Is anyone else getting as fed up as I am with people trying it on with postage?

It costs £1.30 to send a 45 by recorded delivery, that's in a decent mailer with 2 bits of card.

Even if you charge £1.50 you make 20p!

So why do people quote £1.50 or £2 standard mail, £2.50 recorded etc.

I've just had one bloke bill me, he wants £2.50 for one record, second class normail post! Add on £1 for recorded. So that's £2 more than the actual cost and I'm absolutely sick of it so I think I'm going to put some kind of message on each of my sales now asking people to question anyone charging more than £2 recorded post.

This may seem petty but if you add it up over a year it costs over £100 in rip off postage charges.

I asked one bloke why he charged £2.50 and this is his reply

"because doing the whole postage thing takes a big chunk out of my day, and I feel my time is as valuable as the next man's"

well don't be a record dealer then you tw*t

Can't these guys be reported for what's known as "fee avoidance"? Postal rip-offs have always been the bane of most Ebayers lives.

I always state my P&P costs loud and clear on my items. Only one person (our friend studioonemaster) has completely defied them, but he has been dealt with by having his bid cancelled, and banned from future auctions. Further action will follow, but I'm keping that under my hat for the moment (and I don't mean violence or extortion!).

Additionally, I am reluctant to bid on an auction that does not explicitly state P&P costs. If it's a really nice item, then I will mail the seller before the auction closes and ask them for a quote.

£1.50 inc Recorded delivery on my auctions - and that's for the first two records.

Even outwith ebay Pete there is gross over postage cost, I bought a record from Avid Vinyl who have a really impressive website with photo scans of all records they sell but the want £3.25 for recorded delivery :angry: , cue record order cancelled!

Lenny

Is anyone else getting as fed up as I am with people trying it on with postage?

It costs £1.30 to send a 45 by recorded delivery, that's in a decent mailer with 2 bits of card.

Even if you charge £1.50 you make 20p!

So why do people quote £1.50 or £2 standard mail, £2.50 recorded etc.

I've just had one bloke bill me, he wants £2.50 for one record, second class normail post! Add on £1 for recorded. So that's £2 more than the actual cost and I'm absolutely sick of it so I think I'm going to put some kind of message on each of my sales now asking people to question anyone charging more than £2 recorded post.

This may seem petty but if you add it up over a year it costs over £100 in rip off postage charges.

I asked one bloke why he charged £2.50 and this is his reply

"because doing the whole postage thing takes a big chunk out of my day, and I feel my time is as valuable as the next man's"

well don't be a record dealer then you tw*t

Couldn't agree with you more Pete.

I have raised this point on more than one occasion but it continues.

I just argue the case with each individual transaction and quite often get a polite and positive response . . . but not all the time :o( and have cancelled the odd order or two in retaliation.

Having said that, I bet I don't deal on the Net as often as your good self.

It helps to be calm and patient but even I get frustrated from time to time.

Keep it up Pete, I'm certain it will pay dividends. These people need to realise they are nothing without us buyers!!!

Couldn't agree with you more Pete.

I have raised this point on more than one occasion but it continues.

I just argue the case with each individual transaction and quite often get a polite and positive response . . . but not all the time :o( and have cancelled the odd order or two in retaliation.

Having said that, I bet I don't deal on the Net as often as your good self.

It helps to be calm and patient but even I get frustrated from time to time.

Keep it up Pete, I'm certain it will pay dividends. These people need to realise they are nothing without us buyers!!!

Pete, I charge £1.80 I clearly state my P&P charge so the bidder/buyer has the option to buy or not, time is money by the way, that's how business works I'm afraid. If it's not clearly stated then fair comment.

Pete, I charge £1.80 I clearly state my P&P charge so the bidder/buyer has the option to buy or not, time is money by the way, that's how business works I'm afraid. If it's not clearly stated then fair comment.

You shouldn't be passing on charges for your 'time' to your customers, how selfish is that???

