Ebay Hats: Victories, Defeats, Gripes & Items of Interest

[fedoracentric]

Winner. Bid the max you're willing to pay. If someone is willing to pay more than you are, the system is working as intended.

Couldn't disagree more.
Automatically pumping in your highest bid at the beginning just needlessly drives up the final price.

 

[fedoracentric]

I am a bit more than just angry at this point! With all the fees and stifling rules and other new "changes" ebay has introduced in recent years, I am pretty much fed up with them.

Another idiotic move was the new system of selling overseas.

Ebay is now forcing every seller to use their extremely expensive shipping service to send from the US to anyplace overseas.

They have completely eliminated the ability of the seller to help a customer chose cheaper shipping. They have also eliminated the ability to choose insurance or no insurance, etc. All choices have been removed from both the seller and the customer.

I was about to sell a hat to someone in Japan and Ebay's shipping service was going to charge $150 to ship a hat to Japan. $150! This is insane. Sensibly the guy said he wanted out of the deal. I didn't blame him.

I am not even sure if I should even ever sell to someone overseas again. Seems like everyone in America just lost any customer overseas, to me.

Thanks, ebay!

 

[Horace Debussy Jones]

Yes I agree again. The overseas shipping gimmick is most heinous. And they try to make it look like a good deal! Really overstepping the bounds of common sense by charging would-be buyers domestic postage PLUS overseas postage for one item. It all just adds up in ebay's favor, and both the buyer and the seller get shafted. And they try to make it look like a convenience. Shipping charges that I must pay for items from other countries add up to the same raw deal I'm sure. Also, they forbid sellers from offering insurance in their listings. So it's something that must be negotiated between buyers and sellers now I suppose.
All of their recent changes favor ebay, and put a greater burden upon sellers for the most part. I will 86 overseas sales myself too. No point in it now.

Another idiotic move was the new system of selling overseas.

Ebay is now forcing every seller to use their extremely expensive shipping service to send from the US to anyplace overseas.

They have completely eliminated the ability of the seller to help a customer chose cheaper shipping. They have also eliminated the ability to choose insurance or no insurance, etc. All choices have been removed from both the seller and the customer.

I was about to sell a hat to someone in Japan and Ebay's shipping service was going to charge $150 to ship a hat to Japan. $150! This is insane. Sensibly the guy said he wanted out of the deal. I didn't blame him.

I am not even sure if I should even ever sell to someone overseas again. Seems like everyone in America just lost any customer overseas, to me.

Thanks, ebay!

 

[Lotsahats]

Couldn't disagree more.
Automatically pumping in your highest bid at the beginning just needlessly drives up the final price.

The most you are willing to pay remains the most you're willing to pay. Whether the auction hits that price in an hour or on the last day, it's still the most you're willing to pay. If you want to be cagey, put in the bid 10 seconds before the auction is over. Just bid that price, and if someone is willing to pay more, the system is working as intended.

 

[Joao Encarnado]

imagine it going through the conversion process... quite the brim width one could achieve.

I wouldn't do that. There shouldn't be plenty of those.

fedoracentric,is this still on ebay? can't find it.

Yes I agree again. The overseas shipping gimmick is most heinous. And they try to make it look like a good deal!

I used ebay's GSP and I'm happy with it. US to Portugal tend to be faster and cheaper than USPS-CTT service and never failed.

 

[Lotsahats]

Another idiotic move was the new system of selling overseas.

Ebay is now forcing every seller to use their extremely expensive shipping service to send from the US to anyplace overseas.

Not sure what you're seeing here. I still have the option of choosing any international shipping option I want; I can turn off the eBay International shipping program with the click of a button.

 

[viclip]

Yes I agree again. The overseas shipping gimmick is most heinous. And they try to make it look like a good deal! Really overstepping the bounds of common sense by charging would-be buyers domestic postage PLUS overseas postage for one item. It all just adds up in ebay's favor, and both the buyer and the seller get shafted. And they try to make it look like a convenience. Shipping charges that I must pay for items from other countries add up to the same raw deal I'm sure. Also, they forbid sellers from offering insurance in their listings. So it's something that must be negotiated between buyers and sellers now I suppose.
All of their recent changes favor ebay, and put a greater burden upon sellers for the most part. I will 86 overseas sales myself too. No point in it now.

Under the eBay overseas shipping program it's also noteworthy that sales taxes plus import duties are payable up-front as part of the transaction cost, regardless of the size of the purchase price. In my Canadian experience, our customs people when handling items sent directly via the US Postal Service, routinely waive parcels under $50 & quite often parcels under $100 get through without assessment, sometimes higher amounts dependent upon the backlog. But whenever American eBay sellers partake of this eBay program, I find myself whacked on any amount, in addition to paying for 2 sets of shipping costs.

