Author Topic: Ebay ranting! frustrating day..... you sellers ever have this happen? (Read 2281 times)

tinkster · « **on:** November 01, 2006, 02:51:22 PM »

man what a day.. I get so fed up with ebay and what goes with it sometimes. Today I get a letter from someone that hates me because I sold elmo tmx on there.. I cant repeat some of the horrid things they said but basically my greed would send me to H@LL and cause their kids to have a horrid xmas... all I did was manage to get some elmos.. stuck them on ebay for .99 far far less than I paid for them. I didnt make them bid them up.

Then I had ordered avery labels for my laser shipping printer from a guy on ebay... paid 19.99 for shipping plus .99 cents for 40 rolls of labels. A great price.. they came today. now I see why the price was so good, this guy went to fedex, signed me up the FREE shipping supplies accounts they offer and fedex shipped me the labels from their shipping supply store.. so that guy did nothing but set me up with fedex and charged me 21.00 for it ...and he even managed to avoid those every stiff ebay fees.. making all his money on the shipping it didnt cost him

tinkster

Jerry · « **Reply #1 on:** November 01, 2006, 03:06:44 PM »

Some of these guy ought to be shot. I love my printer and bought a second one form a
Park Avenue attorney. Half the parts were missing. The price was low enough that it wasn't worth my time to go after him.

CT · « **Reply #2 on:** November 01, 2006, 03:12:19 PM »

That sucks Tinkster. People can be hateful and will find a way to outsmart the system as well as the consumer. I'm waiting on just hearing from a seller nine days post sale. I'm getting fed up with sellers that can't bother to answer a question, confirm shipping or string 3 coherent words together. You might not get much help from ebay but they sure need to know what that seller did to you. I would also copy and paste the email of the person that harassed you and send it to ebay.

tammie · « **Reply #3 on:** November 01, 2006, 04:58:50 PM »

I agree with Kay - report them both!
Tammie

karen J · « **Reply #4 on:** November 01, 2006, 06:03:12 PM »

I second the vote- report them.

There are an awful lot of people who pad the shipping charges- and ebay specifically prohibits it.

I bought a small screen protector for my camera, and it was something like 10.00 plus a couple bucks for shipping. They sent it a .37 envelope.
Then I found out I could have purchased it directly from the manufacturer for 8.00, free shipping.

The thing with those people is that they are so smug. They think there is nothing wrong with what they are doing. And the poor schmucks that are following the rules are the ones who pay.

CT · « **Reply #5 on:** November 02, 2006, 03:41:13 AM »

Or sell something for $1 with $20 shipping charge to avoid final value fees.

terri · « **Reply #6 on:** November 02, 2006, 03:56:08 AM »

that DOES suck.... always a few rotten apples looming in the barrel, so to speak...
I agree with Kay, definitely report both!

LilithFair · « **Reply #7 on:** November 02, 2006, 05:01:34 AM »

I sold plants on eBay for 3 years. I never charged more for shipping that it actually cost to ship the plant(s) for the first 2.5 years. I never got a negative feedback...I got one neutral in 3 years. But I got tired of doing it. It took me a while but I figured out why sellers try to make money on shipping....it takes so much time to harvest, box and pack, and actually mail all the stuff, that by the time you have done all that, AND used your gas to get to the post office, you have actually lost money just in time spent. And, residents of your state, who are supposed to be required to pay sales tax, will do almost ANYTHING to get out of it. I got tired paying their sales tax. And eBay fees and PayPal fees take a large bite out of your profit margin. I eventually went to a flat rate shipping charge for every sale. I didnlt overcharge, but I made certain I put in enough leeway to cover the cost of actually mailing the plant, and a handling charge for my time/materials (often, things just wouldn't fit in the FREE USPS boxes) and enough to cover FL sales tax that was likely to be ignored by FL buyers.

But I have been on the other side too. I recently bought some plants from someone on eBay who I have been buying from consistently for about 6 years and almost always had great experiences with. These particular plants were expensive because they are quite rare. When I received them, they were small (but I expected that)...and the box had been completely decimated by the USPS. It was crushed, one side was completely open...I was lucky the plants hadn't fallen out! The most rare and expensive plant was severely damaged.

The thing is, even with the severe damage to the BOX, the plant probably WOULDN'T have suffered the way it did if the seller had paid attention to packing! There was ONE measly piece of newspaper padding in the box with multiple plants! They were sleeved, but that was no help. They needed padding like popcorn or at the very least more paper wads or maybe paper shreds to fill in the collapsible space in the box. I documented all the damage and emailed the photos to her immediately and she is sending a new box of plants this week. So she's making good on it, but it should NEVER have happened...ESPECIALLY when she charged me over $10 to ship a box that cost her at the MOST $4.50 to ship.

Monica · « **Reply #8 on:** November 02, 2006, 05:55:14 AM »

I have gotten so upset with people on ebay that I won't buy from there anymore. I bought some plants off of someone in spring this year and I never recieved them. I contacted the seller multiple times and she kept telling me she was going to send them out, then it was she was banned from ebay because she bought something from her brother-in-law and didn't know it was him. I eventually contaced ebay and they said since it was under $25 there was nothing they could do about it. It was almost $25 but it wasn't over $25. I think these people know that and know they can screw you over so they do.

