Shady Dealers
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Post Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2009 7:39 pm 
 

Badmike wrote:
I've almost given up purchasing magazine lots on Ebay.  Inevitably the pile of 20+ mags are dropped into a box with no padding or protection, and when the box arrives at least one side is caved in (once I was just delivered a box with no mags and a torn up side) or the mags have slid around inside so much they have torn themselves to pieces.  I cannot even begin to tell you how many times this has happened....I now email explicit instructions when I do purchase a mag lot in hopes of forstalling the inevitable damage.

Mike B.


Yeah, this burns me. All they need to do is to put the lot in a plastic bag, a supermarket bag is fine, then tape it solid. If it goes in a box, just use newspaper to pad it. If you use an envelope, just thick cardboard on both sides with the corners taped so they don't get dinged. Its cheap and its easy to do.

If there are a bunch of mags, just make small solid packs of them. If they don't have supermarket bags they need to go to a dollar store and invest in a box of small trash can liners (they are about the same size as supermarket bags but have no handles). They go for about a box of 30 for $1

So far it is like pulling teeth getting some of these sellers to tell me how they are going to ship a package.

  

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Post Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2009 7:40 pm 
 

I have found that the USPS Priority Flat Rate boxes tend to blow out edges if they are filled with books or magazines.  I lost a few magazines and a couple fanzines this way too.

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Post Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2009 7:43 pm 
 

Mars wrote:I have found that the USPS Priority Flat Rate boxes tend to blow out edges if they are filled with books or magazines.  I lost a few magazines and a couple fanzines this way too.


If you put a little priority tape (which is free) around the edges they hold together fine.

  


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Post Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2009 7:44 pm 
 

JasonZavoda wrote:
Yeah, this burns me. All they need to do is to put the lot in a plastic bag, a supermarket bag is fine, then tape it solid. If it goes in a box, just use newspaper to pad it. If you use an envelope, just thick cardboard on both sides with the corners taped so they don't get dinged. Its cheap and its easy to do.

If there are a bunch of mags, just make small solid packs of them. If they don't have supermarket bags they need to go to a dollar store and invest in a box of small trash can liners (they are about the same size as supermarket bags but have no handles). They go for about a box of 30 for $1

So far it is like pulling teeth getting some of these sellers to tell me how they are going to ship a package.


It's been a while but I was getting hard back books dropped into the plain priority envelopes (the paper thin ones).  Nothing makes you cringe like seeing one of those in the mail box when you know you have stuff in transit.


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Post Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 3:25 pm 
 

This hasn't happened to me in years.

I won an auction last night through BIN and immediate payment was required. Today the seller emails me to say that they cannot honor the auction and they are "processing" a refund.

Well it takes about 3 minutes to "process" a paypal refund. I called paypal to make sure, and of course no refund had been initiated by the seller. I filed a claim, so the money is supposedly frozen in this guys account, but I strongly suspect this was either sellers remorse or an outright scam.

I will post more when I hear back from this guy or if it doesn't look like he is going to pay or send the goods.

  

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Post Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 11:18 pm 
 

JasonZavoda wrote:If there are a bunch of mags, just make small solid packs of them. If they don't have supermarket bags they need to go to a dollar store and invest in a box of small trash can liners (they are about the same size as supermarket bags but have no handles). They go for about a box of 30 for $1

I kinda do this. I take several books/mags/modules and wrap them in the thick grocery store paper bags, along with at least one piece of corrugated board to add stiffness (or one piece to each side of the bundle if possible/necessary). It's like a Christmas package in a box/envelope.

  

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Post Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 6:40 pm 
 

This is my summer of shady dealers. Still haven't heard back from the seller who wrote that he wouldn't be selling the lot I bought through BIN and no refund, so I filed a claim through paypal.

Today I won two Royo art books for .99c each and the seller sent a claim asking me to withdraw my bids because he didn't get what he wanted for the books.

What the hell?

I didn't even know you could do that through the ebay systme.

I declined.

  

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Post Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 7:36 pm 
 

I am continuing the trend of getting hardbacks that are unprotected inside either a bubble-wrap envelope or a Flat-Rate Priority Mail envelope.  At least half of the spine ends and corners take a hit before I open the package.  Softcovers seem to take less damage.  Maybe they bend like the willow . . .

