marieToo
Posts: 3595
Joined: 5/21/2006
From: Jersey
Status: offline
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: LuckyAlbatross
quote:
ORIGINAL: marieToo
Well, shipping costs are not illusions. It actually costs money in postage to ship an item. It also costs money to purchase packaging materials....boxes, tape, address labels, padding if shipping delicate items etc. There is also an amount of 'labor' that goes into the time spend packaging and addressing the items, not to mention time (which is money) in line at the post office, in addition to the gas that is spent to get there.
quote:
I'm not saying there's no reason to pay S&H- but if the seller is asking for only $10 less than what you can get it retail, or another store for free S&H, and then tacks on $5 for S&H, the value of the deal goes down. Once you add in the risk factor of not being able to see/touch/use it before you buy it...it's not good enough for me.
quote:
marieToo: Well, the thing is, anytime you shop on the internet, whether its ebay or any other store, say JC penny for example, theres going to be a shipping charge. Which I kinda view almost as a luxury charge, because I dont have to leave my desk, look for a parking spot, stand on lines and possibly not find what Im looking for, once I go through the racks. If you like to shop in person, as alot of people do, then I would agree that it doesnt make sense to pay shipping, (except for the fact that gas prices are high today, even if you live close to malls.) I live in the mall "capital" of the nation and am within 5 miles of at least 6 major malls, not to mention 30 minutes from nyc where anything in the world can be found, but I hate to shop, so for me, its worth paying the shipping cost. I do understand your point about the shipping reducing something that at first looked like a deal. But if you shop hard enough on ebay, and you know a few little advantages, you can still find items that are awesome deals even with the shipping added.
I hear you on the security of buying from a store that you trust and know you can get a refund if you're not happy with the item, but on ebay, most of the people who are making their living there, will refund if they have misrepresented the item, because they dont want to lose a potential return customer. Look for those who are "powersellers", as most of them are there making their living. However sellers cant pay shipping back and forth for people to try stuff on and decide it doesnt fit them. If that happens to you, just list the item on your own account and sell it! Also, before buying, check a persons' feedback. That usually tells you all you need to know about whether or not the seller is ethical.
Another little tip....If you like something and dont want to pay the full price, watch it and track it. Often it wont sell and the seller will relist it for a cheaper price. Or someone else may have the exact same item even cheaper. If you really dedicate some time to it, you can find some awesome deals. I have purchased brand new Coach bags, Prada and Gucci shoes and saved hundreds off the retail prices. Ive also purchased cheaper items as well, houswares, art, books and all kinds of stuff. When you do a search for a particular item, lets say you want a pair of BCBG black pumps in size 6; put that in the search box and choose the option that says "ending soonest", this is when you will find all BCBG black pumps in your size ending within the next few minutes. This is when you can often find your item and get it at the last second for its beginning bid price. Also shop at off hours. Alot of people who do not sell for a living do not have a clue that you shouldnt list something at 2 oclock in the morning, because it will also expire at 2 oclock in the morning 7 days later, when most people arent shopping. Chances are when you shop during 'off hours' you will not find much competition, or people trying to outbid one another. Also....If you see an item that you want and it costs 50 bucks and 10 dollars shipping, email the seller, ask them if they'd be willing to take 40 or 45 for the item and be sure to tell them that you can pay right away via paypal (if you have a paypal account of course). Often to make a buck, people will let the item go for the offer you make them. In this case, in essence, you just received free shipping.
Dont try to get 30 bucks off a 50 dollar item. Try to get 10 off it (shoot for something reasonable), or ask if they will ship it for free, or ship cheaper using "parcel post", which is cheaper than "priority mail". Make a reasonable offer and many sellers will be all too willing to oblige a customer who may very well come back again. Be creative when you try to haggle....you could purchase 2 pairs of shoes that you love and ask the seller before you bid that since youre buying 2 pairs, would they ship for free. The worst they could say is no. But odds are they will accept or counter-offer something in between.
Also to increase your chances of being disappointed in size mistakes, ask all questions about the item first. Im sure this has crossed you mind, but you may not be aware of just how willing sellers are to help you with whatever details you want. Most sellers are all too happy to give you any info you want, in order to help you decide if you should purchase the item. Ask what that blouse measures across the chest. Ask if the fabric is stretchy. Ask for an insole measurement on that pair of shoes you're looking at. Ask for an extra photo of the bottom of that handbag. Ask if its first quality or a catalog return. Theres pros and cons, I agree. But most sellers will work with you and want to make their customers happy. These few tips might be of help next time you are considering an ebay purchase.
PS: I Still cant figure out how to box off these friggin quotes.
< Message edited by marieToo -- 8/28/2006 5:34:58 PM >
|
ebay frauds? a great piece here - 
Profile
RE: ebay frauds? a great piece here - 
New Messages
No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages
Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages
Locked w/o New Messages
Post New Thread