Kat · « **Reply #9 on:** November 02, 2006, 06:02:23 AM »

There are a lot of people out there on eBay that take advantage by drastically higher shipping costs, stunts like signing you up for the FedEx supplies, etc. They make it very rough for honest eBay sellers that do a great job packing, etc. Then there are the jerks that purchase & then never pay. You have to jump thru a zillion hoops with eBay to try to get your final value fees back. There are lots of decent buyers/sellers but it is the rotten ones that unfortunately make it bad.

tinkster · « **Reply #10 on:** November 02, 2006, 07:02:31 AM »

I am not gripping becuase of excess shipping charges really... I know the total price and I always take that into consideration and whether its a good deal or not.. I am gripping cause he was able to sign me up for an account using the information from my payment.. he probalby could even ship or do whatever he wanted from this account. just kind of feels like I was violated

Being a seller on ebay I can associated with the higher shipping fees.. its how I make a living since I cant work out of my home.. I think what buyers dont realise is just how high ebay listing and selling fees are and how many items dont sell through. Alot of sellers structure their business to make money on the shipping, not totally the product, which is common anywhere. not just ebay.. order a ring on tv and it cost ya 9. to ship. For me I charge a higher shipping fee.. I lower my starting price of items, thus costing me less to list with ebay. I think buyers need to keep the total cost in mind when buying and determine if its a good deal to them. Higher shipping can sometimes mean lower prices for them in the end. If I didnt make some money on my shipping, I would have to raise the prices of my products much higher, pay ebay much more, in turn raise the prises of my product.. I sell in a category with major competition and we all follow the higher shipping rates, lower product price. Bottom line on business is you have to make a certain percentage... I am not sure why it bothers buyers whether that comes from product price or from shipping?? Just wondering since I am not a buyer... also with shipping I dont think sometiems buyers realise what is involved.. I spend 6 yo 7 hours out of every day getting products packed, loaded in my van and I spend on average one hour at the post office every day. anyway guess we all have different opinoins on shipping

As a seller I get tons of questions as to why is the shipping so high.. well the product price is super low

anyway just my rant

tinkster

Timgod · « **Reply #11 on:** November 02, 2006, 07:54:27 AM »

I have family and friends who are huge ebay shoppers. I don't think I have gotten but a handful of things that I could not readily find elsewhere. I looked at ebay as a possible selling point for some of my excess waterlilies a couple of years ago. I realized that the cost of doing business with them coupled with the cost of shipping would make the prices too high in my own opinion. I wanted to be able to be lower than anyone who had a full retail presence on the web. I know ebay would have given me greater exposure but the few family members who also sell on ebay felt the same about a price structure they would have to live with as you have just described. I haven't sold a ton of plants but I figure whatever I sell helps me pay for the next lily on my own personal wants list. Since I have had a website presence on the web for almost 5 years I am also high on the google search list so I knew that would send potential customers my way. I've actually sold almost as many photos as I have plants over the last few years.
Tim

Jerry · « **Reply #12 on:** November 02, 2006, 08:14:17 AM »

When I had a fishing tackle business we had a supplier who really tacked on a BIG freight charge.
I researched it to see if I was correct. I was. Solution? I dropped the supplier.
When I ship tee shirts it does take an effort. Sometimes it costs more that we ask, others less.
I just go with the 19,95 as advertised. I have it down to a science and merely have to put them in jumbo mailing envelopes, address, and I am done!

CT · « **Reply #13 on:** November 02, 2006, 09:27:39 AM »

I don't like, nor do I charge higher shipping and handling charges. Because:
It's an auction, people get into bidding mode and forget the shipping charges, they shouldn't but they do..
People are not savvy to ebay and they just forget to look at the shipping charges and then end up with an expensive win..they should have looked but they didn't..
Ebay can't determine what "excessive" shipping and handling charges are, it's open to interpretation, the buyer pays shipping plus and the seller makes money..free enterprise, what the market will bear and all that business.
As a seller I charge actual shipping. I give the buyer my time and handling to encourage them to buy and come back to buy again. I control my shipping cost by using free boxes and shipping once a week and I let my buyers know in my auction that it's a trade off. If they want it in two days it will cost more, but I'm thrilled to charge them more for speedier delivery. I know how to avoid the ebay fees, and they are steep, but it's not worth losing my privilege to sell.
As a buyer, I just pass by the auctions with padded shipping fees because I know that there are always folks out there that will bid when I don't or the seller gets stuck with the merchandise. It's just personal preference either way you do business, one is not necessarily better than the other.

