I am tired of Being Ripped Off Overpaying/Getting underpaid for Shipping!!
thedutymon
Posts: 4,323 ✭
Afternoon,
All I ever hear about is the Whine about some E-bay Seller overcharging for Shipping!!!!!!!!!
How about I should Whine for all the times I have to eat Shipping charges!!!!!!!!!!!
Examples todays shipping:
#1 Buyer wins 3 each 1970 PSA Milk Duds...My shipping charge, $4.50 for first and $2 each for second and third..Total $6.50
Actual $Cost, Oversize Padded Shipping Mailer $1.25, Ins. for $100...$2.25, DC .80 Cents, Postage First Class $7.76....Total $12.06....$5.56 Loss
#2 Buyer buys Three PSA cards I charge $3.00 for first card and .50 cents each for all after one...Total $4.00. Three cards add up to over $70 value so have to insure. My shipping costs are as follows....1 Padded Mailer size OO, I buy in Bulk from Royal mailers..cost .19 cents each, Insurance $2.25, DC .80 cents, First Class postage $2.29...Total $5.53...Loss $1.53
#3 Buyer buys lot of 350 cards, then adds two other auctions in, total wins 3 auctions each. I charge $6 for the 300 cards, then .50 cents each for the two additional auctions...total $7.00. Any one of the three auctions doesn't take me over my threshold for Insurance ($25-50 depending on New/Repeat customer), but added together they do and New customer so feel I need Ins. So actual cost are Card Box for Lot .40 cents, DC .80 cents, Insurance $2.25, First Class postage $8.07...total $11.52...Loss $4.52
#4 Buyer buys one PSA card for $33.00...............Shipping charge $3.00. My cost to ship...Size OO Padded mailer .19 cents, Ins. $1.75, DC .80 cents, Postage 1.59....Total...$4.33.....................
Loss for the day in 4 packages $15.94, not including all the other stuff..Bubble wrap, tape, time, whatever.................
If you see what it costs to mail and don't agree, Don't Bid or Don't Buy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YeeFrickinHah
Neil
All I ever hear about is the Whine about some E-bay Seller overcharging for Shipping!!!!!!!!!
How about I should Whine for all the times I have to eat Shipping charges!!!!!!!!!!!
Examples todays shipping:
#1 Buyer wins 3 each 1970 PSA Milk Duds...My shipping charge, $4.50 for first and $2 each for second and third..Total $6.50
Actual $Cost, Oversize Padded Shipping Mailer $1.25, Ins. for $100...$2.25, DC .80 Cents, Postage First Class $7.76....Total $12.06....$5.56 Loss
#2 Buyer buys Three PSA cards I charge $3.00 for first card and .50 cents each for all after one...Total $4.00. Three cards add up to over $70 value so have to insure. My shipping costs are as follows....1 Padded Mailer size OO, I buy in Bulk from Royal mailers..cost .19 cents each, Insurance $2.25, DC .80 cents, First Class postage $2.29...Total $5.53...Loss $1.53
#3 Buyer buys lot of 350 cards, then adds two other auctions in, total wins 3 auctions each. I charge $6 for the 300 cards, then .50 cents each for the two additional auctions...total $7.00. Any one of the three auctions doesn't take me over my threshold for Insurance ($25-50 depending on New/Repeat customer), but added together they do and New customer so feel I need Ins. So actual cost are Card Box for Lot .40 cents, DC .80 cents, Insurance $2.25, First Class postage $8.07...total $11.52...Loss $4.52
#4 Buyer buys one PSA card for $33.00...............Shipping charge $3.00. My cost to ship...Size OO Padded mailer .19 cents, Ins. $1.75, DC .80 cents, Postage 1.59....Total...$4.33.....................
Loss for the day in 4 packages $15.94, not including all the other stuff..Bubble wrap, tape, time, whatever.................
If you see what it costs to mail and don't agree, Don't Bid or Don't Buy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YeeFrickinHah
Neil
Actually Collect Non Sport, but am just so full of myself I post all over the place !!!!!!!
0
Comments
Doug
Liquidating my collection for the 3rd and final time. Time for others to enjoy what I have enjoyed over the last several decades. Money could be put to better use.
