Greedy TH vendors dealers, $18 postage on a booklet?

BloodyBelle

Full Member
Aug 22, 2010
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I was looking for a book yesterday. Saw it at Blue something. Blue Mountain something? A place that sells equipment and books.

Felt okay with the price, but upon checkout it was something like 18 bucks shipping Priority mail. No media mail option. Parcel post is no cheaper than PM really.

Then I found out this booklet would weigh 3 oz. max including packaging.

I sent them a "you Gotta Be Kidding" email but they didn't write back. I didn't expect they would.

So I thought about the inflated shipping game, as they claimed to have a presence on ebay. I then entered an order for 20 copies to see if they only had one and it was rare. For 20 shipping was about a dollar more.

Beware of this outfit. The Blue Meanies.

Vendors are really scary in a big recession.
 

Shortstack

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Jan 22, 2007
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Thanks for the heads up BB. Wish you could find that book on Amazon. Check out this book seller's website. They have a fixed shipping and handling charge that I think you'll like. See if they have your book. I've bought books from them before and have no complaints. Check out their booklist and see if there are another ones you might be interested. Also, you can get on their mailing list to receive their printed catalog. They buy out over runs and over stock from different companies and I think they are better and easier to deal with than Overstock.com.

http://edwardrhamilton.com/
 

curbdiggercarl57

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Shortstack said:
Thanks for the heads up BB. Wish you could find that book on Amazon. Check out this book seller's website. They have a fixed shipping and handling charge that I think you'll like. See if they have your book. I've bought books from them before and have no complaints. Check out their booklist and see if there are another ones you might be interested. Also, you can get on their mailing list to receive their printed catalog. They buy out over runs and over stock from different companies and I think they are better and easier to deal with than Overstock.com.

http://edwardrhamilton.com/

Thanks for this site. Looks real nice.
Carl
 

slowNsteady

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Shipping cost can be a deal breaker for me. I've found that everywhere these days, you have to watch out for shipping costs. Ebay has always been a notorious place for overinflated shipping. People get caught up in the moment, see a great deal, and just don't look at extra costs. Sellers know this and use it to their advantage. Even reputable dealers do it. Just have to shop where you can get a fair deal.
 

NoNeck

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I always try half.com for books. media mail for 13 oz or less is like $2.57, Priority is $4.95. Even to ship intenational is like around $13.00 so heck yea them charging $18.00 they are profiting on the shipping and that is not right. I'm an ebay seller and only charge what it does cost.
 

kenley

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I have been sending 12 to 15# packages to Iraq and Afganstan twice a month for over two years for $14.00
 

Woodland Detectors

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That's a good point!
Recently my wife went to ebay to find our daughter some dresses. She had found a good deal but failed to check the shipping cost.
I Ralph Lauren baby dress 5.00 shipping 20.00!!!!!!
 

PaulP_WestKY

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Aug 20, 2010
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Ebay sellers shift the cost to shipping because the sales commission they have to pay is calculated on the item price alone and shipping is not included in the calculation. I used to sell there a lot and have seen competitor's items sell for $1.00 with a $100.00 shipping charge! Many of those who play that way are shysters from the get go.

I find most big book sellers/reselers on Amazon will go a flat $4.50 shipping regardless of the cost of the book. Some ship priority for that and some media mail, but on the whole I found it reasonable.

Paul P.
 

OP
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BloodyBelle

BloodyBelle

Full Member
Aug 22, 2010
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To 4H and to Paul,

I used to sell and buy on eBay years ago, before it turned into Walmart. It used to be a great place; a community.

I tried to be a buyer only, later on, but with all the games sellers play, like with the grossly inflated shipping it turned out to be an excessively time-consuming and fruitless endeavor. So I haven't gone back to selling there but I'm making a slow comeback to selling. Why not on eBay? My hypothesis is this: If other shoppers have as hard of a time as I have to spend money it's reasonable to think there are less people shopping there. And that's not good for me as a seller.

eBay quickly pounces on these sellers--the inflated shipping people--when someone takes the time to report them for "fee avoidance" which it is.
 

Iron Patch

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Hear complaints all the time and don't understand.... two words.... Buyer Beware! To buy something and not figure out your bottom line, well.... is just dumb. Who is anyone to tell a seller what they can, and can't do with their own business. (apart from Ebay policy) I see something on Ebay, read the terms, ask the seller about it if necessary, then decide if I want the item. If they tell me a crazy amount for shipping then I walk away, unless it's still a deal then I'll pay the $13! like I did to have a single coin shipped that I wan for under $5.00. To his credit (the fool) spent $8 of it for registered post to cover himself in the event a sub $5.00 coin went missing. I think the worst people to deal with aren't the ones who are charging high shipping to avoid fees, it's the ones who have so little common sense there's not even any point to talk to them.
 

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