Tired of ebay! Rant rant rant

[sjw241]

I appreciate everyone's comments. I was very angry early this morning when I got the emails. Funny thing is all my DSR's went up yesterday and I was happy to see that. Then all of a sudden I get restricted. It was a kick in the head!
I talked to the ebay customer service today at great length. They said there is nothing they can do about it and suggest I give free shipping. I had suggestions for them that I know went in one ear and out the other, but I told them anyways.
My idea was to not allow buyers to give a DSR for shipping charges if the charge is under $3.00 for a single sports card. As that is the accepted rate most of the time. They explained that it would be too difficult to regulate something like that because of the millions of different items on ebay. Which I agree with to an extent. They are able to automatically give you 5 star DSR if you offer free shipping so why can't they for item specific shipping rates.
My other idea was to take this out of the equation all together, IF shipping rates are posted in the item description. The buyer should be agreeing to pay that price when they win the item, and shouldn't be able to complain afterwards if it was shipped as promised in the manner described.
Like I said, ebay has become a one way street where the buyers have all the rights and the sellers have little to none. We pay the fees though, we make ebay the billions of dollars. If we stop selling the buyers have nothing to buy and ebay goes under!! I know, it will never happen but they will lose money if they keep going to way they are. Ok, this rant is now over!!!

[sjw241]

I don't understand why you're being called on for $2.99 shipping which to me is reasonable. The latest cards I've bought had shipping charges that varied from $3 to $4. The most expensive one at $4 was the worst of all... Some guy who lives in the same city as me and who would accept to Local Pickup, BUT only if I paid him $2 for his time. Seriously.... And you get slapped on for charging reasonable shipping?

Yeah, Ebay is a buyer's heaven and a seller's hell, but is there honestly an alternative?

Exactly! No alternative and Ebay knows that. Thanks for chiming in, I agree with you 100%

[sjw241]

I'm sorry to hear that my friend....


I find it weird tho, because Personally my charges are pretty much, except for Quebec...

And in the last 6 months, i didnt get a single low star rating...

Buyers are WEIRD, and not fair


For those who don't live in Canada...Shipping to USa in a bublke mailer with customs form is 2.65$ with taxe + you need to cover your buble mailer etc.., if he charges 3$, its the lowest anyone could go, without loosing money for it


I had the same probleme as you tho before, what i did?

-Put lower shipping on tracked items....( pay a little part from your profit, but its worth it)
-I think you print out the labels.., email every person and copy past the price and shipping DATE ( it really helps they realise that you paid 2.65$, and understand more..

Anyways gd luck

HELLO BUDDY! I already charge less than it costs to ship with tracking and signature confirmation. But when I look at my seller performance charts, all the low DSR ratings are coming from items that sell under $25. All items that are shipped with tracking and signature etc have no low DSR's. So basically they are complaining about the $2.99 shipping rates.

[sjw241]

I have paid $ 5 and $ 6 for shipping on some items, only if it is known upfront. The prices are still fair compared to buying from local sellers or in many cases on forums. Mind you if it comes in a white envelope, I have no problem knocking off a few stars.

Ebay is definitely a place for buyers, the prices are so low that people who are not even fans of players will buy the cards only to sell the same card on a forum board for profit.

I am starting to think a 3rd party listing of Canadian buyers who say "the item never arrived" from the USA AND American buyers who leave poor ratings for Canadian sellers on shipping, need to be blacklisted to help those sellers in the future. You could even charge a small fee to be a member of this group for sellers to protect their interest in the future. From a buyers perspective I hate losing ebay sellers since it's my main source of collecting.

I like your idea of creating a listing of buyers who leave low DSR on reasonable shipping rates, the thing is is that it is anonymous and there is no way to tell who left the low DSR.

[neilnijjar]

$3 is my limit for 5 stars on DSR - every dollar above that is minus 1 star

if i get it in a PWE and its not stated in the auction - automatic 1 star

[centrehice]

4.96 for shipping charges

Lol.

Words fail me.

