TimmyT 

I've seen this seller's items before, and I PAAS'ed, too.

Normally, for something that is going to get a lot of bids, I will snipe. This gives me time to figure out how bad I actually want the product. If I think it's worth $40 + shipping, for example, everything gets totaled, including the PAAS, and my bid is set up accordingly.

Lately, I've found myself using the BIN.

big chainring 

I gotta start doing this in my business. It seems to be the thing to do. I'm always put back by businesses that charge you extra to take your money. A convenience fee. Convenient for them.

And now everytime I get my car repaired there is a EPA fee of some kind. And don't get me started on school fees!

JReade

I've left neutral feedback and included a comment about shipping charges and excessive packaging. It was a spindle, in a bubble envelope, then put in a 8x2 box. The shipping price was listed in the auction, which I wasn't pleased about, but then to see it so high because they manufacture a reason for it to be high? Cmon

badger_biker 

Good for you. That is a totally B$ policy in my mind. I totally disagree with the eBay policy of tacking on surchages to shipping costs but this is going way overboard to recover that. By the time you figure in these costs you could buy a new item from someone else.

Daveyates

I don't actually think it's too bad as he/she are being straight up about it.
I think the terms are worded wrong and reworded would be better.

top506

Cape Elizabeth; what do you expect?

Top

thenomad

Other than adding a bunch of explanation in the description what's the problem?
Interesting study in psychology. They overexplained it, giving the buyer reason to argue and disagree. This is why its usually not explained in detail.
Should have just left it at $24 shipping and been done.

Item lists at $50 with "free shipping!" and its an great deal.
Item lists at $45 with $5 shipping and its an ok deal but I'm not used to paying for shipping.
Item lists at $35 with $15 shipping that includes sealing with transparent adhesive backed vinyl strips and it's suddenly highway robbery that they'd try to get me to pay for such rediculousness...

Either way its $50 for you and the item you wanted. the 'bay charges fees on the final amount, including shipping so they are not getting anything over on "FeeBay".

They are banking on the psychology of value added to bring in customers, may work for some, not for others.

How many times have I read about supporting the LBS or that Italian bikes are in fact worth that much (flame on )

himespau 

What they're banking on is someone getting excited and seeing a lower price and not noticing the shipping charges, just assuming it'll be normal flat rate amounts. Then they include the explanation of why it's higher so you don't have a leg to complain from when you get butthurt about paying $10+ more than you expected.

lostarchitect 

It does matter, because inexperienced buyers might not check the fine print. Yes, buyer beware and all that, but it's still deceptive.

Daveyates

I'm sorry but you are completely wrong.
There is no "fine print" in this auction.
Fine print is a deceptive way to fool someone by using small type or obscure words that most people don't understand.
After checking some of the listings the extra charges take up about 80% of the whole listing.
Nothing is hidden and everything is explained in detail so the buyer knows exactly what costs they charge.

Whether you agree with them or not is one thing but you can't call them deceptive or having hidden charges in fine print.

The Golden Boy 

Not at all.

It's being added to the shipping. So instead of being assessed fees for putting the item up for sale, as every other seller is, this guy is adding it to the shipping and handling charges which is against eBay policy.

What items and actions allowed to be covered in the shipping charges are outlined in the eBay policy.

iab

Fine print?

The cost of shipping is clearly listed about a half inch directly below the price. It is not buried on the 64th page of a 66 page document.

So are you saying the seller is responsible for the buyer to read?

iab

So I went to the ebay sellers center. I went to the shipping section, basic and advanced. There was nothing there saying what and what not can be charged for shipping.

Where is this policy?

The Golden Boy 

Try eBay Selling Practices Policy and the Shipping And Handling Costs section. It even has a nice chart.

ScottRyder 

Be nice ...

Scott

repechage

I reread an auction. For a set of Avid disc calipers. The PAAS fee is clear, BUT I am not sure if it is rolled into the shipping or not. Shipping to my zip was 15.95 which may or may not include this PAAS add on fee. It was not clear to me, so earlier when I encountered it in a different auction, I just smiled and waved and went elsewhere.

In a related matter, they may or may not be running differently than ebay regarding a returned item. Quote:

"Frame and Wheel tries hard to produce accurate and correct product descriptions and offers a full refund for items that are described inaccurately or incorrectly. Frame and Wheel refunds the final value price on items if the buyer has a change of heart about the purchase (wrong color, don’t need it, etc), but does not refund shipping and handling. Frame and Wheel is reasonable and human. Please contact Frame and Wheel about any problems or concerns before issuing a negative rating. Thank you for your understanding."

The line about contacting them before you give out a negative rating is an interesting crawl back that they are worried about that and/or know in a dispute their policies won't fly.

ScottRyder 

I don't read it that way, don't they just want the opportunity to make the transaction satisfactory to the buyer?

Scott

iab

Took a while, but I found it.

In it, it clearly states special handling charges are allowed. Then it states,

So by stating what you get, the OP seller is following ebay policy.

The Golden Boy 

It's clearly getting around the seller's fees.

Enjoy.

16Victor

I just put a note in every listing "actual shipping cost charged." Eliminates a lot of BS on both ends and I think it helps my results a wee bit. Life's too short to chisel for every penny.

thenomad

They are explaining why it is not merely $5 to ship, but why it is $16 to ship.
They are not explaining an ADDITIONAL charge that avoids ebay fees.
They will get shut down if they ask for more than ebay's final number is as "FeeBay" wants a piece of that pie and will shut them down FAST if they are circumventing.

I dont care about defending them but seems pretty simple to me. I wouldn't do it, I'd just charge more for the item. Hey, some people still think listing at $1 and shipping is $49 to total $50 is the way to go.

realestvin7

First thing that popped in to my head. Who's with me?

bykemike 

this seller is doing what we all do on eBay except he is making a mistake by throwing it in the potential customers face. He should be wrapping these fees in his minimum opening bid and keeping quiet about it. No big deal,just the cost of doing business.

iab

So you would rather ebay get more money than some schmuck selling on ebay?

I root for the schmuck. **** ebay.

miamijim

Transparent? Yes, I agree.

In my profession we have something called the 'standard of care'. It can be a local 'standard of care' or a national 'standard of care'. The seller isn't following any standard of selling, he's on his own unqiue island in the middle of nowhere.

I agree, there are a lot of sellers who do nothing, they post 1 crappy VGA pic and list with no description. I clean everything, research everything, post multiple 5mp pictures. I sell 'buy now' only and offer free shipping on everything. And you know what? I get top dollar for my parts...the guy who writes crap ads get bottom dollar. If you put the work into it you get results out of it.