Ridiculous postage costs...

[Reliquiae 10]

I pride myself on my shipping service.

 

We generally send nuke-proof parcels and I charge a nominal rate for packaging, which, contrary to popular belief, costs me time, fuel and money. I also offer rapid updates, ahead-of-schedule information and, usually, same-day or next-day postage, not that most appreciate or even bother to thank me for any of this. When I make a c*ck-up with my postage rates, I absorb the additional cost.

 

Lately, I, and at least a few other dealers, have noticed a definite slowdown in BoB trade. No doubt others have too, because I've seen an annoying trend developing...

 

"Here, bid on my item. It's only R1 (or some such number)."

 

"Oh, by the way, the EconoParcel service is R85." !

 

My response? Get screwed. That's a wholly unethical business practice and I refuse to bid on any items listed by such unscrupulous Sellers.

 

If you're prepared to list at R1, play fair.

 

I don't know what the solution to this problem is, but my list of no-buys is slowly, but steadily, growing.

[Free Soul Styles 10]

I must agree, there has been a big slow down this month end in regards to sales and auctions. The quieter it gets, the higher their shipping costs will be to cover the loss. This issue has been brought up many times. Unfortunately i don't think BoB can have a say in regards to what a seller charges. All one can really do is check the shipping before buying or bidding.

[admin 6]

Sellers are taken to task on high shipping charges on a daily basis...

 

1. The following policies apply to all listings and are strictly prohibited:

1.10. Unreasonably high shipping costs on item listings (including insurance). bidorbuy, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to charge a 5% penalty fee, calculated on the total shipping amount, for excessive shipping charges. bidorbuy may also either disable your account or remove your ability to sell products on its website for failure to comply with these terms.

 

Listing Policy

[Free Soul Styles 10]

Well there you have it. So then all we need to do is report the sellers to BoB.

Thanks for clearing that up!

[Mad about Jack 10]

I must agree, there has been a big slow down this month end in regards to sales and auctions. The quieter it gets, the higher their shipping costs will be to cover the loss. This issue has been brought up many times. Unfortunately i don't think BoB can have a say in regards to what a seller charges. All one can really do is check the shipping before buying or bidding.

 

Not to mention the combining fee, if there is more then one item.

[JohnBenn 12]

Not to mention the combining fee, if there is more then one item.

 

YUP! (I laugh and move along)

[BABADAUD 15]

 

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Edited February 15, 2016 by BABADAUD

[Not1CentMore 10]

It totally 'blows me away' at the attitude of SOME Buyers and Sellers. There is absolutely, positively NO excuse for being 'nasty'... none, zip. If a person (Buyer or Seller) cannot be 'civil' in their communication with one another AND when they rate one another, the hair on the back of my neck stands up at just the thought of the 'horrors' their family members and co-workers must be put through on any given day.

 

Personally, I would not want to buy a 'spit full of snot' from a Seller with 'attitude' and I pray the Buyer with 'the nasties' steers far and wide.

 

Ruthie

[Free Soul Styles 10]

It totally 'blows me away' at the attitude of SOME Buyers and Sellers. There is absolutely, positively NO excuse for being 'nasty'... none, zip. If a person (Buyer or Seller) cannot be 'civil' in their communication with one another AND when they rate one another, the hair on the back of my neck stands up at just the thought of the 'horrors' their family members and co-workers must be put through on any given day.

 

Personally, I would not want to buy a 'spit full of snot' from a Seller with 'attitude' and I pray the Buyer with 'the nasties' steers far and wide.

 

Ruthie

 

Agreed! The attitude of some sellers is just horrendous! I will never go near a seller who responds to buyers like that. I've even seem a few comments where the language is just as tasteful. How people buy from them is beyond me. As for packaging, if is attitude is anything to by, one can only assume the packaging was newspaper and some tape and a wish...

[NooNooBug 10]

There is one seller I can quote who states thus:

"On closing of Auction we will let you know the Cost Of POSTAGE".

Seems fair enough if seller allows combining and the like or is simply too lazy to work out the weight, volume and cost until guaranteed a sale or perhaps sufficiently slim to use postage after the close to bump up his returns to his anticipated level.

 

mmm sounds like the Seller I mentioned in my post earlier this month...http://forum.bidorbuy.co.za/forum-community-watch/19416-postage-crazy-auctions.html

 

Seems they don't know they have a CHOICE not to list on R1 Crazy Auctions. If you are not prepared to let something go for R1 then don't list it there ! No need for them to get all iffy because it sold for a low amount, yet this is they way they go. My husband had an experience with them too, Paid more than double actual postage, but that was AFTER he queried it and they adjusted it with some long story. They also never posted when they said...also long story about living far from PO etc etc...ok so do we but then don't say it has been posted or say it will be today if you are not sure ! I think that the only way BoB can help in this respect, before sales are effected, would be to insist ALL costs, postage etc is on the listing for all to see & decide. Obviously if combining or Overseas postage then a quote may be needed, but that can also be done upfront via Q & A so there are no surprises re. Shipping !

[Vinyl Lady Decals 11]

This is really scary, imagine the horrific stories these buyers are telling others about their experiences on bidorbuy. It's enough to keep anyone from trying bidorbuy. as they say, word-of-mouth is the most effective advertising.

[wildcardut 10]

My 2c....

You buy something from seller A for lets say R50.

Postage is R35

You buy the same item from seller B forR50.

Postage is R80

This is all normal registered post that in fact will cost no more than R35 including box and wrapping for the same sized item.

Where in the name of suzie but hole do you draw the line???????

Profit making from postage?????

 

Damn man!!!!!

[BABADAUD 15]

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Edited February 15, 2016 by BABADAUD

[wildcardut 10]

The best one I can recall was some months ago Crazy Wednesday or WE Specials.

