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P&P grumble

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Comments

  • vicx
    vicx Posts: 3,091 Forumite
    Depends on size and quality of the mailing bag. OP, was the above mailing bag the one your item arrived in?

    Anyone (with sense) selling actively on eBay would buy in bulk of at least 10, not purchase one for £1 everytime they sell an item. They are around 30p in Post Offices in my area.
    A home without a dog is like a flower without petals.
  • the_lunatic_is_in_my_head
    the_lunatic_is_in_my_head Posts: 9,576 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 16 November 2011 at 7:20PM
    Depends on size and quality of the mailing bag. OP, was the above mailing bag the one your item arrived in?

    Ah I see, so you are asking this now after suggesting marking down the seller?

    "Anyone (with sense) selling actively on eBay would buy in bulk of at least 10, not purchase one for £1 everytime they sell an item."

    Depends, if they only need one a year why buy 10 years worth? If they 20 different items needing 20 different sized boxes/bags, that adds up to a lot of packaging for a small seller to store if buying 10 a time.
    In the game of chess you can never let your adversary see your pieces
  • i sell on e bay
    i list at an auction price which is normally cost to me (less on clearance stuff )
    i list a postage price that includes packaging materials, handling, and postage.
    i have 1141 feedbacks i think 100% positive
    remeber e bay charge sellers on the final sale price not postage ,but paypal charge their cut on the overal paid amount .
    Padded bags in my local post office are 79p for cd size ones ..

    When i buy i make my bid amount what im willing to pay including the post ,if the seller discounts then thats great .
  • MyOnlyPost
    MyOnlyPost Posts: 1,562 Forumite
    !!!!!! this argument is getting petty.

    The seller has probably made ~ 75p profit from the p&p. This is not extortionate. eBay's guidelines were brought in to stop sellers charging 1p for an item with £29.99 postage and avoiding selling fees (eBay profit) so has nothing to do with fair postage for buyers. Anyone who can get so worked up over £1.51, of which 75p will be actual packaging charges must have a cosy life with no other worries.

    Costs involved in postage are different for everyone. I sent something Special D the other day which was £7. Of that £7 paypal took 3.4% in fees so if I don't charge the buyer £7.24 I'm out of pocket so he could get it fast. Add to this the packaging etc and I should be charging £8-£8.50 to break even on postage, but feel unable to because of attitudes like this.
    It may sometimes seem like I can't spell, I can, I just can't type
  • vicx
    vicx Posts: 3,091 Forumite
    Packaging must be dirt cheap where I live and it seems no one would think about going to Poundland for packaging materials and would rather buy a single one for 79p - 99p on eBay or local PO. You can get between 5 and 10 padded envelopes in Poundland for £1 as well as mailing bags.
    A home without a dog is like a flower without petals.
  • vicx
    vicx Posts: 3,091 Forumite
    MyOnlyPost wrote: »

    Costs involved in postage are different for everyone. I sent something Special D the other day which was £7. Of that £7 paypal took 3.4% in fees so if I don't charge the buyer £7.24 I'm out of pocket so he could get it fast. Add to this the packaging etc and I should be charging £8-£8.50 to break even on postage, but feel unable to because of attitudes like this.

    That's why it would be wise to add the extra costs to your item costs and not P&P costs. It's the way eBay works now since buyers expect to be charged the stamp price and can mark you down on stars if they feel they have been overcharged.
    A home without a dog is like a flower without petals.
  • Not only did you agree to the postage costs but the seller then discounted it. What is the problem or am I missing something? The op said that seller combined postage then when it came envelope said 2.48 on it and that was a 'bit steep'????
  • MyOnlyPost
    MyOnlyPost Posts: 1,562 Forumite
    vicx wrote: »
    That's why it would be wise to add the extra costs to your item costs and not P&P costs. It's the way eBay works now since buyers expect to be charged the stamp price and can mark you down on stars if they feel they have been overcharged.

    The problem is a buyer could mark down your DSR because you didn't send it free. Another seller was listing free postage on his so why weren't you? Ok his was £2 more but if he can send free why can't you?

    I realise that may seem quite bitter but there really are some proper numpties out there who wouldn't get the point. You get bitter after 20 years in retail dealing with some members of the general public.

    Generally I have only had nice buyers on eBay but it only takes 1 or 2 to come along and trash your ratings and next thing you're falling down the best match or facing seller restrictions. eBay need to realise it needs BOTH buyers and sellers and stop pandering to buyers so much.
    It may sometimes seem like I can't spell, I can, I just can't type
  • vicx
    vicx Posts: 3,091 Forumite
    I now have free P&P on most of my items instead of the actual stamp cost, as this gives an automatic 5* rating. If I send something Special Delivery then I add the £7.00 to the P&P cost and the packaging is covered in the item cost.

    Buyers can be malicious and trash your ratings even if you charged the actual postage cost or lower - I think it is wrong, especially since selling restrictions come into place after only 3 low ratings. I have never left any ratings (low or high) for any sellers but I will start to rate those that charge excessive postage to avoid final value fee's and those who overcharge on postage costs.

    I buy on total price but would rather buy from someone who offers reasonable postage than someone who is overcharging £1.50 on the postage cost.
    A home without a dog is like a flower without petals.
  • the_lunatic_is_in_my_head
    the_lunatic_is_in_my_head Posts: 9,576 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 16 November 2011 at 7:21PM
    "it seems no one would think about going to Poundland for packaging materials"

    Poundland for me includes a half hour journey in the car, paying to park, another 20 minutes to walk there, shop and get back to the car. If I went by bus it would cost more than the parking costs plus take longer than in the car and if I walked all the way there (I'm happy to do so but don't have time) it would take about an hour each way plus the time spent in the shop.

    It was the same in the other part of the country I used to live and some people are miles from a Poundland.You can't mark P&P charges based on the fact you find it easy to go to Poundland!

    "It's the way eBay works now since buyers expect to be charged the stamp price and can mark you down on stars if they feel they have been overcharged. "

    No it isn't 'how eBay works' I've been selling some of my personal items (on a separate ID from my business), have charged slightly over the cost of stamps and packaging for P&P and have 5 stars for all 4 criteria. You can be marked down and people like you suggesting it to others doesn't help that attitude.

    "I realise that may seem quite bitter but there really are some proper numpties out there who wouldn't get the point."

    We have one on this thread.
    In the game of chess you can never let your adversary see your pieces
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