how do you use ebay?

[barrieboi]

I tried to put my boat up in ebay and it says it cost me money??????IU didnt know that???Does it or am i doin it wr ong?????

 

[DJ]

Re: how do you use ebay?

barrie,<br /><br />You are correct. It costs, especially for high dollar items.<br /><br />Low buck items just have charges for pictures and the like.

 

[FLATHEAD]

Re: how do you use ebay?

There is a flat 40 dollar fee for vehicles. I think boats fall into this.You will be charged for pictures(cheap)and if you want to put a reserve price on it. You are not charged a final value fee on vehicles. Check before you list to make sure boats fall into the vehicle catagory.

 

[Homerr]

Re: how do you use ebay?

Takes money to make money as the old saying goes.<br />That's how E-Bay gets its money.<br /><br />There is a listing fee, and a final value fee. The amount of the fees are determined on how much you list the item for and how much it sells for. <br />There is also some additional fees if you want to spruce your listing up with bold letters, gallery items etc...<br /><br />The higher the price, the more they get and so on... I'm not sure on cars and boats however...I was thinking of listing my Mustang on there, but haven't looked into the fees.<br /><br />Keep in mind when pondering the fees...How many buyers will be looking at your item versus the few in your local paper? I don't know about your local paper, but mine is outrageous to place an ad. Keep in mind the economy in your area too.<br /><br />I don't mind the fees, and I never add 'handling fees' or jack the shipping up to make up for those fees unlike a lot of other sellers.<br /> <br />I flat WON'T buy from a seller who is obviously making a profit with shipping. I don't care how good the deal is. <br />That's just plain wrong, and it's too bad E-Bay couldn't impose some kind of rule on that(IMO).<br /><br />My 2-cents...<br /><br />H.

 

[11 footer]

Re: how do you use ebay?

From my time on ebay, they only charge big on items that sell for big bux. The most expensive thing that I've sold was a 300wat AMP, the amp sold for around 90bucks. I was only charged a listing fee of a few bucks.<br /><br />Homerr,<br />I have seen first hand what you are saying about sellers makeing a profit in shipping. I was the high bidder on a small plastic sign, the seller said in the auction that the shipping cost would be astablished at the end of the auction. I get a email asking for 17bucks on a 4 doller item To put the iceing on the cake I shipped almost the same thing for 3bucks the week before. I told the seller this and he got all mad and said that its for shipping + the handeling. I told him to take his sine and stick it were the sun don't shine. He has not left me negitive feedback yet......and if he knows whats good for him he better not<br />

 

[SlowlySinking]

Re: how do you use ebay?

I love ebay and could be a shill, the local paper charges $17 for a 4 day 3 line ad and no pictures, eBay charges 30 cents for a 7 day ad with one picture and up to 30 million potential customers world wide, plus with eBay I get the highest price and the buyer pays the shipping, the local paper gets me some guy calling at dinner time and beating the price down, easy choice. It's worth the learning curve and fees.

 

[neumanns]

Re: how do you use ebay?

I recently posted a 10 foot jonboat with motor on ebay and set the reserve at a respectable amount and the bids got to within $100 so I blew 40 bucks and did not sell but I would highly recomend them as perhaps my reserve was slightly high

 

[Homerr]

Re: how do you use ebay?

The same thing goes on PriceWatch too with the shipping. At least they let you report them if the vendor is purposely selling an item cheap and charging a 'questionable' shipping rate.<br /><br />READ YOUR EBAY AUCTION CAREFULLY! before you bid for sure. It is legal and binding. <br /><br />Like I say..I don't bid AT ALL for the high shipping rate auctions. In fact, I sometimes send the seller an e-mail with a shipping quote from the farthest point from where they are. It's typically much cheaper than what they are charging in their auction! <br /><br />Needless to say...I've received a few disgruntled replies... <br /><br />H.

 

[roscoe]

Re: how do you use ebay?

So Homerr, what is too high a shipping price? What would be acceptable for say a new 55# small outboard motor, in factory box? Just curious on what you think is too high.<br /><br />Or a small transom mounted trolling motor? It only weighed 18#, but because of size, it cost $19 plus packaging, to ship it 400 miles. And about 45 minutes of my time to package it, and drop it off at UPS. I charged $25 shipping and lost a few bucks. I really would have lost money if it had to ship 1500 miles.

 

[rogerwa]

Re: how do you use ebay?

I agree that some ebayers make profit on the shipping, but I will still purchase the item if the cost of the item and the shipping is a good deal. If not I walk. It's buyer beware out there. This is no different going to a highly hyped sale and finding out the prices were increased before taking 50%-70% off.<br /><br />I was recently looking at air compressors on e-bay. I noticed some selling off brands for good prices, yet charging $55 in shipping. I didn't bite. What I get was a compressor from a seller on ebay that sold stuff on behalf of the mfg. Shipping came directly from the Mfg for $19. For a 70lb item thats pretty good. All in all I saved $50 over what I could find locally - pre-tax.

 

[Homerr]

Re: how do you use ebay?