<< <i>Oh Lord >>
...It's hard to be humble.......
Up your shipping charges and take the hit on your stars.......that way you won't go in the hole, and chances are your stars are going to get dinged anyway......
+1
As a seller I also have miscalculated what my charges should be a few times. I never complain, ask for more money, or anything. I just send the stuff to the buyer and leave them positive feedback. I just don't see how the opposite is worthy of multiple threads per month.
<< <i>Is there any reason to pay for both DC and Insurance on the same package. If if doens't arrive don't you get the insurance claim? >>
That really isn't the issue. The real issue is why do I need to pay for Signature Confirmation when the Post Office will require a signature anyways for an insured item?
Buying Vintage, all sports.
Buying Woody Hayes, Les Horvath, Vic Janowicz, and Jesse Owens autographed items
<< <i>you should ship from home through paypal, 19 cents for DC. And if you buy one of those dymo label printers, you can print labels for 5c each or less, depending on how many labels you buy. Plus they don't have ink to replace, and save tons of tape, which can be expensive too. >>
Good luck getting the PO to scan them
<< <i>So figure out what the approximate cost to ship will be and charge accordingly. No? >>
Not that easy. If I ship to you in NY it will be cheaper then if I ship the same package to CA.
If I charge the higher amount to be safe, the NY buyer will start a thread because they feel overcharged
<< <i>
<< <i>you should ship from home through paypal, 19 cents for DC. And if you buy one of those dymo label printers, you can print labels for 5c each or less, depending on how many labels you buy. Plus they don't have ink to replace, and save tons of tape, which can be expensive too. >>
Good luck getting the PO to scan them >>
you can print a scan sheet for the PO and one scan does it all
<< <i>
<< <i>you should ship from home through paypal, 19 cents for DC. And if you buy one of those dymo label printers, you can print labels for 5c each or less, depending on how many labels you buy. Plus they don't have ink to replace, and save tons of tape, which can be expensive too. >>
Good luck getting the PO to scan them >>
done a couple of thousand packages that way, they print with a friggin enormous bar code on them, and in every instance I have ever looked them up they are in the system the same as taking to the post office. Never had a problem at all with them or a complaint.
At that time unless you waited and asked for someone to scan them
in you had to just drop them off and many times they were only scanned
upon delivery. Good to hear that has changed.
Steve
When we agree to a certain shipping charge we put faith in our seller that they will use the funds to ship the cards safe without risk of being damaged.
Paying $3 for a PWE and stamp is cause to be upset and ding stars. It is the equivalent to a seller in your examples saying they didn't get enough money to ship the item(s) so the package has to go at a lower service level to recoup as much money as possible.
3 PSA flips should fit in a flat rate box...
Looking for 1970 MLB Photostamps
- uncut
Positive Transactions - tennesseebanker, Ahmanfan, Donruss, Colebear, CDsNuts, rbdjr1, Downtown1974, yankeeno7, drewsef, mnolan, mrbud60, msassin, RipublicaninMass, AkbarClone, rustywilly, lsutigers1973, julen23 and nam812, plus many others...
I was lucky that the buyer was really honest. It took it like 3 weeks and after a couple weeks I agreed to refund his money Monday if it did not arrive. I showed up that Saturday.
This is not the first time I have had a problem with the PP postage thing. I feel safer going to the PO, plus I usually have a book or two to mail so I really have no choice but to go, not to mention, they are hold to that over 1 lb. must go to counter rule around here.
Clear Skies,
Mark
Raw: Tony Gonzalez (low #'d cards, and especially 1/1's) and Steve Young.
<< <i>Never have, nor will I ever charge "free shipping"... why give feebay the $
3 PSA flips should fit in a flat rate box... >>
I did for a while, but you will do better overall charging a fair shipping, like $3 for a PSA card. I think if I ever went back to free shipping, I would just go $1.00 shipping.....most will know it cost more then that and see it as or like free I imagine.
Raw: Tony Gonzalez (low #'d cards, and especially 1/1's) and Steve Young.
My 2c
Scott
Always plenty of PSA-graded cards in my ebay store -- https://ebay.com/str/thelumbercompanysportscards
<< <i>I sold a GU bat around Christmas for a little under $200. Used the online paypal postage with delivery confirmation and it never did show up in the system. (Even after it arrived.)
