@shoppingbag* wrote:

You hit the nail on the head here.  I got glowing feedback, and dinged on the stars for postage costs.  I have only just realized that this was when my printer went bung, so I had to pay over the counter, so the postage cost would have been printed on the label.  What makes me so furious is that I BUY boxes, bubblewrap, tissue paper, sticky tape all supplied free to the buyer, just to keep costs down for them, and this is what I get in return. To those who think it is no big deal, well it is to me..it means buyers will think I over charge on postage. I use calculated postage on my listings and that is all they ever pay. I will ring eBay and complain, I have proof of the postage cost and that is all they paid. Why do so many think sellers own Australia Post or can dictate what they charge? Are the public really that stupid?

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Just wondering... do you give effusive thanks at the supermarket checkout because they've been providing us with free plastic bags for many years without charging us extra for them, just for OUR convenience?  Honestly, most buyers expect that any cost of packaging is built into the price, just as the cost of plastic bags and the wages of the checkout stuff are built into the price at supermarkets.

Is your life so perfect that this is all you've got to worry about?  Savvy buyers know what postage costs, other really don't care, and some won't look at your postage stars because they can see exactly what you charge for postage. 

To put it in perspective, Christ healed ten lepers but only ONE of them bothered to thank him.  Why would you expect anything better?

[countessalmirena]

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@brerrabbit585 wrote:

To put it in perspective, Christ healed ten lepers but only ONE of them bothered to thank him.  Why would you expect anything better?

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And that one leper put his lesions and all the bits that had fallen off into a free plastic bag, and never said thank you...

[springyzone]

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@shoppingbag* wrote:

Well I disagree, DSR's are a reflection on my selling practices and reputation.  I certainly look at others when I am buying, and it just makes me furious when I am actually out of pocket for packaging only to be told "you charged too much" These buyers are welcome to go elsewhere, I am not in any mad hurry to sell. I am not running a business, nor in desperate need for the money.

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I'm a buyer and yes I do glance at star ratings and at negs given to a seller but quite frankly, I couldn't care less what star rating other buyers have put on postage costs.

That is because I can see for myself exactly what the postage costs are on the item I am looking at. I can tell if that sounds about average or not.

There are a lot of things I might not know about a seller in advance, such as if they are woefully slow to post (doesn't happen much these days) or if they respond to messages, but postage price..... that's usually up front.

So a low star rating on postage prices wouldn't sway me or most buyers, so try not to worry too much about it.

[springyzone]

Oh, and start doing as other sellers do and covering your postage costs.

I know it must hurt when you're actually sending out things at a loss to yourself, only to have some buyers still rate you down.

It's because some people haven't got a clue about actual postage costs anyway and there are other grouchy types who just won't give 5 stars if their life depended on it.

So raise your costs. You probably won't get any worse dings than you do now & might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb.

[imastawka]

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@springyzone wrote:

Oh, and start doing as other sellers do and covering your postage costs.

I know it must hurt when you're actually sending out things at a loss to yourself, only to have some buyers still rate you down.

It's because some people haven't got a clue about actual postage costs anyway and there are other grouchy types who just won't give 5 stars if their life depended on it.

So raise your costs. You probably won't get any worse dings than you do now & might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb.

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Springy, OP had the actual postage cost on the parcel label.

She still got dinged.

I personally think you can send a Barbie doll for less than $15.40 (as per listing)

Even bubble wrapped.

Spoiler

 

[springyzone]

I guess it depends on perspective, stawka.

I saw $15.05 for a doll and thought bargain. It's because yesterday I was ordering 4 totally flat & small & fairly light ceramic Xmas ornaments (not on ebay but from a photo company in another Melb suburb) and guess what, their cheapest standard postage (no tracking etc) is $19.95. Tracked postage for it was $44.95 and express was something like $79.

I bought them last year and I know they come in one of those smallish brown envelopes.

Now that's a company that could do with a ding on their postage costs but alas, nowhere to do it.

PS Forgot to add, the guaranteed 2 day delivery (depending on area) was about $119. I nearly had a coronary just reading it.