I agree with both sides of this. I don't think sellers should have to shell out cash to ship a package, but at the same time I don't want a seller to make a profit in shipping me an item. I recently saw someone selling a floor tom that they wanted $150 for shipping from Texas to Florida. Forget that, so I didn't bid. Simple as that. I take all my shipping to a UPS store and pay them to do it. So if anyone has a problem, I have a receipt that shows the exact cost. No one can get ****ed about that. And if for some reason I grossly over charge for shipping - I've got no problems returning some money to the buyer.

All that being said, it is getting tougher to sell things on eBay/Paypal with all the money they take in fees. Now that's where the price gouging really happens.

Oh dealing locally on craigslist is so much cheaper, but we all know of the issues there - no shows, people casing your house, etc.

To each his own. I won't buy from someone who wants paid for gas or time to ship drums that he wants to sell. He should be expected to put in some of the work and share some of the costs associated with this. After all, he isn't selling them to me because he thinks I am a nice guy! He is selling them because he wants or needs the money and this profit should come with some associated costs, and a certain amount of toil. I don't mind paying the actual shipping, but boxing them up and getting them out the door is the cost of doing business for the seller.

Furthermore, packing materials are routinely, and notoriously, recycled. I bet there are packing peanuts with over a million miles on them!! Those costs are grossly inflated IMO. Boxes are freely available at many supermarkets, department stores etc. as well.

have a wonderful evening

drumhack flowerJumping2Mind Blowiflowers2baby crawl2

Are the boxes the correct size and thickness though?

I have been way overcharged on items before because the size was HUGE,and going by Dimensional Weight then.........

Also,who has time to drive all over getting USED boxes from stores?

Why not just buy the perfect size boxes from U-Haul?

lately ive been paying surcharge up the yin yang and its not easy to ship to east and west coast i shipped over seas a few times and actually gave a partial refund because i found a cheaper shipper so it all relevant

OK. Here's my :2Cents:

I buy and sell both quite a bit on eBay. I live in a rural area and have no percussion "superstores" to deal with. So, when I'm needing parts, I turn to eBay (I do have several drum-guys like me that I occasionally call before I go to eBay).

As for buying, I figure out what I'd like to pay for an item then when I find the item, look at the shipping charges, and bid accordingly. And, unlike a lot of buyers, I usually put my "best" bid in early and DON'T get caught up in the "bidding frenzie." (I like my buyers to get into that, but I don't let myself get into it.) Yes, I've lost a lot of auctions by one bid... but, I know what I can afford based upon whatever project(s) I've got going and like I said, bid accordingly.

IF I think the shipping is outrageous, I usually don't bother with that seller.

As for selling... I TRY to be as up-front and reasonable as possible. Most of the time I've got the item packed up and ready to ship BEFORE I list the item. Then I add the dimensions of the box(es) and the weight, and let the eBay shipping calculator take it from there. What it comes up with is what I send out to a winning bidder in the invoice. Most of the time when it comes time to actually print the label it will actually come out a small percentage LESS than the calcualtor calculated -- I don't issue any refunds unless it's off quite a bit, and keep the small "extra" amount to "help" defray the packing costs. Here I go again: I hope that all made sense!

I did have a couple of BIN's up within the last few weeks where I got a couple of complaints about my shipping charges. In those cases, however, the BIN's where for single lugs, and I would clearly state that the shipping charges (USPS small flat fate box) would be the same for 1 lug or up to 8 (or maybe 10). Yes, for one lug $5 may seem a little steep, but NOT for quantities. Yes, I was partly trying to get buyers to buy more than 1. But it also came down to tracking info and delivery confirmation which is included with the flat rate price. And, no, I'm not going to just slip a lug into an envelope and not be able to track it or have delivery confirmation. Been there, done that, lost money...

Now, I tried something this Christmas season that did boost my sales quite a bit: I went the "FREE SHIPPING" route. On both big and small items. But know this: I ADJUSTED my starting bids to reflect the free shipping -- in other words, the starting bid I used was my bottom price I was willing to take on the item + shipping to the "far-thest" US destination (I tried to say "****hest" but you can see what the filter did). That way I come out OK even if an item only sold for the starting bid. And depending upon the "zone" that it shipped to, on some items I came out better. But, in other words, I was doing for the buyer what I do as a buyer.

