<VV> Cheaper shipping ? --False economy for sure--no Corvair

Sat Apr 8 13:18:51 EDT 2006

Check the post office prices - it sometimes costs more to send it slower ! 
Maybe because they charge by the hour ?

I had a built Pocher model shipped by truck (I didn't plan that !) and, not 
only did it cost MORE than 1st class, but it suffered more damage both from 
the longer time the post office had to wreck, and also bumping around in a 
truck (for a longer period) !

False economy for sure .

You're right about the part about stiffing the customer -  burying the price 
in shipping fees is cheating eBay out of their fees, so the same rule 
applies to selling - if you don't want to pay the fees, don't sell it.

PS : I didn't know Dion sang with Paul Revere and the Raiders ?  ;>}

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chuck Kubin" <dreamwoodck at yahoo.com>
To: "Joseph Robbins" <robbins at mail.monticello.net>; <AeroNed at aol.com>; 
<VirtualVairs at corvair.org>
Sent: Saturday, April 08, 2006 8:35 AM
Subject: <VV> padding the profit--caveat emptor--no Corvair

> Hey Joe and Ned,
> Every month I recieve at least one EBay purchase by
> priority mail, parcel post,  first class mail or  UPS.
> Whenever the shipping looks askew(and before I buy),
> I ask if the seller can adjust it, as I did here.
> This time, instead of giving me the explanation I
> asked for, he just refered me to his blanket rule.
> We don' need no stinkin' rules. Specially not HIS
> rules. And why should I have to go looking for it?
> Here's a cross-section of my batting 1.000 with
> negotiating shipping costs.
> Last week I bought a large batch of HO scale track and
> another batch of about 40 cars from the same seller.
> He put "about $35" on the shipping costs and said he
> would combine shipping. Someone asked why so high, and
> he said he wanted to make sure it was covered with no
> surprises, and he would charge what it actually costs.
> I bought both batches, and he ballparked the cost for
> both large boxes at $40. I mailed him that I was in no
> big hurry to get them right now, can he ship by a
> slower and cheaper way. Two days later I got the new
> invoice...$27.50, about 1/3 of the original estimate.
> Awhile back I bought five brochures for the 1953
> Corvette Corvair (yes, it was a real concept car). The
> seller was going to send it UPS letter, which costs
> something like $4-$5. I told him I didn't need it
> tomorrow, and he charged $1.50 to send it first class
> mail.
> I bought several Johnny Lightning cars in various size
> batches. I know you can priority mail two cars for $4
> and a case for $8, and routinely negotiate around
> that.  One DEALER wanted $7.50 per and $22.50 to ship
> three, I dunno, probably thinking I was going to just
> suck it up.  An email echange later, and they were
> here for $4.50.
> I bought a failrly large box of used Hot Wheels cars
> (not sure why) from a lady in Canada. That's how I
> learned there is no way around the HUGE Canadian
> postal costs--something like $26 to get it here.  I
> accepted her explanation of what seemed to be out of
> line, because their government charges rates that are
> out of line. I guess it is tough to pack a moose.
> In the case at hand, the seller's  online store sells
> bochures so he should have a really firm idea of what
> it costs to mail something.  I'm less than 100% firm,
> but so do I.
> I don't care what it cost him to ship to someone else,
> and absolutely don't care if he lost money on another
> deal. I say than with no disrespect to Joe's
> experience. Maybe the better approach is to look into
> the actual shipping cost or elevate it with a note
> that the actual cost may be less, like my HO train
> seller above. If you ship a lot, you'll have even a
> better feel for when to do this that I would.
> As to recouping costs, sorry Ned, the cost of doing
> business is in the price.  I buy a steak and the price
> tag is what I pay. It goes into the register with the
> tax.  If I see a parking lot resurfacing surcharge,
> someone dies.
> For any seller, charge what it is worth--cost,
> overhead, everything--and expect your customer to pay
> the agreed-on price. If it cost you $2 more to sell
> the item, charge $2 more in an HONESTLY-stated price.
> I'll disagree with you, Ned, because hiding the ebay
> fees in an inflated shipping cost is sneaky and
> dishonest. The item costs what the item costs, and
> there ESPECIALLY should be no surprises in a buy-now
> price. If the seller says it is $$$gazillion, then
> that is what the buyer can either pay or reject.
> That is why I didn't go to my local favorite, the KOOL
> 105 annual summer concert, two years ago. They bring
> 6-7 rock artists from the '50s, '60s and '70s for an
> all-day concert in an outdoors amphitheater.  Tickets
> used to be $10.50 (KOOL 105, get it?)  The year Coors
> bought the place and change the name, Ticketmaster
> took over. The tickets were now $12 (which I'll gladly
> pay to hear Dion together with Paul Revere and the
> Raiders) and you paid an endless string of charges
> like ticketing fees ($6 per), box office fees (a
> different $6 per), parking fees ($4 per and no parking
> provided)  etc. and now the $12 seat goes for $46.  I
> am not making this up.  Is this honest pricing?  When
> there's no place else to buy a ticket, absolutely not.
> All I expect is a little respect for the customer.
> Probably because every job I've had included a
> customer service aspect, I know how to treat others
> and what to expect when I'm the customer.  If I ask a
> question and am told to read the sign, I'll tell you
> where to put the sign (as in this case). I don't care
> how many times you answered the question in the last
> hour. Just give me an honest answer, charge me an
> honest price, and we're all buddies. Do me right, I'll
> tell everybody. Do me wrong, I'll tell everybody.
>
>
> Chuck Kubin
>
>
>
>
>
> --- Joseph Robbins <robbins at mail.monticello.net>
> wrote:
>
>>
>> The high shipping costs serve two purposes, the
>> seller covers his rear and
>> makes some profit and the big one, eBay doesn't get
>> a cut of the shipping
>> costs if I understand the rules right. Me being a
>> card carrying charter
>> member of BBRT where we do things a little
>> differently, I sold two things
>> last week, I charged $5.00 flat fee and it cost me
>> $8.00 to ship and the
>> other I charged $7.50 and it cost me $9.00!!
>> Normally I guess pretty close,
>> this time I didn't. Oh well, the items were sold and
>> that's all I cared
>> about.
>>
>>
>> Joe Robbins
>> #2 at BBRT
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org
>> [mailto:virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org] On Behalf
>> Of AeroNed at aol.com
>> Sent: Friday, April 07, 2006 11:07 PM
>> To: VirtualVairs at corvair.org
>> Subject: Re: <VV> padding the profit--caveat emptor
>>
>>
>> In a message dated 4/7/2006 8:02:00 P.M. Central
>> Daylight Time,
>> dreamwoodck at yahoo.com writes:
>>
>> I
>> asked the seller  why he is charging $4.50  for
>> shipping
>>
>>
>> Chuck,
>>
>> He's passing on his e-bay costs to you...
>>
>> Ned
>
>>
>
>
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