Always Read the 'Small Print' on Ebay

Perhaps you'd like to bid $1.75 for $1.69 of face value for some 30ish year old
US commemoratives with hinge remnants? Maybe a decent deal if you want to fill
some album spaces. The lot description even includes the caveat: 'sold as is
final sale ask before bids'. So you place your bid and wait, right? Of course,
but this could be an expensive mistake! This seller charges $2.00 shipping
PLUS he requires insurance at $1.30 additional. If someone wins this lot at
the starting bid, he will end up paying 288% of face value (arguably, for what
many might consider 'discount postage').

My message title says 'Small Print'. To be fair, this seller didn't use small
print, but only mentioned the charges in the shipping section. How many of us
actually check the shipping costs before placing bids?

Oh yes, the lot link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=293834795 3

On 04 Jul 2003 18:11:01 GMT, ojunk (AriehG) wrote:

Perhaps you'd like to bid $1.75 for $1.69 of face value for some 30ish year old
US commemoratives with hinge remnants? Maybe a decent deal if you want to fill
some album spaces. The lot description even includes the caveat: 'sold as is
final sale ask before bids'. So you place your bid and wait, right? Of course,
but this could be an expensive mistake! This seller charges $2.00 shipping
PLUS he requires insurance at $1.30 additional. If someone wins this lot at
the starting bid, he will end up paying 288% of face value (arguably, for what
many might consider 'discount postage').

hehehehe...

My message title says 'Small Print'. To be fair, this seller didn't use small
print, but only mentioned the charges in the shipping section. How many of us
actually check the shipping costs before placing bids?

Um, yes. Otherwise, you may go unconsciously into the Twilight Zone
of shipping and handling. Many skip over this stuff and then complain
later on that it was "hidden" in plain sight.

Tracy Barber

On Fri, 04 Jul 2003 18:39:25 GMT, Bob Ingraham
wrote:

A good example of an onerous practice, although I've never encountered a
seller who requires insurance. He could easily enough get one or more bids,
though; many people believe that "old stamps" have great value. And, of
course, $2 for mailing a dozen or so stamps is nothing but gouging. What a
jerk!

I usually charge $1.00 shipping and handling for stamps. Sending the
item costs me either 37 cents or 60 cents. If some idiot wants
insurance for $10 worth of stamps, I'd gladly charge him $5.00
shipping and handling. Insurance means I have to stand in line at the
post office instead of dropping the envelope in a mailbox.

The Seller pays fees like the eBay listing fee and a PayPal fee, so
those costs can be considered part of the "H" in S&H. Often the
Seller will put a higher price on S&H, and expect a lower bid, because
he doesn't have to pay eBay a percentage of the S&H.

I don't see the $2.00 as "gouging", though. Your cost is the cost of
your bid plus S&H and you know (or should know) exactly what you are
paying for the item. The Seller could charge $1.00 S&H and start his
bid amount $1.00 higher and you'd be at the same place.

You want to see gouging? Look at the prices in a stamp shop. Those
guys actually feel they should build in costs for their rent,
utilities, and other costs of being in business.


--
Tony Cooper aka:
Provider of Jots, Tittles, and Oy!s

LOL
I always look at shipping
and everything written in the ad, especially where the item ships from and
payment methods.

Shell


"Tracy Barber" wrote in message
...
On 04 Jul 2003 18:11:01 GMT, ojunk (AriehG) wrote:

Perhaps you'd like to bid $1.75 for $1.69 of face value for some 30ish
year old
US commemoratives with hinge remnants? Maybe a decent deal if you want
to fill
some album spaces. The lot description even includes the caveat: 'sold
as is
final sale ask before bids'. So you place your bid and wait, right? Of
course,
but this could be an expensive mistake! This seller charges $2.00
shipping
PLUS he requires insurance at $1.30 additional. If someone wins this lot
at
the starting bid, he will end up paying 288% of face value (arguably, for
what
many might consider 'discount postage').

hehehehe...

My message title says 'Small Print'. To be fair, this seller didn't use
small
print, but only mentioned the charges in the shipping section. How many
of us
actually check the shipping costs before placing bids?

