More EBAY insanity!

[danmckee]

uh oh, who did I pick a fight with? Dan.

[Exhibitman]

Just not worth the headaches of trying to please so many disparate personalities by trying to engineer a perfect price.

As long as shipping is stated up front I now just treat it like vig in a real auction and bid accordingly. Then I get mad only when the item isn't properly packed.

[prestigecollectibles]

I print all my postage online or I use the automated postage machine in the lobby. The only time I stand in line is to send Registered packages.
It is cheaper to print the online postage anyway.

[danmckee]

Adam, you are so damn level headed, you would make a great lawyer!

Dan

[danmckee]

He got a + FB and I starred him up instead of the neutral.

[paul]

I agree that if the charges are stated up front, you know the facts and should decide whether or not to bid in light of the facts. At the same time, I do think it is a shady business practice to charge more than postage plus the cost of the packaging materials and call it a "shipping" charge. If the seller is going to use a 44 cent stamp to send you your card, but charge you $5.00, he should call the remaining $4.56 a "labor charge," a "profit center," or a "gratuity." It's just not a shipping charge.

It's similar to the nonsense you hear on TV -- "we'll give you a second Shamwow for free, just pay processing and handling." It really should be rephrased as "just pay profit and costs."

[Jacklitsch]

"It's similar to the nonsense you hear on TV -- "we'll give you a second Shamwow for free, just pay processing and handling." It really should be rephrased as "just pay profit and costs.""

Actually Paul Sham Wow is one of the few that doesn't charge extra shipping and handling for the double order.

But you are absolutely right. Those that do are just a ripoff and I'm surprised a few Attorneys General haven't made a case out of it.

[cyseymour]

Maybe the VCP guys can start a section of their website where cards are auctioned off weekly by various sellers and VCP takes a small cut, like ebay. Maybe have the auctions end at the same time each week. Promote the site, promote VCP, take a cut on the cards, and avoid ebay, all at the same time.

[Kehfee]

Originally Posted by danmckee

uh oh, who did I pick a fight with? Dan.

What I mean is that years ago you took PSA and Joe Orlando to court. These days you're rattling sabres over being taken for a few bucks on shipping.

On the bright side it sounds like you got the card. Just give him a poor rating on shipping and move on.

[rhettyeakley]

I agree with most on this forum when they say that if shipping is specified in the auction I anticipate that price when calculating my bid, and bid accordingly. While it irks me when I spend $5-6 on shipping only to have the item arrive in a 2-cent envelope with a a few stamps thrown on it, as long as the item isn't damaged I just chalk it up to experience and move on.

On the other hand, if the seller could leave crappy feedback for unreasonable buyers (much like the old system) there didn't seem to be as many issues as there seems to be now. Ebay is so one-sided now towards the buyer that it makes it too utterly frustrating to use as a seller.

This is coming from someone that hasn't sold an item on ebay in upwards of 2-3 years. At one time I used ebay very regularly but count me as one of those that just can't justify spending my hard-earned time to do all the work writing descriptions, uploading pictures, running to the post office, etc. and then in the end paying ebay 12% of the final value (once paypal is taken into consideration) when I can consign to a reputable auction house who will do all the work and will sometimes even have the item graded, etc. and I don't have to do anything and often have 0% sellers commission.

-Rhett

Also, a recent pet-peave of mine is that I saw an item last week and threw out a snipe and it ended on Thursday evening, I then left on Friday morning for the weekend and didn't even realize I had won it until I opened my email this morning and I had 16 emails from the seller ranging from invoices to private messages wondering why I hadn't paid for the item yet. I expect a couple, but 16!

[drdduet]

It's a confederacy of dunces I tell ya.

[Kawika]

That was one amazingly funny book.