# ebay buyer wants to combine shipping, but i dkd not offer it, what is my response? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 6, 2009, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-buyer-wants-to-combine-shipping-but-i-dkd-not-offer-it-what-is-my-response/480028 "2009-01-06T02:56:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-buyer-wants-to-combine-shipping-but-i-dkd-not-offer-it-what-is-my-response/480028/61 "2009-01-06T09:34:10Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > No duh, I do it myself. Then why even mention it? Besides, you surely must have meant “in the final seconds of the aution”. Sniping in the final hour? That’s what we call “bidding”. [QUOTE=Stan Shmenge] Sellers are free to list their items at any price. You are free to sell things at a loss, and given the nature of an auction, this may occur. [/quote] Allow me to rephrase… eBay does not care whether you win, lose or break even, but common sense and sound selling principles dictate that you should factor your costs in when setting your minimum bid price as attempting to recoup your shortfall from handling charges is against eBay policy. [QUOTE=Stan Shmenge] Sellers are allowed to charge fees for shipping as well as reasonable handling charges, and I would challenge you to provide a cite that they are not. [/quote] Ok. My cite is from [eBay’s Excessive Shipping Charges Policy](http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/listing-shipping.html), which I found in the Help section of their website (bolding mine): > [@eBay](#): > > Shipping and handling charges may include: > > ``` > * Actual Shipping cost: This is the actual cost paid to the carrier (i.e. postage) for shipping the item. > * Handling Fee: Actual packaging material costs may be charged. A handling fee in addition to actual shipping cost may be charged if it is not excessive. > > ``` > > Insurance: Sellers may offer buyers insurance and extra services provided through the carrier at actual cost. These services include, but are not limited to: Certificate of Mailing, Certified Mail, Collect on Delivery, Delivery Confirmation, Insured Mail, Registered Mail, Restricted Delivery, Return Receipt, Signature Confirmation and Special Handling. > > Charges not allowed in Shipping & Handling: > > ``` > * Tax: Only actual applicable federal, state, country, city, VAT, and equivalent taxes may be charged. > * Additional insurance protection: No additional amount such as “self insurance” may be added.Sellers who do not use a licensed 3rd party insurance company may not require buyers to purchase insurance. This is a violation of state law. > * Tariffs and duties: For cross border transactions, sellers may not collect tariffs and duties.However, buyer may be responsible for actual tariffs and duties as required by country laws. > > ``` > > \*\* \* Fees related to Shipping & Handling: Gasoline, mileage, time spent at a carrier, time spent packaging the item, eBay and PayPal fees may not be added.\*\* > [@](#): > > As far as cheating ebay out of commissions, the fact is that I have no idea what the final bid on an item will be. That is up to the bidder. I don’t understand what you mean by this. eBay will charge you a fee based on the final sell price of the item. If you are making further profit out of what you’re charging for shipping then you are making profit that eBay does not get a commission for despite your use of their service and your agreement to their terms of service that expressly forbid this. Still want to accuse your winning bidder of being on shaky moral ground? ---
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-buyer-wants-to-combine-shipping-but-i-dkd-not-offer-it-what-is-my-response/480028/62 "2009-01-06T09:57:20Z")
Time spent at a carrier and time spent packaging the item are not allowed by ebay? Wow, they’re stricter than I thought. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-buyer-wants-to-combine-shipping-but-i-dkd-not-offer-it-what-is-my-response/480028/63 "2009-01-06T10:39:09Z")
Well, at this point, I am pretty much done with them. In My first batch of ebay sales that I sent off this afternoon, I took a LOSS on postage. I did my best to estimate everything, and when I was done at the PO, I paid like ten dollars more than I charged the buyers for postage. Add in listing fees, sales commission, paypal fees and it becomes a joke. It is no secret that ebay has become a seller unfriendly place, with jacked up fees, tighter restrictions, and the unholy acquisition of Paypal, so they can charge you double. At this point it seems they want to squeeze all the profit for themselves. Fine-o. Let them tax the beanie baby traders, who seem to be happy to ship stuff back and forth across the country at no profit to themselves. I am not a bored indolent housewife with a breadwinner paying my mortgage. I have a family to feed. It is seeming more and more that ebay is not a serious place to do business. I note that their stock price has tanked in the last couple of years as well. If I can’t charge a reasonable shipping and handling fee that protects me, screw them. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-buyer-wants-to-combine-shipping-but-i-dkd-not-offer-it-what-is-my-response/480028/64 "2009-01-06T10:41:24Z")