I would ONLY charge exactly what your carrier would charge. If FedEx says it's $5, then I only charge $5. <br /><br />I understand what you mean about the weight and size limits etc... In a case of a large motor, I would get an exact quote from your carrier before I let your buyer know.<br /><br />If there was a special item that required special packaging, I could understand charging the customer for it.<br /><br />And you're exactly right...BUYER BEWARE!<br />The auction is a contract. What you see is what you get (and agree to).<br /><br />I typically check local prices on large items before I shop EBay. In some cases it would be cheaper to buy it locally and let the store eat the shipping. <br /><br />H.

 

[NathanY]

Re: how do you use ebay?

I sell alot of stuff on Ebay, infact I have a boat and a motorcycle on there now. It cost me 40 bucks to list a 800 dollar boat, and 25 bucks to list a 6000 dollar bike? Go figure. Big stuff like that I dont ship, but little stuff, I charge exact shipping, and I charge exactly what it costs for me to buy a box and bubble wrap, I think that is very fair.

 

[roscoe]

Re: how do you use ebay?

I try to keep it pretty close as I usually know the shipping rate within a $ before I list item. I had a buyer complain to me for charging $7 s/h when the ups charge was only $6.20. This was ona $100 item, and he wanted to argue about 80 cents. Oh well.<br /><br />On most items, even over sized/weight, I like to have the fixed shipping cost on the auction. That way there are no surprises, and the bids tend to go higher.<br />Shipping by priority mail is a little tougher now as they are charging by the distance for anything over 1 pound.

 

[Capt Ken]

Re: how do you use ebay?

I usually put a blanket cost on the shipping when I sell items on E Bay. I found that using USPS Priorty was the easiest and cheapest way to go, plus the package is picked up by our regular mailman. Being we print our own mailing labels on line through the USPS, we have to buy the special stick on labels which run us about .75 each. We then have the cost to Pitney Boyes for the stamp machine so we can print the correct postage and then the strapping tape costs. Usually we get about $2 more to defray those costs. Usually the cost range anywhere between $5 and $10 depending on size and weight. Now when buying from E Bay and the seller starts putting freight + handling in there, I get real cautious. I just tried to buy a T90 transmission from a guy in NY on E Bay. He wanted $135 + freight + handling. I check on the freight and found it to be $24.33 UPS Ground so I offered him $125 for the transmission and $25 freight. He wanted $75 freight so I bowed out of the deal. At this time he still has no bid on the transmission.

 

[Homerr]

Re: how do you use ebay?

Have you checked FedEx prices? It's not as bad as you think.<br /><br />They aren't bad. I'm signed up with them to print pre-paid labels and such. Works great, and it's usually cheaper on larger items.<br /><br />LOL! Don't the sellers get angry when you quote them the REAL shipping price!<br /><br />Like I said...You make profit off shipping, I don't buy from you.<br /><br />H.

 

[SeaMasterZ@aol.com]

Re: how do you use ebay?

I am thinking about dabbling into the ebay venue<br /><br />I DO believe that my time and the gas I spend in Ye Olde Guzzler taking yon packages to the postal joint to get weighed and trayed is worth a LITTLE something, hence the HANDLING aspect<br /><br />if im selling junk that goes into a manilla envelope, and stuffed in the mailbox out front, fine, postage it is<br /><br />I have to leave the house, handling change<br /><br />period<br /><br />but thats my way, what ever way works for yall, go for it!

 

[pjc]

Re: how do you use ebay?

if yer gonna sell on ebay make sure you accept paypal for pay. every item i've sold was paid for using paypal. also, depending on nature of item, i list as "will ship international, email for shipping cost". be sure to check on customs policy of country yer gonna ship to though.

 

[SeaFoam]

Re: how do you use ebay?

Barrie, how the heck do you think Ebay makes Billions of dollars in sales per year? If it were free they would be out of business! LOL

 

[lakelover]

Re: how do you use ebay?

If you're a seller, you really have to know your shipping method and figure out your packaging and shipping costs ahead of time. It didn't take long to learn that it's easy to underestimate shipping charges when I ended up losing money after a couple visits to the Post Office, so you better cover yourself. But, I don't believe in making a profit in shipping, just make sure you cover all your costs. I always list a firm shipping cost in my auctions. If I screw up on a quoted shipping rate, I eat the cost.<br /><br />In buying, I NEVER bid on an item without first knowing the shipping costs for just the reason Ryan T mentions. There's always somebody willing to screw you. <br /><br />In two years on ebay, I was just stiffed for the first time, but luckily only for $38.

 

[marty_scher]

Re: how do you use ebay?

Nearly everybody charges a bit more than actual shipping price. It is, after all, "shipping and handling".<br /><br />I usually set a fixed s&h charge(US), as bidders get a better feeling of the total cost. Make or lose a buck on a $100 item. For international, I just figure shipping and add a buck or two.<br /><br />Some power sellers look to profit from s&h. That may be fine if you consider it into your bid price. You can still come out ahead.