Well it's not selfish, it's a rip off, whatever way you look at it.

And that "they can take it or leave it" attitude doesn't look good either.

And how come I can do it for £1.50 and you can't?

Should I start charging people extra for the petrol I use to get to the post office to send their items?

Bought a printer toner cartridge from a guy in Portsmouth and the postage was more than the cartridge!

I only charge actual postage costs, plus the cost of a mailer. I don't believe in charging labour just for postage.

Edited March 16, 200619 yr by Gene-R

You shouldn't be passing on charges for your 'time' to your customers, how selfish is that???

Well it's not selfish, it's a rip off, whatever way you look at it.

And that "they can take it or leave it" attitude doesn't look good either.

And how come I can do it for £1.50 and you can't?

Should I start charging people extra for the petrol I use to get to the post office to send their items?

Pete, I'm afraid everybody's overheads are different and yes petrol is a overhead I'm afraid, it's a business decision same as pricing a record. My customers have a choice, if they don't like my charges then they will go somewhere else, if it hurts my business I either will have to adjust or get get out, no different than anyother business. At the end of the day as long as the customer see what the total cost is I can't see how they have a problem, it's totally different if you are expecting to pay £x but find it's suddenly cost you an extra fiver that's not stated anywhere.

I only charge actual postage costs, plus the cost of a mailer. I don't believe in charging labour just for postage.

This is exactly the point I was trying to make.

The postage I do takes lietrally about 6 hours a week, I'm supposed to charge my customers for that am I?

Another pisser is paying full whack P&P and getting a tatty used mailer and second class postage.

BH

This is exactly the point I was trying to make.

The postage I do takes lietrally about 6 hours a week, I'm supposed to charge my customers for that am I?

Pete I run my own business, everything I do is built into the cost I charge, it has to be you can't run a business otherwise, a hobby maybe.

Pete I run my own business, everything I do is built into the cost I charge, it has to be you can't run a business otherwise, a hobby maybe.

So do I but I don't pass the non existant charges onto the customer. Look, the mailers and cardboard cost about 10p, the post is 1.30, so total is 1.40. I charge 1.50. I make 10p. How could I justify charging 1.80 or 2.00?

I 'won' a record on ebay for the minimum bid £4.99. The seller then tried to charge me £15.01 P&P. He stated the record was worth twenty quid of anybody's money.

I kicked off and threatened all sorts, along the lines of highlighting his insane P&P on here, and other internet chat rooms. told him I would get Ebay to suspend etc etc.

I got the record for £7 total, and all he said was he wouldnt leave any feedback at all. After the feedback deadline had gone I emailed him and told him I sold it for £25 and he went ape. I didnt sell it though. I still have it. but anyone wants it, its worth £20 of anybodys money, Shipping is free

So do I but I don't pass the non existant charges onto the customer. Look, the mailers and cardboard cost about 10p, the post is 1.30, so total is 1.40. I charge 1.50. I make 10p. How could I justify charging 1.80 or 2.00?

Let's call it day we have different views

Another pisser is paying full whack P&P and getting a tatty used mailer and second class postage.

BH

I always recycle my mailers. but then I dont charge for P&P (Unless insurance is requested.), and all the records are very securely packaged. They just have extra card or paper over my address.

I 'won' a record on ebay for the minimum bid £4.99. The seller then tried to charge me £15.01 P&P. He stated the record was worth twenty quid of anybody's money.

I kicked off and threatened all sorts, along the lines of highlighting his insane P&P on here, and other internet chat rooms. told him I would get Ebay to suspend etc etc.

