Ebay P&P pricing.

[flobadob]

I've noticed that sometimes on Ebay you see the exact same products at varying prices but when you add on the P&P to the price all the end prices work out more or less the same. Basically they are charging more for the P&P to make the item appear cheaper. I'm just wondering is it legal enough to do this?

[Buenchico]

eBay has policies to try to prevent users from making a profit out of 'p&p but, as far as the law of the land is concerned, it's not illegal.

That's because the 'packing' part of 'postage and packing' can include labour as well as the actual cost of packaging materials. If a seller wants to charge at the rate of £100 per hour for wrapping an item up, it's perfectly lawful for them to do so.

Chris

[flobadob]

Hmph. Seems a little shifty to me.

[trt]

I have bought a few things on Ebay and if I feel the P&P is to much I send them an e-mail telling them so, usually they bring the price down.

[RJUKL]

I think it is because the seller only has to pay Ebay a commission for the cost of the item and the postage charge is not included.

[ojread2]

If you don't like the P&P don't bid, simple

eBay have policies in some sections to ensure P&P is kept at a minimum - there is a minimum postage level on some goods. For example some goods you eBay say you must offer free P&P however, that does not mean the seller cannot charge P&P they just have to offer it alongside their other charges. Many sellers offer free P&P for collection only other 'delivery' options incurr a charge ergo getting around the free postage they must offer

I rarely sell on eBay but I do buy lots of my books from there and the difference in postage for the same book is unbelievable sometimes. Many sellers use the buy it now option for 99p but then you notice the P&P is £7.99 - ridiculous. I would never mail a seller in such situations to tell them their P&P is too high - I just buy from another seller. My favourite book seller has free P&P and will go out of her way to find any book her buyers are after PLUS she sellers them for a really good price (I'm thinking latest James Patterson hard back for £2.49 with FREE postage)

As for being legal? yes, it is
Saying that though if the seller is adding postage AFTER you have bought the item and the postage was not advertised on the for sale page then NO he cannot do this under eBay rules (no law involved though) and you can report the seller and he could well be put on a restrictive account

[ojread2]

Oh I wish AB would introduce an edit button ................

[mollykins]

Is there one of the things you can mark them down for if the postage is too high, when you rate them and give feedback.

[ojread2]

"Is there one of the things you can mark them down for if the postage is too high"

completely unfair if the seller has advertised the postage - dont like it, dont bid

[socket2008]

I'm sure Ebay have recently changed their policy on this to stop the issue of high p&p to disguise the price.

The worst one I've ever seen was a gold ring that was a buy it now price of $10 but the p&p was something like $500 !

[boxtops]

There are fairly new restrictions in place on certain categories on eBay, and books is one of them. I sell books sometimes and the new rules mean that (as with Amazon) I can only charge £2.75 maximum for p&p irrespective of the size and weight of the books - the postage alone can be £4. under these circumstances I always show the weight of the book in my listings and mention that the price has been inflated to allow for the real postage prices (most of my paperbacks are on for £2 starting price but hardbacks will be more, just so I can recoup the actualy cost of postage. Otherwise I'd be paying my sellers to take my books away!
As molly says, the other point to remember is that we are rated as sellers by buyers on our postage and packing charges, which is why - if say I have charge £6 for p&p and the actual postage was only £3, because I miscalculated - then I will refund part/all of the difference back to the buyer, to keep everyone happy. I know not everyone does this - I bought 2 things from the same buyer and they did not offer an option to combine postage for 2 things in the one parcel, so they got a rating downgrade for that.
I agree that some sellers do seek to profit on P&P but eBay does remind buyers that we are allowed to charge for postage, packing, getting the parcel to the PO if petrol is needed - etc., but the overheads need to be reasonable.

[boxtops]

^ paying my BUYERS - sorry yes, edit button would be so useful!

[boxtops]

ojread. just read yours again - if the James Patterson book is £2.49 with free p&p then your seller is probably making only a couple of pence on the book itself, as a hardback is bound to be at least £2.14 first class for postage alone. This is fine if you are a power seller bookshop with loads of titles to shift, but not if like me you are selling on a few bits and pieces to raise some much-needed cash - otherwise I would just give the stuff away. This is one area on eBay where people trading in volume have the edge over people like me who sell their own stuff.

[ojread2]

I agree box, the system of maximum postage, IMO anyway, is unfair and not cost effect for the seller. However, saying that, the sellers who sell CDs for 50p then have postage of £7.99 will now have to price their goods at the price they want rather than getting the buyer in with such a cheap price - many buyers do not read the postage options; this is not the sellers fault though. eBay cannot go through their lists of sellers and think oh, s/he sells a few bits and pieces s/he can be exempt from max postage option, it just wouldn't be viable let alone policable. It's the little guys who lose out on auction web sites

Unscrupulous sellers are every where, even on the high street so we need to be aware