Um, yes. Otherwise, you may go unconsciously into the Twilight Zone
of shipping and handling. Many skip over this stuff and then complain
later on that it was "hidden" in plain sight.

Tracy Barber

"Tony Cooper" schreef in bericht
...
On Fri, 04 Jul 2003 18:39:25 GMT, Bob Ingraham
wrote:

A good example of an onerous practice, although I've never encountered a
seller who requires insurance. He could easily enough get one or more
bids,
though; many people believe that "old stamps" have great value. And, of
course, $2 for mailing a dozen or so stamps is nothing but gouging. What
a
jerk!

I usually charge $1.00 shipping and handling for stamps. Sending the
item costs me either 37 cents or 60 cents. If some idiot wants
insurance for $10 worth of stamps, I'd gladly charge him $5.00
shipping and handling. Insurance means I have to stand in line at the
post office instead of dropping the envelope in a mailbox.

The Seller pays fees like the eBay listing fee and a PayPal fee, so
those costs can be considered part of the "H" in S&H. Often the
Seller will put a higher price on S&H, and expect a lower bid, because
he doesn't have to pay eBay a percentage of the S&H.

I don't see the $2.00 as "gouging", though. Your cost is the cost of
your bid plus S&H and you know (or should know) exactly what you are
paying for the item. The Seller could charge $1.00 S&H and start his
bid amount $1.00 higher and you'd be at the same place.

You want to see gouging? Look at the prices in a stamp shop. Those
guys actually feel they should build in costs for their rent,
utilities, and other costs of being in business.



--
Tony Cooper aka:
Provider of Jots, Tittles, and Oy!s

Nice thoughts you have about your buyers when you are writing "when some
ideot want insurance"
Gerrit Groshart

On Sat, 05 Jul 2003 10:08:13 GMT, "Gerrit Groshart"
wrote:

If some idiot wants
insurance for $10 worth of stamps, I'd gladly charge him $5.00
shipping and handling. Insurance means I have to stand in line at the
post office instead of dropping the envelope in a mailbox.

Nice thoughts you have about your buyers when you are writing "when some
ideot want insurance"
Gerrit Groshart


Actually, I wrote "idiot". And, that pretty well describes anyone
that wants to pay $1.30 extra for $10.00 worth of stamps. How many
stamp shipments have you received that have been damaged in the mail
process? Insurance only covers damaged shipments.

If it's not greater than one in nine for packets in the $10 range, you
are wasting your money and the Seller's time in waiting in line. If
it's greater than one in nine, I suggest you have a word with your
mail carrier. He's probably letting his Fox Terrier ride with him on
his route, and the dog is chewing up the envelopes.



--
Tony Cooper aka:
Provider of Jots, Tittles, and Oy!s

"AriehG" wrote in message
...

snip

How many of us
actually check the shipping costs before placing bids?


I find it hard to believe anyone would overlook shipping costs and method of
payment before bidding. Sometimes I've written to the seller in advance,
expressing my interest in the item and my desire to pay by a method other
than that described on the ebay page, and gotten approval for doing so.
That's led to my bid, and often winning the lot. It never hurts to ask, and
I've been very pleased at how accommodating many sellers can be.

Mike

"Tony Cooper" wrote in message
...

snip

You want to see gouging? Look at the prices in a stamp shop. Those
guys actually feel they should build in costs for their rent,
utilities, and other costs of being in business.


--
Tony Cooper aka:
Provider of Jots, Tittles, and Oy!s


I hope your "objection" is merely facetious!

Mike

On Mon, 7 Jul 2003 08:51:44 -0400, "Doug Spade"
wrote:


"Tony Cooper" wrote in message
.. .

snip

You want to see gouging? Look at the prices in a stamp shop. Those
guys actually feel they should build in costs for their rent,
utilities, and other costs of being in business.



I hope your "objection" is merely facetious!


Well, you read it and tell me. You might look up "irony" while you're
doing it.


--
Tony Cooper aka:
Provider of Jots, Tittles, and Oy!s

Hope this winning bidder looked at the terms.....$5.00 Handling for EACH
auction won! Sounds like an evasion of ebay's final value fees to me!




http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=2938575759