eBay allows sellers to charge reasonable handling charges in addition to the actual shipping charges required to get the item from them to their customer.  Now, there appear to be some who have a different opinion of “reasonable” than do I.  That is to be expected.  But, what I did not anticipate, was that there appear to be major differences of opinion on what constitutes, “actual shipping costs.” 

Below are my personal policies:

Shipping charges:

• For calculated shipping, I offer my customers, both International and domestic, 2-3 choices of shipping methods, allowing them to help make a decision in tradeoffs between faster shipping/higher shipping costs vs. slower but less expensive shipping, delivery confirmation vs. shipment tracking.
• For flat rate shipping, if the item is light enough, flat rate shipping is via First Class Mail.  Otherwise, flat rate shipping is via Priority Mail.
• For FREE SHIPPING items, shipping is via First Class Mail or Parcel Post, depending on weight.  Customers are offered an upgrade shipping option to Priority Mail for a discounted price.

Handling charges:

Domestic:

For single items: $1.25 Handling Fee
For combined shipments: $1.75 Handling Fee

International:

For single items: $1.75 Handling Fee
For combined items: $2.75 Handling Fee

• Handling fees are already included in the quoted shipping and handling charges in each auction.
• Handling fees include insurance, which I purchase for all shipments, domestic and International, through U-PIC.

Some practices I find “disturbing” in other eBay sellers:

• Charging “actual postage costs” but including in those "costs" the cost of getting the item from the manufacturer or wholesaler to the seller, plus the cost of mailing the item to the customer.
• Charging “handling fees” that include paying a shipping service to perform the shipping for the seller…for any reason.  I understand that some are disabled and cannot do this work themselves, but it is my opinion the cost of this “special needs” service should be reflected in the auction price, not in the shipping and handling fees charged the customer. 
• Charging for delivery of an eBook…really, I have issues with charging anything for this delivery method, but any more than a $1.00 I find simply outrageous.

As a customer:

Now, that being said, I firmly believe it is the customer and the customer only who can help stop these practices.  Once the customer agrees to the seller’s stated shipping and handling charges by bidding on their item, I do not believe it is acceptable to try to “renegotiate” the deal.  Truly, if the terms of the auction are unsatisfactory, the customer should continue on to the next seller selling the same item.

Why not just report it?

I’m reticent to report the above behavior as “fee circumvention” as I suppose it is “borderline” but I certainly think that eBay sellers will enjoy a better positive feedback ratio, should they choose to reflect the costs of acquiring the item and the “special needs” cost of shipping the item, in the starting price of the auction itself.  Of course they will likely pull in fewer bidders, but those who do purchase will not feel they have just paid for another person’s disabilities or sheer laziness.

I hope this guide will help other buyers and sellers take a bit of time to consider shipping and handling charges when trading on eBay.