Shipping and handling madness!

[bootydaddy]

This is getting a bit out of hand, probably due to all of the new sellers I seem to see on Ebay in recent months. While I love buying and selling on there, and do so often, this whole shipping and handling con has gotten a bit out of hand.

I sell quite often, as I stated. Bubble mailers, which are a must when you pay for a card (I think), can be had at Staples in packs of ten for around $3.50 (.35 each). I can't tell you how many cards I have bought recently, paid $2-$3 "S&H" for, and received the cards in a top loader, inside a regular envelope, with a .37 stamp on it. The cards usually receive some damage that way, because of the movement during shipping, and the fact that letters are handled differently by the post office than bubble mailers are. I complained to the sellers in a few cases, and usually worked out a solution, but it just seems to me that more and more people are using shipping and handling lately as just extra profit via laziness. Not a new topic I'm sure, but one that really bothers me lately. I actually ask a seller now, if the card is expensive enough, before I bid, how he will ship it. Any thoughts, or any related stories about this?

[hairston1315]

It kills me.....It costs like 50 cents to ship a card in a bubble mailer. Then 35 cents so your up to 85 cents then you spend 15 cents in gas to get it to the post office and back so your then up to a dollar. It shouldn't even be that much. Except I'm sure some people have the exact shipping rate which I'm always looking for.But only REALLY REALLY cheap people could charge you for the gas that they spend taking it to the post office. Just wait untill stamps go up even higher. Then shipping will cost more than the cards!

[stkmtimo]

I am paying $5 for my Vince Lombardi cut signature to get shipped to me. Of course, this amount includes Priority Mail, insurance and delivery confirmation, a must because I spent $230+ on the card.

Tim

[tutall]

i sell on ebay an do kind of use shipping as a profit... it is a profit that ebay doesnt profit from... when i am bidding i take the shipping and add it to see if this is what i want to pay... if it is too expensive with shipping dont bid... i usually charge at least 2.00 but 3 or 4 if it is an expensive card that way i will gte 1.00 less in bids but still make the same or more... thats my opinion

[BlackDiam0nd66]

I can see Tims point about paying $5...it was priority, etc etc...I would have done the same thing with that purchase!

I ONLY look for sellers who charge $2 or less, bubble mailers (if it isn't in their info I will write and ask) and who combine S&H....if a seller won't combine...its a sure bet they are in it for the profit and I don't care HOW BAD I want the card, I will not bid. On the rare occasions we sell, we charge $2.00 for as many cards as they bid on, we have 2 lots right now on ebay, a 16 card lot and a 26 card lot (all GU) that I believe I am asking $3.50 in S&H which includes Ins & DC. When it's available I will use a sellers SASE option, but I am aware it is at my risk.

It's odd...I used to charge $1 for s&h in a padded mailer, and made ok sales, but not that great....when I upped it to $2 and lowered the price of my cards, I sold all 60 cards I had on ebay....very odd to me...lol....alot of times if someone buys a bunch of singles from me I will waive S&H totally, and let me tell you, it doesn't come out to a whole lot of $$ being saved on their part....but people will appreciate it and come back again and again!!

Customer service should be #1....if you aren't about pleasing the customer in every way, you are doomed!

Peace,
Rima

[mookigremlin]

Welp I have not sold on E-Bay in a little while now but when I did I normally charged $2 for shipping. That would also include the bubble envelope since I do not ship in a regular envelope. I just think that is a big no no. If I have a card lot that has let say 30 cards then I would ship those in a small card box for $3. IMO I think that those are pretty fair prices. Also if I have a few auctions running that are of single cards and someone wins lets say 2 auctions then I have no problem in combining the shipping. Both cards are going to the same place so there is no need to charge extra. hehe. :)

Richie
mookigremlin
:p

[Travaje]

just a thought....

If people bought cards from me directly, there'd be so many fees we could skip, so the profit margin (if there was one) would be bigger already. so I feel there I can pick up the measly dollar for shipping if they bought say, 5 dollars of cards and up from me. small price to pay. I don't sell my cards at 20% BV, but I do offer honesty, quality transactions, and good, hassle-free shipping.

Sometimes I think the only one who wins is Ebay, and not the traders, or buyer/seller.

[M80mayhem]

Bubble Mailer - .35
Postage (2 stamps) - .74
Sleeve - .01
Top Loader - .20
TOTAL - $1.30 for shipping a card

None of this "Well, I had to use gas to drive to the post office, store, etc..." I had this one online dealer try to sell me a couple of commons I needed for a set for .20 each and hte shipping was like 4 bucks. YEAH RIGHT!

[bootydaddy]

I am glad a lot of you see my point. Actually, the key is mentioned by Rima...customer service. If you plan on selling often on Ebay, then do the little things that will make people buy from you again, and leave you good feedback. Anyone that buys anything from me over $25.00, I automatically send the item Priority Mail (at least), no matter what I charged in the auction for shipping. Or, I have in the past, even suprised a few big purchasers with a FedEx delivery on my account. Thanks for the good replies to this thread so far, at least I know I am not alone!

[gioperation]

I totally disagree with you, you would probably have more responses if this has not came up like 100 other times, I will not go into my spill about why $2 is not enough...even on one card...but trust me on that, when you start dealing with all the fees ebay and paypal...I will not into as I am too tired maybe at another time if I get the urge to jump in.