StoryDreamer wrote:

.... Just figure out what you're willing to pay SHIPPING included and make a decision from there. I always include my shipping in a budgeted item. Say I want to buy a Big Brother pony at around $20.00. That's not 20.00 PLUS shipping. That's 20 flat for me. If I can't find an auction that suits my budget and capacity of want for that item, I wait. It sucks, but I wait.

This is what I would do too.

And in fact it's pretty much what the seller said -

Quote::

Hi..the way is see it is determine the value of the item and how much you are willing to bid. Subtract the shipping and that is the figure you arrive at. You are still paying the same price whether you pay 1.00 plus 20 for shipping equally 21 dollars or 11.00 for the item and 10 dollars to ship. It's the same thing. ...

Just out of curiosity, why are you so determined not to pay this or that amount for shipping? As the total will be the same anyway.

Also, if the seller asks that amount for shipping within the US then it's the same for everyone, right? (or even more for other people if it's not a flat rate)
Anyone interested in the auction will have to take the high shipping into account when they bid. I mean it's not just you. So you still have the same chance of winning.

If you kept emailing the seller about the shipping and also asked them not to include the biggest item, chances are you peeved them so that they won't change their mind now no matter what you do.

tootie_tails wrote:

Just out of curiosity, why are you so determined not to pay this or that amount for shipping? As the total will be the same anyway. Also, if the seller asks that amount for shipping within the US then it's the same for everyone, right? (or even more for other people if it's not a flat rate) Anyone interested in the auction will have to take the high shipping into account when they bid. I mean it's not just you. So you still have the same chance of winning. If you kept emailing the seller about the shipping and also asked them not to include the biggest item, chances are you peeved them so that they won't change their mind now no matter what you do.

I'm very upset about this as it's a blatant disregard for ebay's policy of not making profit from shipping. And no, shipping isn't always the same if you ship anywhere in the country, unless you use a flat rate box. If I wanted to send something an hour away it's less than what it would be if I sent it to the East Coast. She wasn't planning on using a flat-rate box and refused to do so, even though it would be a discount.

I think I've sorted it out as best I can. *sigh* I'll have to pass on this auction, but ponies come about again.

cloud_weaver wrote:

tootie_tails wrote: Just out of curiosity, why are you so determined not to pay this or that amount for shipping? As the total will be the same anyway. Also, if the seller asks that amount for shipping within the US then it's the same for everyone, right? (or even more for other people if it's not a flat rate) Anyone interested in the auction will have to take the high shipping into account when they bid. I mean it's not just you. So you still have the same chance of winning. If you kept emailing the seller about the shipping and also asked them not to include the biggest item, chances are you peeved them so that they won't change their mind now no matter what you do. I'm very upset about this as it's a blatant disregard for ebay's policy of not making profit from shipping. And no, shipping isn't always the same if you ship anywhere in the country, unless you use a flat rate box. If I wanted to send something an hour away it's less than what it would be if I sent it to the East Coast. She wasn't planning on using a flat-rate box and refused to do so, even though it would be a discount. I think I've sorted it out as best I can. *sigh* I'll have to pass on this auction, but ponies come about again.

Well that is exactly what I said..? (bolded it now)

Looks like the seller took your advice and changed the shipping.

The problem I see though, is if I'm willing to pay $21.00 for the item, I'm going to be outbid because all I bid was $1.00, so I could still meet my budget.

However, if the shipping were $10.00, then my max bid would be $11.00, giving me more bidding room as it were.


Honestly, I don't really see those two things as being the same thing at all. Even if I AM paying the same amount in the end.

But that's how it is for everyone, isn't it?
If the shipping is $10 lower, then it will leave room for you to bid $10 more, yes, but it will also leave room for everyone else to bid $10 more.
Who will win the auction? - it depends on how much you are willing to spend *in total*, no matter what the shipping is.

However, like OnBook said, the seller has now edited the auction, so now you can all budget less for shipping and more for bidding, exactly like you wanted! So all is well now I guess

tootie_tails wrote:

But that's how it is for everyone, isn't it? If the shipping is $10 lower, then it will leave room for you to bid $10 more, yes, but it will also leave room for everyone else to bid $10 more. Who will win the auction? - it depends on how much you are willing to spend *in total*, no matter what the shipping is. However, like OnBook said, the seller has now edited the auction, so now you can all budget less for shipping and more for bidding, exactly like you wanted! So all is well now I guess

True, but given the amount of stories we've all seen about how buyers freak out about the shipping after the fact, I would also say that not everyone actually thinks about including shipping within their budgeted price.

On average I would say that 95% of the people on here do, but on Ebay most people are just going to see that bid amount and bid because the item is 1.05 or whatever, without thinking too hard about the shipping costs.

That being said, it's a contract, if it's there and I don't care for the shipping I'm not going to bid since it IS at least stated up front.

Personally I don't bid if the shipping charge is outrageous, simply because it's against the rules and it's a cheap trick to try and make a profit from the shipping. Sometimes it sucks if its something you really want but thats life..

If everyone would boycott such sellers we wouldn't have this problem.