eBay-what do you consider to be far P+P charges

[Benchwayze]

By using P4D.co.uk I can package an item ready for despatch, weigh it, measure it, and get an accurate quote to the mainland.

I charge the quote, and mention that rates might differ, outside the mainland. I don't see any other way to be fair on this.
HTH

 

[RogerP]

It's not just eBay sellers that overcharge. I found many shops/dealers/stockists can be even worse - just paid £6.99 delivery for something that will only cost half of that.

Here's a case in point £2.50 becomes £10.80 (scroll down the thread)

 

[DIY Stew]

If I am buying on Ebay I always factor the P&P into my bid.

If I am selling which I don't do a lot of now due to the high paypal and ebay charges, I always weigh the item, then add a bit on for packaging and then a bit for diesel as I have a 6 mile round trip to the post office.

But I have to agree that some sellers really try it on, but at the end of the day you don't have to bid.

Tom

eBay charges are actually less than a lot of auction houses!

In the past when I've sold on eBay I have actually sent any excess P&P I have charged back to the buyer after the I have sent the goods, if it's a large of heavy item I am selling I always use Interparcel they offer a brilliant service and the goods are collected from my address, and there a lot cheaper than the post office.

Stew

 

[Steve Maskery]

I think there is a lot of misunderstanding about what P&P means.
These days, it means the total cost of processing an order. Post and Processing, if you like. Or Post, Packaging and PayPal. There is the cost of the goods themselves, and there is the cost of transferring the goods from seller to buyer. So Ebay take their cut, Paypal take their cut, the PO take their cut, the cardboard box suppliers take their cut and the bubble wrap man takes his cut. What's left belongs to the vendor.
I don't often sell on eBay, but I do use Paypal as my main payment gateway, and everything goes by Royal Mail. Postage, especially International Postage, is my biggest direct cost. When I factor in PayPal as well, I subsidise almost every sale. I get people complaining at European, US or Australian delivery charges of £9.99. They usually shut up when I explain that it has cost me financial outlay of £17 to process the order, not including the salary of the bloke who does the processing (me).
Many people see only the stamp and are blind to the other, very real, costs.
S

 

[deserter]

What gets me is if for example you pay £2.00 for the item and £9.99 for postage so £11.99 in total and have to return the item for some reason, most ebayers expect to only refund the sale price and not p&p so if the postage only really cost them £2.00 they've made £7.99 for nothing, or you don't return the item and just deal with the problem.

 

[Steve Maskery]

No, they haven't made £7.99 for nothing!
I agree that if you have to return the item because it is misrepresented or faulty then then they should not profit from that, but that is not the same as saying they have made £7.99 for nothing.

Just because an item is of low value, why should the processing costs also be low? They are not necessarily so.

If you want to pay only the cost of the item, buy it direct from the vendor (rather than through an auction house), drive over there and hand over cash. Then you will both be happy.

I certainly wish all my customers did.
S

 

[Wildman]

I sell a lot of small items on ebay, I often use, when available secondhand packaging but it does all take time, lashings of parcel tape and a good hours trip to the post office, if I was to charge only the actual postage cost I would be out of pocket big time. P&P charges are shown, the weight is neither here nor there. The post cost should be factored into your bid if its too much for you don't bid simple enough. No one if forcing you to buy anything to buy then complain (in feedback) about the cost is unfair to the seller who told you up front what it would be, rant over.

 

[deserter]

No, they haven't made £7.99 for nothing!
I agree that if you have to return the item because it is misrepresented or faulty then then they should not profit from that, but that is not the same as saying they have made £7.99 for nothing.
S

I was referring to items which are faulty or misrepresented.

 

[pip1954]

hi all
got to agree with wildman some people make me smile whiter than white ,i a sorry but there is only one way to think of.
i sell on ebay and i do charge more than postage but i start a lot of my items at £0.99 even if it sells for£5-6 pounds i still only just cover what i think it should be worth ,
i to buy from ebay and i think like this WHAT DO I WANT TO PAY FOR THAT ITEM, now put these together item price p&p and that is the price
do i want to pay it, maybe,maybe not, to me i do not look at which is which just TOTAL cost.
i do not rip people off i try to get a fair price.
pip

i've got me coat and running for the door

 

[Phil Pascoe]

What about some auctions where you pay VAT, lot money, and VAT on the lot money?

