eBay now charging final value fees on SHIPPING charges.

[Stubblefield]

Yeah, I know, another eBay thread. Apologies if this has been posted before.

I logged into eBay to check my account balance, and see they charged me a final value fee on shipping an item I sold two weeks ago. Not a final value fee for the sale price of the item, but for the SHIPPING. Hello eBay: Shipping is a COST for me, not an item of profit.

Ignoring eBay's justification for this absurd chicanery, It looks like I have to start overcharging for shipping. Else just give up entirely and close my account.

I'm leaning toward the latter.

/rant

 

[Dalejr]

That sucks because I rely on Ebay for most of my razors and prices are sky high as it is....

 

[Greglam]

Sorry to hear about eBay squeezing you. Perhaps you were unaware that it became common practice for eBay sellers to charge ridiculously low sale prices for items only to charge ridiculously high shipping prices. This is because people were trying to get around paying the final value charge on the sale price and make it up on the shipping. Sorry that others ruined it for you!

-Greg

 

[Legion]

Well that's just great! As if sellers don't need more incentive not to ship internationally, now they have to pay increased fees because the postage is more expensive?

 

[DFrancis]

Sorry to hear about eBay squeezing you. Perhaps you were unaware that it became common practice for eBay sellers to charge ridiculously low sale prices for items only to charge ridiculously high shipping prices. This is because people were trying to get around paying the final value charge on the sale price and make it up on the shipping. Sorry that others ruined it for you!

-Greg

This seems to be exactly what's going on here.

 

[CaptainK]

Plus, I think the 'Bay is trying to give incentives for sellers to offer free shipping. Nonetheless, the end result is the same: sellers will have to charge more. And, I hear you, legion: this is an absolute killer for those who want to ship internationally. Too bad your sig, "this too shall pass," likely doesn't apply here.

 

[noahpictures]

I understand why some call it "feebay". Ridiculous. There has to a better auction site, right?

 

[Stubblefield]

Perhaps you were unaware that it became common practice for eBay sellers to charge ridiculously low sale prices for items only to charge ridiculously high shipping prices.

No, I'm aware of it, but thanks. I always thought inflating shipping charges seemed a bit dishonest, and have tended to avoid sellers that do so.

As Captain K points out, it is an incentive to offer free shipping. But when you guide sellers down the path of free shipping, you increase the likelihood of more sellers converting auctions to buy it now style listings. My take on it, anyway. I rarely use auction style listings anymore.

I find myself using Amazon a bit more now . . . as long as they sell it, I can list it. Their fee structure is a bit more straightforward.

 

[CaptainK]

Perhaps you were unaware that it became common practice for eBay sellers to charge ridiculously low sale prices for items only to charge ridiculously high shipping prices.

I always thought inflating shipping charges seemed a bit dishonest, and have tended to avoid sellers that do so.

I'm surprised eBay has starting charging fees on shipping ... charging excessively for shipping has always been against eBay policy. There's even a way to report listings for this specific violation.

I find myself using Amazon a bit more now . . . as long as they sell it, I can list it. Their fee structure is a bit more straightforward.

I've sold used textbooks on Amazon, but used shaving gear? I don't suppose that's possible, eh?

 

[Stubblefield]

I've sold used textbooks on Amazon, but used shaving gear? I don't suppose that's possible, eh?

Amazon allows the sale of used goods, and while I have not seen any used razors for sale yet, I have seen lots of other used consumer goods there.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Back when I used ebay, I would say over 90% of my purchases were of the buy-it-now variety. I have slowly found out that there is very little available on ebay that you cannot get elsewhere. I can count the number of items that I have bought on ebay in the last 5 or 6 years on 1 hand since I got my paypal account hacked & subsuquently shut down. Of the items I have bought since, I have paid with a money order. The thing I like about paying with a postal money order is that if you have a problem, you get the federal government involved.

 

[lungho]

This is because people were trying to get around paying the final value charge on the sale price and make it up on the shipping.

Although true, that's only half of it.

There were a lot of sellers selling things in which they knew would get returned. and shipping is generally not refundable, they would sell the item for .99 but then charge $6 for shipping. So the item sells for $6.99 shipped, it gets returned, a .99 refund is issued, and the sell keeps the shipping fee which nets them $6.

I use to work for the 3rd biggest auction house in the world. They did all kinds of underhanded things like this until eBay banned them. A lot of this I found out after the fact seeing how I worked on the IT side of things.

 

[jones2289]

I've been pretty irked with eBay lately, also. I've sold a few dvds and video games on the site in the past, and always ship via media mail, as it's the cheapest option. Currently, eBay has a restriction on the shipping price allowed on dvds, video games, blu rays, etc. The most a seller can charge is $3.00. I buy the cheapest padded envelopes I can find (two for 97 cents at Wal-Mart). The cost of sending a dvd or blu ray through media mail is usually about $2.60. By the time I include the cost of the envelope, I'm actually LOSING money on shipping, not to mention the fact that I had to drive to Wal-Mart or the dollar store to pick up an envelope.

 

[AABCDS]

I've been pretty irked with eBay lately, also. I've sold a few dvds and video games on the site in the past, and always ship via media mail, as it's the cheapest option. Currently, eBay has a restriction on the shipping price allowed on dvds, video games, blu rays, etc. The most a seller can charge is $3.00. I buy the cheapest padded envelopes I can find (two for 97 cents at Wal-Mart). The cost of sending a dvd or blu ray through media mail is usually about $2.60. By the time I include the cost of the envelope, I'm actually LOSING money on shipping, not to mention the fact that I had to drive to Wal-Mart or the dollar store to pick up an envelope.

I did not know this.

 

[mdunn]

I think this is a good thing. Shipping quote for stuff from the states for a single razor, on the same service, range from $5 to (no joke) $100.

Don't see things as a shipping cost of $15 and a starting price of $1. See it as a starting price of $16. The split is up to the buyer, and i couldn't care less. All this will do is not cause sellers to charge more for shipping, not make anyone pay more. And given that this high shipping charge is only for international buyers, this will make things cheaper for me.

 

[_JP_]

Don't see things as a shipping cost of $15 and a starting price of $1. See it as a starting price of $16.

I've always seen it that way also. And that's why eBay added the extra charge, because shipping was being used as a way of setting the price.

 

[Stubblefield]

I've been pretty irked with eBay lately, also. I've sold a few dvds and video games on the site in the past, and always ship via media mail, as it's the cheapest option. Currently, eBay has a restriction on the shipping price allowed on dvds, video games, blu rays, etc. The most a seller can charge is $3.00. I buy the cheapest padded envelopes I can find (two for 97 cents at Wal-Mart). The cost of sending a dvd or blu ray through media mail is usually about $2.60. By the time I include the cost of the envelope, I'm actually LOSING money on shipping, not to mention the fact that I had to drive to Wal-Mart or the dollar store to pick up an envelope.

They also limit media mail to under $4.00. If I have 20 lbs of books to ship, that kills the sale.

Their intent either way is to encourage free shipping (which really means rolling the shipping cost into the sale price) thereby increasing their commission and earnings. Nothing more then greed on the part of eBay.