I was lucky that the buyer was really honest. It took it like 3 weeks and after a couple weeks I agreed to refund his money Monday if it did not arrive. I showed up that Saturday.
This is not the first time I have had a problem with the PP postage thing. I feel safer going to the PO, plus I usually have a book or two to mail so I really have no choice but to go, not to mention, they are hold to that over 1 lb. must go to counter rule around here.
Clear Skies,
Mark >>
Thief.
<< <i>
<< <i>you should ship from home through paypal, 19 cents for DC. And if you buy one of those dymo label printers, you can print labels for 5c each or less, depending on how many labels you buy. Plus they don't have ink to replace, and save tons of tape, which can be expensive too. >>
Good luck getting the PO to scan them >>
this is why I take all my packages to the post office & pay the 80 cents DC charge instead of the 19 cent online DC.
luckily I had an honest customer on a $600 item sent with return receipt signature registered, it never showed being delivered and the return receipt was sent to the buyer LOL. buyer emailed and said hey got item & the return receipt thanks.
These days I rarely insure anything under $200, and for really expensive stuff I don't insure the full value, just the lowest amount I'm comfortable with. (And, of course, if anything happens I'm refunding the buyer the full amount).
Christmas deliveries entail more risk regardless of which type of dc you use since the post office is using temporary carriers.
And I put them in BM and pay for DC even on a 2.00 card
<< <i>Not that easy. If I ship to you in NY it will be cheaper then if I ship the same package to CA. >>
That is my #1 pet peeve. I have been killed many times over by shipping charges to California from the Midwest.
<< <i>So figure out what the approximate cost to ship will be and charge accordingly. No? >>
How does one do that before you know where it is going? I dont imagine you are suggesting leaving postage blank on eBay.
Raw: Tony Gonzalez (low #'d cards, and especially 1/1's) and Steve Young.
Use PayPal to ship. Use Priority Mail to ship. Forget insuring everything. If you add up your insurance fees versus loss payouts, you'll see what I mean.
Send Priority (the cost will end up being less with your heavier stuff) and get the Flat Rate boxes and regular boxes FREE from the Post Office. You can order them online and they'll ship them to your home . . . FREE!!!
Using PayPal to ship, DC is $0.19 for 1st Class Mail and is FREE with Priority Mail. Using the small Priority Mail Flat Rate box (easily fits several graded cards), you're looking at $4.85 with DC. You can fit a couple of set boxes in the large Priority Mail Flat Rate box for $14.95 with DC (weight is immaterial as you're allowed upto 70 pounds).
Just some thoughts for winning the battle!
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
Doug
Liquidating my collection for the 3rd and final time. Time for others to enjoy what I have enjoyed over the last several decades. Money could be put to better use.
<< <i>Good suggestion Scott ... I think the Flat Rate Priority boxes just went up a little. >>
They may have. I haven't sold anything since before Christmas, but if they changed, they probably only went up a dime or two...
In any respect, I offer FREE Priority Mail shipping on all the items I list on eBay, now (albeit, they're usually over $100 an item). Even when I charged $5.00 for this service, I never took a hit on my DSR's as they were always 5.0 across the board.
Scott stop spreading misinformation.
<< <i>
<< <i>So figure out what the approximate cost to ship will be and charge accordingly. No? >>
How does one do that before you know where it is going? I dont imagine you are suggesting leaving postage blank on eBay. >>
OF COURSE NOT! If you are shipping a few individual cards it's not really going to matter where in the USA you ship the item. Pretty EZ to calculate the postage. If you are shipping a LOT of cards and are using boxes, use PRIORITY FLAT RATE. Again, EZ enough to list the item stating PRIORITY will be used. If you don't want to use PRIORITY, calculate assuming you are shipping to the most expensive point and in your description state you will make an adjustment to shipping if it is less.
Doug
Liquidating my collection for the 3rd and final time. Time for others to enjoy what I have enjoyed over the last several decades. Money could be put to better use.
Thanks for some good suggestions: I'll answer some of them, but I think everybody sort of missed the point, I was giving Doug (Dboneesq) a hard time for whining!!!!!!!
