Ebay sellers...how NOT to get bids/business

Bochiman

So, looking at a few auctions, I noticed some low price items.
Hmmm....the starting price is low, but isn't the $0.99 come on...it is reasonable. The BIN is not too high but is a little higher.

Then, like a good ebay buyer, I look at the S/H

Wow! I am sure the low priced coin (it is NOT an expensive coin...we are talking under $10 here and may likely sell for under $5 on some of them) is not that hard to send and many people would be find with an envelope and stamp (I know I would be).

The S/H is $4.50!

Ok...so, I look at a lincoln....not slabbed, not one to really get slabbed, but a cool error. My birth year too. I wouldn't pay much though as it isn't a huge thing, not super cool, but just kind of cool. The best way to ship this cent (I love using that word for Lincolns ) would be wrapped in a flip in tissue in an envelope with a $0.37 cent stamp.

Even if I could email the person and reduce the shipping, even if they would do it (say, a person I have had business with before or a forum member), do people realize it is still a HUGE turnoff?

Add S/H costs into the factor of the bid. Absolutely. So, a coin that isn't worth more than a few bucks is now sitting at $8-$15+ due to this? Nah......there goes that!

And, I don't know about others out there, but when I get turned off like that by a seller, I usually start ignoring the rest of their auctions. Yep, good for other people as the price will be cheaper without my bids so other buyers will benefit. Bad for the seller I would think.

haletj

I bought a roll of pennies once for $0.01. Yep, 50 cents face for 1 cent! Shipping was $3.95 though so I had no problem paying $3.96 and giving the seller a fair profit (I hope he at least got a profit!). It's funny too when oyu buy rolls, sometimes the cheapest ones turn out to be the best!

Barry

It's a way for the seller to minimize the Ebay fees.

coinbuf

It is true that many ebay sellers do slam you with excessive shipping but if you get the item cheap enough it evens out. Think about it this way, say you find this coin at a show, you had to expend gas and time to go the the show. Always seems about a wash to me.

Chris

ksteelheader

<< <i>Always seems about a wash to me. >>



Seems too many people feel that a business (yes, ebay is a business to some) should do shipping and handling for cost or less!

clackamas

I never charge anything less than $4 for shipping but I use priority mail and the cost is $3.85

TUMUSS

I charge $2.50. I firmly believe that if the bidder believes that you have "lower" than normal shipping costs they feel better about bidding the coin up higher (not always). In the end your both happy.

K6AZ

For single raw coins in this price range, I charge $1.50. I buy #000 bubble mailers in bulk at 17¢ each. Postage is 49¢, so my handling over actual cost is 82¢. Charging $4.50 for something like this is ridiculous, and I won't bid on auctions like that.

F117ASR

I usually charge a dollar because the bubble mailer cost me 33 cents and the stamp is 60 cents. I make a 7 cent profit but I know I love auctions with cheap shipping.

Bochiman

I think only Eric & F117ASR understood my point.
We are talking about weighty items, nor slabbed, nor worthy of slabbing.
We are talking about coins in the couple of dollars or a little more range.

I could even understand Tumuss' $2.50 for this....NOT $4.50.

Nice thing is that I can't tell you, the ebay seller, how to do it but I can vote with my bid/money.

If someone wants to use S/H to skirt ebay's fees, or to earn money, go for it. I understand it. But, if you want to be "excessive" in it, 100% or more of the item, good for them.


Heck, if you want to make money on ebay using the S/H, please make sure you are a business for tax purposes too, ok? I understand collectors selling using ebay and that isn't a business, but if you IN it to make money, you are a business and I hope you report your income (if you MAKE money on the s/h, then you aren't losing money, right?)

eddyemack

I've also noticed some larger companies (not mentioning any names) charging excessive shipping and handling charges. Anybody else run into that?

eddye


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