I have recently had complaints (multiple) about shipping and handling fees.  I don't charge anything excessive somewhere between One Dollar and Fifty Cents to Three Dollars.  I can see why the buyer might question thinking this is a way to profit from them, but look at it from the sellers point of view for just a moment. 

First of all I mostly deal in fragile items (antique glass, pottery and such).  You have to carefully pack these items and most buyers don't take insurance.  And to carefully pack these items it requires shipping materials.  A Good Seller (which I try to be) is not going to slam a 100 year old piece of glass or pottery in worn out old card board box and ship it!, at least not if they want to stay in business!

You have to first have a sturdy box and plenty of padding materials.  I guess you could go around dumpster diving and collect boxes.  But I want nice clean sturdy boxes to ship my things in.  Plus it would cost you money to drive around digging in others trash to search for boxes, not something I want to do and God only knows what they box may have previously contained. 

Next up bubble wrap, packing peanuts, foam, plastic bags, tape, labels, ink ect.  This stuff is not free!  Far from it check it out on here on ebay.  You have to purchase this stuff as well.  Short of stealing it (which I would never do) this stuff is going to add to the price of your shipping.  You cannot ship items and expect them to arrive in good conditon without these items.   Although I have still had complaints of breakage even though I wrapped them very well.  I think the Post Office Employees play a game of hockey with some of our packages.  I know their job is is difficult, but they are very well paid, the price of postage reflects that.  But you have to take precautions. 

Next on my laundry list GASOLINE!

I could go on forever!  Gas is really high everywhere in this country.  I have to drive 90% percent of my packages to the Post Office.  They won't pick up at my house unless you have multiple Priority Mail Packages.  Most people choose the cheapest shipping (Parcel Post, Media Mail which ever is available).  They won't pick those up unless you have some Priority Packages to go along with them.  So I have to package them up load them in my car and hump them up the Post Office Steps wait in line (sometimes a lifetime).  All in order to get them to my customers.  I can't hold packages back for days on end until I "get enough" to either get the PO to pick up or to make it "worth my while".  Heck I would have so many complaints of slow shipping it wouldn't be funny.  And most of the time when I meet the PO requirements for a pick up they come so late in the day , I would have already left for work (yeah, I don't make a living off shipping and handling as some people believe). 

Next on the list ebay fees, listing fees, paypal fees.  These all cost the seller money.  ebay doesn't allow to just to put your items up for "free" (which one buyer told me she knew they did).  She informed only if my item sold was I charged and it was nominal like a penny on the dollar (hmm, wonder what planet she's from, although her address said Florida).  You are charged a fee for listing, pictures and so forth.  The more pictures and options you choose the more you are charged.  And you are still charged even if your item doesn't sell!, and if your item does sell you are charged again! for a final value fee.  If your customer pays via paypal they charge as well further adding to the sellers overhead.

I guess I fire off a review everytime I have an issue with a customer.  My latest fiasco goes something like this.  I have a 102 year old sugar bowl up.  I gave multiple pictures and accurately described its condition.  I put no reserve on it and started it out at .99 cents.  I showed the paint was wearing, it had some chips.  They buyer "really" did not say much about the condition (they couldn't I told them clearly in my add and showed them pictures of the the flaws).  It was a rare piece and quite old.  But it did not draw too much attention.  So she won it for .99 cents and paid 6.05 cents shipping and handling.  Priority Mail cost me 4.05 (they deal in pounds not ounces).  I had a several dollars wrapped up in ebay and paypal fees and another dollar in shipping materials and gas.  So this women wrote me this long scathing letter about being overcharged on postage and how I was basically a thief and con-artist when it came to fees.  I wrote her back telling her what I have told you basically.  A few days later she wrote me back apologizing.  She said "You, know I did not consider all these things when I seen the weight on the package I figured I had been cheated but now I see your point".  She and I had a conversation about the historical value alone of her purchase and honestly how I lost money on the deal.  She had never thought about up and to that point. 

By writing this I don't mean for Sellers to go adding excessive charges to there items (ebay won't allow it anyhow) but maybe more of my point is to a buyer, when you look at that unique one of a kind item ask yourself "How much gas, time, and effort would I have to put out buying this item outside of ebay?".   I think that you will come to the logical conclusion, its cheaper and more convenient for you as the buyer to pay a just a little extra to have this item delivered to the privacy of your home home in good condition.  Rather than search all over spending precious time and gas to maybe find this item. If you think of all the other reasons it just makes sense to shop at home.  I would rather spend time with my family, save on the enviorment by not adding to pollution (all though you could argue that one with packing matierals adding to pollution) sitting comfortably in my home in front of my PC quietly making my purchases.  You don't even have to get dressed you can shop in your jammies! NO fighting crowds, street crime, traffic.  In a couple days my items will arrive safe and secure to my home ready for me to use and enjoy. You have to be careful and read all the fine print but most of the time everything will be okay.    Judge for yourself.