Well, I believe it is devious to hide very high handling costs in the Calculated Shipping. First, this is realitively new and much of its setup leads people to believe it is actual UPS or FedEx shipping charges. A buyer who was very familiar with shipper rates might feel no need to check the exact amount until the auction was over. It also does not appear on the main auction page. This is the electronic equivalent of hiding unreasonable terms in "the fine print". If someone wants to try to charge $100 handling on a $20 item, fine, but he should have to state that prominently on the main auction page. Maybe not fraud legally, but this would fit the common understanding of the word fraud.
Regards,
Jerry Moos
> > I hope the buyer checked the shipping before bidding and did not get a
> > nasty
> > surprise. If not, he would be completely within his rights to refuse to
> > complete the transaction and to file a complaint of seller fruad with
> > eBay.
>
>
> No, he would not. The seller states what you need to do, and if you don´t
> that is your mistake and nothing to go to ebay crying about. Where do you
see
> fraud? Fraud has to do with the article for sale, and if that if as he
says,
> ... no fraud!
> You did the right thing you checked and found it to be too high and didn´t
> bid. Good for you. Maybe the winning bidder thinks this shipping fee is
just
> OK. Maybe he politely mailed the seller and said:" I´ll take that
uninsured
> for $6.50, thanks!" Who knows?
> It´s just not fraud.
> EBay is not new anymore, and most people do know to ask questions before
> bidding. I for one do not need legal or moral chaperoneing.
>
> kim klakow
> berlin, germany
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > In regard to bike packing charges we were recently discussing, I really
> > don't have a problem with such charges, if they are clearly stated up
> > front.
> > I'll simply adjust my bid to account for them. But I just discovered a
> > more
> > devious ploy that I do have a problem with. An eBay auction just ended
> > for
> > a Mavic starfish crank that went for $40 - seemingly a bargain despite a
> > lot
> > of toestrap rub. I was intending to bid, but happened to notice this
> > auction had the recently introduced Calculated Shipping feature. I
> > entered
> > my zip code, and it calculated a whopping $24.75 shipping from Virginia
to
> > Texas for a crankset. However, a message said that this includes any
> > packing and handling charges added by the seller. I hope the seller is
> > not
> > a list member, but even if he is, I have to say that to use Calculated
> > Shipping in this manner is outright dishonest. eBay should ban hiding
> > excessive handling fees in Calculated Shipping. If the seller is going
to
> > gouge $17 to $19 for packing, he should state that clearly in the main
> > body
> > of the auction.
> >
> > I hope the buyer checked the shipping before bidding and did not get a
> > nasty
> > surprise. If not, he would be completely within his rights to refuse to
> > complete the transaction and to file a complaint of seller fruad with
> > eBay.
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Jerry Moos
> > Houston, TX
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> >
>
> --
> Kim Klakow
> Diplom Grafik Designer
> Akimbo71@gmx.net
> +49172-1786481
>
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