Please tell me if this sounds right (Ebay ?)

[Bea]

Me again.... I just started to sell on ebay, mainly my maternity clothes etc. I don't plan on making much $$ at all, but am just glad that I can get a few $ for some clothes that I bought while pregnant and didn't wear very often.

I sold to someone who won 2 auctions. I combined shipping and said the first item was $12.00 US (flat shipping rate) and that was clearly stated in my auction. She emailed and asked if I combined and I said, sure that I would charge an extra $2.00 per auction won. This brought her combined auction shipping to $14.00US. The package only cost $10.96 to ship, so while at the post office I added $1.00 insurance (thought I would be nice since she paid so much for shipping). So today I get an email from her questioning my ethics and shipping, and why she had to pay so much when it only cost me $10.96. I explained that I didn't charge actual shipping but that I estimated and that there have been times that I had to pay out of my pocket and that if I charged actual shipping it would be too time consuming (return trips to the post office). So, am I right to charge a "flat" shipping rate? I just assumed this is what people did as this is how I buy on ebay. Thanks for your answers.

 

[LoveWDW]

Just an opinion, but I think you can charge whatever shipping you wish. It is clearly stated in the description. If someone doesn't want to pay that amount of shipping they should not agree to purchase the item. The lady was out of line.

 

[Bea]

Thanks for the vote of confidence....I was feeling bad all day!

 

[Anjiebaby]

You should tell her the rest is handling. You have to get a package/box, pack it, address it, drive to the post office and spend the time posting this. I would definitely bill $3.04 for my time and gas to perform this task.

 

[seashoreCM]

You have every right to err on the high side. For offering flat rate shipping you have the right to charge the rate to the furthest point as opposed to the mid point of the country or the average rate. If you are unsure whether you can use letter post, you can quote the higher parcel post rate.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

It is impossible to plan annual parties with cover charges (or plan conventions) so that both the goal of breaking even in the long run and the goal of not incurring a loss in any particular year are met.

 

[wee-haggis]

I have done 81 transactions on Ebay and you did nothing wrong .Your shipping (or more accurately,shipping and handling) is perfectly acceptable.

 

[Bea]

Thank you so much for your replies . I feel so much better now. She had me convinced that I was doing something unethical. I go out of my way to be honest and totally above board and when someone questions my integrity, it hurts. I can sleep well tonight.

 

[pxlbarrel]

Your seller is an idiot. Sorry...that was blunt....but she is. First off, she agreed to the shipping price because she bid on the auction. Once you do that, you have no excuse to complain. Second, I'm assuming you sent to the States, the postage that's on the package doesn't include what you paid for insurance. If it was sent within Canada, it doesn't include the GST or HST and the insurance you had to pay. Third, as everybody else has mentioned, you're entitled to charge for handling charges which cover your gas to the post office, the packaging materials and anything else you darn well want to charge for because...you told her before hand it was a flat fee!!

I can understand she'd be upset if you charged $14 and it only cost you $1 to ship (she'd still have no leg to stand on to complain if she knew ahead of time) but you were hardly gouging her with your shipping. $11 vs $14 (and the exchange rate is pretty negligble now)....sheeesh. Ban her from bidding on your auctions.