You HAVE to try this!! EBAY your way to DISNEY!!

[cinlee3]

Thanks Cinders and Nuke - that's what I was thinking. I will re-list the item and add the Buy It Now price and they have the choice of either bidding, buying it now or passing.

 

[kilee]

I need some advice on a possible bidder I have. I have a bidder who emailed me to ask me to please lower my shipping because she knew she could send the same thing for no more than $2.00. I was charging $7.00. First of all, I have yet to have anything with postage under $4.00. I send all my packages Priority mail with Delivery Confirmation, insurance optional at and additional cost (the exact fee of the PO for insurance). Anyhow, I charge a flat rate on all my shipping. I try to be fair. I have lost alittle and I have made a little. The loss and profits have never been more than $1.00.

Either way this bidder is in CA-- last week I sent the same items to Fresno CA and Idaho-- both times it cost me $6.20 for postage alone. That means for $.80 I am paying for the bubble wrap, tissue paper & box I use on the item. I tried explaining this to the bidder. They then emailed me back telling me "I must be stupid" because they could send it for $2.00. She is now asking me to drop it to $4.00. I really don't know how to handle this bidder, any feedback would be nice.

Also, am I doing something wrong with my shipping???????

 

[poober25]

Kilee

First off, this sounds like someone who just wants to cause trouble. I could be wrong. However, if you are providing your own box and not using the PO's priority mail box, I would consider using parcel post instead of Priority. Also, are you using the online labels for delivery confirmation? If not, download shipper's assistant, and you will get free DC on Priority mail and .13 on everything else. I would not drop your shipping charge just because a bidder asks you too. There have been a few occasions when I have overcharged on shipping by quite a bit and then sent a refund to the buyer for it (very few). If she thinks it can be shipped for $2, that's her problem, not yours. The only other question would be is it something that could be shipped media mail? If it is, I would consider shipping it that way, and getting your .13 DC. If it's not something that can be shipped media, maybe she wants you to ship it that way, but obviously that's a bad idea. Anyway, HTH.

 

[twinklingstars4u]

Kilee:

If your TOS say that you charge a certian amount for shipping, then the bidder needs to adhere to them. Do not let them bully you to lowering it!

If you only ship Priority tell her that and let her know you will not back down. If she is a potential bidder and you feel she might become a problem, put her on your blocked bidder list. You don't need the headache! Unless it is a small book or cd type item, there is not much that you can ship for $2.00. Even with media mail.

My 2 cents!

Mary Beth

 

[Robinrs]

kilee:

I agree with the others. I had a bidder ask me if I could possibly reduce shipping to media mail for some videos I was selling. I did because they can be shipped MM. This was a "reasonable" request.

On the other hand, a bidder that says you're "stupid" by email I'd thnk twice about dealing with. Feedback-wise she may be a nightmare! I would politely tell her no and block her... sort of what you can do to irate DISers!

I have a question about shipping, everyone. It seems that Stamps.com and USPS's Shipper's Asst offer similar things. Stamps, though, costs about $6.00 a month. I got it because of the $10 free postage which I already used in netstamps, is it necessary to continue?

Thanks!

 

[wdwpluto]

For a package sent via media mail - how long before it's "missing"? From NJ to Arizona. It was shipped on 6/16 and hasn't shown yet.

Thanks!
Lori

 

[nuke]

I think it's 30 days for Media Mail.

 

[nuke]

As far as the bidder asking to have the shipping reduced....

I once had a lady complain to me about the 75 cents that I charge over the shipping charge for "handling". So I politely sent her an email explaining that I have to buy a box or envelope to pack the item in, I have to buy tape to close said box or envelope, I have to get into my car and use my gas to drive to the post office, I have to wait in line at the post office and my time is as valuable as everyone elses. She sent an email back saying she was sorry, that she never thought about everything that goes into shipping out an item.

Don't back down. You charge what you charge and if you have clearly stated the shipping charge in the auction, then it is her choice to bid or not. Don't worry about losing the bidder, you probably don't want her anyways.

 

[Cara]

Well, a couple of weeks ago I figured I would start out slowly with old books on half.com. I cannot believe that I have grossed close to $200 on OLD BOOKS!! LOL!

We are vacationing at the end of the month, but when we return I plan to start my first Ebay auctions. This will be a nice little addition to my Disney Cruise fund.

I am following this thread closely. Thanks for the GREAT advice!

Cara

 

[kilee]

Thanks for the advice. I have since blocked this bidder. I woke up this morning to 2 more emails from her. She said that if I ended the auction right now, she'd buy for and pay 1/2 the shipping. I just put this item up--- I sold 3 of the same things last week for almost 5x what I started it for. I politely emailed back and apologized telling her I didn't think we were going to see eye-to-eye on this, and thanks for the interest. She then emailed me back and said how ridiculous I was being, and if I ended it now she'd pay the full shipping since the price was still low. I am done negotiating with her--- I have blocked her-- thanks everyone.