Incidentally most courier companies engage in a similar practice, often their brokerage clearance fee exceeds the governmental impositions (which latter would have been waived in any event had the item simply been mailed to me).

I'm being nickeled & dimed to death here.

If at all possible, I strive to have packages sent to me directly from Stateside via the good old mail system. I cringe whenever I see an eBay item of interest made subject to their overseas shipping service, especially where the item will go for under $100 & I'll be nailed for double shipping charges + federal sales tax + import duties.

I would certainly urge US eBay sellers to avoid that program like the plague & to ship directly to the successful buyer esp. via the post office!

 

[Horace Debussy Jones]

Yes it is a flagrant price gouge at best! Ebay likes to tout this as a "convenience" to sellers, but all it really is is another money generator for them. I am about to stop sending anything at all overseas now due to astronomical customs fees on top of the most recent massive postage increase, especially when sending small items to the UK. Customs fees it seems are about as much as the 25 dollar item plus postage! Apparently someone doesn't want private individuals engaging in free trade?

 

[Joao Encarnado]

Customs fees are too much in my country.
Have to pay taxes and their work!

 

[ccorsair]

I just noticed that ebay has made another bad, bad change to its system.

So, it used to be that you could be watching the screen as the seconds count down and you could put your next amount in the bidding field getting ready for a last second bid if you got outbid. But now if you do that and you get out bid in the last seconds the screen does not stay static. It changes to some new bidding scheme and blanks out anything you may have had sitting in the bidding field.

This means that the only way to try and beat a last second bid is to bid yourself just to hedge and at a much higher guess bid than you might have otherwise.

This change sucks beyond measure.

Every change ebay makes is something that makes ebay a little worse to use.

haven't see that happen yet but then i always place my bids live and all unless I see no other action from other.

I bid what think will win I'm happy if i do and well i move on if i do not.
As for issue yes ebay is full of them. I was looking for item for my computer work and i was looking off ebay as well as one.. I thought had what what need in buy now.. or best offer ..but then i go call from some with better deal and local. i contacted the seller asked to cancel. he replayed "it most likely not the real items have good day" and then sat on the item and didn't answer me at all on canceling.. I turn it in and had ebay call me that worked fast and because I contacted them first when the guy filed no payment I didn't get dinged for not buying the item after asking nicely a few time.
He lost his fee as well all because he was being offended i found better deal.
If I had look better than seeing he was 98% rating i would seen the 11 feeds backs of him selling counterfeits items . He also wasn't using paypal ..I never trust any seller who won't take blind payment due to scams and fraud. Ya paypal isn't perfect but it dose work.
I happy not to do business with the guy as if he was that up set at canceling what would done if i return it for being counterfeit?
I also had item up sale on ebay i still think some guy turn me in for not taking his offer on as it happen just after he made it.
Ebay took the item off saying it look to be in violation to some BS but the person I was asked to call said it looked fine and my ad wasn't in violation..
the kicker I was cleared but they deleted my ad so I would have to re-build it .. Nope I just going to sell it elsewhere..
And the kicker was the guy who think turn me in contacted me again saying he buy it and said no again to him.. i just have this feeling he was being an A-hole for turning him down on low ball offer.

ebay isn't perfect ad it had it issue but if you know how to voice you issue you can get answers. the new site looking at called ebid seem worse. They want from what can tell $40 for getting in and making a listing to sell but can't tell if that is per item or for all .
haven't used them yet did make an account for later.

Oh yes Shipping fees on Ebay You do not need to use their shipping or their calculate. one guy was talking to on a hat had this outrages cost of $60+ for shipping he put in his add Do not believe the shipping will not be charging that he was not using that.
Not sure how the picing works i get charge $3 from some big from china but get charge $11 for something in my own state.. crazy

 

[Garrett]

Ebay has its down sides but let's face it - Ebay is THE place where most of us find the vintage treasures we seek and love. How many contributions to the hat section would there be WITHOUT Ebay? I am grateful for that auction site and will continue to put up with its MINOR inconveniences as long as it continues to yield ancient artifacts :eeek:

 

[Rick Blaine]

Ebay has its down sides but let's face it - Ebay is THE place where most of us find the vintage treasures we seek and love. How many contributions to the hat section would there be WITHOUT Ebay? I am grateful for that auction site and will continue to put up with its MINOR inconveniences as long as it continues to yield ancient artifacts :eeek:

I concur. Any agents fee is going to be about 20%. That's the way the world spins. [huh]

 

[Horace Debussy Jones]

I admit I've found some cool things at decent prices as a buyer. But as a seller, I am always on the razor's edge trying to make some little bit of profit from things I find and resell, or the things I make and sell. One thing I learned though recently, is to always check the feedback that potential buyers have left for other sellers. If it's some malcontent twit that just enjoys leaving distasteful negative comments for even the cheapest items, then I will cancel their bids without any hesitation. I refuse to be held hostage and walk on eggshells because some people are never happy with anything and can't seem to comprehend or even read listings before they bid. I have never resorted to negative feedback for anyone as I think it is really quite childish, but have always handled problems through the ebay dispute setup. If a seller doesn't deliver an item as promised, one can get their money back. That feature does really work fairly well, it just takes a bit of time.

