We don’t have to justify the price it’s the buyers decision to buy and the sellers to set the price.  They have no more reason to justify the price of postage than justify what they are charging for the item, except you know the cost of post but not what they paid for the item, so you get huffy if you feel its too much.  Yes the postage may be excessive but it is clearly displayed and open for any buyer to see.  If any buyer doesn’t agree with the postage its easy DON'T BID OR BUY.  If all buyers did that the problem would soon be reduced as sellers see that having high postage results in low sales. 

But if you do buy don't leave negatives afterwards because you think its postage piracy you entered the contract knowing the seller is charging $50 for postage don't be upset when they charge what he said he would charge.  If they state $50 registered post or express post then send it regular they haven't filled their end of the contract and if you must leave a negative, but not when they do what was in the contract ie post it regular mail. 

The total cost is $100 whether it is $50 postage plus $50 item or $100 item free post.  The free post is not what the real cost is either or do you believe there is free post in Australia.  For all we know they could be driving from Port Pirie to Adelaide to post it (although I doubt it) in which case the $50 is cheap.  The total cost is what matters for buyers, eBay on the other hand have a legitimate reason to complain as they are losing fees, but maybe eBay should police that themselves rather than using buyers and “Free" post propaganda.

The P&H the seller is charging for their banknotes is excessive and it is fee avoidance, no question, but it has nothing to do with the OP's issue and doesn't mean the buyer is suddenly in the right regarding their purchase, and doesn't mean the seller is automatically in the wrong regarding that purchase, unless you're judging the situation from a moral standpoint and feel certain actions are morally wrong.

 

Once again, the core issue in this thread is combined postage. The simple facts remains that a seller does not have to combine postage, and it is in every buyer's best interest to find out if they will, or risk finding out the hard way that they won't. 

 

If a seller does not have to combine postage, what else are the respondants to a thread supposed to tell a buyer who is ticked off when a seller won't? Should they be told to keep making uninformed purchase decisions and to get angry / neg all sellers who don't meet their expectations, or should they be told to ask questions to gain necessary information, and how is giving someone the latter advice defending the seller's choice not to combine P&H? 

 

 

But It can't cost $20 to post one note can it?   even with insurance?

Not sure if this is a direct or hypothetical question? Would you post a 60 to 80 year old note that a collector wants in a 10 cent envelope and whack a 70 cent stamp on it? You also don't obviously run a business or see your time as important.

As taken aback as I am from dealing with this "scrapper troll" I have actually appreciated all feedback positive and negative. I can assure you that my listings were not intended as "fee avoidance" or "against the spirit of ebay" they were simply a result of sloppy listing from a novice ebay seller. I have taken the time this morning to finalise the updates of all of my listings based on this threads feedback. Prices and postage have been changed to reflect simple delivery with signature and prospective buyers are now instructed to message me before checkout if they want any extras e.g insurance at their own expense. Well done ebay community.

 

Updates seem to be slow on "view listings" but when you enter all items it clearly shows the changes.

It is in all ebay users interests ( buyers and sellers ) for the system to be fair, open and transparent. Charging $16.00  postage for four small coins is not reasonable or fair. End result you now have one grumpy buyer, one grumpy seller and many of the contributors to this thread also upset by the very divisive views and language used. As mentioned in my first post, the seller should have started the auctions at a price which better reflected the coins value. Had he done so, he may not have felt so inclined to "postage gauge" the buyer ( and possibly breach ebays excess postage rules ). If auctions are started at a reasonable price for both seller and buyer and then fair and reasonable postage ( including a small allowance for packing and handling ) added, the system will work much better for everybody and be a much more pleasant trading enviroment to work in. This will encourage more people to be involved in ebay making the system more profitable for all sellers and offering wider choice for buyers. Excess postage charges on items which are started at unrealistically cheap auction prices does not contribute to an open, transparent system and breaches ebay policy on excess postage and fee avoidance......... and yes I am mainly a seller, rather than a buyer.

LOL! you are so going to get censored by the moderator like I did when I outed the OP under another username. Gotta love people who need to hide behind pseudonyms to have an opinion (and swear every sentence.

whoa this buyer has over 80 bid retractions.

 

I thought you needed a good reason to do that?