Re: (TV) I've got the e-bay buyer blues

["Mark G. Ryan" <mgryan@cruzio.com>]

"[william]" <3vs1@dccnet.com> wrote:
> 
> going to de-lurk for a bit here.
> 
> if you are interested in something on ebay that does not list shipping,then
> take advantage of the fact that you can write that member and ask them in
> advance for costs of shipping to your destination. if you don't like that
> response,then DON'T BID.

This is the familiar conservative argument that perfect information
should protect the buyer, e.g.,

	If you don't want to get spoiled meat at the market, you should 
	ask them every time you buy "Is this meat spoiled"?

	If you don't want to get caught in a multi-level marketing
	scam, you should ask every time you get an offer "is this a 
	multi-level marketing scam?"

	If you don't want to be nailed by hidden charges and balloon 
	payments on a loan, you should ask the lender "are there any 
	hidden charges or balloon payments?"

This view may have some merit when buyer and seller are both merchants (i.e., 
they should know better). But the law generally has has taken the view 
that the consumer is entitled to be protected from such predatory practices.

Charging exoribant amounts for shipping in order to victimize the unwary 
is certainly a preditory and reprehensible practice.

We are not talking about a few extra pennies: the examples were shipping
charges several fold in excess of actual shipping charges.

> 
> i sell a few cds on ebay almost every other week to feed my addiction for
> more cds. i always  *list*  the shipping (i am in canada) as $3 for N.A. and
> $5 for anywhere else. more often than not,i break even on packaging and
> postage and sometimes even have to chip in a few cents. what i'm trying to
> point out is that most sellers are upfront about shipping,if asked.
> 

I agree that most sellers are up front about it, but without being asked.

> also,check the sellers feedback. sometimes the comments there will tip you
> to a problem.

Good advice.

> 
> lost my point,but all i was trying to say is that don't lump all sellersd in
> the same boat. i have found many gems on ebay and hope to continue to do so.

Good point.
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