Postage Gouging...again!

superfran_uk

Cornucopia wrote: »

Now that we know that you didn't receive the standard of postage you paid for, it's understandable that you marked them down.

I don't have an issue with that at all.

Once again, the important detail was actually left out of the original post...

By way of an experiment, because it's free listings day, I have listed a bunch of DVDs. Rather than 99p plus £2.25 postage, (incurring 10p FVF, and say £1.10 in postage therefore £2.04 profit before paypal fees) which I have found sell quite well, I have listed them at 3.50 with free postage (incurring 35p FVF, and say £1.10 in postage therefore £2.05 profit before paypal fees).


Let's see if any of them sell shall we??

Cornucopia

I suspect the psychology of this is quite interesting.

It probably comes down to perception of value for money - is the item worth 99p (and yes, I'll have to pay postage, too), or is it worth £3.50 (and look, I get "free" postage, what a bargain).

For older DVDs, I'd say the former would be more effective. But it'll be interesting to see. I wonder if eBay secretly knows the answer to all this?

shirlgirl2004

I would rather have free P&P because there's less money for me to lose out on. If I have to return the item and it doesn't arrive RM will only refund the items's value not the original postage cost.

plumface

shirlgirl2004 wrote: »

I would rather have free P&P because there's less money for me to lose out on. If I have to return the item and it doesn't arrive RM will only refund the items's value not the original postage cost.

And i thought i was doom-monger.:rotfl:

soolin

Cornucopia wrote: »

I suspect the psychology of this is quite interesting.

It probably comes down to perception of value for money - is the item worth 99p (and yes, I'll have to pay postage, too), or is it worth £3.50 (and look, I get "free" postage, what a bargain).

For older DVDs, I'd say the former would be more effective. But it'll be interesting to see. I wonder if eBay secretly knows the answer to all this?

My own theory is (and i am talking about serious postage not just £1 or so) that it makes a seller look like they are obviously avoiding fees and are therefore prepared to be a bit fast and loose with rules. Once I know that then I believe some buyers see them as either a bit naive or generally prepared to be a bit dodgy, and either way worth avoiding.

If they do that to eBay might they not also prove difficult if I as a buyer have an issue as well?

Just a theory but I personally do tend to look on serious post gouging as a potentially dodgy seller or else one who doesn't have a clue and would try and avoid them.

As for my own goods I spend a lot of time (probably too much) experimenting with postage costs. It appears that some lines only sell with free postage, whereas others go happily for stamp cost and up to 30p . On one item I reduced postage to actual stamp cost and still sent in a brand new box with a lot of packaging, and I got 2 lots of 4* in a row on that one thing. So I put the postage up to stamp cost plus 30p and get 5* on every one I sell which is really odd