Am I being unreasonable?

XanaduNow

So I'm cleaning out my parent's house and I come across a large lot of old Doc Savage novels. I put them up on eBay thinking that if I get a fifth of Jack out of it I'm ahead of the game. In the item description I state that the buyer will pay the actual shipping costs. I get this question:

Q: How much is shipping?

Makes sense. They probably just want to make sure that I'm not going to come up with some outlandish shipping/handling charge after the auction is over. So I respond.

A: The winner will pay actual shipping cost. Once the auction ends the winner will give me their postal zip and I'll package the novels up and take them down to the post office. I'll have them weigh the box and give me an exact shipping cost. Then I'll contact the winner with a completed invoice with whatever the P.O. tells me and I'll ship upon receiving payment. Thanks for looking!

Now I figure I've answered the question and I also post it on the auction so that everyone else can see. I think it's pretty self-explanatory and I also think I'm being pretty fair, making two separate trips to the P.O. just so that the buyer pays the exact shipping cost. I'm not used to shipping large packages like this so I wasn't going to guess at some figure and risk it being too much or too little. So I figured I'd just dd this and it's fair to everyone.

He responds.

Q: That doesn't help me any. I am not bidding on the item, with out knowing how much it will cost me.

What do I do? How else can I explain it to him? I don't want to box everything up in case someone has a particular question regarding an individual novel. I'm at a loss. Is this someone I just want to avoid altogether for the auction?

I know this is off-topic and I may catch some heat for it but I can't think of a better eBay resource than this forum.

Thanks

itzagoner

here's a suggestion....as a rule, when i know that the weight of a particular item(s) will excede one pound, i can top out shipping @ $8.10, which is the cost for a flat-rate USPS box, + insurance if needed....tell your bidder that he would be required to pay no more than that, it might encourage him to be less of a nag.....best of luck

XanaduNow

Thanks. Will the box be big enough to fit 36 softcover books?

tennesseebanker

E-bay gives you a section when starting an Auction to enter the weight of the item and to let buyers enter thier postal info and calculate the shipping cost by entering thier zip code. If it is too late for that and they will all fit in a priority mail box then the $8.10 seems like a good answer to give people. you could also try media mail since it is printed material. Good luck with it.

NickM

Put them all loose in a box that you would ship them in. Weigh it on your scale. Round up to the next full pound. Then go to the USPS website (or call them if you have trouble navigating the website) and find the media mail rate for different postal zones for that weight.

Nick

tennesseebanker

<< <i>Thanks. Will the box be big enough to fit 36 softcover books? >>



I have some $8.10 flat rate boxes that measure 11' x 8 1/2' x 5 1/2'
You can get them free at the Po or online at usps.com

itzagoner

<< <i>Thanks. Will the box be big enough to fit 36 softcover books? >>



they have a 10x8x6 size and a longer, flatter variety as well...one of those oughta work

Wizardsguildcards

Well I would not bid if I asked what the shipping was and the seller would not tell me. In fact if it is not in the listing I use the back button.

storm888

The $8.10 boxes might be a bit small for 36 books.

The suggestion to weigh them on the bathroom
scale is probably the best one.

Shipping costs are the number one complaint on
scamBay. Most folks know not to bid on anything
that does not state a shipping price. Even though
in the case of the Xanadu deal, the buyer would
not get hurt, most/all experienced folks just will
not risk a bid w/o 1st knowing the S&H.

Media Mail is pretty cheap.

You could also "revise" the auction and add the
eBay shipping calculator to the listing. Shouldn't
take more than a few minutes to stick it in there.

It's a shame to let a buyer of junk escape unsold.
My motto is: "If they ask me a question, I've got 'em."

storm

XanaduNow

I weighed the items on my scale and revised the auction to include a shipping calculator. I wish I knew about this before the auction but I'm unaccustomed to selling/shipping anything other than small card lots.

I also blocked that user from bidding on my auctions after I got this:

"Pack up the books, and throw them on a scale, then go to www.usps.com"

This guy sounds like a hassle. All I want to do is sell this stuff so I can go back to my single graded card auctions and my small bubble mailers. I'm sure people here will chew me out for blocking the guy but I've received multiple responses from him that are void of anything remotely considered politeness. I have no problem with people requesting things but I don't want to deal with anyone who barks at me like I was a dog and demands things.

I'm sure the eBay police will tell me how I'm such a bad seller.

WinPitcher

I also blocked that user from bidding on my auctions after I got this:


hmmmmmmmmm, I would not have done that. he/she seemed to be interested in that stuff. Not sure you read the email correctly. often times the printed word appears rude when in fact it is not.


jmo


steve

XanaduNow

Steve,

I see where you're coming from. My point is that this auction is an aberration. I found this stuff, not looking for big bucks or to get maximum value and I'd like it all to go as smooth as possible. The potential buyer's correspondence has been condescending and rude. I put the items up for a price that would make me happy if they sold and I've got over a dozen watchers so far. If it costs me some money in the end I'm fine with that. The most important part of all this for me is that the transaction is smooth and easy for both parties involved.

Just trying to avoid potential complications and headaches down the road.

Thanks for the input.

Arthur

baseballfanatic

<< <i>Steve,

I see where you're coming from. My point is that this auction is an aberration. I found this stuff, not looking for big bucks or to get maximum value and I'd like it all to go as smooth as possible. The potential buyer's correspondence has been condescending and rude. I put the items up for a price that would make me happy if they sold and I've got over a dozen watchers so far. If it costs me some money in the end I'm fine with that. The most important part of all this for me is that the transaction is smooth and easy for both parties involved.

Just trying to avoid potential complications and headaches down the road.

Thanks for the input.

Arthur >>




Gotta remember that some people look at Doc Savage pulps the same way some people look at baseball cards.
If there was a pulp posting board, you could replace the word pulp with baseball cards and get the same response from fellow pulp readers..........

storm888

The printed word is almost always harsher than the spoken word.
Sometimes, the printed word is the most revealing word.

On the off chance that the guy would be a problem, I would have
blocked him, too. But, I might have tried to rehab him b4 I did so.
I often pretend that I do not understand that they are being mean
to me. I respond to their nonsense with very subtle passive aggressive
stuff that praises them for solving the problem.

Anybody who sells much on eBay, is accustomed to being treated
like garbage. I am REAL tired of nasty-ah buyers, but I sort of think
that the ultimate revenge is getting their money into my PayPal
accounts. I should make it clear that I am super-lenient with most
of the abusers, but I still hate their guts. And, they NEVER ruin my
day.

You can't do good business with a bad man.

storm

XanaduNow

I get this message from him 10 hours after I revised the auction with the weight and shipping calculator.

"Here is a thought. As you have to make 2 trips to the P.O. anyway, why not take the package down today , find out the weight of the package, and then revise your auction with a shipping calculator."

If there is a God this guy will wait until the last few seconds of the auction and try to jump in and snag it with a bid. I'd pay good money to see the look on his face when it tells him he's been banned from bidding on the auction.

Speaking of that, how does that work? I can't imagine that too many of you have actually been banned from someone's auction but if it has happened, what does the message say when you try to bid?

joemaggio

It says something along the lines of... "This seller won't let you bid." It will be very clear that you have blocked him.

storm888

I got blocked once. (A "competitor" did not want me buying
his stuff to resell. Really stupid guy. Worried about what
other folks make instead of what he makes.)

There was a bubble like thingy that attached itself to the
cursor and would not let me make any selections on the
listing screen.

Might be a different scheme now. But, the guy will
definitely know that "he cannot bid."

The fun will start when he emails Xanadu and wants to
know why he could not bid.