Desertponder · « **Reply #14 on:** November 02, 2006, 09:36:11 AM »

Ebay has a lot of problems. Its not a perfect situation at all. I've been fairly lucky and haven't had very many problems as a buyer or a seller. I don't sell much anymore and it is mainly because it is very difficult to make any profit by the time you pay the Ebay/Paypal fees. I also got pretty frustrated with the shipping process. I had spent the money on a scale, however, even though I had the scale checked for accuracy, the rates I would quote people from the USPS site would always be less than the actual amount they would charge me at the Post Office. The post office couldn't give me a good explanation for this. So, I ended up having to add at least $1.00 to shipping charges just to cover my butt. I always charged actual shipping plus the $1.00 but people still fought me on shipping charges. It wasn't uncommon for people to want me to ship something for $3.00 when it was going to cost $7.00.
I don't like the idea of making money off of the shipping rather than the item but I know a great deal of the sellers are doing it. Whenever I buy, I'm very careful about reading the auction thoroughly, checking their feedback and if anything just doesn't seem quite right or too good to be true, I won't bid on the auction. I very seldom buy off of Ebay anymore. The only time I do is if I'm looking for something that I can't find around here. Otherwise, Ebay ends up being more expensive than if I just bought the item here in town.

Esther · « **Reply #15 on:** November 02, 2006, 09:54:07 AM »

Well I figure that when I pay the shipping on either Ebay or a catalogue, I am saving myself having to go from store to store looking for the item, which includes the time, gasoline, wear and tear on myself and car, and I don't have to shower and get dressed. LOL That has to be worth something. But there have been times I didn't purchase something on Ebay because of the shipping price.

chopper15 · « **Reply #16 on:** November 21, 2006, 10:25:07 AM »

I just saw this post so I am a little late posting. But I have been pretty much a full time seller on ebay for over 5 years. I have had thousands of transactions, both buying and selling, and I have had few problems. I only charge my cost on shipping, no handling fees. I don't believe in making money off the shipping. I won't bid on other seller's auctions if I see they have padded shipping prices. If it is something I want really bad, I email them first and question them on the price. As a seller I nicely wrap the item in tissue paper and put a cute sticker on it. Just a nice touch I have always done. Buying the tissue, tape, stickers is just the cost of doing business in my opinion. Selling on ebay costs a heck of a lot less than having a brick and morter store. So I really have no tolerance for whining sellers. One should be able to make a profit on the items they are selling and not have to make up profits on shipping, handling, etc. It just tells me they don't know how to run their business. Ebay has always worked for me and I plan to be there for a long time to come.

frloplady · « **Reply #17 on:** November 21, 2006, 06:54:43 PM »

Buying on ebay is BUYER BEWARE! If you won't read, won't/don't figure out that there IS shipping on that item, don't bother to check someones feedback then the experience there won't be very pleasant.

I have bought off of ebay for years. I have a good rating with them

. I don't buy from those that don't have good ratings or feeback, I won't usually buy from someone with little or no feedback because they haven't sold much. I always research an item before I buy it to make sure I can't get it for a better price maybe even direct from the company that makes it. I don't see that very often though.

I'd report the guy with the fed ex labels to Ebay AND to Fed Ex. Tell them what this guy did and make sure that the account is cancelled. He could ship stuff on that account and YOU would get the bill.

With my business (non ebay) I do ship multiple packages every month. I do charge a box fee and a gel-ice fee (frozen pet food). Many of the boxes I get are recycled, didn't cost me anything. But it DOES cost me gas to get them. A lot of my boxes I do have to buy and buy the foam to insulate them with as well. The $5/box kinda evens out for all of the different size orders with different boxes, some free, some not. I have no problem with a shipping fee on ebay that probably includes packing or handling charges or just it takes me time to do this and drive to ship it fees.

LeeAnne151 · « **Reply #18 on:** November 24, 2006, 06:52:11 PM »

The label scam is very common on eBay. There also sellers selling free USPS Priority supplies. Everything on eBay is not a bargain. Everyone is not on the up and up. There are people running auctions having JC Penny.com and Amazon.com shipping the product and pocketing the difference.

buyers must be aware. eBay isn't a store, it is a giant classified ad and you are buying from an individual who may be misrepresenting their product. Research before you buy. Many items you can buy somewhere else for less.

if you pay with a credit card your bank will always cover your butt if the seller doesn't ship or doesn't ship the right item or the item is broken. Do not rely on PayPal or eBay to cover your butt. If the only way to use your credit card is through PayPal, that is perfectly fine but don't use your PayPal balance or bank account or most debit cards unless you are fine with possibly losing your money. Ditto personal checks and money orders.

ALWAYS USE A CREDIT CARD TO BUY ONLINE. ALWAYS. ALWAYS. ALWAYS. or be aware that you may be hosed.

I would NEVER buy from a seller charging .99 with $19.99 shipping even if the total price was good because I don't want to deal with those who are ripping off eBay by circumventing fees. I do not have any problem at all with paying a reasonable handing fee though. I do not believe shipping means actual postage. eBay is now cracking down on those who are gouging on shipping and circumventing fees.

I don't think the label seller is violating any rules by having Fed Ex ship the labels directly but he is circumventing fees.

The person that emailed calling names is in violation and should be reported. eBay does not tolerate abuse and spam through their message system.