 

[Lons]

I buy quite regularly and will bypass most excessive postage charges but only if the TOTAL cost exceeds what I am willing to pay. When bidding reaches that I drop out. I see nothing wrong with that as long as all costs are upfront. It's a free market and no-one HAS to buy as there are plenty of other items for sale if you keep looking and still a few bargains to be had.
Im bidding on something at the minute standing at 99p with postage of £6.00. I know the p&p is over the top but the item is worth up to £10.00 to me so I drop out if it reaches £4.00 otherwise I get value for money.

On the other side, I occasionally sell e.g. just sold £350 worth of camera lenses and made absolutely nothing on the postage which had to be registered due to value. No way could I have included paypal & ebay fees as they are serious money even though to keep costs to a minimum, I took a gamble and started at 99p / no reserve - squeaky bum time. :wink:
People who don't sell really should look at what it actually costs to sell and be paid via paypal. not chickenfeed anymore :roll: Unfortunately ebay users still have the illusion that everything is cheap when in reality many items are more expensive than normal retail.

Bob

 

[Harbo]

Some of the items I recently sold were very fragile - it took me 4hrs to pack up 8 lots. You cannot really factor that in?

I managed to find enough boxes etc for them but kept wishing I kept all the packing materials I'd received from various sources over the years?

Rod

 

[cambournepete]

There are no eBay fees on postage, just PayPal.
I keep most boxes and all bubble wrap I get specifically for eBay.
As a private seller there's no way I'd feel comfortable charging for my packing time.

 

[tomatwark]

If I am buying on Ebay I always factor the P&P into my bid.

If I am selling which I don't do a lot of now due to the high paypal and ebay charges, I always weigh the item, then add a bit on for packaging and then a bit for diesel as I have a 6 mile round trip to the post office.

But I have to agree that some sellers really try it on, but at the end of the day you don't have to bid.

Tom

eBay charges are actually less than a lot of auction houses!

In the past when I've sold on eBay I have actually sent any excess P&P I have charged back to the buyer after the I have sent the goods, if it's a large of heavy item I am selling I always use Interparcel they offer a brilliant service and the goods are collected from my address, and there a lot cheaper than the post office.

Stew

I am aware that the ebay charges are reasonable compared to an auction house, but the paypal charges have crept up and up over the years.

I used to sell more small stuff but to be honest I can make more money making things than posting a couple of quid item off.

I also have refunded P&P to buyers before, normally when I have had a postage request from overseas and have used the post office web site to get an idea of cost, only to find that it was a lot cheaper when I came to post it.

Interparcel may be cheaper than the post office but the veneer press I bought recently arrived broken because they given the delivery to YODEL, who have an employee that is paid jump up and down on all parcels before the delivery driver throws it over the fence if the yard is locked in the pouring rain, because he can't be bothered to walk 10 yards to put it where the sign tells him to.

The seller was good about it and replaced the broken parts.

Tom

 

[whiskywill]

Im bidding on something at the minute standing at 99p with postage of £6.00.

So am I. :lol:

 

[Lons]

Im bidding on something at the minute standing at 99p with postage of £6.00.

So am I. :lol:

Dammit (hammer) (hammer) #-o Actually went for £42 :? :roll: - Think I set my sights a bit low at a tenner :lol:

I'm actually looking for a sat nav with USA map for our hol in Sept. Hoping to get one really cheap as an alternative is to hiring one in the UK (car hire co. is far too expensive) or buying a map for the wifes tomtom thingy. I thought about buying one there but won't have the opportunity until half way through the holiday.

Bob

 

[RogerS]

Im bidding on something at the minute standing at 99p with postage of £6.00.

So am I. :lol:

Dammit (hammer) (hammer) #-o Actually went for £42 :? :roll: - Think I set my sights a bit low at a tenner :lol:

I'm actually looking for a sat nav with USA map for our hol in Sept. Hoping to get one really cheap as an alternative is to hiring one in the UK (car hire co. is far too expensive) or buying a map for the wifes tomtom thingy. I thought about buying one there but won't have the opportunity until half way through the holiday.

Bob

Why not order it online for delivery to your first hotel? Or buy SatNav1 (aka SWMBO) a good map?

 

[Lons]

Why not order it online for delivery to your first hotel? Or buy SatNav1 (aka SWMBO) a good map?

Hi Roger,
Map for my wifes is £45 and a pita as existing has to be removed first cos memory is not large enough for both.
Have looked at buying on-line and kept it as an option but I've only just (an hour ago), done a deal with a guy on ebay to end early for a Garvin only used 10 days and recon if I sell it afterwards will get my money back, so problem solved.

I need the sat nav as the missus is a cr*p navigator and it's much easier to argue with the machine which at least doesn't answer back or go in the huff :wink:

Bob