[Iced_Knuckle_Puck]

I know the rant is over but, lol

my sugestion would be to include you shipping cost into the auction start price or in the "buy it now" price ... then offer free shipping

so if you start your auctions out at $.99 with $2.99 shipping
just
start them out at $3.98 with free shipping
or
instead of $5.99 or best offer + $2.99 shipping
just
do $9.98 or best offer with free shipping

then its an auto 5 stars for that and it seems like you are doing fine in all the other catigories

at times I can "beat" the system if I send within the US - I can do 1-3 cards in their own toploader in a bubble envelope and put 2 stamps on it ($.88cents) and it ships no problem
I offer free shipping when I do this, but its only $.88cents to me, so i can maximize that way

and everyones happy

now to Canada its a little different $1.39 normally, but again I'll just start out the auction at $1.99 or something with free shipping

I felt your pain a few months ago... not to the extent of being restricted but enough for me to change my policies at times

Good Luck !!!

[30ranfordfan]

I only half agree with the bolded part.

You are right. If you post that shiping will be '$#.##' and then you charge it, buyers should be expecting to pay that, and should have no problem paying that.

But what are you getting for that money?

I know you are talking about $2.99 shipping costs, which is very fair (and as I've said - is the same thing I charge to go from Canada to USA). I see no problem with that.

But what about the guy that charges $5 for the same style of shipping? As a buyer - I know that he's charging $5, and I agreed to pay $5 when I bid on his card. I expect to pay the $5, and will pay it. No questions asked.

But what am I getting for my $5?? The same penny sleeve, top loader, team bag, and bubble mailer that you or I would ship with for $2 less?? I wouldn't give that guy 5 stars, becuase he's over charging for shipping.

Of course maybe he's charging extra becuase the card will be shipping in a one-touch, instead of a top loader, or there some other shipping method he's using that makes the $5 fair. I'm certainly willing to consider that, and would still be willing to leave 5 stars on shipping costs if the cost was fair.


I get why sellers do it. They sell a card for $1, and they think it should be worth more than that. They overcharge by a buck or two on the shipping, so they come up ahead there.... and make up for the supposed loss on the price of the card. I just don't agree with it, and I won't leave 5 stars for anyone who charges more than actual material / postage cost + $1.

I appreciate everyone's comments. I was very angry early this morning when I got the emails. Funny thing is all my DSR's went up yesterday and I was happy to see that. Then all of a sudden I get restricted. It was a kick in the head!
I talked to the ebay customer service today at great length. They said there is nothing they can do about it and suggest I give free shipping. I had suggestions for them that I know went in one ear and out the other, but I told them anyways.
My idea was to not allow buyers to give a DSR for shipping charges if the charge is under $3.00 for a single sports card. As that is the accepted rate most of the time. They explained that it would be too difficult to regulate something like that because of the millions of different items on ebay. Which I agree with to an extent. They are able to automatically give you 5 star DSR if you offer free shipping so why can't they for item specific shipping rates.
My other idea was to take this out of the equation all together, IF shipping rates are posted in the item description. The buyer should be agreeing to pay that price when they win the item, and shouldn't be able to complain afterwards if it was shipped as promised in the manner described.
Like I said, ebay has become a one way street where the buyers have all the rights and the sellers have little to none. We pay the fees though, we make ebay the billions of dollars. If we stop selling the buyers have nothing to buy and ebay goes under!! I know, it will never happen but they will lose money if they keep going to way they are. Ok, this rant is now over!!!

[max91ess]

I know the rant is over but, lol

my sugestion would be to include you shipping cost into the auction start price or in the "buy it now" price ... then offer free shipping

so if you start your auctions out at $.99 with $2.99 shipping
just
start them out at $3.98 with free shipping
or
instead of $5.99 or best offer + $2.99 shipping
just
do $9.98 or best offer with free shipping

then its an auto 5 stars for that and it seems like you are doing fine in all the other catigories

at times I can "beat" the system if I send within the US - I can do 1-3 cards in their own toploader in a bubble envelope and put 2 stamps on it ($.88cents) and it ships no problem
I offer free shipping when I do this, but its only $.88cents to me, so i can maximize that way

and everyones happy

now to Canada its a little different $1.39 normally, but again I'll just start out the auction at $1.99 or something with free shipping

I felt your pain a few months ago... not to the extent of being restricted but enough for me to change my policies at times

Good Luck !!!

Trust me this is a bad idea i tried it..ppl will always buy the cheapest item regardless of the shipping amount...My sales dropped by 30% when i started doing so....so i came back to 1.50$ for a card and regular shipping then 4$ or 4.50$ for a card..ppl don'T like that...

[fredde80]

Be happy you dont live overseas :) Then you would be happy to pay just 4$ shipping... almost every time i get to pay 2x the acutal shipping fee (sometimes 3x), people want 10$ for regular shipping etc.