I've also been noticing it, particularly with copies of City State of the Invincible Overlord. What gives?  

Although a lot of auctions list US only, if you speak to the sellers a lot of the time they will ship O'seas.

It's just a matter of being polite, asking, and sometimes sorting out the shipping method beforehand.

The one thing I have noticed lately is that a lot of US sellers have raised their shipping prices to Canada.  A good example is this one:



http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0177324082



When I asked about it, they mentioned the USPS price changes but they also mentioned that they had to raise their shipping because of the falling US dollar.  I've heard this about 3 or 4 times and it is really starting to bug me.  The falling US dollar shouldn't have anything to do with the cost of shipping since you are buying it in the US.

Melan wrote:I've also been noticing it, particularly with copies of City State of the Invincible Overlord. What gives?

AP- US Secretary of State Condeleeza Rice met with the Invicible Overlord recently to pledge continuing support for this "fledgling democracy." Meanwhile the Overlord's riot police clashed with protesters who claimed the increasingly close US/City State relationship is choking off free trade with other nations & undermining their feudal society. A particularly sensitive issue is the Kevlar armor worn by American soldiers of all ranks, as City State cultural values proscribe the wearing of substantial armor such as plate mail to all but fighters of 4th level or higher.

Mars wrote:The falling US dollar shouldn't have anything to do with the cost of shipping since you are buying it in the US.

I agree, Mark.  I don't think it should have anything to do with it either, but I definitely think it does.

All I know, and this is from my own stupidity, make sure you get the damned thing weighed properly. I had a package I was sending to Canada and I was given a price quote (from USPS) at $14 (I was sending 4 books and a box set; it was 3 pounds 9 ounces) but when I went in to actually ship it, they weighed it, and it suddenly was $21 to ship. I had to eat that difference. Apparently, if something weighs more than 4 pounds, it gets extra-special treatment... learn to live and live to learn.

bclarkie wrote:Hey, please don't take it out on the rest of us because some people are asshats.    

Hey, I've bought from you before, and I recall checking the price on the package vs. the price charged me (force of habit) and noting that they matched up very well.  

I am one sure I am one of the people many would complain about the shipping charges from. As I do charge $5.00 for Media, and $8.00 for Priority within the United States.

Since I am one who charges this I will state it. I charge this to cover the cost of every one of my shipments going out media is inside a large bubble padded envelope and if it is a softer bendable item of vg or better it has a cardboard backer inside to help avoid bending and folding. I also charge this to help cover the cost of the ebay and paypal fees, along with the handeling charge of gas to the post office.

Factor all of that in and an item that sells for $5.00 with shipping will cost the buyer $10.00 Less the $5.00 for the item, The $2.30 for the actual shipping, and I am charging about $2.70. Take the .50 - .70 cents for the mailer, the cardboard (when needed) the ebay listing fee of .75 cents on average and the paypal fee of.30 for a $5.00 sale and you are now down to $1.00 for a handle fee.  Take into acount the gas increase and I am making around .75 cents off the shipping of a media mail item.

Priority is set at $8.00 within the united states in my case. I have been known to ship priority items packaged inside a bubble envelope anyhow to avoid damage, and in some cases I include a cardboard backer in it too.

Boxed items is $12.00 flat in the United states. Again work it out not much in the end.

Since this thread was abotu US sellers only shipping inside the US. I will say I think it is more likely because they have had horrible experiences in the past on the side of the postal service. Many who are overseas want it shipped cheaply which is very understandable due to the cost of shipping to you. Cheaper shipping means less care by the postal service and results in a lot of lost or lengthy times in the arrival. This can result in negative feedback and bad feelings.

Not to mention the shock many do feel at the postal desk when they find out they undercharged and get an empty feeling in the stomach from it. I have had this happen in the past myself.

Result. I ship to overseas, by Priority ONLY , unless it is a box of books. then I get the actual weight from post office and quote it in the auction. That way anyone can look it up. Add the handeling fee and know the cost it will be to ship to them. My advantage to shipping priority only to overseas is that the Postal Service now insures all items shipped overseas priority. So if it is lost or damaged now I can file a claim even for my overseas customers. It is a protection all around. It gets to them faster with less chance of loss. (if they insure it they dont want to lose it.) If anything happens I can recover the value and refund the buyer too.

So With all of this I think it is safe to say now you all know my reason anyhow.

Ogreden wrote:
Since I am one who charges this I will state it. I charge this to cover the cost of every one of my shipments going out media is inside a large bubble padded envelope and if it is a softer bendable item of vg or better it has a cardboard backer inside to help avoid bending and folding. I also charge this to help cover the cost of the ebay and paypal fees, along with the handeling charge of gas to the post office.

Couple of things, but I do not want to belabor it, as this topic has beat to death many times over:

1)  It is against Ebay's rules to include you listing fees and/or your Paypal fees in your S&H charges. If you list this information in your auction they will yank it.

2)  I am not sure why anyone has to pay for your listing fees, Paypal fees, you BS gas costs or any other thing other than material costs that you want to try and tack on to your "Handling Fees". Its called the "cost of doing business".  Aside from the fact you don't even need to leave the comfort of your own to ship stuff nowadays, gas to the PO?   And cardboard backers? I am sure those cut up boxes that you probably costs a ton.

I can tell you that when I see S&H costs like this, I move right on to the next seller and I know lots of other do as well.  I mena cometetively speaking why in the world would I through a bid onto a $5 item from a seller that is charging me $5 Media Mail or $12 Priority Mail when I can just as easily get virtually the exact same item form a different seller who is only going to charge me $2.50-$2.50 for  media mail or $5.00-$5.50 for Priority Mail? Its silly.

Ogreden wrote:Factor all of that in and an item that sells for $5.00 with shipping will cost the buyer $10.00 Less the $5.00 for the item, The $2.30 for the actual shipping, and I am charging about $2.70. Take the .50 - .70 cents for the mailer, the cardboard (when needed) the ebay listing fee of .75 cents on average and the paypal fee of.30 for a $5.00 sale and you are now down to $1.00 for a handle fee.  Take into acount the gas increase and I am making around .75 cents off the shipping of a media mail item.

I think your math is a little fuzzy here.  You list all these costs that you say that are charging as your "handling fee" and they add up to ~$4 in which you then say the extra $1 is your "handling fee".  I think that you mean to say that extra $1.00 that you are charging on top of everything else is your "profit", not your handling fee, as all the items that you listed as costs are your quoted "handling fee".   I guess I am not sure why the "profit" is there as well.