Don't be a victim of sellers who charge excessive shipping & handling fees on the items they sell.  Most buyers expect a nominal $1-$2 charge for handling, but some sellers routinely charge $10, $20, $30 or more over the cost of regular delivery.  You can find plenty of discounted items to buy on eBay - just check the shipping & handling fees before you hit that "Bid (or Buy) Now" button.  

Why do some sellers overcharge on shipping & handling fees?  To make more money, that is obvious, but these sellers are cheating to get more money.  Here's how they do it, and how they get away with it.

1.  eBay encourages sellers to start their auctions low to attract and encourage lots of bidders.  This is the excitement of eBay!!   Dishonest sellers rely on bidders getting caught up in the excitement of finding and bidding on their item and failing to check out the shipping & handling fees they will have to pay if they win.  Then the bidding ends and the buyer pays (ouch)!

2.  eBay only charges seller fees on the listing price and the final sale price.  No eBay fees are charged on shipping & handling fees.  Dishonest sellers offer "Buy It Now" items at ridiculously low prices, like $.01 or $.99 , then add on a $5.00 handling fee + shipping charges.  This is how they avoid eBay fees.  Sure, the buyer would probably pay the same total price if item were priced a little higher and the shipping were lowered to a more realistic amount, but why reward bad behavior?  Cheating is cheating, whether the seller is cheating the buyer, eBay or both.

  Knowledge is Power.  This old saying is truer today than ever before.  Here are some tips to help you avoid being victim to dishonest sellers

1.  Know what your item weighs, how is it likely to be packaged, and from where it will be shipped.  Check the shipping company websites.  A quick click can give you some idea of the actual shipping rates.   

Want your item fast?  An MP3 player can ship UPS overnight for around $30.00. Beware the seller charging $50 and up for overnight shipping. 

 2.  Check the seller's feedback. Some buyers leave positive feedback but convey negative remarks, such as "great product -paid for overnight shipping- took 2 weeks", and of course read the negative remarks. 

3.  Know the item's market value and what you are willing to pay to get it.   Do your homework.  Read the auction's fine print before you bid.  If shipping & handling fees aren't provided or aren't clear to you, email the seller.  If they don't respond, don't bid. 

Don't be afraid to ask a seller to adjust their handling fee - sometimes they do.

4.  Know about other fees that add to the item's final cost.   Insurance and sales taxes can also add to the price of the item.  You will probably want insurance on a high-end item, and you can verify the rates the seller charges at the USPS website.  Sales tax is another cost that may be added to your item's final price.  If you are unsure if the seller should be charging you sales tax, just look up his state's sales tax laws online. 

The best way to get rid of dishonest sellers is to not bid on or buy their items. 

Bargains are everywhere on eBay, just remember to

Know what you want;

Know what it is worth;

Know how much it costs to get the item to you; and

Know how much you can afford to pay to get it.

_________________________________________________________________

Was this guide helpful?  If so, I appreciate your vote.  Thank You.

You are always welcome at Carol's Tag Sale. 

Come by and check out the great prices on sewing patterns
and all sorts of items.
    
  Visit me at my eBay store ...because Saving Money is Good!