Ebay Postage question!

Badsaver

I have listed a few books on ebay and I have had a quick look around on there and people are offering the same book at for example £1.99 with free postage... with the weight of the book, I've calculated on Royal Mail it will cost £3 to post.... so aren't they losing money? Is there something obvious I'm missing?!

soolin

Badsaver wrote: »

I have listed a few books on ebay and I have had a quick look around on there and people are offering the same book at for example £1.99 with free postage... with the weight of the book, I've calculated on Royal Mail it will cost £3 to post.... so aren't they losing money? Is there something obvious I'm missing?!

They are either operating through a high end RM business account or they are losing money.

It never ceases to amaze me how many people estimate postage costs when they list.

googler

Bear in mind the postage rates changed recently. Maybe the others listed theirs at the old rate?

techspec

I just got a phone case , screen cover, stylus pen and cloth delivered for 99p.

I wouldnt even pack something that was 99p.

Badsaver

Thanks everyone - I doubt mine will sell with people practically giving them away but never mind :-)

RodentsRetreat

I have found this recently, nothing I list on ebay sells anymore as postage costs so much now. Of the last 3 items I listed only 1 sold at 99p because the postage was £3.
I have so much stuff I want to sell, wish I could drive so I could carboot it instead.

techspec

RodentsRetreat wrote: »

I have found this recently, nothing I list on ebay sells anymore as postage costs so much now. Of the last 3 items I listed only 1 sold at 99p because the postage was £3.
I have so much stuff I want to sell, wish I could drive so I could carboot it instead.

Any item i have more than one of i have started listing in pairs or lots.

Postage is same for 2 as one - and buyers seem to go for it.

One lot sold for higher than i had been asking per item. Clearly they were so happy with the postage price for 2 - they bid the item up to the price of 3 :rotfl:

Buzby

Royal Mail is no longer competitive - the new rates fom Collect + and MyHermes are much better fully tracked and they collect from you, no trip to the PO.

laidbackgjr

I've always suspected some of those selling at below postage cost, are getting away with putting personal post through at work, so they personally pay nothing. Someone at my work was doing this, until caught and disciplined, it was estimated they'd cost the company over £10k in postage on sending 'personal' items over 2 years.

iammumtoone

I suspect they have a business account. RM business rates are different to public rates, they pay on the weight not the size of the parcel. This is fair enough as business should have some advantage over the private seller otherwise they would not be able to make a living.

I too have had parcels delivered with company logos on the franked labels. Why anyone would risk a job like this just to make a few extra quid on ebay I have no idea!

Also some sellers do sell items at virtually cost of even at a loss to build up feedback score. And there are those who have made a genuine error in estimating delivery cost.

podperson

I have wondered the same thing, I have a load of items on ebay at the moment for 99p plus postage which I've worked out at £2.80. Have now seen there are people selling the same for £1.49 with postage included! They must either be getting ridiculously cheap postage for somewhere or are selling at a complete loss. It's making ebay a waste of time for selling smaller items sadly.