 

[yttclothing]

Ebay along with paypal are introducing a new file a dispute policy for up to 6 months - http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/paypal-expanding-return-window-to-six-months-100614.html
If vintage/antique items are excluded you may find sellers starting to drop out of ebay, especially if decisions start going against them.
Personally as a seller on ebay it's a potential game changer but I also wonder how the hell it would work.

 

[ccorsair]

Ya that could gum things up but along with the good seller we have shady ones too. like that guy I was doing the buy now/best offer.. I never had anyone just not cancel and move on.. he was losing nothing by doing it but dragged it out and tried to zap me as well. I been hearing of some who canceled after the order shipped paypal refunded and the guy didn't return the item.
the guy lost the money and the item. And paypal couldn't do anything as the guy killed his accounts and the ebay account after.. that why many wait a few days before shipping anything and maker sure funds clear.
I sold a computer case once it took two time as the first one the guy who won waited and i had to get ebay on him to get to answer emails.. We finally canceled due to his check as he stated didn't come in.. I blocked him after as i noted he had a small history of late paying. Sold the case and it was local this time deliver it my self.
I think if it get's bad hat seller will got to other sites not that there are many out there Pinterest and Esty are not that well done yet and eBid is very Fee high for sellers from what can see but I haven't used it to buy anything as the search engine sucked at the time.
Time will tell what ebay figure it out it isn't good to turn on your sellers as well as those buying. i got some great deals there for things i need and just wanted at the time.
I like the earn credit for buying .. got some $$ now i may use on hat or something I can flip or use for work.. I built up some large fund onetime that let buy some nice things.
I need to get a lot steampunk stuff up and posted for sale and and hope I can get some $$ back put out on. i know double or tripled at conventions with items ebay maybe a bit harder to sell on.. but as long as some over pricing I can find middle road to make a sale. The fun of having some good Thrift stores in town I can find things cheap that have better valuer online.

I just pick up from project too flat monitor both re-sell online for more so after the project .. off they go.

 

[Rick Blaine]

I admit I've found some cool things at decent prices as a buyer. But as a seller, I am always on the razor's edge trying to make some little bit of profit from things I find and resell, or the things I make and sell. One thing I learned though recently, is to always check the feedback that potential buyers have left for other sellers. If it's some malcontent twit that just enjoys leaving distasteful negative comments for even the cheapest items, then I will cancel their bids without any hesitation. I refuse to be held hostage and walk on eggshells because some people are never happy with anything and can't seem to comprehend or even read listings before they bid. I have never resorted to negative feedback for anyone as I think it is really quite childish, but have always handled problems through the ebay dispute setup. If a seller doesn't deliver an item as promised, one can get their money back. That feature does really work fairly well, it just takes a bit of time.

It is true, reading comprehension can be dismal.
I had noted the hats' size twice in my copy & in the description only to get "wat iz de size?" questions from sub literate mo-rons.

 

[fedoracentric]

I had a guy email me about shipping once and in my reply I told him I would charge only exact shipping and that if he wins he should not pay right away because the ebay shipping calculator will always be wrong. I told him I'd invoice him if he won. He did win and he paid right away and then sent a note complaining that the shipping was too high. Sigh.

 

[alanfgag]

I fully understand the frustration with eBay's continually developing interface and business model. There are options. Set up an Etsy storefront. Develop your own on-line store. With the generic tools available today, this is easier and more cost effective than ever before. Use the Lounge classifieds. This is a great venue to reach an obsessed, often neophyte market and to my knowledge, presents no costs to the seller regardless of the volume of sales or asking price of the items.

What you'll miss in eBay is the tremendous world-wide audience if offers through its own users and countless other search engines that monitor eBay and report on auctions of interest to its customer base. Whatever it looks like tomorrow, there is nothing else like it.

 

[yttclothing]

Just bought 11 hats from France, I've gambled a bit because they seem to be smaller sizes and condition wise a bit lacking one that caught my eye was a Borsalino, I could see the size label which just says 7, in the description the seller had it down as a 57, whenever i've had red size labels on Borsalinos before they are normally in Punti which would make it a fair bit bigger

What are your thoughts or should I just wait and see ?

 

[alanfgag]

There are many examples of European sourced Borsalinos with U.S. size labels. Give the connection with 57 (US 7 1/8 or UK 7) my money is on US or UK size 7. Looks like a nice hat.