Ebay to make free postage on DVDs Compulsory!

RFW

I find Amazon easier to use for me, I tend to only buy from Amazon, so the postage structure is not a problem (its free). I stick loads of stuff in the 'basket' and pick what I want to buy and when, plus a lot of the time it gets updated with reductions and increases, so I pick the reduced items.

There really is no reason why on Ebay Brian in Barnsley can charge £5 for p & p on a Harry Potter DVD and Gary in Glasgow charges £1.25 for the same p & p, a flat rate makes sense to me.

Apart from the obvious profit thing, Ebay's main reason for changes has been for the buyer, getting in new ones and keeping existing ones. Sellers are much easier to replace than buyers, even if some are both!

Brooker_Dave

RFW wrote: »

Most consumers want a flat price, ie the price they see is the price they pay. Yes they can mostly add up, but most people see extra charges (however they are justified) as a rip off

Customers want cheap prices and good service.

Most people are bright enough to realise that postage is never "free".

Inclusive prices mean that anyone who orders more than one of something is losing out as there's no hope of a postage discount.

Ebay wins, customers lose.

Brooker_Dave

RFW wrote: »

There really is no reason why on Ebay Brian in Barnsley can charge £5 for p & p on a Harry Potter DVD and Gary in Glasgow charges £1.25 for the same p & p, a flat rate makes sense to me.

Amazing but true, different sellers charge different amounts, see the same thing being cheaper in Tescos than Waitrose.

Perhaps in your world of standardisation all prices of everything can be made the same?

Why would consumers want healthy competition anyway?

RFW

Brooker_Dave wrote: »

Amazing but true, different sellers charge different amounts, see the same thing being cheaper in Tescos than Waitrose.

Perhaps in your world of standardisation all prices of everything can be made the same?

Why would consumers want healthy competition anyway?

Amazingly missing the point as usual!

The point is that you will get healthy competition if everyone has the same postage for the same item, as there is a clarity of how much the item will cost. People can add up, but most people prefer not to have the hassle of bothering, if you're shopping online you want the best product, best service and best price with the ease of searching and purchasing.

Whether you like it or not, there is a consumer preference for inclusive postage.

soolin

hereishappyhelen wrote: »

Thanks for the answers.

Its not that I want them to pay for insurance, sometimes people are happy to pay extra for it to be sent special delivery so they know for sure they will get it the next day, say for a bithday present etc, As we all know first class does not always get there the next day ,

You can still even offer the 'get it fast' option which will show as a banner flash on the listing. With that you guarantee to ship within 1 working day and use special delivery, and yes you can charge extra for that.

Brooker_Dave

RFW wrote: »

Amazingly missing the point as usual!

The point is that you will get healthy competition if everyone has the same postage for the same item, as there is a clarity of how much the item will cost. People can add up, but most people prefer not to have the hassle of bothering, if you're shopping online you want the best product, best service and best price with the ease of searching and purchasing.

Whether you like it or not, there is a consumer preference for inclusive postage.

Only ebay thinks so.

fedupconsumer

certainly going to list my items on amazon from now on.

soolin

fedupconsumer wrote: »

certainly going to list my items on amazon from now on.

As long as you cna cope with the fixed postal element of it . Don't forget as well that no allowance is made on Amazon for the extra costs of posting box sets or large books and also that fees are deducted both from the sale price and the postage credit. Also remember that Amazon require all sellers to refund for a full 30 day period, not just the 14 days that ebay require of their business sellers.

Jutst make sure that before you add anything to the site that you make sure that the net figure they quote will adequately cover the postage costs as well as your profits. The Amazon new sellers board is full of sellers who post along the lines of 'I only got £1.44 for my DVD box set and it has cost £1.90 to pack and post it so how do I get the extra?'

Amazon is an awful lot of fun, I am quite an addict (see the long Amazon thread for tips) but it can be a bit disheartening sometimes to see the big sellers forcing some prices down to a 1p.

RFW

Brooker_Dave wrote: »

Only ebay thinks so.

:rolleyes::rolleyes:

fox_2

goodfella66 wrote: »

It's going to screw international sales as well! You've got to advertise them at the higher price & then charge them postage as well. I agree with Brooker Dave, anyone with an ounce of common sense (admittedly, this discounts a number of people) would work out price + P&P before purchasing to sort out the best deal! Now, as mentioned, no bulk discounts can be given. Also, what happens to sellers who advertise job-lots of DVDs within the DVD section...are they expected to give free postage on 100/200 etc DVDs?

No advantage for seller, no advantage for buyer! Ebay screws everybody again & you just know they will come out with the usual guff about how everybody is better off!

International postage doesn't fall under this rule, I just listed and I was allowed to choose my own international postage.

Really pointless this whole thing. Now noone will be able to offer different postage servies. I used to offer second class (as the cheapest option) or first class - buyer could decide.

Now as I have to list "free" it will all be going second class to keep my "total price" competative. So obviouly a moneymaking exercise for ebay.. no way they sat around and discussed this as a good iddea to make a better buyer experience.

Theres a good "beak down" of the official ebay email on this here:
http://www.buildaskill.com/blog/2008/10/07/ebayag-reacts-to-free-pp-campaign-criticisms/

I think the guy has it spot on..