Official ruling on p+p for a book?

soolin

rick@findthatfuchsia wrote: »

Has anybody noticed that if you list books on eBay.us you are allowed to add postage even though the book is in the UK? Noticed that a number of book dealers are doing this.

Most are using the wrong category to get round this, so selling books as say sport -collectable items. It means that their books never show up to people like me who browse the ending soon book categories so effectively they lose out on a vast amount of bidders. Brilliant businesss strategy -NOT!

pulliptears

whats the deal with 'freight' rather than P&P? Is that allowed?

Lotus-eater

pulliptears wrote: »

Someone please buy off this clueless seller! She knows EXACTLY what she is doing and has negs for it.... even states in the title she charges P&P LOL

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/The-Further-Adventures-of-a-Call-Girl-I-charge-p-p_W0QQitemZ140362503922QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Books_NonFictionBooks_NonFictionBooks_SM?hash=item20ae41d6f2

What I don't understand is that these sellers are still listing loads of items in free P&P cats, yet still saying they will charge for it.
How is ebay allowing this, surely it is completely against their rules and they aren't doing anything about it.

It's splitting the sellers up and I believe buyers aren't noticing it well enough.

I don't particularly agree with the whole free P&P thing, but we need a level playing field.

pulliptears

Lotus-eater wrote: »

What I don't understand is that these sellers are still listing loads of items in free P&P cats, yet still saying they will charge for it.
How is ebay allowing this, surely it is completely against their rules and they aren't doing anything about it.

It's splitting the sellers up and I believe buyers aren't noticing it well enough.

I don't particularly agree with the whole free P&P thing, but we need a level playing field.

Looking at that sellers feedback as well, especially the one that says:

didnt buy this book due to confusion, however A+ ***** ebayer!!!!!!!!!!! thanks

I wonder if she used a little bribery?

Lotus-eater

pulliptears wrote: »

Looking at that sellers feedback as well, especially the one that says:

didnt buy this book due to confusion, however A+ ***** ebayer!!!!!!!!!!! thanks

I wonder if she used a little bribery?

I suspect the "confusion" was that the buyer was convinced that she should have noticed the extra P&P and then told that they could both leave + feedback if she didn't take it any further.
I guess she didn't know that sellers can't leave neg feedback any longer (and I don't agree with that either, as I am now being held to ransom by a couple of buyers over items and I have no other option to give them what they want, or have neg feedback, it stinks)

thistledome

DaveAshton wrote: »

It's not free, it's included in the price :rolleyes:

I assume you either can't add up, or you're too much of a fan of free listings to want to ever pay to sell anything.

What's the difference between paying 99p and £4 P+P, or £4.99 with free P+P: As a buyer, nothing. As a seller, the only difference is that you'll have to pay ebay to use their service, infrastructure and server space to advertise your goods.

I can add up fine, thanks, and I'm a buyer not a seller. I just believe in fairness and ebay are being outrageously greedy. They just want to take a cut of the postage fees, which for hardback books is a considerable sum.

I buy a fair number of books online, mostly from Amazon and Abe and I've never yet had "free" postage from anyone. Nor would I expect it.

DaveAshton

thistledome wrote: »

They just want to take a cut of the postage fees, which for hardback books is a considerable sum.

Take your cut of their cut, then Clicky Current rate is 60% of ebay's fees.

thistledome wrote: »

I've never yet had "free" postage from anyone

GreenMet request that you use "free" P+P, and they set the selling price as well.


If you never sell, I don't see why it bothers you. You pay the same price whether you're paying a costed P+P amount or a "free" one, and as you've said you use Abebooks and Amazon already, you're certainly savvy enough to shop around for the cheapest place. Slightly off-topic, but have you tried http://ukbookworld.com ? They do a wide selection of antiquarian books and the like.

mishkanorman

as asked above, whats the standing on the whole courier/ freight front ? Im looking at a book that is 99p and shipping option is courier, the listing states P+P of £2.75 to be added on final cost. I'd like the book but want to make sure i dont have to pay the shipping cost.

is it best to ask what service they will be using first ?

gravitytolls

DaveAshton wrote: »

It's not free, it's included in the price :rolleyes:

I assume you either can't add up, or you're too much of a fan of free listings to want to ever pay to sell anything.

What's the difference between paying 99p and £4 P+P, or £4.99 with free P+P: As a buyer, nothing. As a seller, the only difference is that you'll have to pay ebay to use their service, infrastructure and server space to advertise your goods.

I'm a fan of free listings, as I'm not a trader, I only sell very limited amounts, adn when it comes to books, like to have a good clear out, sell for 30~50p per book and the actual postage. As half the books I list don't sell, I feel pretty aggrieved that I now have to list at a higher price to cover the postage fees if it's not going to sell, as I still pay listing fees ~ therefore it costs me cash NOT to sell.

DaveAshton

gravitytolls wrote: »

I'm a fan of free listings, as I'm not a trader, I only sell very limited amounts, adn when it comes to books, like to have a good clear out, sell for 30~50p per book and the actual postage. As half the books I list don't sell, I feel pretty aggrieved that I now have to list at a higher price to cover the postage fees if it's not going to sell, as I still pay listing fees ~ therefore it costs me cash NOT to sell.

Given the choice between free listings and enforced free P+P, or no free lisitngs and being able to specify a postage cost, what would you prefer?

Because if you like charging P+P with free listings, look at http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=27634659#post27634659 and see if you change your mind.