Re: [CR]Re: Inflated Postage

(Example: Events:Cirque du Cyclisme:2007)

Date: Mon, 4 Jul 2005 15:51:06 -0700
From: "Kurt Sperry" <haxixe@gmail.com>
To: Lewis Ting <lewisting@comcast.net>
Subject: Re: [CR]Re: Inflated Postage
In-Reply-To: <002601c580db$c061b870$7914a343@fred>
References: <MONKEYFOODQdOgl4rhY000050b1@monkeyfood.nt.phred.org>
cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org

I'd agree insofar as it seems somewhat sleazy to prominently advertise a sham price, then tack on an inflated "S&H" charge to the transaction to cover normal business expenses that would ordinarily be included in the markup , particularly for a small part that needs only to be thrown into a

small box or envelope and doesn't require a special trip to mail. That said , what difference does it really make if someone wants to call it a $4.50 widget with a $7.00 S&H charge or an $11.50 widget with "free" shipping as

long as no one is being actually mislead? It's an $11.50 widget either way,

if the price is too high don't buy it. To complain about a price after you've willingly paid it with full foreknowledge makes no sense to me whatever. On the other hand, I'd think for difficult to pack and ship items

like a complete bicycle, it would be entirely reasonable to charge $20-$25/hour for however long it takes to find and obtain a suitable box,

carefully wrap and pack the item and drive it to the shipper's and home again. That's all time one could be working on other stuff and getting paid

for it, why should that time be uncompensated as long as full disclosure is

given prior to the sale? When I sell small stuff I generally include all shipping costs in the price just to avoid such issues. The only price on the invoice that actually matters is the bottom line. Th e rest is accounting minutiae to me. Kurt Sperry Bellingham WA

On 7/4/05, Lewis Ting <lewisting@comcast.net> wrote:
>
> Mike touched on one of my pet peeves...inflated shipping/handling charges .
>
> I purchased an $11 item (handlebar tape) from an Ebay merchant (Italtecno 1
> of Niagra Falls, N.Y.) not long ago, the postage was $7.50, and since I
> really needed it, I begrudgingly went ahead with the purchase. The item
> took
> over two weeks to arrive, and when it did I found that it was sent from
> Canada, and the postage was less than half of what I paid. I then left a
> positive feedback for this merchant but mentioned that the postage was
> excessive especially when it took a while to get to me. This merchant the n
> left me a neutral feedback (my first in over 200 transactions) with a
> terse
> message saying something to the effect that I knew the postage price ahea d
> of time and I should not have purchased the item if I didn't like the
> price...guess what, I have not purchased another thing from this merchant ,
> and I will most likely not again from any other merchant that uses this
> method.
>
> _______________________________________________
>

--
fineartscrimshaw.com http://fineartscrimshaw.com