I have been buying and selling on ebay for a long time now, probably longer than most if not all of you. This is a topic that can go on forever but perspective is needed. When I buy something I always think the shipping charges are to high on the other hand when I sell I always think I am setting them to low. I guess it is the grass being greener on the other side.
A few facts seem to have been bent or incorrectly applied. I happen to be on the east coast. It seems that 4 out of 5 bikes I ship seem to go to the west coast. If I were to use UPS for shipping a bike the cost would be around $50 to $60. UPS decided over the last few years to double their shipping cost for an oversized 2 box. I don't like it either but that is what you pay if you choose UPS. From here that same box will be around $30 if I use Fed X ground. Not sure why but it is that way. If you use the USPS for a bike you better be able to fit it into a BMX sized box and be prepared to pay $50-$60 for the privilege.
Now for small parts, if you ship something under a half pound then first class is your best bet but be prepared for it to take up to 7 days to get to some locations. Over a half pound then Priority mail is your best bet as it is very close to parcel post and in some cases cheaper, go figure. The USPS is not the cheapest game in town but they are convenient . I shipped a 2 lb box priority mail to California last week with insurance and it cost me $12. That same box going through Fed X Ground would probably have been $6 or less with tracking included. Some people don't live near a UPS or a Fed X shipping hub and PO is everywhere. As for materials they are a hassle, if you don't buy outright then you have to scrounge. Now if not a professional packaging outlet you have a few logistical issues. Where do you store every possible size of a scrounged box so you have it ready when needed. Where do you keep the packaging materials. Scrounging takes a lot of time and effort. Buying materials is expensive, don't take my word, just go and do it. All this adds time to pack and ship and as one other member put it, after 4 days people get nervous.
Rather than get an ulcer over shipping charges you can do a few things to help your situation. Here are some tips I can pass along but realize they are based off of me being in a geographic location that has all the major shipping outlets close enough for me to use. Your results may vary.
For paper or books use USPS media mail Under 1/2 pound use USPS first class Between 1/2 to 5 lbs use Priority Mail Over 5 pounds use Fed X Ground Use the smallest box possible but big enough to pack for damage prevention. Shippers love big boxes that do not weigh a lot, they can charge you a lot for a little work. The PO currently has an ad campaign that pokes fun at shippers that use very large boxes for small items.
If you want some control as a buyer then this may help. Contact the seller before the auction ends to see if they will deal with you. Pick up an item whenever possible As a buyer you can make arrangements with almost any shipper to pick up the item and create what is called a shipping tag. This way you pay the actual shipping cost and no packaging and handling charges. If every buyer did this to me I would be very happy as I would not have to lug the boxes to all these shipping outlets and fill out the paperwork, etc. You save the seller time and money.
Finally if you want a dose of reality. As a buyer you can always ask the seller to drop the item off at a local UPS Store or Mail Boxes Ect. They will take the item as is, professionally pack and ship the item. For me this is the best of all worlds. I would gladly forgo any handling charges if all my buyers wanted me to just drop them off at one of these locations. I am not so sure the buyer would like the resulting charges as they would be more than 3 times what I charge.
Good luck and hey, be careful out there.
Ray Homiski
Elizabeth, NJ