eBay sellers 'making money off postage'

Toby_Zaphod said:
Ebay have tried for many years to stamp out this, I believe their main reason is that they don't get their fees from P+P only the final selling price so it not only costs the buyer money but it also lessens their profits.
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Nope ebay charge fees on postage as well!
 
mandwhy said:
Well firstly you should always check the postage before bidding, but sometimes when I feel like an eBay vigilante I like to go round reporting listings for unreasonable postage costs, just because some people really take the pee.
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chrisritch said:
Then you need to get a life. That's pathetic.
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Actually it's not and it's saved some people a lot of money. Say I advertise a saddle for £100 BIN and £150 postage, usual price for that saddle would be about £350 so you realise that you're going to get a bargain and snap it up. When it arrives you find it's got a broken tree. You complain, I immediately refund you the purchase price and that's that. You now have a useless saddle for which you have paid £150 postage and I have £150 of your money less listing fees, FVFs and postage. Unless some responsible person has pointed it out to ebay and the listing has been removed.

Ebay don't check all their listings, just like HHO doesn't check all posts on here, they rely on public spirited people to help out.
 
Well they arrived today in a plastic carrier bag and a postage mark of £2.80, so she's made just under a tenner off the postage. There's no excuse for having to buy a proper posting bag as it's a next carrier bag it's been sent in. Not impressed but there's not much I can do other than leave negative feedback
 
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Spring Feather said:
Outrageous! I suppose you could take a piccy of the packaging and postage and email it to eBay complaints department.
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Think thats what I'm going to do, although I can't work out how to do it as I can't find an email address, I can't file a report as the items have arrived and they are as described. Why is it all so difficult!

Think I might just give them a call and see how it goes from there
 
OP I sympathise, I recently brought a body protector off preloved, offered to arrange a courier, seller refused, but said she'll post it for the cost of £20! I know Royal Mail are expensive now for next day delivery, but blimey, said fine as it left a little over to cover packaging plus time which I don't mind if sent next day etc. Only to find it arrive 4 days late having been sent with another company at the cost of. £3.98!! Peeved off is an understatement.. I don't mind paying a little extra to cover packaging etc, but when it was just sent in a old cardboard box too is ridiculous that they've charged 3x the cost... :( rip off.
 
Some sellers used to charge high postage rates as a means of avoiding sellers fees, but Ebay have started charging 10% commission on postage prices to make it pointless using postage as a means to avoid paying Ebay fees.

It's reasonable to expect to pay 10% on top of the actual postage costs which is what it actually costs the seller, plus a bit to cover packaging and travelling to and from town if they are being sent from a Post Office. Personally I send everything I sell on Ebay that can't just have a stamp stuck on it, by courier as it is just not worth my time going into town and queueing at the PO, and couriers are very reasonable now.
 
jemima*askin said:
Actually it's not and it's saved some people a lot of money. Say I advertise a saddle for £100 BIN and £150 postage, usual price for that saddle would be about £350 so you realise that you're going to get a bargain and snap it up. When it arrives you find it's got a broken tree. You complain, I immediately refund you the purchase price and that's that. You now have a useless saddle for which you have paid £150 postage and I have £150 of your money less listing fees, FVFs and postage. Unless some responsible person has pointed it out to ebay and the listing has been removed.

Ebay don't check all their listings, just like HHO doesn't check all posts on here, they rely on public spirited people to help out.
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It doesn't work like that. Using Ebay returns, you are awarded the original purchase price plus outgoing postage. You are responsible for returning the goods at your own expense.

I think most buyers are savvy enough to look at the total amount when making a decision to purchase!
 
Houndman said:
It doesn't work like that. Using Ebay returns, you are awarded the original purchase price plus outgoing postage. You are responsible for returning the goods at your own expense.

I think most buyers are savvy enough to look at the total amount when making a decision to purchase!
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If the seller refunds as soon as the buyer tells them there's a problem then that's that. No dispute can be raised that ebay / PayPal will entertain as the buyer has their money back and doesn't have to pay the return cost as they keep the item.
 
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