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

[scottyrocks]

It is against ebays policy for sellers to over charge on shipping,here is ebays policy rules regarding shipping,
http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-practices.html#shipping

CC

Good for ebay, they did the right thing, but it is still not illegal to charge stupid-high prices for shipping. Iow, nothing to be prosecuted for. That was my point.

 

[Mobile Vulgus]

Good for ebay, they did the right thing, but it is still not illegal to charge stupid-high prices for shipping. Iow, nothing to be prosecuted for. That was my point.

No one said he did anything "illegal." But, it is wrong on ebay to have absurdly high shipping and handling according to ebay's own rules and that was what we were talking about.

 

[scottyrocks]

Okay, thats cool, but where is the line drawn? Is there a dollar amount or formula, and if so, what is it? Is it based on anything other than complaints? MV, I cannot access the link from work that you supplied. My point was that if the prices are too high, then sales will be less, or even better, non-existent. Would anybody actually pay $350 to have a hat shipped? If you havent paid money and then been swindled, youre fine, afaics. Buyer use discretion. I think thats good policy regardless, especially when dealing with merchants you cant even see. Regardless of the 'rules' for this, which I am now curious as to what they are, I think its a good idea to just pass up unreasonably stupid-high-priced items. If something looks wrong, avoid it. I think thats good buying advice, regardless.

All the same, Id like to know how ebay determines how high is too high.

 

[scottyrocks]

I just did a little research at ebay. I found a section on maximum shipping costs, but it only applies to certain categories of items. Hats, in fact, clothing is not even listed. There are a few pages that mention 'excessive' shipping cost, but no where does it state exactly what that means, in either percentages or dollars, or what the remedies are other than contacting the seller to work it out. They do say that shipping costs are the actual shipping cost, and handling is whatever it costs to basically package stuff up. But there seem to be no penalties, especially if one has not made a purchase. Basically, youre free to turn around and walk away.

Id like to see more specific information that addresses this, if it is available.

 

[jimmy the lid]

So, what's actually going on here is that this particular eBay Seller is using the Shipping Fee as a de facto Minimum Bid. By structuring things this way, the Seller therefore avoids paying eBay whatever fees might be owed on the auction sale price. The reason that eBay would want to address the situation is to prevent someone from circumventing these fees. Do I have this right?

 

[scottyrocks]

So, what's actually going on here is that this particular eBay Seller is using the Shipping Fee as a de facto Minimum Bid. By structuring things this way, the Seller therefore avoids paying eBay whatever fees might be owed on the auction sale price. The reason that eBay would want to address the situation is to prevent someone from circumventing these fees. Do I have this right?

Basically, yes. The less an item's selling price is, the less the seller has to pay to ebay, based on whatever the percentage is. Its against ebay's 'rules' because it costs them money.

A $350 shipping charge on a hat that is listed for, say, $30, insures that the selling price wont go much above that.

I am going to edit my above post due to not stating something accurately.

 

[suitedcboy]

The big issue I see with the shipping charge as sales price thing is that you lose all protection afforded through Ebay as buyer. I bet the current stated rules are easily hidden behind when you buy something for $.99 with $99.00 shipping and then see it is not as described and you seek remedy through Ebay. You get your $.99 back.

 

[fmw]

If you don't like the concept of low prices with high shipping just pass it by. It isn't a very good way to sell and Ebay will pull the listing if they catch it. By buying from sellers who use this type of listing, you just encourage more of it.

 

[fmw]

I got a very good deal today on a brand new Akubra outback style hat advertised as new with tags - just today. The shipping was an outrageous $25 but the final bid price was only $22 for a total of $47 landed. You never know with ebay but, if it is as advertised, i'd consider that a bargain. We'll see when it arrives. Anybody know which model it might be?

 

[T Rick]

The big issue I see with the shipping charge as sales price thing is that you lose all protection afforded through Ebay as buyer. I bet the current stated rules are easily hidden behind when you buy something for $.99 with $99.00 shipping and then see it is not as described and you seek remedy through Ebay. You get your $.99 back.

Actually eBay's policy is that if you get an item and it is not as described (or not delivered at all), they will intervene, and with their buyer protection, will refund your purchase price PLUS original shipping.

I've used this system twice and gotten full refunds both times, though I can't honestly say they won't balk at such a ridiculous shipping charge (they may or not). Personally, I wouldn't buy in that case (though I did once buy 4 pair of cheap reading glasses as spares, bid one penny, shpg. $6.95).

 

[Rodkins]

I got a very good deal today on a brand new Akubra outback style hat advertised as new with tags - just today. The shipping was an outrageous $25 but the final bid price was only $22 for a total of $47 landed. You never know with ebay but, if it is as advertised, i'd consider that a bargain. We'll see when it arrives. Anybody know which model it might be?

Maybe a coober peddy?

 

[fmw]

What matters is the total price you pay. Whether it is shipping or not is immaterial. The high shipping prices don't bother me at all. I bid enough to get the Akubra for $50 total. I got it for less, possibly because someone was turned off by the shipping charge. It is the dollars that count, not the accounting.

 

[fmw]

Maybe a coober peddy?

I looked over the Morgan site and couldn't find it. The Pedy has vent holes in the side, the Pilbara doesn't have a bound edge on the brim and the Cattleman has a teardrop crease. It might be a discontinued model or one that Morgan doesn't import. Most likely the hat band is an after-market thing. I'll look forward to receiving it.

 

[gtdean48]

Maybe a coober peddy?

Looks like a Kokoda w/o vent holes & a different band. I have an older Riverina that doesn't have same band as current model....

 

[fmw]

This hat looks like it has a wider brim than the Kokoda. The Kokoda is great looking hat, though.

 

[Mobile Vulgus]

What matters is the total price you pay. Whether it is shipping or not is immaterial. It is the dollars that count, not the accounting.

Couldn't disagree more. Posit this scenario...

Two guys start bidding against each other and they get to the point where they reach a price that makes the item a good deal, but not necessarily super cheap.

The winner is happy. THEN he gets a bill finding out the the seller was charging an as-new price in the shipping section and the buyer never looked at the shipping section. Now he's paying half again more than the item is even worth band new!

This is the kind of scenario that ebay is trying to stop. They have been steadily cracking down on extremely high shipping costs. If you go to the "report this auction" tab, one of the choices they give you in the pull down menu is to report overly high shipping and handling. Ebay wold not be offering this as a complaint tab if they were not attempting to do something about the misleading practice.

Therefore, ebay does not like people starting an auction at .99 cents but charging $500 in shipping and handling!

 

[gtdean48]

This hat looks like it has a wider brim than the Kokoda. The Kokoda is great looking hat, though.

Could be just the photo angle. 83mm is about 3.25 inches which could be close to that...

 

[buler]

John Cavanagh autograph

Got John's autograph today.... on a common stock certificate. See the Cavanagh Club thread.

B

 

[scottyrocks]

If you don't like the concept of low prices with high shipping just pass it by.

That, basically, was my point.

 

[scottyrocks]

The winner is happy. THEN he gets a bill finding out the the seller was charging an as-new price in the shipping section and the buyer never looked at the shipping section. Now he's paying half again more than the item is even worth band new!

This is something I was trying to caution against. Know everything about the item and the auction - confirmed price and shipping before committing to buy. if the seller is that much of a sleazeball, at least you gave the emails to back it up and get an ebay refund. Buyers new to ebay need to be especially careful, simply due to lack of experience.