And when I think of all the people that I bought from that charged me $3 s+h, I should have left negative feedback and challenged it all through paypal, according to some of the posters here. It is totally not worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-buyer-wants-to-combine-shipping-but-i-dkd-not-offer-it-what-is-my-response/480028/65 "2009-01-06T11:07:39Z")
Well done on that straw man. Nobody, and I mean **nobody** , has said that you should take a bath on postage. If you estimate wrong on postage… well damn, I guess that’s ebay’s fault too. Why is this still in GQ? ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-buyer-wants-to-combine-shipping-but-i-dkd-not-offer-it-what-is-my-response/480028/66 "2009-01-06T12:34:42Z")
I didn’t read all the posts, this may have already been said. The OP stated he has to drive to the post office and wait in line. No you don’t. I sell 50 to 100 items a month and I rarely have to visit my post office. Print your postage from home (you get a discount on delivery confirmation) and if you live on a motor carrier route, let your mailperson pick up the packages for you. I also charge the actual cost to ship, not a penny more. My profit for selling the item covers any costs associated boxing and shipping. I have one advantage over most sellers though, I can take all the boxes and bubblewrap I want from my work. We have dumpsters set up just for the collection of such items, I just take what I need. As far as taking a loss on postage, buy a good postal scale. I paid about $30 for a 35 pound scale. ---
**Author:** ![justrob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9adbd/32.png) [@justrob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justrob)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-buyer-wants-to-combine-shipping-but-i-dkd-not-offer-it-what-is-my-response/480028/67 "2009-01-06T15:26:59Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > Just for an example, here is a typical listing: > > [cite](http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESOX:IT&item=170290012971) If that was one of your actual auctions I don’t think the bidder is out of line to ask if you can combine the shipping. This is definitely the kind of item I would expect the seller to be able to combine the shipping on. You didn’t say in the auction that you combine shipping but you also didn’t state that you WON’T combine shipping either. It’s your choice of course but if you didn’t combine shipping I would expect separate packages and probably not leave positive feedback. You would definitely be put on my list of people not to buy from again, of course I don’t know if I have ever bought anything from a seller more than once so that’s probably not a big deterrent. The sniping comment is not very accurate either. The bid on this item was placed over an hour before it ended. If it was meant to be sniping it wasn’t done very well. I often find auctions the first time that are that close to ending when I am looking for stuff. One last thing, as long as the shipping and handling charges cover the cost of your postage and packaging materials I don’t see your real complaint here. You sold, by your comments, 15 items at $0.99 less ebay fees that cost you nothing. Not combining shipping just sounds like you are trying rack up some extra profit. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-buyer-wants-to-combine-shipping-but-i-dkd-not-offer-it-what-is-my-response/480028/68 "2009-01-06T15:41:41Z")
> [@freckafree](#): > > If you are inflating your shipping charges to offset the fact that your items sold for 99¢, that is against eBay policy and could result in negative feedback or a buyer reporting you for it. My eBay items that sold for 99¢ _really did_ cost $2-3 to ship. So stating that as a shipping cost _is not dishonest_ and does not violate policy. What I charge for shipping is indicated clearly for every auction I post. When someone bought several items I offered combined shipping before they asked for it, and charged them the actual shipping cost. They saved money, I still made a small profit. everybody happy. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-buyer-wants-to-combine-shipping-but-i-dkd-not-offer-it-what-is-my-response/480028/69 "2009-01-06T15:58:14Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > But aren’t you allowed to charge more than just postage? Boxes, packing tape, bubble wrap, gas to go to the P.O., time in linee, that stuff isn’t free. > > If someone charged me $10 for shipping, say, a DVD, yeah that is excessive. $4? Not so much. You’re allowed to tack on a handling fee, but Ebay has things rigged so that you’ll eventually sell less if you do, become ineligible for power seller, and potentially get kicked off. Personally, I negotiate off every single handling fee I can on every transaction. 