Auctions! A lot of interesting stuff for sale!

[Dmitriy]

Please look at the items that I'm selling here (http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&userid=mitya001&include=0&since=-1&sort=3&rows=25). I'll add two more receivers before Saturday (501 and brand new 301).

[motrac]

How come most sellers on e-bay double the actual shipping
costs. $25 to ship a 4000, $20 to ship a 2700?

[Jacob S]

They charge for handeling, they lower the price on the product but raise it on the handeling to make up for it to make it look like a better deal. It only costs $8-$10 to ship out a satellite receiver, and about $13-$16 to ship out a satellite receiver with dish (system) and these are Dish Network systems, the DirecTv systems cost a hair less because they weigh less. This includes $100 insurance from UPS.

[Dmitriy]

I raised the shipping price to cover all the packaging expenses (I pack very well) and also I want to cover my ebay fees.

[JBKing]

I won't quote s/h until the item is sold. Once I have a ship-to address, I'll figure the actual shipping/insurance cost, and then either round up or add a dollar at most to cover what little I spent on packing. I can usually find packing material at home or at work without having to buy any.

I especially like Paypal's fee's on credit cards. :flaiming:

[jcrash]

Originally posted by JBKing


I especially like Paypal's fee's on credit cards. :flaiming

Just downgrade your account or get a second one for non credit card payments. I don't accept paypal credit card and haven't had any issues with it.

There are many alternatives - C2it - USPS - Western Union - and checks.

[Chris Blount]

Depending on the item, I will suck up some of the shipping fees. I find that I sell more items quickly if I offer free or reduced shipping costs. Sure I don't make as much on a single sale but since I'm able to sell more items with good prices, I'm able to please the customers which in turn give glowing feedback. So in the end, I make out better.

[JBKing]

Same with credit card pay. I've had a lot of people request it, so I upgraded my account. I don't like the fees, but obviously it is worth it to me, or I would say 'no credit card payments'. I've seen that on some auctions, and damned if I will buy from somebody that says that. Like it or not, fees and all, credit cards are the easiest way for someone to pay. Sure makes for quick and guaranteed payment.

[jcrash]

My problem is they charge you 4% even on non credit card transactions which is just out and out robbery. Plus, they are getting another 5% minimum from the sale on Ebay in the first place. Somehow, I have a hard time believing that is anywhere near their cost. Plus, I do sell hot deals I find and 4% on a hot deal is a lot.

I suppose I don't believe in efficient markets enough to say that it is a wash.

[Jacob S]

4+5=9% which makes a difference and this is before shipping which is even more than the fee so it could be as much as 20-30% or more than what one thinks the item would really cost. The shipping and handeling in particular is the deal killer to me and why I have not bought items from auction. Thats why a deal in a store is more of a deal than online because you dont have to pay the extra costs such as shipping and so forth, you get more of the real deal.

[JBKing]

ahh...but no tax!

[Jacob S]

True, never thought about that, but the tax is not as bad as the shipping and handeling rates.

[Dmitriy]

Uptade on my items:

I've sold four already, still have 3 items. There is no resevre for them.

[Dmitriy]

No one want a UHF remote for $9? Cheap shipping!

[lee635]

Originally posted by Jacob S
4+5=9% which makes a difference and this is before shipping which is even more than the fee so it could be as much as 20-30% or more than what one thinks the item would really cost. The shipping and handeling in particular is the deal killer to me and why I have not bought items from auction. Thats why a deal in a store is more of a deal than online because you dont have to pay the extra costs such as shipping and so forth, you get more of the real deal.

That's why ebay is doing so well while all the other dot coms have gone under!!

As a buyer or seller on ebay, you really must pay attention to the shipping costs. That's the really hard lesson of buying online. I sold a fairly heavy electronics item and weighed the item at home, but the Post Office came up with a higher rate that cost me about $10 extra in shipping, well that old piece of electronics only sold for $9...

It seems like larger companies have a shipping advantage because they can get good deals through, say UPS. We don't even have a UPS office here, so you have to use one of those third party deals that charge you even more than the UPS counter. As a result, I send everthing USPS.

I use lots of USPS flat rate priority envelopes, so I can post "priority shipping - $3.85". They also have flat rate envelopes for Canada, but be careful there are two sizes, one is about half the size of the domestic priority mail envelope.

My wife likes to buy through Sears and JC Penney becasue they have catalog stores here in our small town. And if you have the item delivered to their store instead of to your home, the shipping is quite a bit less. Well, actually now that I think of it, they may not do that anymore.