OzVMX Forum
Clubroom => General Discussion => Topic started by: Tony T on October 23, 2008, 04:36:00 pm
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Has anyone else noticed the cost of postage from the U.S. and Asia lately?
Workshop manual $40.00 from the US. Exhaust heat sheild $55.00 from the US.
And a 90cc barrel $65.00 from Thailand. :o
Has postage increased? Is the seller just trying to make more from the sale? Or has it always been this bad and I'm just noticing?
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Thanks for the reply, Ross.
Yes, this particular manual was fairly thick, but it only cost me $63.00 to get a big Acerbis tank sent over last year. ???
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1 pair of shocks out of the States only cost me $36-00 last week
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Thanks for the reply, Ross.
Yes, this particular manual was fairly thick, but it only cost me $63.00 to get a big Acerbis tank sent over last year. ???
Ya bin touched up ::)
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Yeah I've noticed it as well. >:(
Particularly the big time sellers. Won a brake pedal a while back for 0.99 and got hit US32.00 to send....XL rear grab rail US35.00.
A lot of 'em are cranking up the "packaging" part of the deal as well.
It's usually an idea to check the price on the postage stickers when it turns up. had a few Aussies doing it too! Stuff a pair of boots in a shopping bag....charge 25.00 to post and it shows up with a 15.00 postage price on it....F&%#s
I must be one of those dumb honest people who only charge what the postage costs. ::)
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yep you have been touched. i do charge more than the post cost add tape ,packaging time to pack and drive to p.o .i add abit to cover these costs -stupid not to but they is no excuse for exhorbinate charges again check before buying os
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I have 2 stores that I get my NOS Yamaha parts from - exactly the same part from one of them (4 x) was $4 the other $13 )after I asked why it was $24???).
Guess who gets the majority of my business?
Rossco
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Ya bin touched up ::)
They're not prices I've paid, just prices I've seen on items I would have bought if the postage wasn't so stupid. ::)
Seems to be more common now though............. >:(
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Yeah it is quite common for the postage to be high, but genrally indcates bad ebayers having brought and sold stuff for years.
I had some american dealer try to tell me that to post out a carby was going to be 40dollars I told him to get f$$$ed. As I have brought heaps of parts from the us and postage for a swingarm plastic tank sprockets only cost me $40US. After heaps of messages he wanted basicly for me to pay for his time on hourly rate to wrap the item, also to chuck some juice in his tank so he can get to the post office, then pay for postage. mmmmm Never buy off these people and they will learn.
I only charge what the post office charge me same at my place of work, suppliers try to charge people 25bucks for 8dollar courier and these are big companies, so you really got to whatch freight as it can kill a good deal. If it is not shown ask before bidding and save yourself a whole lot of stuffing around.
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I just got a reply from one guy in Thailand that wanted $US75.00 for postage.
I asked the question and he's offered me regular air mail for $47.00. ;D
So it seems he was trying to rip me off in the first place. :D
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I think it is a game as some people will just pay!!! So the ones that do they make a fourtune.
Tom
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I always check the USPS website where they have the prices listed for various sizes boxes and parcels. That way I make sure the seller isnt ripping me off. http://postcalc.usps.gov/default.aspx?Mode=Intl_Single&CID=10013
Major sellers who use eBay for their main source of income do need to cover legitimate business expenses for packaging, materials, time spent by them (or a staff member maybe?) waiting in the queue at the post office etc. I dont mind that. I do get pissed at private sellers thinking they should be able to claim additional costs off buyers that bear zero relation to their needs. Just money for jam.
I was very close to paying for something recentlyt and telling the vendor to keep it as the shipping wasnt worth it. Should have asked first before bidding...although some people refuse to quote. Possibly if they are a big seller and would spend heaps of time trying to work out postage costs for people who never even bid. Would piss me off eventually too I suppose.
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Thank PZ for the new calculator , my older USPS calc had a hiccup in it and quoted $9999.00 for all items!!!!
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just out of interest $50USD is about $82AU as of last night via PayPal conversion rate (0.60cents). Until the $ get stronger with that sort of rate local items are looking far more competitive ;)
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One prick from the USA after stating $20US postage for 2 items decided to keep the $65US that I had to send him for the 2 itemised bike parts. When the package arrived I noted that the postage stamp was indeed $20US. After he ignored 4 messages, I hit him with 2 lots of Neg feedback. Well the messages arrived thick and fast then....eventually he apolagised and refunded me the $45US difference.
