postage and packaging

Strapped

soolin wrote: »

Goodness, I'm not sure many sellers would risk that.

But how much did it cost the seller to go to the buyer's address? I'm dropping off an item later today as I happen to be visiting that town - buyer is happy to pay a fiver delivery and get their items today rather than wait for ParcelForce - I'm happy & they're happy - no problem. Thankfully, this is through Facebook and not ebay so none of this nonsense applies!

eyelinerprincess

soolin wrote: »

Goodness, I'm not sure many sellers would risk that.

I've hand delivered once but it was a 99p DVD and the buyer was as close to me as the post office was.

Goldiegirl

aeb wrote: »

I've just been running reports because I got a 2* for dispatch and 1* for P&P yet all excellent feedback comments
It was interesting to see that I got several 4* for P&P from people who sell with a much higher postage than me. I charge £2.50 and clearly state this in the description. They were charging £2.80, £2.95 and £3.15, all for the same 2nd class. One was selling items bought from me with £3 postage. (That's OK, read and sell on)
All had lowish stars themselves - perhaps they are just unaware of stars, or is it spite as in - my stars are low so I leave low stars?

The worst *'s were from some one who bought 3 so her postage was £2.50 yet she left 3* all the way across.

Can't please some people, but as Ebay don't explain it too well.......

I think people are becoming very difficult to please regarding postage.

I charge stamp price plus 10p toward postage and packing.

For the three months up to the end of January my postage star was 4.97, but the three months to march shows an alarming dip to 4.86.

I haven't done anything different, so it's difficult to understand the big drop.

I suppose I'll have to do some postage free, to push the average up a bit.

bubbs

I only charge actual postal price yet p & p stars 4.7 ? i dont add anything for the bags i use. All my other stars are 4.9

kriss_boy

Does it not occur to people there are many costs involved in posting an item in comparison to having someone collect it in person? ie. fuel for driving to the post office?!

zerog

kriss_boy wrote: »

Does it not occur to people there are many costs involved in posting an item in comparison to having someone collect it in person? ie. fuel for driving to the post office?!

Well, as a buyer, I don't care about the seller's costs, I have a maximum price I will pay. That minus the seller's postage cost is my maximum bid. I don't really care whether the seller charges £10 postage for a 2nd class stamp or "free" postage for special delivery, or whether the seller has to drive to the post office or lives on top of one.

I will only pay more for postage if I require the item to be sent by a more expensive method than the seller specifies.

As a seller, there's a minimum price I want to receive for the item, and I have to add the actual postage charges and ebay/paypal fees to that. If there are no bids, then ebay may not be the right place to sell that item. And yes, by increasing the postage and reducing the actual price, you can reduce the ebay fees as well as the total price the buyer needs to pay. I do this a bit but try not to go over the top, and so far I have only received low stars once out of about 40 sales. Of course if you're running a business then all these calculations need to be factored in and there is no point inflating your postage.

techspec

Strapped wrote: »

But how much did it cost the seller to go to the buyer's address? I'm dropping off an item later today as I happen to be visiting that town - buyer is happy to pay a fiver delivery and get their items today rather than wait for ParcelForce - I'm happy & they're happy - no problem. Thankfully, this is through Facebook and not ebay so none of this nonsense applies!

It is nonsense too.

Last year i posted an item on the SAME street i was staying. I was on holiday and took a few items listed on Ebay with me. The buyer was on the street i was staying - but i darnt post by hand , or even contact the buyer - because of my feedback. Either a paypal claim, or buyer unhappy i had turned up at their house, or pestered them. I ended up driving past the house to post it - at a cost of £4.75. The post woman thought i was mad.

I recently had a difficult buyer , who wanted to know the courier arrival time - to the hour. I ended up driving - an hour each way - as it was easier than dealing with their crap. I had charged £10 postage - which more or less covered petrol. I was then worried about a paypal claim or request for postage refuned. Thankfully - the buyer had some common sense and it went fine.

But i used to be able to use common sense without thought. The new breed of Ebayer - encouraged by quite a few 'save money at all cost' MSE'ers with no morals - have made dealing on Ebay one big hassle.

techspec

bubbs wrote: »

I only charge actual postal price yet p & p stars 4.7 ? i dont add anything for the bags i use. All my other stars are 4.9

Thats why i have gone back to adding 50p on - its made no difference to my stars.

People would leave low stars for free postage if they could.

techspec

kriss_boy wrote: »

Does it not occur to people there are many costs involved in posting an item in comparison to having someone collect it in person? ie. fuel for driving to the post office?!

Most people on here think petrol is not part of a delivery cost. If only that were true - couriers would be so much cheaper.

They think everything runs on air - and the parcels walk themselves to the post office - or beam up.

scotty1971

well i left her 5 stars as maybe she thought it would be a small packet.