I don't use the .19 cents from Paypal for tracking, because as pointed out, it has to be scanned, I live in a little Podunk town and as much as I like my Postal ladies (2), they can't be depended to do the scan. If I pay the .80 cents to have them scan while I am standing there, it CANNOT.. NOT be scanned!
The reason for having Insurance and DC on the same package is for one simple reason, if I have just Insurance then the Buyer (And this has been done to me) can say it never arrived, with DC, I can send the Buyer the tracking number when I get that first E-Mail the second day after the sale "Where's My Stuff?" , I simply send them the tracking number and never hear from them again until they leave Positive Feedback!
In closing, at most I about break even with my shipping and lose a little to a bit more on about 50 % normally. And don't worry about that, It is figured into my BINs, so I am OK, just wanted to point out even though I agree with Doug, that I like giving him and all Whiners a Hard time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Neil
That being said, I print all my labels at home and I don't bother getting them scanned for acceptance. I just make sure the tracking number is listed on the ended ebay listing page (it shows up automatically if I print a PayPal label) and I also make sure to enter the correct origin zip code in the shipment details and the actual shipping date that I dump the stuff off at the post office. Since I mail 90% of my sales the same day or next day, I rarely have any issues. I used to occasionally bring the packages to the clerk at the post office along with the receipt portion of the printed label to have it postmarked, but I find that to be a major waste of time now.
I even sold a signed Jeter bat for almost $600 and printed a priority label at home. Because the box was barely 3 inches wide, I printed the label to scale, and it was so small that the clerk's hand scanner couldn't read the barcode. I didn't care. I just left it there, and 4 days later, it showed up as having been delivered and signed for by the recipient. A couple days after that I got positive feedback.
Typically, I only pay for insurance when the actual shipping cost is significantly lower than the amount paid by the buyer. I don't really care about the insurance, since I have serious doubts that I'd ever be able to get a claim paid by a government agency anyway, but at least it raises my cost so the buyer doesn't think I overcharged too much. When I don't want the recipient to see the actual postage paid, I either print a PayPal label or use my Fedex account. When I want the recipient to see it (or when I just don't care, which is most of the time) I use my USPS account and print directly from there.
Using the calculated shipping feature in all my listings makes everything so extremely simple. Having a basic digital kitchen scale that measures up to 11 pounds also helps immensely.
Neil,
The scanning at acceptance is meaningless, though...it's up to the carrier who delivers the package to the buyer to scan the label so you will be protected from a claim...if the tracking simply shows that the package was scanned upon shipping but not scanned upon delivery you will lose any claim that a buyer files.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
.. The tearing and the ripping..
oh God
<< <i>The scanning at acceptance is meaningless, though...it's up to the carrier who delivers the package to the buyer to scan the label so you will be protected from a claim...if the tracking simply shows that the package was scanned upon shipping but not scanned upon delivery you will lose any claim that a buyer files. >>
I'm not sure this is correct. If the seller follows all PayPal protocols and USPS loses the package before proper delivery, the seller should be protected. But both PayPal and USPS will have to be able to confirm that the package was in USPS possession at some point. Go back to the example of the Jeter bat I sold. It was insured with signature confirmation on an electronic label I had printed at home. I dropped it off at the post office on a Monday, and it never showed up in the system (probably because the barcode was unscannable and the numbers had to be entered by hand) until it was finally delivered and signed for on Friday. If it had gotten lost sometime in the middle of the week, I probably would have been SOL, since I couldn't prove that I'd actually dropped off the package at the post office. I probably should have demanded that it be scanned for acceptance that Monday, now that I look back at it, but it all worked out anyway.
<< <i>I don't use the .19 cents from Paypal for tracking, because as pointed out, it has to be scanned, I live in a little Podunk town and as much as I like my Postal ladies (2), they can't be depended to do the scan. If I pay the .80 cents to have them scan while I am standing there, it CANNOT.. NOT be scanned!