  

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Post Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 7:46 pm 
 

JohnGaunt wrote:I am continuing the trend of getting hardbacks that are unprotected inside either a bubble-wrap envelope or a Flat-Rate Priority Mail envelope.  At least half of the spine ends and corners take a hit before I open the package.  Softcovers seem to take less damage.  Maybe they bend like the willow . . .


Yeah, your package by the way was in excellent shape when it arrived.

Just had another one from an RPG seller. I asked him twice so far about how the items will be packaged and his last reply was that it wasn't in the auction agreement.

WTF!?! Asking him how is going to package an item so it won't be damaged or bent in shipping isn't in the auction agreement?

I'm just glad ebay finally clarified the obligation of the seller to deliver the item undamaged. Sellers seem to think that by dropping it in the mail they are done with it. But it is the carrier is their agent, and there is no way to prove an item was put into the package undamaged. They just have to accept that making sure it isn't damaged is their responsibility.

  

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Post Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 7:52 pm 
 

JasonZavoda wrote:..... They just have to accept that making sure it isn't damaged is their responsibility.


Jason,

I agree... to a point. 8)
No amount of care in packing can protect your things from uncaring delivery persons.


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Post Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 9:21 pm 
 

Gnat the Beggar wrote:
Jason,

I agree... to a point. 8)
No amount of care in packing can protect your things from uncaring delivery persons.


That's true but it is the risk and responsibility of selling and shipping through the mail.

  

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Post Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 11:49 pm 
 

Tell the Royo guy to ship as ordered.


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Post Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 12:10 am 
 

FormCritic wrote:Tell the Royo guy to ship as ordered.


I did and payed for the items. I understand sellers regret but you have to learn to ask a minimum price you are willing to swallow.

  


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Post Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 9:40 am 
 

JasonZavoda wrote:
I did and payed for the items. I understand sellers regret but you have to learn to ask a minimum price you are willing to swallow.


I assume that when I list a stupid low starting price that one of you guys will snap it up.


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Post Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 10:04 am 
 

Gnat the Beggar wrote:
Jason,

I agree... to a point. 8)
No amount of care in packing can protect your things from uncaring delivery persons.


Oh I don't know about that.. I have seen some packaging that would almost survive anything.. and then I've seen some packaging that would have a tough time standing up to an attack from a light breeze...


Brette:)


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Post Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 10:05 am 
 

JasonZavoda wrote:I did and payed for the items. I understand sellers regret but you have to learn to ask a minimum price you are willing to swallow.


And get few if any bids.
Selling on E-Bay is risky too.
(You know this is true)

I have tried both methods (And others too) and find that a higher starting price tends to run off most bidders.
That fact is most certainly not news to you either.....

While a starting price of 0.99 cents tends to end badly for the seller too.

It is my belief that this is one of the reasons for some sellers to charge rediculous shipping for cheap items.
Some also combine shipping by taking a TINY percent off the SH for the next item.... (Thanks soooo much  :roll: ).

Most E-Bay buyers are looking for a steal (as in your case) and almost no one will even even try for an item if the starting price was already close to a normal market price.
Even using a reaslitic starting sales price is not helpful in that regard.

But I agree that once it sold (it goes witout saying) the asshat just should just send it to you in good condition.
Perhaps learn (as I did) that sometimes starting your listing at 99 cents is not a good dea.


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Last edited by Gnat the Beggar on Sat Aug 08, 2009 5:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
  

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Post Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 4:13 pm 
 

A seller who does not give true combined shipping gets only 1 star across the board on all his ratings.

My definition of true is that if two items fit in one envelope for the same price then that is what it costs.  If adding items raises the weight enough to increase the cost then the added shipping price is exactly the increased shipping cost.

The only exception I make for shipping ripoffs is when the combined shipping terms are clearly stated in the listing and every cost is understood by the buyer up front.

I routinely report excessive shipping charges to Ebay as I encounter them.


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Last edited by FormCritic on Sat Aug 08, 2009 4:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
  

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Post Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 4:23 pm 
 

That works in the US where you have flat rate postage.
In the Uk all postage is based on weight and/or 'apparent weight' which is a combination of height, width and depth.
I try to charge postage, and combined postage, at actual postage cost plus £1 for the packaging. Generally, the packaging costs me more than that, so I lose money, but it's only marginal and I don't much care. It's more important to ensure the item arrives in the condition I want to arrive in than I make what I want to make.
But shipping accross the board has been rising steadily in almost every country for years, and the service is not really any better, but I kinda think it's acceptable. I only really have horror stories about Italy because it's postal service is run by crooks.


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