I got the record for £7 total, and all he said was he wouldnt leave any feedback at all. After the feedback deadline had gone I emailed him and told him I sold it for £25 and he went ape. I didnt sell it though. I still have it. but anyone wants it, its worth £20 of anybodys money, Shipping is free

I'll give you £15 for it

Not on this subject but I was just wondering if anyone knew what this description was about

" BOSS COCKY & TOMMY DREAM TOMMY MAC COOK THE RECORD IS NO SO FLAT IT CATCH THE SUN SURFACE MARKS A BIT CRACKLY BUT PLAY BRIGHT ORIGINAL PRESS SO RECORDING CAN BE NOISY"

Not on this subject but I was just wondering if anyone knew what this description was about

" BOSS COCKY & TOMMY DREAM TOMMY MAC COOK THE RECORD IS NO SO FLAT IT CATCH THE SUN SURFACE MARKS A BIT CRACKLY BUT PLAY BRIGHT ORIGINAL PRESS SO RECORDING CAN BE NOISY"

And where exactly in Belgium is the seller based Pete?

And where exactly in Belgium is the seller based Pete?

I'll give you £15 for it

Sold. One copy of Bohemian Rhapsody complete with original warp. Can you add 30p for my time walking to the post office Pete?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

" BOSS COCKY & TOMMY DREAM TOMMY MAC COOK THE RECORD IS NO SO FLAT IT CATCH THE SUN SURFACE MARKS A BIT CRACKLY BUT PLAY BRIGHT ORIGINAL PRESS SO RECORDING CAN BE NOISY"

I call Eggs and Bacon. its where you can hear the breakfast fizzling away in the background.

Am I right in thinking that E-Bay takes commission on the final purchase price rather than the total price inc. postage? Therefore it's a slightly cheeky way of making some extra money.

If the postage prices are clearly displayed, then it's really down to whether or not you are getting a good overall deal on the record, all factors taken into account. I bought a copy of Brown Sugar's Game is Over for $5.50 on GEMM and the guy actually apologized for charging $6 p&p! I obviously told him not to worry!

I've sold a few things on E-Bay, but the overall effort involved in writing descriptions, answering tedious questions from idiots, packing, printing labels and taking the bloody things to the Post Office means that I'd be wary of doing it again. Especially when some of the morons think that it's a regular shop and you can return things simply because you don't like them (but that's another story).

Here's another one charging £2.50 recorded, so I asked why

Normally I send records in a mailer and one stiffener at 99pence second class. A hell of a lot

cheaper than most on Ebay who ask £1.50 to £2.50.

If any one asks for recorded it is usually on a more valuable item as this, so I pack in between

heavier card and inside a bubble lined envelope which saves the need for £4.00 insurance. I have

a stock of 47p. stamps for most records but like any other I have to stand in a post office

queue for recorded which is a pain.

Recorded is therefore £2.50 to cover the extra pcking, time taken and general aggro. You get

what you pay for, it isn't a rip-off.

regards

the last one i queried seller said that he wanted the normal postage cost around 1-50 , plus the paypal commission that he lost on the transaction 4% , plus another 50p as that what it would cost him to withdraw the money from his account to his bank and then there was time to go to post office petrol etc.

more if i wanted it recorded

my reply was if john powney sells me a record and postage costs 90p why should i pay you £2.50 +

i had a fairly well known collector (and seller of often outrageously priced modern stuff) try and charge me £10 for registered post on one 45 on ebay! yes it did state it in the auction but i didnt check it, when i questioned that he might be overcharging he flew off the handle, threatened to report me to ebay, then he agreed to 'reduce' it to £6 and sent it 1st class recorded in a brown f*ckin envelope! I DEFY ANYONE TO BEAT THIS...

Yeah, infact I tend to mistrust sellers who advertise ridiculously over the top (or even just over the top) postage costs, on the basis that because they've advertised that they charge over the top for postage, it kind of generally means they don't know their arse from their elbow. Which then makes me wonder about all sorts of things, ranging from 'can they grade a record' to 'do they know what a post office is'. I've paid (begrudgingly) up to £3 for a record to be sent from the UK only for it to arrive shoved between two bits of (badly) cut out cornflakes box and stuck inside an A4 mailer. With a 65p stamp on it.

