Do you ever get the feeling that....

[ellone]

On a related note, how do you deal with sellers that want more for shipping after you've won and paid? I got one where shipping was listed as $8, but the seller now wants $6.95 more on top of that. I told him that per ebay rules, he can't charge more than what was listed...and now we'll see how he reacts.

 

[klmrph]

You might want to order some flat rate padded envelopes, you can stuff those and can fit a lot in them too.

 

[scrapquitler]

Exactly - but my P.O. is very strict about this. There cannot be any gaps or bulging of any kind. If there is then they won't ship it in the flat rate envelope. Since it's impossible to even ship a copy of Diary of a Wimpy Kid paperback book without the envelope bulging there's no way I'd be able to ship 3 pairs of kids (not infant) winter PJs without it bulging.

I'd just drive to the next nearest post office. In my case, that's not a big deal since we have two right here in town. I realize that's not an option for people where the P.O. are more spread out.

By the argument your post master seems to be making, anything beyond a few sheets of paper would be 'bulging' and that's just ridiculous. I know that in the past I sent a stuffed animal in one of the tyvek style flat rate envelopes, and nobody in the PO blinked an eye

 

[ceecee]

If they knew IN ADVANCE they shouldn't complain. I never bid unless I know the shipping first. You could always use parcel. You can also use the padded envelopes (they fit a lot!) as a matter of fact...I just received a large Vera bag in one last week! Did you weigh it and see how much the shipping is? You can always refund the difference.

 

[3boymthr]

I'd just drive to the next nearest post office. In my case, that's not a big deal since we have two right here in town. I realize that's not an option for people where the P.O. are more spread out.

By the argument your post master seems to be making, anything beyond a few sheets of paper would be 'bulging' and that's just ridiculous. I know that in the past I sent a stuffed animal in one of the tyvek style flat rate envelopes, and nobody in the PO blinked an eye

We only have one P.O. here in town. Not that it matters because the P.O. in all the nearby towns are also the same way. They even have signs posted showing how the envelope must look (which is basically just as you said like you've put a few sheets of paper in them). They don't carry the padded mailers just the paper ones and the medium flat rate boxes so I'd have to order them and keep them in my house.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

First of all, for the PP, a buyer cannot get a refund AND keep the item. Ebay does not require you to refund the buyer unless the item is returned. Period. The buyer keeping the item and getting a refund is not going to happen.
.

Do NOT believe this statement. It's not true. All the buyer has to do is say "you never delivered" All PayPal does is ask. If they buyer says it never came.... You don't get the money back. If you think this is going to happen make VERY sure it's sent insured, sigature required... otherwise.... Bye bye cash!

PayPal does NOT protect anyone but PayPal which is why I am off of Ebay.

 

[jessica52877]

My PO will NOT allow anything to ship in the flat rate envelopes, it must be flat paper. If I want something like pj's then I have to use the padded flat rate envelope (which paypal has no shipping choice for) or the small flat rate box. But both of those are $5 or less and would easily fit 2 pairs of pjs.

 

[SandrA9810]

Yup, she was disputing it. After the second attempt to get me to reduce the sale I offered to cancel the sale stating that since she had known the amount of the shipping up front she really has no cause for dispute but if she was that unhappy I'd be happy to sell them to the next highest bidder. She paid this morning. I will note that these are Halloween PJs in a Hard To Find style (I had the only pair listed in this size) .



Exactly - but my P.O. is very strict about this. There cannot be any gaps or bulging of any kind. If there is then they won't ship it in the flat rate envelope. Since it's impossible to even ship a copy of Diary of a Wimpy Kid paperback book without the envelope bulging there's no way I'd be able to ship 3 pairs of kids (not infant) winter PJs without it bulging.

The post office in the next city over was a huge PITA with this. Thankfully they closed down that office. There's a complaint for every time we went in there. Including the lady not wanting to ship our package registered mail, because it required more work for her. The forms were all ready filled out, and the branch we use most often has no problem applying the brown tape needed for it. Now that there's more packages going out, we do our own brown taping, but before it was maybe once every couple of months.


Now our next problem with the post office, is they stopped processing through one city and send a truck directly to San Fran or San Jose. We've gotten more and more complaints about the packages arriving damaged.



It's nice to use the flat rate boxes, but it's better and more economical to look into all the other shipping options available through the Post Office. We stock up on boxes at Walmart for 44 cents - 54 cents for the common sizes, $1 for the larger boxes.

First Class Mail - Anything up to 13 oz. There's a $1 surcharge for anything larger than a standard envelope.
Parcel Post - Ground mail, anywhere across the US. There is a slight balloon charge for oversized packages. Can go up to about 75lbs.
Media Mail - CD's, book, anything that can be read, or used for transferring information. PC games can also be shipped media.
Priority - There's about 9 different zones across the US, greater distance of zones, greater the charge. Also charges per ounce. Huge surcharge for oversized (I believe any side greater than 12")
Priority Flat Rate - any where across the US for the same price.
Priority zone Flat Rates - these must be ordered from the PO website, and is about half the cost of regular flat rate boxes for anything staying within the same zone. These come in medium (about $5) and large boxes (about $10).


International opens up a new ballgame, but once you learn the basics, it's just as easy to ship international. And Ebay now has First Class International shipping labels. Just sign and date it. First Class International is up to 4lbs per package.

 

[Yoshi]

I can't believe how many people have such strict post offices. I thought mine was bad with rules but I have fit some large items in the regular flat rate envelope. As long as it closes, they don't care.

My PO will NOT allow anything to ship in the flat rate envelopes, it must be flat paper. If I want something like pj's then I have to use the padded flat rate envelope (which paypal has no shipping choice for) or the small flat rate box. But both of those are $5 or less and would easily fit 2 pairs of pjs.

For the padded flat rate envelope, I just select flat rate envelope when using Paypal shipping.

 

[nunzia]

Yup, she was disputing it. After the second attempt to get me to reduce the sale I offered to cancel the sale stating that since she had known the amount of the shipping up front she really has no cause for dispute but if she was that unhappy I'd be happy to sell them to the next highest bidder. She paid this morning. I will note that these are Halloween PJs in a Hard To Find style (I had the only pair listed in this size) .



Exactly - but my P.O. is very strict about this. There cannot be any gaps or bulging of any kind. If there is then they won't ship it in the flat rate envelope. Since it's impossible to even ship a copy of Diary of a Wimpy Kid paperback book without the envelope bulging there's no way I'd be able to ship 3 pairs of kids (not infant) winter PJs without it bulging.

Here is what you do. You get a bunch of these envelopes, you print your shipping labels from paypal at home and then you just drop the envelope into an outside box at the PO. I've never had one returned and I've pretty well shoved all kinds of things in there. I just won't deal with PO employees after some I've run into. I print all US labels at home and then drop off in outside boxes at PO or drop off bigger boxes at a local mailboxes etc type of place. My DH mails my overseas things at the PO on his day off.

Also..every time I have a problem with a buyer I put them on my block bidder list so I don't have to deal with them again.

 

[nunzia]

Do NOT believe this statement. It's not true. All the buyer has to do is say "you never delivered" All PayPal does is ask. If they buyer says it never came.... You don't get the money back. If you think this is going to happen make VERY sure it's sent insured, sigature required... otherwise.... Bye bye cash!

PayPal does NOT protect anyone but PayPal which is why I am off of Ebay.

I send EVERYTHING through Paypal and that includes Delivery Confirmation and it's amazing how things always seem to show up now.