In Antique & Collectables this one seller had a really nice little range of completely un-related small bric-a-brac item with a going rate of between R20.00 - R50.00 each. Half a dozen were of interest to me.

The weight of each between 50 - 150 gms.

 

All good, quite excited, was I.

Checked postage:

R69.00 for the 1st item

R39.00 for each subsequent item.

 

So - about R250.00 for an econoparcel costing R20.00.

 

Such skellm and crooks should be bounced off the site forthwith.

 

if people wish to make a living from packing & shipping they should cease to masquerade as peddlers and trade openly & honestly by operating dedicated packing and shipping emporia.

 

I have lost count of the number of postage rip-off sellers and of the value of bids I have not placed on Bob recently because of high shipping costs and other bad shipping policies, such as refusing responsibility for delivery and for breakage during delivery.

 

BoB admin certainly needs to address these issues on a broader plane than at present.

Whilst quick action is taken by BoB in response to serious complaint against individual traders, I fear that far too few buyers are making complaint against the veritable legion of sellers with selling policies and rules which are ultimately destructive to the interests of good & honest trade.

And never mind shoddy goods, not as described etc etc

 

Fully agreed. My point as well.

[Free Soul Styles 10]

I charge R44.00 with no additional item costs. I refuse to send coins, notes or tokens as registered letters because more often than not there is always an issue (in my personal experience). A buyer said he bought from me before but never paid these prices.... He bought from me within the last 2 weeks (he paid the shipping price as it is now). I had to increase the price due to the new postal rates prices in April this year.

 

I often get complimented on my packaging and am proud that 99% of the parcels that i send out make to their destination without issues. The item/s are wrapped with bubble wrap, sellotape and then placed in a padded envelope and sent out the next working day before 12pm. I'm even worse when sending out ceramics...

 

As i have said before, many buyers think we get the packaging materials for free, sadly we do not. I am still well within reason compared to other sellers who charge R65.00 for a registered letter and i still ship items faster than most.

 

So even if you only charge R20.00 - R44.00 up to 1kg, someone will ALWAYS complain. It's human nature....

[BABADAUD 15]

 

 

 

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Edited February 15, 2016 by BABADAUD

[Cali Craft and Gems 14]

I'm not one to complain, but the following has come to my attention.

 

As a buyer, I always read through the seller's shipping fees and decide if it is worth getting the item / items or not. In this case, although I was not happy with the combining fees, I went ahead and purchased three items from a particular seller as 2 out of 3 were on the Crazy Wed listings. Seller allowed me to combine over a period exceeding their usual combining period and I paid what was due in full yesterday.

 

Listings state R45 for the first item, and R15 per item thereafter, plus 3% for insurance. Not over the moon about paying R75 plus insurance for something that would cost the seller under R30, but the low cost of the items counterbalanced this.

 

Main problem I have though is that when the seller sent me an email with the tracking number, I see the number is for uninsured mail - PE0000ZA! Along in the message is a small note stating that insurance is not taken out through the post office which explains the PE number, but look at the bigger picture:

 

Seller is sending out countless parcels without the insurance that the buyers have paid with the indication to the buyers that the insurance is being paid somewhere else, but there is no proof that any monies are being paid elsewhere (if parcels had the PA tags then one knows that the insurance has been paid to the SAPO). Ultimately one could assume that the seller is therefore pocketing all the additional funds being paid over and only IF a claim is made, would things then be taken further. Chances are slim that a parcel would be lost in the first place, so where does that leave the buyers?

 

I find this to be unethical and not good business practice! What do you think?

[alloway65 10]

Thanks for the info Cali, I never realized the PE & PA numbers had any such significance! We all live and learn.

[MiemsJewels 12]

Do you know that the post office does NOT insure jewelery anymore ?

Edited June 20, 2014 by MiemsJewels

[Vinyl Lady Decals 11]

As far as I am aware, it is illegal to ensure any parcels anywhere else except with the carrier (post office/courier) for exactly this reason, there is no proof of insurance taken.

[BABADAUD 15]

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Edited February 15, 2016 by BABADAUD

[Elna2010 10]

I agree with rediculous postage (only some people)!!

 

Sellers are taken to task on high shipping charges on a daily basis...

 

 

 

Listing Policy

 

All ratings received by royalgems on bidorbuy.co.za

 

I sent this seller a "message" in his "Ask seller a question" block - as I had no idea how else to communicate with Royalgems I saw these STUNNING, STUNNING garnets @ R115.00 yet postage for this parcel (weighing mere GRAMS) is R75.00!!!!

 

Garnets - 1 Lot, 2 pieces of 8.00 x 5.00 mm pear faceted cut Garnets T.W. 2.12 ct. for sale in Pretoria / Tshwane (ID:158680886)

 

I actually sent him/her a message re. their postage and am ECSTATIC to see that BoB actually HAVE a rule re postage pricing!! I furthermore explained to the person that it might be a reason why their sales might NOT be as great as they would like them to be and that I -for one- will NEVER purchase from them for this exact reason......overcharging on postage!!!

[Reliquiae 10]

On last week's Wednesday auction there was a lot of small, lightweight matchbooks, starting at R1, with a jump of approximately R20, IIRC.

 

Firstly, big jumps are not good for inciting bidding wars...

 

I was interested in the lot and was prepared to fight for it, to an extent. The p&p was a whopping R175. Someone was stupid enough to bid, the poor sod, and the auction closed, at R1.

 

That Seller can go #$&! himself. I wrote him off for life.

[qball 12]

Thanks, we are investigating the seller's shipping and have requested a breakdown of the R75

[YiaYia1 10]

I think there are a lot of sellers that do not not the difference between the PE and PA postal reference. If a buyer pays insurance, and the seller does not insure, the lost will be on the sellers account