The best recent one was some tw*t in the US advertising postage at $12, then trying to charge me $12.99. He sorted that problem out. But you'd assume $12 postage meant airmail, at least. 2 months later the record arrives (via boat) in between two bits of box, sealed with probably the least amount of selotape the guy could find, with a postage label proudly displaying the fee $4.85. I must have been paying for his packing skills.

i had a fairly well known collector (and seller of often outrageously priced modern stuff) try and charge me £10 for registered post on one 45 on ebay! yes it did state it in the auction but i didnt check it, when i questioned that he might be overcharging he flew off the handle, threatened to report me to ebay, then he agreed to 'reduce' it to £6 and sent it 1st class recorded in a brown f*ckin envelope! I DEFY ANYONE TO BEAT THIS...

...yeah, how that guy is still 'Free' is a mystery. I feel sorry for his cat, Sabu.

Edited March 16, 200619 yr by J-Brew

Not soul related by check how this seller trys to unwittingly catch buyers out with his postages costs!

https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Adidas-Predator-Abso...1QQcmdZViewItem

My missus buys a lot of collectibles off of ebay and has noted an increasing trend of whenever something doesn't make the price the seller had hoped for, the postage is excessive (to try and close the gap). She always queries it and quite often the sellers reduce. Seems she has as many exchanges about P&P as anything else.

Not soul related by check how this seller trys to unwittingly catch buyers out with his postages costs!

https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Adidas-Predator-Abso...1QQcmdZViewItem

Obviously must have a sense of humour - who else would call themselves "Teresa Green"!!

Anyway, my postal charges for a 7" 45 recorded delivery is £1.90 - quite simply made up of £1.30 for Recorded Delivery (1st class of course), and a 7" mailer plus 2 stiffeners from Covers 33 - at a cost of 60p each. Even at £1.90, I make NOTHING from P&P costs.

Working on the premisses that business is buiness and that there is no such thing as a free lunch and that time is money it seems fair to me that dealers of anything including record dealers charge for their time. I think if people state how much they charging for any service then this is just good, transparent business practice.

As an aside. If somebody has a Buy-it-now option with best offer. I often offer 80% of the Bin price and ask for P&P to be included. Mostly it gets accepted.

Working on the premisses that business is buiness and that there is no such thing as a free lunch and that time is money it seems fair to me that dealers of anything including record dealers charge for their time. I think if people state how much they charging for any service then this is just good, transparent business practice.

This is exactly what I said in my earlier posts.

My missus buys a lot of collectibles off of ebay and has noted an increasing trend of whenever something doesn't make the price the seller had hoped for, the postage is excessive (to try and close the gap). She always queries it and quite often the sellers reduce. Seems she has as many exchanges about P&P as anything else.

Yeah, I've noticed that a lot lately. Like you said, if you take the time to query it they'll drop their costs. Trouble is, you'll get the odd git who'll send a styrene 45 totally inadequately wrapped on purpose, hoping it will crack in transit, which of course it will. Grrrr.

Being buying for years only ever had 2 instances of badly packed record, simple solution I didn't deal with them again. If I purchase expensive item I always get insurance and ASK for the item to be well packed, especially if it ain't someone I haven't dealt with previously.

If you accept paypal then you cannot charge p&p at cost ,otherwise you lose 4%on your p&p .Paypal charges on the total so if you are not adding a % to your p&p more fool you.

Not soul related by check how this seller trys to unwittingly catch buyers out with his postages costs!

https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Adidas-Predator-Abso...1QQcmdZViewItem

Yes lots of this goes on specially from chinese sellers! Saxophones,Valve amps,guitars etc, That sort of stuff? Item 50p +P £500!

Think its a way of getting round ebays overall charge? Does it work anyone?(dunno?)

Best ive had was from a UK seller one single £6 P+P recorded !!! i wasnt watching his charges on a snip explosion ,so after being threatened i caved in, Received it in a box that once contained a microwave!!

