Seems to be an ever growing issue here on eBay where buyers are constantly paying more for shipping then what the item iself costs, or what the actual shipping costs are. In this guide are a few things to consider when looking at shipping and handling fees. If this guide helps please vote for it below as this helps us know how many people are reading this. 1. Always take into consideration the weight of an item. Always compare it when calculating shipping costs. If you are buying a Sportscard then of course shipping should not be that high verus if you are buying a ceramic statue for example where shipping weight will weigh more so it cost more. 2. Always look at the method they are shipping example: (1st Class Mail, Priority Mail etc.) as the costs difference of these methods are much different then you might think. 3. When you receive your package always look at the label and make sure that it was shipped by the method you paid for. There seems to be a lot of sellers that are charging rates that equal priority mail and shipping 1st class mail that costs much less. If this happens I recommend that you contact your seller and discuss this before contacting eBay as this is the better route to use, but always remember that ebay does have rules that govern over charging of shipping and if need be you can contact them and they will look into this for you. 4. Always allow the proper amount of time for an item to be shipped. 1st Class Mail usually takes between 2-5 days to arrive, Priority Mail is usually 2-3 days. If you live in the U.S. and havent received your item within a week then you should be contacting your seller as that is usually plenty of time for you to receive your package. Please note that there is that evil thing called snail mail where the mail does run slow at times, usually the holiday season and sometimes during the regular year as well but other then that it is usually pretty much within the time frame listed above. International packages take much longer usually between 10-21 days depending on where its coming or going. Always remember that those packages have to clear customs and sometimes that can take forever depending on where its coming from or going to. 5. Always look at a persons feedback as well, as this is one of the ways you will usually find out how fast someone ships. Alot of people will always include that info in there feedback and this will help you when making a decision on weather to deal with that seller. 6. If you are intrested in purchasing more then one item from a seller then take the time to read their auctions as they may offer better rates for combined shipping if you are buying more then one item. If you dont see anything regarding that "NEVER ASSUME THEY COMBINE SHIPPING" as you may be surprized at what you find. Always take a moment to contact the seller and ask, this way it will save you time and headaches in the future. Most sellers will always be glad to combine do combine shipping but be respectful first and ask dont assume. 7. If you are needing your item quickly as for a gift or something make sure the seller offers a fast way to receive your item or a fast way of payment, thus like paypal where the payment is instant. Always ask the seller as well if you are needing your item faster then normal as their maybe an additional charge for the faster service or shipment type. 8. Last but not least always look for the sellers that are offering FREE SHIPPING as this is starting to become ever more popular among sellers, and the buyers love it also. With our business we always ship FREE and within 24 hours as well. Your customers will love it and they will always return again and again because they like the way they are treated. Remember if you have issues regarding shipping and are unable to resolve these with the seller then always feel free to contact ebay as they will help if you have tried to resolve the issue but have been unable to do so. Happy Bidding!