Neil,
The scanning at acceptance is meaningless, though...it's up to the carrier who delivers the package to the buyer to scan the label so you will be protected from a claim...if the tracking simply shows that the package was scanned upon shipping but not scanned upon delivery you will lose any claim that a buyer files. >>
Disagree (And I just checked with my Postal lady and this is correct),
If the package (DC Label) is not scanned upon acceptance (Which is why I make sure all are done by buying them over the counter with the postage, as this makes it part of the Sale and has to be scanned for the Register total), then it can't be tracked and your only covered if the carrier at the recieving end scans it upon delivery, which seldom happens on packages with just DC (Sometimes they don't even remember to bring the little scan thing when they load up to deliver the mail).
Neil
<< <i>The ripping and the tearing..
.. The tearing and the ripping..
oh God
saw that last night - that was bizarre
Dodgers collection scans | Brett Butler registry | 1978 Dodgers - straight 9s, homie
You guys have talked about Paypal shipping, which I have used in the past. I loved it, but I think the Ebay shipping is even better than Paypal shipping. You enter everything on one page. It is much faster.
By the way, I never get insurance unless the purchase is over $100. I've never had a problem.
I charge $2.95 per card and no more than $3.45 for several cards purchased at once. I usually ship the next day. I have 4.9's across the board.
I get my bubble mailers at esupplystore.com. I just bought 1,000 for $102 delivered. That is just over 10 cents per mailer.
Shane
Neil,
The scanning at acceptance is meaningless, though...it's up to the carrier who delivers the package to the buyer to scan the label so you will be protected from a claim...if the tracking simply shows that the package was scanned upon shipping but not scanned upon delivery you will lose any claim that a buyer files. >>
Disagree (And I just checked with my Postal lady and this is correct),
If the package (DC Label) is not scanned upon acceptance (Which is why I make sure all are done by buying them over the counter with the postage, as this makes it part of the Sale and has to be scanned for the Register total), then it can't be tracked and your only covered if the carrier at the recieving end scans it upon delivery, which seldom happens on packages with just DC (Sometimes they don't even remember to bring the little scan thing when they load up to deliver the mail).
Neil
Neil,
Your postal service lady is wrong. Paypal doesn't care if the package is scanned upon acceptance at the PO. They will side with the buyer if the package is not scanned upon DELIVERY. I've mailed thousands of packages and the DC is to prove DELIVERY, not that you mailed it, but that the buyer RECEIVED the package. Check with Storm and you will see.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
<< <i><< I don't use the .19 cents from Paypal for tracking, because as pointed out, it has to be scanned, I live in a little Podunk town and as much as I like my Postal ladies (2), they can't be depended to do the scan. If I pay the .80 cents to have them scan while I am standing there, it CANNOT.. NOT be scanned!
Neil,
The scanning at acceptance is meaningless, though...it's up to the carrier who delivers the package to the buyer to scan the label so you will be protected from a claim...if the tracking simply shows that the package was scanned upon shipping but not scanned upon delivery you will lose any claim that a buyer files. >>
Disagree (And I just checked with my Postal lady and this is correct),
If the package (DC Label) is not scanned upon acceptance (Which is why I make sure all are done by buying them over the counter with the postage, as this makes it part of the Sale and has to be scanned for the Register total), then it can't be tracked and your only covered if the carrier at the recieving end scans it upon delivery, which seldom happens on packages with just DC (Sometimes they don't even remember to bring the little scan thing when they load up to deliver the mail).
Neil
Neil,
Your postal service lady is wrong. Paypal doesn't care if the package is scanned upon acceptance at the PO. They will side with the buyer if the package is not scanned upon DELIVERY. I've mailed thousands of packages and the DC is to prove DELIVERY, not that you mailed it, but that the buyer RECEIVED the package. Check with Storm and you will see. >>
The later is correct. PP only cares if it was delivered (to the right zipcode). The fact that you can prove you mailed it, or something, does not matter at the end of the day. Still, I hate it when I sell something high dollar and it doesn't get scanned. On the other hand, I have shipped 100's of little high dollar meteorites, overseas with no tracking or the like. You just have to roll the dice sometimes. Mind you, the dice get heavier every year it seems.
Raw: Tony Gonzalez (low #'d cards, and especially 1/1's) and Steve Young.
you sir are correct.