Mailed him and he just replied "well youve got to laugh havent you!" Yeah very funny! Tosser!

If you accept paypal then you cannot charge p&p at cost ,otherwise you lose 4%on your p&p .Paypal charges on the total so if you are not adding a % to your p&p more fool you.

Lovely attitude.

Being buying for years only ever had 2 instances of badly packed record, simple solution I didn't deal with them again. If I purchase expensive item I always get insurance and ASK for the item to be well packed, especially if it ain't someone I haven't dealt with previously.

Netspeaky,

You say "Being buying for years only ever had 2 instances of badly packed record". Well lucky you!!!

I too have been collecting for donkey's years and I ALWAYS ask that my records are well packed. And if I know it's a styrene 45 then I point that out and ask for extra special care. But, you guessed it, in one ear and out of the other!!!

Netspeaky,

You say "Being buying for years only ever had 2 instances of badly packed record". Well lucky you!!!

I too have been collecting for donkey's years and I ALWAYS ask that my records are well packed. And if I know it's a styrene 45 then I point that out and ask for extra special care. But, you guessed it, in one ear and out of the other!!!

My advice is buy off dealers who knows what they are doing, feedback is a good indicator, if it's someone new then it's difficult to know, but you can always ask and if it doesn't meet your requirements then don't do any further business with them. If it's an expensive item ask them to pack the package within a package it's worth a few $'s more, and consider the insurance.

My advice is buy off dealers who knows what they are doing, feedback is a good indicator, if it's someone new then it's difficult to know, but you can always ask and if it doesn't meet your requirements then don't do any further business with them. If it's an expensive item ask them to pack the package within a package it's worth a few $'s more, and consider the insurance.

Yeah, but you never get any 'bargains' off Dealers, do you? And, you very rarely find undiscovered, unheard of records off Dealers either.

Part of the fun of dealing with 'Joe Public' on eBay is the excitement of buying 'on spec', records that look like they might be worth taking a chance on. Problem is, you get the occasional plonker who thinks packaging a styrene 45 is okay between two pieces of cornflake box cardboard cut out 'roughly' to size (and sometimes not big enough), then wrapped with extremely sticky American tape that can only be cut through to get at the 45 inside using a blow torch, to ruin all the fun. Oh well, can't win 'em all eh?

i wish all record dealers were like you pete, but at the same time i think you're bonkers. six hours in the post office each week and you don't charge for it?

various people suggesting £3-5 is over the top. if i sell anything on ebay, it probably costs me more than that just in petrol to get to the post office. it's hardly a get rich quick scheme.

i'm with netspeaky boy and billy f on this: i've got nothing against paying whatever is stated as long as it is stated up front. it's my choice whether i bid or not. i'm an adult.

honestly, if it wasn't for the moaning you lot would never be happy

YES!

Just won a Ray Scott off some bloke in Scotland (no names.....YET!) who's sent me an invoice with $12.23 int. flat rate postage on it

Emailed him asking for a revised invoice because his postage rates are extortionate - but as yet had no reply.

Hopefully he's reading this..... :angry:

I 'won' a record on ebay for the minimum bid £4.99. The seller then tried to charge me £15.01 P&P. He stated the record was worth twenty quid of anybody's money.

I kicked off and threatened all sorts, along the lines of highlighting his insane P&P on here, and other internet chat rooms. told him I would get Ebay to suspend etc etc.

I got the record for £7 total, and all he said was he wouldnt leave any feedback at all. After the feedback deadline had gone I emailed him and told him I sold it for £25 and he went ape. I didnt sell it though. I still have it. but anyone wants it, its worth £20 of anybodys money, Shipping is free

..........What is it?- Might be worth £20 of my wifes money

So do I but I don't pass the non existant charges onto the customer. Look, the mailers and cardboard cost about 10p, the post is 1.30, so total is 1.40. I charge 1.50. I make 10p. How could I justify charging 1.80 or 2.00?

hi pete , i was wondering where you get your mailers ? i have been paying 45p ?

hi pete , i was wondering where you get your mailers ? i have been paying 45p ?

covers33 mate..more you buy, cheaper they get

My advice is buy off dealers who knows what they are doing, feedback is a good indicator, if it's someone new then it's difficult to know, but you can always ask and if it doesn't meet your requirements then don't do any further business with them. If it's an expensive item ask them to pack the package within a package it's worth a few $'s more, and consider the insurance.

