I personally don't agree with hiding the amount of postage paid on shipping labels, which is why I also click the box to display the amount of postage paid.   In fact I want my buyers to look at this amount so they realize just what postage costs.   So many buyers don't realize the actual cost and rate sellers poorly on this.

According to ebay rules, any fees are supposed to be figured into the selling price.  But sellers are allowed to add on a small handling fee.  This handling fee is ONLY supposed to cover any shipping supplies necessary for mailing out your package.   This rule is violated more times than I could count on ebay.  

While it's your choice if you wish to buy from buyers who jack up shipping costs, but either way you should know how to figure out what actual postage was on a package that you received even if that dollar amount is hidden.

Look at this image as an example so you know what to look for.   It's a package that I received from another ebay seller.  You will want to look at this bit of information that is in the red box.

Now you need to go to the USPS web site.  Per ebay rules I'm not allowed to give the exact address but I think it's easy enough to figure out or you can use your favorite search engine to find it.

Once on the web site you will find at link towards the top of the page that says "calculate postage" you will want to choose that option.  After you are directed to the new page you will want to choose the domestic shipping option.

Now you just need to enter some basic information.  

Choose the size/shape of your package.  This does make a difference.

Now you need to look on your shipping label in that area highlighted in red and find the weight of your package and enter the number of pounds and ounces.

Now you need to remember this packaged was shipped from the sellers zip code to your zip code so again look at that area in red to find the zip code the package was mailed from and enter that into the "from zip code" and your zip code in the "to zip code".

Then to calculate the shipping click "continue" at the bottom of the page.

The next page you will be given a set of option and you can look to see what class your package was mailed and how it fits on the postage calculator page to see what the seller actually paid in shipping.   Since they do now offer a slight discount for postage bought online, don't be to hard on the seller for that small amount.

Now you can simply do the math and figure what you paid the seller and what was actually paid to find out how big the handling fee was and if it was justifiable.

Now if the seller had to purchase a box, plus bubble wrap or packing peanuts or other packing material please take that into consideration.   Those items don't come free and are not always cheap.   Plus many sellers like myself also purchase sticker labels for printing postage and those are not cheap either.   Not to mention the cost of ink for printers as well.  

Handling fee's should not include the cost of running packages up to the post office.   Because you can also go on the USPS web site and request a carrier pickup at your home for free.  And in that request you specify the number of packages and the weight.   And my personal mail man actually requested that I do this because he gets paid extra when I request a pickup at my home through the USPS web site.   So now unless a package needs to get out and I've missed my mail man (especially during the holidays) I have my mail man pick them all up in my garage.  But according to ebay rules the handling fee is only to cover packing supplies.

Because I sometimes use my own boxes that I purchase, and other times I use the free priority mail boxes.  And some items require special packing material, I have decided to add a .99 cent handling fee.  In the end this all balances out, and it's not an outrageous amount to be adding.

Now I'm not saying you need to leave the seller a neutral or heaven forbid a negative feedback comment over this.   Because you did agree to paying that shipping amount when you placed your bid or used the BIN option.  But instead use the star chart as it was intended  to display your feelings about shipping and handling and the sellers performance.

What buyers need to know now that ebay is encouraging buyers to be "more honest" with sellers is that a neutral is no longer a neutral where it use to not count either way.   It may not affect the sellers score in terms of the main number.  But it now affects their % score the same way a negative does. 

For example i've been proud of my 100% feedback, until this new change, and because of 1 customer who couldn't be pleased i'm now at 99.6% because she left a neutral comment.

So please only leave neutrals when they are truely justified.  And a negative when they are really deserved.  And when leaving those written comments please stick to the facts if there were problems.

And think of the results that your comment could have on the seller.  Was it really the sellers fault?  Or did the postal company that handled your package do the damage.  Keep all those things in mind.

Thanks for reading this and I hope you learned a little something.

~kris