99% of sellers will, eventually, knock shipping costs down to postage + packing materials. I realize it’s kind of a jerk move on my part, but I buy on Ebay to make a living, not to get ‘stuff’. Low costs matter. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-buyer-wants-to-combine-shipping-but-i-dkd-not-offer-it-what-is-my-response/480028/70 "2009-01-06T16:17:42Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > I am not a bored indolent housewife with a breadwinner paying my mortgage. I have a family to feed. :dubious: You sold some old books for 99¢ each. Unless you’ve got tens of thousands of those to sell, you’re not feeding your family, you’re just getting rid of some junk and trying to make a few bucks in the process. ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-buyer-wants-to-combine-shipping-but-i-dkd-not-offer-it-what-is-my-response/480028/71 "2009-01-06T16:19:32Z")
I just recently came back to ebay after a two-year haitus. There were a bunch of new rules, the DSR system, all kinds of change. Poster after poster on their discussion boards absolutely flame ebay at a regular pace for their excess and bad decisions and driving out the small time seller, etc., etc. At first, there points filled me with angst as well, and I looked around for alternatives. I found none available for what I needed - I do not have the capital to start my own website and drive the necessary traffic to it through advertising. I would much rather compete with other ebayers than the entire internet… They are not perfect, but ebay meets my needs perfectly. Hopefully, I’ll build that capital, and I’ll be happy to leave ebay and their fees in the dust. But for now, I’m in. Re: the OP - Padding your shipping to ensure profit is an dicky thing to do. If you cannot take the time to explore the shipping world - media mail, free boxes from the USPS, online postage, etc., - and do some basic research on selling prices, then you need to move on. Ebay is very cutthroat, and you will be squeezed out quickly. Most sellers combine shipping because it is a good business practice. If for some reason you cannot, like the box would be prohibitively large, then you would tell the buyer as much. That’s how you build a customer base. But if you’re in it for a quick buck, ebay is doing to well to weed you out. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-buyer-wants-to-combine-shipping-but-i-dkd-not-offer-it-what-is-my-response/480028/72 "2009-01-06T16:26:30Z")
> [@Tabby\_Cat](#): > > But you’re a dick for jacking up shipping to cover the item’s cost. Please don’t insult other posters. **Gfactor** General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-buyer-wants-to-combine-shipping-but-i-dkd-not-offer-it-what-is-my-response/480028/73 "2009-01-06T16:28:04Z")
Moved from General Question so In My Humble Opinion. **Gfactor** General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-buyer-wants-to-combine-shipping-but-i-dkd-not-offer-it-what-is-my-response/480028/74 "2009-01-06T16:52:02Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > I object to the phrase “lining their pocket”. It is a tired old phrase, usually used by leftist types. How about, “charging enough to make it worth the while”. After all, the shipping costs are spelled out in advance, and a few bucks for dealing with all the trouble isn’t exactly usery. Charging enough to make it worth the while is what the PRICE is for. Charging actual / reasonable cost for shipping, packaging and processing time is to ensure that you don’t lose money by having to ship the product. You intend to charge someone $35 to pack ONE little box with 15 little books and make ONE trip to the post office. That isn’t a charge to ensure you don’t lose money having to ship the stuff, it’s the primary way you’re profiting from the sale. ---
**Author:** ![festiva76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e8cbc/32.png) [@festiva76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/festiva76)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-buyer-wants-to-combine-shipping-but-i-dkd-not-offer-it-what-is-my-response/480028/75 "2009-01-06T16:54:07Z")
I had someone unexpectantly buy two of my items at once. The full shipping of the two items was sent to me via Paypal, and I refunded him a couple of bucks for combining shipping. I just sent the money back to him via Paypal, and considered that fair to the both of us. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-buyer-wants-to-combine-shipping-but-i-dkd-not-offer-it-what-is-my-response/480028/76 "2009-01-06T16:54:59Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > Tell me, did you vote for Obama? This post was made while the thread was in General Questions, so I will remind you that the rules of that forum forbid political jabs like this. **Gfactor** General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Qwisp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qwisp/32/397_2.png) [@Qwisp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwisp)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-buyer-wants-to-combine-shipping-but-i-dkd-not-offer-it-what-is-my-response/480028/77 "2009-01-06T17:05:30Z")
