Small eBay Annoyance

[SanFen]

I won Addy's Stilting Dress on ebay. The shipping was $4.99. I figured the shipping was a bit on the high side - I mean , put the dress in a bubble envelope and it can't cost more than 2 bucks for shipping (including the envelope!) within the same state. . .but okaaaaay. . .

So, I email the seller and ask about adding $1.35 for insurance and the answer back was that she's never gotten questions about insurance but that she would ask her husband because he does the mailing.

She emails me back. . .add $3.00 for insurance. So, I ask her if she is shipping via USPS because the new rate is $1.35 for values up to $100.00.

She then emails me back with this one. . .$4.00 now for insurance because this will take into consideration the time and effort it will take to fill out the form!

I don't if it is just me. . .but I am a bit miffed about this. Am I out of touch?????

She was so nice about it as well, so it makes me feel a little guilty for even feeling this way. . .but 4 bucks????

I sent the check without the $ for insurance. . .now I will worry for the next three weeks (because, of course, they don't take PayPal. . .)so by the time the check "clears" (we know this takes less than two weeks. . .) and the dress actually goes out. . .Ugh!

On the other hand, I just had a fabulous transaction with someone who made a yellow dress with black & white gingham ribbon trim and she was a dream to deal with. . .I paid just a couple of days ago and when I walked into the office today, the package was already there and the dress is absolutely beautiful!!

Sigh. . .

Sandy

[brazilian_girl]

I understand you perfectly... I am a bit upset too, paid 20 dollars (!!!!) for a Marisol's ballet outfit to be sent to Brazil and when the box arrives... 8 dollars was the shipping cost!!! I understand there are handling fees but more than 10 dollars??? [img]confused.gif[/img] The only good thing was that even being sent by economy parcel post the package arrived in five days!!!! [img]smile.gif[/img]

Once I bought an Angelina Ballerina mouse doll and the seller charged me 10 dollars for s/h, and when the little box arrived: three dollars was the shipping cost... [img]frown.gif[/img]

Best,
Ana Claudia
Rio de Janeiro - Brazil

[Ashley1972]

Sandy, you won the handmade yellow dress with the bees on it? I put in the first bid and then abandoned it because I really couldn't afford it. I feel better that someone from hostboard got it. Will you please post pics of it when you get it?

I don't remember filling out a form when I got insurance for a buyer. If I did, it didn't take but a minute or I would have remembered. For that outfit it should have paid $4.05 USPS Priority. Any other shipping would have been cheaper. Insurance is $1.35.

<font color="#051E50" size="1">[ January 23, 2006 08:17 PM: Message edited by: Ashley's Mommy ]</font>

[jrtmom3274]

Well... there is no "time to fill out the form." With UPS or postal, you just say, "I need $xx insurance," and the clerk does it all for you. It takes maybe one extra minute.

OTOH, $4.99 to ship isn't horrible. Bubble envelopes aren't cheap. I buy the ones for my Italian charms in bulk, and they end up being 30-35 cents each. They are the smallest size available and would not fit AG outfits or shoes. Individually or in packs less than 10, they are 65-75 cents each. The size required for an AG outfit would run around a dollar at Walmart, way more at the PO. First class postage for a dress, which is the same no matter how far it goes, is usually $1.50-2.50.

So, yes, I agree the insurance price is inflated, but the shipping price isn't too outlandish.

[GreyMyst]

I cannot stand sellers that overcharge on shipping or try to make you pay extra fees like that. Insurance is 1.30, they shouldn't be allowed to double that.

When I sell things, I charge real shipping or very close to it. Sometimes I guess and it's $1 or $2 different, but usually very close.

<font color="#051E50" size="1">[ January 23, 2006 08:18 PM: Message edited by: GreyMyst ]</font>

[monimarine]

Filling out the insurance form is not worth a $4 handling charge! Good grief. This kind of stuff is definitely helping me stay off of ebay.

[SanFen]

Thanks for your responses!

I wasn't that upset over the $4.99. . .it was the extra $4.00 for insurance that got me.

Anyway, I've gotten over it. . .now I am just hoping that there will be no issues and that I get the dress asap!

[img]smile.gif[/img]

Ashley's Mom. . .yes, it was the bee dress that I won! It is adorable. . .the "girls" at the office were so impressed, they get a kick out of my dolly collection. Especially my Samantha because the house on her book cover is in our town!

I really don't know how to make an album, but I need to do that one of these days because I would love to introduce my girls to you all! I am just so busy with work that I hardly have time even to post! LOL

I am feeling better now!
Sandy [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

[wrxgirl]

Geesh, thats a lot for insurance! It only takes the post office person an extra 10 seconds to fill out the insurance slip! Geesh! I never bid on items unless I know how much shipping will be.... I always email the sellers first and ask ahead of time how much insurance and things will come to.. that way there are no hidden suprises!

[MissMooMoo]

Starla and I just went through a lost package. . .at my post office, there is a form you must fill out. They send money orders for everything and don't give out cash.

We did have to stand in line at the post office - about 15 minutes. We did have to fill out a postal service form, and it was 2 or 3 pages (hubby did it). Etc. Our Post Master got arrested recently, and he must approve all insurance refunds. So I still haven't gotten paid by them. <sigh> Now I don't charge extra for insurance because of it, since it doesn't really happen hardly ever. It IS a hassle is all I am saying. $4 is a little over kill.

It is annoying when you get charged $10 over on shipping than what's on the box . . . Not right unless it's some weird shape item that needs special packing or a odd size box.

[AG Seamstress]

Anyone that uses a lot of bubble envelopes, should start buying them on Ebay. I sell a lot of doll shoes, and when I bought bubble envelopes last week (box of 100) my cost was 27cents a piece, and that included my shipping. I always add shipping cost to actual cost of goods, and divide, before I even make a purchase. You need to check out a few different sellers, but there are pretty good deals out there. The size I bought, by the way, was 7 x 12". I use a couple of different sizes, depending on multiple purchases by the same buyer.