Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Don
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I've just checked the postage rates posted by a few of the sellers. Some are great at putting out just what they charge and what methods of payment are acceptable. Others only state what method of payment they will accept, not what the actual costs are. No wonder you are trying to figure things out. When you click on any stamp in the auction it brings up a page with a better image of the stamp(s) and all the payment info is listed a bit below that. If there is something you would be interested in bidding on but not sure of the mailing costs, contact the buyer and ask. Good luck.
Gro
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Excellent advice, Gro.
Doesn't it make good sense for a seller to be very clear about shipping costs? As a buyer I sometimes walk away from buying if those terms are not shown because I don't want to be stuck with an outrageous shipping charge.
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And I have found non-specified shipping (and PayPal) charges to be a real problem with many of the auctions I've looked at. In one case, I finally asked an auction seller about his shipping charges, and I couldn't even figure out what the actual charges would be once I received his reply. I've pretty much given up looking through the auctions.
I'm with Philatelia -- when I sell, I'm explicit about the shipping charges. No guessing, no matter how small or large the order, whether US, Canada or elsewhere. Just a flat-rate for each of those destinations. If the actual cost is more, I figure it's a cost of doing business for a larger/heavier order.
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I have found that just having 2 shipping rates, 1 for US addresses and 1 for all others, works out fine. I also have an another charge per lot after the 1st 10 lots but tend to discount this amount quite a bit if I have a supply of mint no gum postage I can use to cover the additional cost. I already include an amount in my base fee to cover all or most of any Paypal fee, so no need to even mention one. In fact, I tend to give buyers a discount for cash/check payments if I know from experience that that is how they pay their invoices.
Sellers need to use the KISS (Keep it simple, simple) method while selling, it saves a lot of questions and leads to long term customers, which is what you want to have.
Mike in NC / meostamps
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"Sellers need to use the KISS (Keep it simple, simple) "
I thought KISS meant "Keep it simple, Stupid!"
Your version is the kinder, gentler version. Mine is the blue collar version Haha. Login to Like
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Theresa, either version works for me, as long as the other guy gets it right!!!
Mike in NC / meostamps
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Selling rules on SOR state that if a shipping cost isn't given, then shipping is presumed to be at cost. However, I would have no problem if that rule was deleted, and sellers were required to state their shipping fees. That is standard in all types of mail order selling, and should not be a guessing game for buyers.
Personally, I do not buy from a seller who doesn't state a shipping fee. Also, I would presume that if there is no shipping fee stated in the seller's terms and conditions or the item/book description, that the default would be that shipping is free.
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Dave,
when you say shipping and paypal costs are a problem, do you mean that they are expensive, more expensive than they should be, confusing, unstated, or something else?
There is one seller whose descriptions leave me puzzled, but only one. Everyone else is clear; everyone else is fair (in my opinion); and compared to the bulk of eBay sellers, we're exceptionally inexpensive in our fulfillment costs.
I thought our terms left nothing to the imagination; it's the cost of franking a lot, unless otherwise stated.
David
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David --
Thanks for your reply!
I meant "confusing, unstated, or something else".
Let me dig around a little bit to find that seller again, and hopefully the email he sent when I asked for clarification.
I'll just send this information to you privately. Perhaps it will be clearer to you, and that I'm just getting stuck in some of the verbiage. But this is a prolific seller, it seems especially in the categories that I'm often the most interested in.
-- Dave
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02:23:03pm
I've only been here a few days and browsing all over to see what's going on. I have seen some approvals with shipping costs explained and other books with no explanation. Where does one place this information? If there is no explanation, then what? I also have not seen anything about sales tax.
Don
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re: Shipping Costs
I've just checked the postage rates posted by a few of the sellers. Some are great at putting out just what they charge and what methods of payment are acceptable. Others only state what method of payment they will accept, not what the actual costs are. No wonder you are trying to figure things out. When you click on any stamp in the auction it brings up a page with a better image of the stamp(s) and all the payment info is listed a bit below that. If there is something you would be interested in bidding on but not sure of the mailing costs, contact the buyer and ask. Good luck.
Gro
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re: Shipping Costs
Excellent advice, Gro.
Doesn't it make good sense for a seller to be very clear about shipping costs? As a buyer I sometimes walk away from buying if those terms are not shown because I don't want to be stuck with an outrageous shipping charge.
Login to Like
this post
re: Shipping Costs
And I have found non-specified shipping (and PayPal) charges to be a real problem with many of the auctions I've looked at. In one case, I finally asked an auction seller about his shipping charges, and I couldn't even figure out what the actual charges would be once I received his reply. I've pretty much given up looking through the auctions.
I'm with Philatelia -- when I sell, I'm explicit about the shipping charges. No guessing, no matter how small or large the order, whether US, Canada or elsewhere. Just a flat-rate for each of those destinations. If the actual cost is more, I figure it's a cost of doing business for a larger/heavier order.
Login to Like
this post
re: Shipping Costs
I have found that just having 2 shipping rates, 1 for US addresses and 1 for all others, works out fine. I also have an another charge per lot after the 1st 10 lots but tend to discount this amount quite a bit if I have a supply of mint no gum postage I can use to cover the additional cost. I already include an amount in my base fee to cover all or most of any Paypal fee, so no need to even mention one. In fact, I tend to give buyers a discount for cash/check payments if I know from experience that that is how they pay their invoices.
Sellers need to use the KISS (Keep it simple, simple) method while selling, it saves a lot of questions and leads to long term customers, which is what you want to have.
Mike in NC / meostamps
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this post
re: Shipping Costs
"Sellers need to use the KISS (Keep it simple, simple) "
I thought KISS meant "Keep it simple, Stupid!"
Your version is the kinder, gentler version. Mine is the blue collar version Haha. Login to Like
this post
re: Shipping Costs
Theresa, either version works for me, as long as the other guy gets it right!!!
Mike in NC / meostamps
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07:44:02pm
re: Shipping Costs
Selling rules on SOR state that if a shipping cost isn't given, then shipping is presumed to be at cost. However, I would have no problem if that rule was deleted, and sellers were required to state their shipping fees. That is standard in all types of mail order selling, and should not be a guessing game for buyers.
Personally, I do not buy from a seller who doesn't state a shipping fee. Also, I would presume that if there is no shipping fee stated in the seller's terms and conditions or the item/book description, that the default would be that shipping is free.
Login to Like
this post
re: Shipping Costs
Dave,
when you say shipping and paypal costs are a problem, do you mean that they are expensive, more expensive than they should be, confusing, unstated, or something else?
There is one seller whose descriptions leave me puzzled, but only one. Everyone else is clear; everyone else is fair (in my opinion); and compared to the bulk of eBay sellers, we're exceptionally inexpensive in our fulfillment costs.
I thought our terms left nothing to the imagination; it's the cost of franking a lot, unless otherwise stated.
David
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this post
re: Shipping Costs
David --
Thanks for your reply!
I meant "confusing, unstated, or something else".
Let me dig around a little bit to find that seller again, and hopefully the email he sent when I asked for clarification.
I'll just send this information to you privately. Perhaps it will be clearer to you, and that I'm just getting stuck in some of the verbiage. But this is a prolific seller, it seems especially in the categories that I'm often the most interested in.
-- Dave
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this post