Forum

Any idea why sellers do this?
 

Im browsing some items (chargers), and there are sellers from the USA, which have great feedback (99.9%), AND selling items for $1.75, which costs $2.5 to ship...why would they be doing this?
Any ideas?

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

To build up more feedback maybe?

Do you mean that they are charging $2.50 to post on top of the $1.75, or it would cost them $2.50 to post and they are only charging $1.75 for the item including postage?

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

feedback is 59k 99.9% positive
has sold over 1700 of these.
free shipping item costs $1.75...i dont get it

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

Are you sure they pay $2.50 for shipping? I would think at that volume they get decent discount on shipping rates

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

As far as I know the cheapest way to send the item they are shipping is usps first class $2.5 padded envelope.

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

I'll provide a few letters and you can fill in the missing info Retailer77:

Dr_psh_pp_ng fr_m As_an c_unt_y....

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

Sounds right..just surprised a seller with such pristine feedback would risk it with something like drop shipping

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

They may just put a stamp on an envelope and refund any claims. They get the items for pennies buying in big quantity. It is just a feedback filler most likely.

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

Not all sellers ship with tracking, those cables are cheap and not worth putting a tracking on them, also...they might dropship them at super cheap price. But I also agree that they do it to get large quantities of feedback.

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

is there a big discount if an items shipped w/out tracking?

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

Cost of a stamp compared to $2.45

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

But it cannot go as a stamp thats the thing....it needs to be no larger than 1/4 inch.

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

Why don't you message them and ask if you really want to know?

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

lol..i doubt they would answer me..why would they?

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

The probably wont, but all we can do on the forum is guess. Why does it matter all that much though?

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

You can use the USPS.com website ya know. It is not exclusive to everyone but you lol Joking but being very serious too.

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

One option right off of stamps.com $1.15 But you certainly can get cheaper if you really wanted.

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

Yes I understand, but I was saying that if the seller were to ship as a stamp it would'nt even mail because the package cannot be over 1/4 inch thick to be sent as a stamp

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

Have you tried? Are you willing to risk a few returns to test it?

Also, you for sure can go to the post office and buy postage for less than a buck.

Now the real question is, why would you want to sell stuff and make $0.50 or $1.00?

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

My point in creating this post was that such an item cannot go for less than $2.50 due to the dimensions, I have asked my local post office this several times and its always the same answer.

I am simply blown away by sellers who have sold thousands of these type of items for less than shipping cost price..there must be a reason..I am just unaware.

As the previous poster stated it possible they are drop shipping from china direct, but even so would it not cost at least $2 to ship from china also?

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

I can ship right now $1.15......... Lets say they have $0.20 into one(I doubt it) they make some money but you certainly can ship for a lot less.

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

One option for you is to spend the $2.75 and buy one. Then you will have all your answers! Brilliant idea eh?

Buying from your competitors is never a bad thing. So much you can learn from them.

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

Retailer, you're incorrect about a lot of things in this thread. You'd be surprised what you can get away with, if you're just nice/generous with your mail carrier. Once a parcel is accepted, it's smooth sailing from there 99% of the time.

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

they paying it are they? Biggest seller in the uk (and the world i think) got shut down and being sued for millions by our postal service

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

Who?

You got a link?

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

Babz is (was) the name of the seller

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

I was wondering why babz store had nothing in it

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

Babz Media was their name.

Link here....

Babz Media - ebay seller - General Discussion - Digital Spy Forums

:juggle:

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

That's incredible. I've been researching this guy since you made this post. First time I've heard of them.

Do you know exactly what got them shut down, James? I've read they got sued first by a UK environmental agency, then Royal Mail killed them off for good. Apparently for "undeclaring" mail?

I guess since this isn't something we do in USA, the concept is totally lost on me. Was he using the wrong mail class or something?

It's scary how relevant this case is to the post I made earlier..

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

Part of the method was under declaring amount of postage items.

Getting 3000 submitted for postage but paying for 1500!

Also fell very very foul of the Tax Office, aka HRMC. They ran a back office enquiry on them over many years. Turned out to be very fruitful.
:comp5:

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

Good one James :)

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

So in the UK, you guys/gals pay for postage when the mail goes out?

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

yeah if you get a business account you book it in online yourself. They supposedly check but clearly not very often.
We have a sales tax that is self declared aswell and rarely checked on, 16.6% of turnover that they no doubt won't of been paying either.

He had another top 10 account aswell can't remember the name will look later. Ebay had the owner talking at conferences and stuff aswell lol

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

He's on this list as #2 and #5, and I've heard he had another account with over 1 million feedback.

The World's Top eBay Sellers - Web Retailer Blog

Damn shame he had to stop trading. This case makes me thankful for stamps.com and the way postage is handled in USA.

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

He got careless.

There was a group of high traders, some located on the North West of the UK who all lost massive accounts because they thought they had immunity.

:bird:

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

Worth noting that "estocks", formerly the worlds #1 Ebay seller, has inexplicably closed shop as well.

I guess once I reach one million feedback, I'll start slowing down some :P

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

If you had a big account in 2013 you were a target in ebay's eyes. They cut out 14,000 top 1% sellers in August alone according to the Wall Street Journal. Similar cuts again in October.

When you start selling several thousand items a month and have hundreds of thousands of dollars in sales, you have a series of other criteria to follow not related to DRSs. You are an ebay partner and things like how you communicate and how many customers are dissatisfied not related to % come into play.

I would never want a single huge account again. It is a full time job communicating with ebay and paypal daily.

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

And in typical ebay/paypal fashion they zapped accpunts without too much warning....

So much for having account managers on speed dial. That number was discommected with not as much as a blink of the eye.

:mad:

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

100% You have to deal with a secret back door department. SRS or something like that. direct Email only, no ebay messages and reps can not read or help in any way.

Basically, ebay restricted accounts on September 28th-30th for 30 days with a November 1st reinstate date and watched to see how many cases came in and how you handled them and then zapped your account as soon as you paid your fees with expectations on being able to sell November 1st. They even encouraged you to update listings and inventory in your store as drafts. Very painful process for sure :smash::smash::smash:

Re: Any idea why sellers do this?
 

Yankee, if you're still around on this thread, what exactly does a TSAM do?