Excessive postage costs by private sellers

[flower123-r]

I think it is time that private sellers are brought to task over excessive postage costs. They are using postage to increase profit of their auctioned items. I purchase clothes for my goddaughters. I pay a reasonable amount on auction but find that; example:

1) purchased via auction two items from a seller who charged postage on both items, totalling £6.40, then posted together at £3.20. A profit in postage.

2) paid £14 for a jacket, charged £5.00 postage, actual postage cost, £1.53.

Buyers, you must check the postage cost and upon receipt of item, query with seller.

Firstly, message the seller to ask for a refund of excessive postage costs. If they refuse by saying cost of packaging, time and travel which, I agree, has to be a factor, but if excessive taking these factors into consideration, then you must reflect this in the feedback.

So, if excessive, then you must start recording it by:

1) leave neutral feed back and site 'excessive postage costs'

2) in the satisfactory star system, leave 1 star for postage.

Until buyers start to record excessive postage through eBay feedback, eBay will continue to allow this profiteering to continue and frankly, when buying a second-hand item for over £20, then to be hammered on the postage, I find underhanded and deceitful.

[pixiesen2012]

you are wrong,

sellers set a postage price which isn't just the cost of the stamp,

that price is clearly shown on the listing and you agree to it when you bid on the item, there is nothing 'underhand'

1. the time to ask about combined postage costs is BEFORE you bid/buy, sellers do not have to offer a reduced cost for combined purchases

2. leaving low stars for something that was clearly shown is underhand and unfair

[flower123-r]

I am correct. It appears that private sellers are using excessive postage costs to cover their eBay fees. They do not seem to be checking actual postage costs, but plucking figures from thin air. As a buyer, you have no choice in the matter as it is now so ingrained in this selling group. You can contact the seller. A lot are very reasonable people, but if not, as a buyer, your only recourse is to ensure that you start leaving fair feedback on this issue.

[pixiesen2012]

It's Postage & Packaging, not just the cost of the stamp, if you don't like a sellers QUOTED postage costs DON'T buy from that seller, leaving bad feedback for something that is clearly shown is bad form