I don’t know what time zone you are in **Stan** but you time line sounds a little funny to me. If you were talking about mailing from a different country, shipping costs could very well be a lot more expensive then what the majority of posters in the US pay. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-buyer-wants-to-combine-shipping-but-i-dkd-not-offer-it-what-is-my-response/480028/78 "2009-01-06T17:14:40Z")
Now that this is in IMHO, I don’t understand the big deal. I’ve seen those books in the supermarket and I can’t see how the mailing cost could be that high, even if each were sent individually. My guess is that they weigh less than two ounces, so between the postage and the cost of an envelope, it should be possible to send each for less than a buck. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-buyer-wants-to-combine-shipping-but-i-dkd-not-offer-it-what-is-my-response/480028/79 "2009-01-06T17:39:10Z")
> [@Sateryn76](#): > > Re: the OP - Padding your shipping to ensure profit is an dicky thing to do. If you cannot take the time to explore the shipping world - media mail, free boxes from the USPS, online postage, etc., - and do some basic research on selling prices, then you need to move on. Ebay is very cutthroat, and you will be squeezed out quickly. If you’d follow the thread, you’d see that she’s not a professional seller; she’s just getting rid of some junk. There’s nothing to be squeezed out _from_. The few things that I’ve sold on eBay have been in the same vein; I’m no pro seller. I _always_ tack on a couple of extra bucks to the calculated shipping costs – it’s something that’s intrinsic to the interface. Is it profiteering? Hell no. It’s a couple of bucks. It covers materials. Do I calculate my materials to the penny? No way. Most of them were bought years ago, but they’re still not free – just unused. If I were a business would I make a more careful accounting? I certainly would. Whether I lose or gain a couple of bucks either way is completely insignificant. If the purchaser know what’s he’s expected to pay up front, there’s no cause to complain. I have zero negative/neutral feedback in my 10 year account history to back it up. > [@](#): > > Most sellers combine shipping because it is a good business practice. If for some reason you cannot, like the box would be prohibitively large, then you would tell the buyer as much. That’s how you build a customer base. But if you’re in it for a quick buck, ebay is doing to well to weed you out. Again, she’s not a pro looking to build a customer base. It’s the pros that have _killed eBay_. eBay used to be such a great place to get a bargain on person to person sales. Craigslist is great, but doesn’t have national exposure. I honestly don’t know how eBay stays in business with the pro sellers that they have. Why pay $5 including s&h for a gadget to some “pro” that can’t even get a proper website, when I can pay the same $5 including s&h to get it from a real company? Looking back on my history, my last purchase on eBay was years ago. Thank goodness I can still use it to unload my crap at higher than average prices to people that aren’t smart enough to look elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Keweenaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Keweenaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keweenaw)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-buyer-wants-to-combine-shipping-but-i-dkd-not-offer-it-what-is-my-response/480028/80 "2009-01-06T17:40:34Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > In fact, since he is a winning bidder, I am obligated to ebay for not just listing fees, but their commission on the sale, which I am, at this point, willing to eat. More and more, I just want to tell the dude to f-off. Did he ask if you could combine shipping? Or did he say that that’s what he expected to have happen since he has multiple items? or something different? If it’s a simply a request, telling him to fuck off seems a little excessive. If it’s an ultimatium, I can see your point. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-buyer-wants-to-combine-shipping-but-i-dkd-not-offer-it-what-is-my-response/480028.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-buyer-wants-to-combine-shipping-but-i-dkd-not-offer-it-what-is-my-response/480028.md?page=5)