 

[Cinders]

I send all my packages Priority mail with Delivery Confirmation, insurance optional at and additional cost (the exact fee of the PO for insurance). Anyhow, I charge a flat rate on all my shipping.

While its up to the buyer to bid on your auction I know personally I wouldnt bid on an auction that to me has inflated shipping prices. If your item falls within these guidelines consider Media Mail and printing the DC with Shipping Assistant (Free download) that will cost $.13.

Media Mail (Book Rate)
Used for books, film, manuscripts, printed music, printed test materials, sound recordings, play scripts, printed educational charts, loose-leaf pages and binders consisting of medical information, videotapes, and computer recorded media such as CD-ROMs and diskettes. Media Mail cannot contain advertising.
The maximum size is 108 inches in combined length and distance around the thickest part.

Media Mail Rates

Weight not over (pounds) Rate
1 $1.42
2 1.84

That means for $.80 I am paying for the bubble wrap, tissue paper & box I use on the item.

Part of the high cost of using Priority Mail is the benefit of using free boxes.

If the item isnt considered Media Mail consider looking into Parcel Post since you're not using the free Priority boxes. And forget about that bidder.

For a package sent via media mail - how long before it's "missing"? From NJ to Arizona. It was shipped on 6/16 and hasn't shown yet.

Have you tracked your DC number? If its not showing up then call your PO and ask about approximate delevery times. But with the holiday expect a few extra days.

 

[susan137]

Has anyone been able to log on to the baconbuttie watch script site this weekend? I haven't been able to log on and I haven't gotten my update emails. Is anyone else having trouble?

Susan

 

[wdwpluto]

Originally posted by Cinders

Have you tracked your DC number? If its not showing up then call your PO and ask about approximate delevery times. But with the holiday expect a few extra days.

Unfortunately I don't have one. Bad, I know. I'm on a Mac computer and I can't figure out how to get the free/cheap thing to work. I don't know that it's compatible In the last year I've mailed out probably 200 packages between eBay and selling used books on Amazon and this (KNOCK ON WOOD!) is the only problem I've had. I'm going to ask her to wait till it's been 30 days and if it's a no-show, I'll refund her money.

Thanks!
Lori

 

[momof2OH]

Where do you download shipping assistant from?

 

[Cinders]

Shipping Assistant

 

[ceecee]

I personally would not deal with someone who called me stupid!!! Just ignore her emails and block her!
As for shipping to AZ from NJ, I am in OH and notice things to AZ, TX, CA seem to take a really long time. I try to use priority when possible to those zones. I still would give it another week.
I just got a buy it now paying (I charged $6.00 shipping) and she lives in Ireland!!!!!!!!!!!! Do these people read? It clearly says US shipping only. I had to ask for an additional $18.00 to get it to Ireland (according to USPS calculator). She probably will not want the item and I'll have to refund her and file for a credit (on Ebay) which IMHO takes way too long.

 

[wdwpluto]

Originally posted by wdwpluto
Unfortunately I don't have one. Bad, I know. I'm on a Mac computer and I can't figure out how to get the free/cheap thing to work. I don't know that it's compatible In the last year I've mailed out probably 200 packages between eBay and selling used books on Amazon and this (KNOCK ON WOOD!) is the only problem I've had. I'm going to ask her to wait till it's been 30 days and if it's a no-show, I'll refund her money.

Thanks!
Lori

Problem solved! Apparently someone had taken the package in and put it some place and not told her that it had arrived or where it was. Thank goodness!

 

[nelle]

half.com?
I've been meaning to sell some of my DH's CD's for awhile now so I looked some of the CD's up they were selling for .75 not including shipping. Is it worth it to sell for .75 by the time I pay eBay's fees I'll have nothing left. Most of the CD's are early 90's and still in origional cases. Also what's the average time it takes to sell CD's on half? I was ready to sit down and start listing until I saw what the asking price for some and now I'm discouraged. If my DH found out that I sold his CD's for .75 he'd hang me . Any suggestion's should I try half.com and see how it goes? Are there any other places to sell CD's?
Thanks for hearing me gripe

 

[Cindy B]

Thanks for the Shipping ASsistant link.. just used it today with resounding success.. loading fine, printed fine.. and dropping it off at the PO tomorrow morning 8:30!

 

[nuke]

Have you looked to see what your CD is selling for on Amazon?

If they still are going for really low amounts how about grouping them together and selling them on Ebay?