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Ironically I have had more 'trouble' err, let me rephrase that, I have had more 'unpleasent experiences with' Aussie sellers ::)
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complete rear brake backing plate for a CR500 from the US about a month ago cost me $15 dollars.... :)
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One prick from the USA after stating $20US postage for 2 items decided to keep the $65US that I had to send him for the 2 itemised bike parts. When the package arrived I noted that the postage stamp was indeed $20US. After he ignored 4 messages, I hit him with 2 lots of Neg feedback. Well the messages arrived thick and fast then....eventually he apolagised and refunded me the $45US difference.
;D ;D ;D ;D
The moral of the story is 'always buy multiple items - has great impact on his negative feed back'. Excellent.
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Postage from Canada is the killer. I paid $95 US for surface mail on a plastic Can am tank.
I hate Ebayers who try to make a living from the postage. Postage is just part of the deal of selling on ebay. if they don't want the drama then they should just sell for pickup only or put it in their local rag. By posting you get a worldwide customer base and a much better price for your item.
I have been charged triple the amount by an aussie who's excuse was he lived 25 k's from the post office. And four times the amount from a yank who's excuse was it took up his valuable time to go to the post office.
Always ask how much postage is upfront and if it's unreasonable, don't buy it.
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I posted this one before but ended up in a real nasty "discussion" with an aussie seller who after buying the item said $15 to US $60 to Perth from Melb????? Long story short was that people had started to nail him for trying to make up low selling items with postage.
My 100% rating suffered because he complained.
Rossco
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Always ask how much postage is upfront and if it's unreasonable, don't buy it.
I think that's the key. Ask questions early, and if there's any doubt, leave it alone.
My latest example was a NOS crank assy that he wanted $US75.00 postage for. I asked the question over a few friendly emails and ended up paying only $US40.00 postage. ;D
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While not defending outrageous postage costs I will say that it can be hard to quote postage costs.
International is easy as it goes on weight only, you just have to allow for the packaging.
National however goes on size as well as weight which can depend on what mood the postage workers are in & their ability to use a tape measure. If you use the website it will often not allow the item to be posted because it is too big, but will be taken at the post office without problems. I often quote postage for products but find the actual cost is different to the website quote. Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose. Usually +- $10.00 or so.
You may find some of these sellers have been caught out before & don't understand how the system works, these guys will probably come around with some e-mails, the ones that don't are just greedy.
I sold a set of universal footpegs on ebay a few years ago, I listed them at $1.00, sat back & waited for the bidding war that was to start my early retirement. After a week, in the last minute somebody bid $1.00 for them >:(
I stitched him up on the postage though, I charged him $4.50 but when I got to the post office I found it only cost me $4.40 ;D ;D
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hey geoff you still doing them 1 dollar foot pegs ,do they come in pairs or are they a dollar each lol
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bloody lousy dollar compounds ebay hassles....just bought that dvd 'one chance to win' from the states....only twenty bucks for the item....and only ten for postage.....sounded good at the time....then convert to aussie dollars and you get five cents back from fifty.....
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hey geoff you still doing them 1 dollar foot pegs ,do they come in pairs or are they a dollar each lol
Sorry Paul, I can't keep selling them like that or my bank account will go the same direction as my Super account is going at the moment :o
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As I have bought the odd item on evil bay here is what you can do, and most sellers are OK with. For the exercise i am assuming we are talking the US here but it would apply to most DEVELOPED counties - not sure if Thailand is quite there yet?
If you think you are getting stiffed ask what the TOTAL weight of the packed item is. Then head for usps.com and check the rates for yourself. It is a very easy site to navigate and gives all the options including insurance etc.
Once you are armed with the facts go back to the seller and hit him with the figures - if need be send him the URL link which you have received from the postal calculation.
Then you have leverage and he can't do anything UNLESS the seller has quoted those disgusting 'packing and handling' fees. It's not Walmart for F**** sake!
Check when the parcel arrives to see if the postage is close but don't be anal either as the weights can vary etc but if it is steep threaten them with bad feedback bu tdon't be an arse about it.
Alternately make a friend in the US and have all items sent on the continent and have a periodic bulk shipment.
I've been buying a lot of old BM stuff and have noiced some very erratic postage charging of late in the US - I think they are a bit desperate for cash these days.
Another new bullshit thing some of them are up to is to say they want compensation for standing in post office queues - give me a break!!!
Shame about our dollar - makes the last Fox front end I bought VERY expensive.
Cheers
Dave Mac