It never hurts to ask, although I think ideally you should ask before you bid. I only think it would be rude if you bid on it and then asked, the person said no, and you got upset about it.
Would it be rude IF...
I were to ask a seller on ebay if she would ship first class for cheaper shipping! Shes obviously trying to make a few bucks off of the shipping. I mean If she were shipping first class and she was charging me 2.50-3.00 bucks, fine, but Im winning on 2 FB and the shipping is like 5 bucks! I just find that somewhat high. If I win and she says no, Than I guess Im screwed on shipping but Ive had people ask me if Id ship FC instead of Priority before to lower shipping and Ive never objected! Would it be rude to even ask????
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Hi Lindsay!!
I agree you can ask but don't get upset if she says no. Does her listing say that she will ship priority only? I've also learned the hard way not to assume $5 in shipping charges means they will ship priority
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. I've paid $5 in shipping for an auction and had fb's come 2 weeks later for $1.06 parcel post. Good luck!!!
I agree you can ask but don't get upset if she says no. Does her listing say that she will ship priority only? I've also learned the hard way not to assume $5 in shipping charges means they will ship priority
I've had people ask and I've said no, but they've always asked before they've bid. I dont try to make money off postage, but I will only use prepaid bags. I find I sell on ebay because I have to - its how we afford our third child, LOL. We recycle everything for her - buy it, use it, sell it and put the money into the next size etc.
I find ebay a big hassle. I always get mixed up when I sell a lot at once and the last thing I need is to have to go to the post office and get everything weighed individually. I keep a big stock of prepaid bags, and as the auction is won, I address the bag, put the item in it and keep it aside till its paid for. That way I dont lose things, dont lose people's addresses or mix up items. So its $4.30 per item - even if its only a Bumkins cover which weighs about 10 grams.
I find ebay a big hassle. I always get mixed up when I sell a lot at once and the last thing I need is to have to go to the post office and get everything weighed individually. I keep a big stock of prepaid bags, and as the auction is won, I address the bag, put the item in it and keep it aside till its paid for. That way I dont lose things, dont lose people's addresses or mix up items. So its $4.30 per item - even if its only a Bumkins cover which weighs about 10 grams.
Quote:
yikes!!!!
You could always get yourself a scale for like $15 and then you would be able to find out exact shipping online. Charge a handling fee for the purchased bag would be acceptable. You'll probably sell more if you dont have high shipping and then YOU would be getting more profit instead of the post office.
People often take into consideration shipping charges when they bid. If an item is worth $20 to me but shipping is $5... then I will only bid $15.
Originally Posted by Jachut So its $4.30 per item - even if its only a Bumkins cover which weighs about 10 grams. |
You could always get yourself a scale for like $15 and then you would be able to find out exact shipping online. Charge a handling fee for the purchased bag would be acceptable. You'll probably sell more if you dont have high shipping and then YOU would be getting more profit instead of the post office.
People often take into consideration shipping charges when they bid. If an item is worth $20 to me but shipping is $5... then I will only bid $15.
Quote:
I agree! Usually I read ALL of my auction, slipped my mind this time! I do the same though, especially with clothing NWT that I can get in the stores...I include shipping in what I think its worth!
Originally Posted by Aherne yikes!!!! You could always get yourself a scale for like $15 and then you would be able to find out exact shipping online. Charge a handling fee for the purchased bag would be acceptable. You'll probably sell more if you dont have high shipping and then YOU would be getting more profit instead of the post office. People often take into consideration shipping charges when they bid. If an item is worth $20 to me but shipping is $5... then I will only bid $15. |
Just to put it in perspective for you, a $4.30 bag is for up to 300 grams, so that's not a huge postage charge. Most items would cost you that to post anyway if they were individually assessed. And that's Aussie dollars, not US also. Also the bags are padded and safe - I could send a cover in an envelope and it may be a bit cheaper, but I couldnt guarantee it wouldnt get damaged.
But my attitude to it is take it or leave it. That's the way I want to post (and indeed its what most people on Australian ebay do, so it doesnt rouse many comments or complaints). Oftentimes I'll send something that's 500grams in the bag and get away with it so its swings and roundabouts. If people dont like it they wont bid, but I've never had to relist an item. The one time I did a whole bunch of stuff and quoted guestimates, I was out of pocket by rather a lot. I definitely think people build it into what they want to pay in total, so they mentally include shipping.
But my attitude to it is take it or leave it. That's the way I want to post (and indeed its what most people on Australian ebay do, so it doesnt rouse many comments or complaints). Oftentimes I'll send something that's 500grams in the bag and get away with it so its swings and roundabouts. If people dont like it they wont bid, but I've never had to relist an item. The one time I did a whole bunch of stuff and quoted guestimates, I was out of pocket by rather a lot. I definitely think people build it into what they want to pay in total, so they mentally include shipping.
I would not think it's rude, and I personally would try to bend over backwards for a mom to help her out.
I sold some stuff recently. I always estimate too low on shipping and get stuck with it. So I guessed on the high end. These people emailed me after the auction closed and wanted me to re-use plain envelopes, etc. which I was not willing to do since I didn't want it getting torn and lost in the mail. It was $3 shipping for one diaper that I was asking, which isn't like $5 or anything. I told them $1 for the cost of the packaging materials and then they would be able to see the postage and I would refund them if the difference was greater than a dollar. I mean, I have to go truckin' down to the post office, get the baby out of the car, juggle the baby and the packages, wait in line, all to mail their item, and they argue about $1 in shipping. I was so irritated. I haven't left feedback yet, but I may mention that they nit-picked over shipping. They got a new item for half of what I paid of it, and their nit-picking over shipping. I was so mad!
It's not THAT hard to estimate shipping. I would never pay over $4.00 to ship a cover (or a diaper for that matter). I really think that the people who charge that much to ship and limit themselves only to Priority Mail envelopes are doing themselves a big disservice. Shipping one diaper is less than $2.00 first class. If you want to CYA, charge $2.00 and you know it won't be more than that. Poly mailers come out to be a few cents a piece if you buy them through a coop or in bulk.
I hate the mentality of sellers that since they aren't paying the shipping, they don't worry about charging a lot. I refuse to bid on those kinds of things. Not to be all high and mighty, but it's how I (and a lot of people I've talked to about it) feel about it. I have 2 children (and babysit one as well) and I sell a lot of stuff on ebay. I've never had to go truckin' to the PO to get shipping. I have a digital scale (a person scale) and I weigh things on there if I have to. The USPS website has a postage calculator--I always just use a zip code from the furthest US zone from me (I actually use 90210! :LOL) and then I know it won't cost more than that to ship.
I hate the mentality of sellers that since they aren't paying the shipping, they don't worry about charging a lot. I refuse to bid on those kinds of things. Not to be all high and mighty, but it's how I (and a lot of people I've talked to about it) feel about it. I have 2 children (and babysit one as well) and I sell a lot of stuff on ebay. I've never had to go truckin' to the PO to get shipping. I have a digital scale (a person scale) and I weigh things on there if I have to. The USPS website has a postage calculator--I always just use a zip code from the furthest US zone from me (I actually use 90210! :LOL) and then I know it won't cost more than that to ship.
Lol!!!
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