Anyway... got a computer beeping at me, so I'd better get back to work...

Bill

I find this sort quite interesting. First, I'm not stating this to any single person here. I'm just ranting.

This tends to center around the ebay business model, which is an outrageous and laughable thing to behold. There are many many many many many idealistics out there that believe in their warped little minds that they are running an actual business on ebay. That because they keep up with output and run ads and most times make a profit, it is a real business. In reality, it's a load of rubbish stored in a tin shop and moved much like a glamorized garage sale with little to no face-to-face time with the customer.

To believe you have to adjust for business expenses is ridiculous. The level of profit does not a business define.

When you file the correct business paperwork and file the correct business taxation, then you can stand up and call yourself a business. Otherwise you are nothing more than an online garage sale.

So, to hash this stuff out and attach business-like expenses as a reason is just silly.

You are selling the item. If you have to ship it, then charge what you deem appropriate. If the buyer agrees, then things work out.

That's really all there is to it.

I have had many discussions with ebay about this issue and many (sometimes heated ) discussions with sellers. At this point , I am an ebay buyer. I have never sold anything on ebay. My purchases are over 1000, almost all coming across borders. My comments are NOT intended to target anyone and they are considerably exacerbated by international shipping and customs practices.

If I buy a lug from the U.S.,I can expect to pay about 3.00 to ship it to Canada by First Class Intl but an increasing number of ebay sellers will not ship by First Class because ebay never put that option in their shipping calculator, so Priority Intl. which has a base rate of over 20.00 is what I get as a quote (usually). There is supposedly more security , with this method because of the integrated insurance and tracking but in over 500 shipments by Letterpost and First Class----I have only had one package go missing and I think that one was never sent. U.S.P.S. First Class is a dead on secure way of shipping, to Canada at least. So, that is one issue that I face and I put the blame squarely in ebay's lap for not guaranteeing First Class Intl. shipments. They would make a lot more money in the long run.

The other issue is also ebay's fault and I have been told from the horses mouth that talks are now on to rectify this problem because it is a BIG one.

Fewer and fewer sellers use the "reserve " option " ,especially for small items because it limits bidding. Many reserve auctions get no bids at all. So, a lot of sellers start low , with the understanding that they may be able to make up the difference with "handling fees". Sometimes, these are absurd amounts and there is no mechanism for disclosure. What really pees me is when someone charges 29.00 for "standard intl. shipping and handling"(which doesn't exist) ; that being about the rate for a large flat rate box ,only to have it arrive by First Class , which would have cost about 10.00. I have run into this quite a bit.

So, the rectification is for the shipping and handling to be separately noted----so much for shipping(which is verifiable) and so much for handling and the sellers should be forced to comply. I'm not complaining about sellers who detail that there is a handling fee ,out front, for acceptance or non-acceptance but I am complaining about those who try to hide the handling in the shipping. Ebay needs to take a breath and think. Everyone will win with full disclosure.

However, there is also the issue of overpackaging--sellers who add 5 or 10.00 to the shipping fee by sending mountains of packing on a small item. It's their own paranoia , that they are asking me to pay for.I've had 500gm. cymbals sent in monstrous cardboard boxes many times. The best way to send a cymbal is in a padded corrugated cardboard sleeve, where it can't move and cut through the box, as it can in a larger box. My favourite is styrofoam peanuts in a huge box carrying a cymbal. Double Duh?

You need free boxes in many sizes? Just head behind any shoe store and dumpster dive. I do it all the time.

Oh, Don't dive in if it's empty. Your gonna leave a mark.:D

I was waiting for that........

Has been suggested before........

drive around town and dive into filthy dumpsters to save your customer a few $$......got it.

Are they going to pay for your shots when you get bit by a rat?

It would take a big rat to open a door on a sealed dumpster.