Ebay Postage Price Insanity

[tunalegs]

If I can mail a camera from here in the U.S. to Singapore for $18, then it should definitely not cost me $17 to have a camera posted from one state away. 😕

Just noticing a lot of absurd postage prices on ebay lately, even more so than way back when everybody tried to get around selling fees by inflating the shipping costs. Not sure what kind of crazy pills must be going around this year. 😀

 

[Beemermark]

Evidently you haven't tried to mail a camera to one state away.

And I must say I'm surprised you were able to mail a camera to Singapore for only $18. What it sent "book" rate, uninsured?

 

[flip]

It's really a fascinating ecosystem to watch. Sellers adapt to absurd pricing structures and rules with their own workarounds. Buyers attempt to litigate the rules via ebay/paypal with varying degrees of success. If ever there was a case for the flaws of monopoly, this is it.

Personally, I recommend sellers sell the right to bid on an item at a price to be determined elsewhere; 100 available, 0.01 each. :-}

 

[meanstreetshooter]

A few weeks back I saw an eBay listing where the postage on a Domke bag was $45.00! Just pure INSANITY.

I just mailed a C330 w. 55mm lens to a shop in NY. The postage, and $600.00 of insurance, came to $21.45. I mailed it on Friday and it arrived on Monday.

The price was much better than the $40.00 I paid to UPS to ship a Leica to YY in MA. No more UPS for me.

 

[tunalegs]

Evidently you haven't tried to mail a camera to one state away.

And I must say I'm surprised you were able to mail a camera to Singapore for only $18. What it sent "book" rate, uninsured?

I mail cameras all the time - usually for under $10 including delivery confirmation and packing material. 🙂 Sent a camera to Canada for $13 just a couple months ago (although without a lens).

 

[zsas]

I have started to notice this trend lately. I bought a piece of darkroom equip the other day for $1, was charged $14 for ship, actual stamp cost $6....hummm

It didn't really bother me because I was prepared to pay $20 for the item (really $34.05).....but re this topic....I have seen the trend as of late.....maybe 5-10% are doing this ( back of envelope guess)...

 

[splitimageview]

There are many people that do not ship regularly, and spend far too much money needlessly. They are unaware of flat rate boxes, priority padded envelopes, delivery confirmation for small items, among other things and they pay FAR too much for insurance. Bought a lens the other day, the seller paid $21.45 to get it here according to the postage on the box; I would have shipped the same box for about $8.

And then there are the ebay sellers that want to make a profit center out of their shipping. 🙂

 

[mbisc]

I think sellers are trying to recoup the (excessive?) evilbay fees via (excessive) "cross-subsidies" from S&H...

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

Having received things in a flat rate box I wonder why people use them. Not the bargain people think in some cases but that was international (ie to the UK from the USA).

OTOH, I got a manual for a camera a while ago and the price sent airmail in an envelope was cheaper than the price within the USA, so I give up. But I do wish people would look at the options.

Regards, David