<< <i>"Your postal service lady is wrong. Paypal doesn't care if the package is scanned upon acceptance at the PO. They will side with the buyer if the package is not scanned upon DELIVERY. I've mailed thousands of packages and the DC is to prove DELIVERY, not that you mailed it, but that the buyer RECEIVED the package. Check with Storm and you will see. "
you sir are correct. >>
Right; the only value to the 'scanned on acceptance' is to prove it got into the postal system for purposes of Insurance, and DC isn't part of that equation, is it?
Working on the following: 1970 Baseball PSA, 1970-1976 Raw, World Series Subsets PSA, 1969 Expansion Teams PSA, Fleer World Series Sets, Texas Rangers Topps Run 1972-1989
----------------------
Successful deals to date: thedudeabides,gameusedhoop,golfcollector,tigerdean,treetop,bkritz, CapeMOGuy,WeekendHacker,jeff8877,backbidder,Salinas,milbroco,bbuckner22,VitoCo1972,ddfamf,gemint,K,fatty macs,waltersobchak,dboneesq
The important thing is that the PM scans it when he drops it off at its destination.
Steve
<< <i>Afternoon,
All I ever hear about is the Whine about some E-bay Seller overcharging for Shipping!!!!!!!!!
How about I should Whine for all the times I have to eat Shipping charges!!!!!!!!!!!
Examples todays shipping:
#1 Buyer wins 3 each 1970 PSA Milk Duds...My shipping charge, $4.50 for first and $2 each for second and third..Total $6.50
Actual $Cost, Oversize Padded Shipping Mailer $1.25, Ins. for $100...$2.25, DC .80 Cents, Postage First Class $7.76....Total $12.06....$5.56 Loss
#2 Buyer buys Three PSA cards I charge $3.00 for first card and .50 cents each for all after one...Total $4.00. Three cards add up to over $70 value so have to insure. My shipping costs are as follows....1 Padded Mailer size OO, I buy in Bulk from Royal mailers..cost .19 cents each, Insurance $2.25, DC .80 cents, First Class postage $2.29...Total $5.53...Loss $1.53
#3 Buyer buys lot of 350 cards, then adds two other auctions in, total wins 3 auctions each. I charge $6 for the 300 cards, then .50 cents each for the two additional auctions...total $7.00. Any one of the three auctions doesn't take me over my threshold for Insurance ($25-50 depending on New/Repeat customer), but added together they do and New customer so feel I need Ins. So actual cost are Card Box for Lot .40 cents, DC .80 cents, Insurance $2.25, First Class postage $8.07...total $11.52...Loss $4.52
#4 Buyer buys one PSA card for $33.00...............Shipping charge $3.00. My cost to ship...Size OO Padded mailer .19 cents, Ins. $1.75, DC .80 cents, Postage 1.59....Total...$4.33.....................
Loss for the day in 4 packages $15.94, not including all the other stuff..Bubble wrap, tape, time, whatever.................
If you see what it costs to mail and don't agree, Don't Bid or Don't Buy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YeeFrickinHah
Neil
Neil,
You are so correct. Those buyers are just out to rip you off buying from you. Buyers on Ebay are always the problem.
Look I dont sell much but I buy quite a bit. The only time I ding anyone for anything is either if I dont get the item (which in my over 5000+ transactions has been less than 0.001% of the time) or I got charged $4+ for shipping only to see it come in a PWE with a forever stamp on it and a loose card inside. Clearly you dont see this as a problem as the seller is always in the good. Heck, I dont ding anyone for use of recycled cut up bubble envelopes, which to me is quite tacky. You can go buy a box at a decent price at Sams.
I just sent some cards out TTM with the flat rate envelope. It cost me around $6 with DC. I slipped my bubble mailer inside the USPS envelope. Maybe you should consider using the the flat rate envelopes instead for multiple cards. Seems like you would pretty much break even that way. Charge the actual cost of the Flat rate, because if it fits it ships. Add in some juice for the mailer and off you go. Weight isnt an issue with the flat rate.
But maybe you would be better off not being in the mail order/Ebay racket all together.
Jay
Collecting:
Brett Favre Master Set
Favre Ticket Stubs
Favre TD Reciever Autos
Football HOF Player/etc. Auto Set
Football HOF Rc's