/ Register

eBay/UPS Hilarity, or, How I Learned To START Worrying (And Read Ads Carefully)

Discussion in 'Off Topic [BG]' started by HubbardsFate, Oct 31, 2016.

Tags:
  1. Oct 31, 2016 #1
    HubbardsFate

    HubbardsFate

    Oct 18, 2006
    So I was wasting time scoping out some basses on the 'Bay earlier and came across this:

    IMG_20161031_123128029_HDR.jpg

    It's a Samick bass, one of the models made in conjunction with Valley Arts Guitars. I am currently in no position/have no need to be buying another bass, BUT, the current bid was at less than $100 (Canadian), and based on the fact that it's a Valley Arts model (and the auction was winding down), I was half tempted to keep an eye on it and bid anyways...until I looked at the projected shipping cost to Canada:

    IMG_20161031_123134525.jpg

    $454 USD/$607 CAD. As if I didn't already have enough reason to be leery of both Ebay and UPS...and the funniest part? It's "UPS Worldwide SAVER" :roflmao:

    Discuss!:bassist::laugh:
     
    Last edited: Nov 1, 2016
  2. Oct 31, 2016 #2
    Gaolee

    Gaolee Official leathers tester and crash dummy

    Jan 13, 2010
    Seattle, Great North Wet
    The seller is hoping somebody doesn't read the fine print.
     
  3. Oct 31, 2016 #3
    HubbardsFate

    HubbardsFate

    Oct 18, 2006
    Apparently! :laugh:
     
  4. Oct 31, 2016 #4
    RoadRanger

    RoadRanger Supporting Member

    Feb 18, 2004
    NE CT
    Maybe they just hate Canadians eh? ;)

    I looked it up and with 8 minutes left Shipping is $32.35 to me :p
     
  5. Oct 31, 2016 #5
    HubbardsFate

    HubbardsFate

    Oct 18, 2006
    :bored:
     
  6. Oct 31, 2016 #6
    HubbardsFate

    HubbardsFate

    Oct 18, 2006
    Oops, I just zoomed in on the headstock, turns out I was wrong, this isn't one of the Valley Arts models...so it didn't even have that going for it...:roflmao:
     
  7. Oct 31, 2016 #7
    hbarcat

    hbarcat Supporting Member

    Aug 24, 2006
    Rochelle, Illinois
    ebay fees are a percentage of the sale price so many sellers have been grossly overcharging for shipping to keep the sale price down and pay lower fees.

    eBay caught on to this and they apparently have some way to charge fees on the seller for excessive shipping costs.
     
  8. Oct 31, 2016 #8
    HubbardsFate

    HubbardsFate

    Oct 18, 2006
    Gotcha. Good to know. Not planning on any eBay transactions anytime soon, but when and if I ever do again (unlikely, at least with cross-border shopping, given the exchange rate), I will be looking at shipping cost very closely...(I make a point of that anyways...)
     
  9. Oct 31, 2016 #9
    BadJazz

    BadJazz Totally Elite Hyper-Member Supporting Member

    Nov 29, 2007
    Eugene, Oregon
    eBay's current cost is a 10% of the "winning" bid AND the shipping. The shipping charge RoadRanger listed above is consistent with shipping rates I've had recently. One thing you can do with ebay is oversize/weight the item when you list it so the charge is higher. When you get paid you can ship through ebay (using USPS, UPS, or FedEx, who I almost always use) and re-size/re-weigh the package, and get a 15% discount for shipping with eBay. You get charged for the actual cost of the shipment and keep the difference. Quite often it is enough to cover the entire charge, so you wind up selling it with no fees.
     
    elgecko likes this.
  10. Nov 1, 2016 #10
    HubbardsFate

    HubbardsFate

    Oct 18, 2006
    Ugh, really?? If I make a $2000 sale, eBay makes $200 off of me?!? Have I said "ugh" yet? :vomit:
     
  11. Nov 1, 2016 #11
    bholder

    bholder Affable Sociopath Gold Supporting Member Supporting Member

    Sep 2, 2001
    Vestal, NY
    Received a gift from Sire* (see sig)
    Which is explicitly against eBay policy, but don't expect them to actually do anything for a seller running this scam. I remember getting snagged by a bogus "Buy It Now" cat tree for $5 - with $195 shipping in small print. Grrrrrr. :mad:
     
  12. Nov 1, 2016 #12
    HubbardsFate

    HubbardsFate

    Oct 18, 2006
    I hope you gave the guy negative feedback...that seems so f%$king scammy to me...:meh::sour:
     
  13. Nov 1, 2016 #13
    bholder

    bholder Affable Sociopath Gold Supporting Member Supporting Member

    Sep 2, 2001
    Vestal, NY
    Received a gift from Sire* (see sig)
    I believe I did, but I was more annoyed at eBay for not doing anything about the seller. This was a long time ago now, things may have changed since.
     
  14. Nov 1, 2016 #14
    HubbardsFate

    HubbardsFate

    Oct 18, 2006
    My only experience with eBay has been as a seller, and only twice in something like four years at that. I have a few items (not basses) that I am thinking about selling, but I will exhaust every other option first. I'll be damned if I'll hand over 10% of my sale AND shipping price to someone if I don't have to...
     
  15. Nov 1, 2016 #15
    BadJazz

    BadJazz Totally Elite Hyper-Member Supporting Member

    Nov 29, 2007
    Eugene, Oregon
    It changed a few years ago. To recap: ebay now charges 10% of the bid AND shipping charge to prevent out of balance shipping costs to scammy sellers.