Sounds fair enough to me, I work in the courier & postal service sector, we charge cost plus for postage, and people agree or go elsewhere.

Its ridiculous to expect a proper business involved in mail order of anything to do it for free, they have to pay someone to do it and pay postal service upfront; the price would have to be built in somewhere else- i.e. the product. Who else on here works part of their working day for completely nothing.

Busy, Monkeys & peanuts come to mind.

Buying off dealers I expect to pay for quality, his/her knowledge, time spent sourcing records and other sundries including p+p. Hopefully their economy of scale means its a viable going concern at a decent price. Buying off Joe Bloggs I expect p+p at cost.

If prices are clearly indicated, can't see the problem.

danny

Buying off dealers I expect to pay for quality, his/her knowledge, time spent sourcing records and other sundries including p+p. Hopefully their economy of scale means its a viable going concern at a decent price. Buying off Joe Bloggs I expect p+p at cost.

Why?

It often costs Joe Bloggs more to send the item than a known dealer, as indicated in Pete's earlier post about the 'economy of scale' purchasing of mailers and they have to queue for just as long at the Post Office.

If you have to start tacking ridiculous postage costs on at the end of a sale, then you are clearly not very clever when it comes to pricing your records up....

Why?

It often costs Joe Bloggs more to send the item than a known dealer, as indicated in Pete's earlier post about the 'economy of scale' purchasing of mailers and they have to queue for just as long at the Post Office.

If you have to start tacking ridiculous postage costs on at the end of a sale, then you are clearly not very clever when it comes to pricing your records up....

If it's clearly stated what P&P is how can it be a problem, if you don't like it don't bid/buy, you have a choice. If seller clearly states his P&P @ £10 an item, it's not WRONG it's his choice, you make not like it but is not WRONG. Sellers can put whatever conditions they like as long as they are not out to defraud someone. Buyers have choices to buy or not to buy, SIMPLE.

It's fee avoidance more like..... cheeky feckers....

Why?

It often costs Joe Bloggs more to send the item than a known dealer, as indicated in Pete's earlier post about the 'economy of scale' purchasing of mailers and they have to queue for just as long at the Post Office.

If you have to start tacking ridiculous postage costs on at the end of a sale, then you are clearly not very clever when it comes to pricing your records up....

Joe Bloggs moonlighting as a record dealer doesnt depend on earning his living from all that is involved in selling records, window cleaning, Paint & decorating or other examples in life where you try to compare a full time pro with a bit player who has another income legal or otherwise.

Any kosher mailing house will charge you for packing and presenting a product to post office, just like any courier company will charge you to take your mail to the post office. In general the cost of postage is minimal compared to total amount.

Notwithstanding those guys who try to fleece you after agreeing a selling price for the record, if prices are clearly indicated before then no one can argue with a nominal additional charge for the time taken to complete process.

Most dealers rely on repeat business all their doing when adding to postage is itemising where their profits are made (good business practice). If the overall price and service is good..happy days

The guy selling to Intown Mikey should have put a reserve on the record before auctioning and then just charged a reasonable postage, this might have avoided the ill feeling regards postal hike after the event.

If you sell records full time and its your only income, you could include all required profit in selling price and offer postage at cost or maybe free but somewhere there has to be sufficient profit for the guy to pay for his working day. Anybody who argues bout the dealer making usually less than a £1 after offering a good deal on a record..

1) Check the buyer is not auditioning for a job with Alan Sugar

2) tell them where to shove their quid and their order