OT: eBay user charging too much shipping. Options

[mharrison]

Any thoughts on how to deal with an eBay seller trying to rape me on shipping? I've ordered an item that I've purchased a few of from other sellers. Shipping is typically around $10-$15. He wants to charge me $37.

I've already won the auction, and no, he didn't list and I didn't ask.

I think that I'll refuse to pay and take the hit if he won't work with me. I have 189+ ebay feedback (100%) and he has 1+ (100%).

I sent him an e-mail with shipping quotes from UPS and USPS for a package the correct weight and size.

[mharrison]

I do quite a bit of selling on eBay. I've gotten to where I can pretty well call it within $2. Occasionally I get a California buyer and the shipping is higher. Usually when my estimate is off, it is me that ends up eating a few bucks. Overall though, I think it works out well.

I don't charge a "handling" fee. Those suck. If you don't want to handle it you need to find a new line of work! I can FIND a box. I don't go to the dang pack & ship store where everything is 3x higher than it should be. I FIND a box. Pack it carefully. Load it up and take it to the UPS counter. I can't find cheaper rates anywhere. Unless it is a small item, then I ship in the flat rate USPS Priority Mail packages.

I much prefer, and I think my buyers do as well, a very reasonable flat fee listed in the auction. That way, if you don't like the shipping cost, don't bid. But if you do, there won't be any suprises.

As far as Paypal credit card fees. I just eat the cost on that. It isn't too much and usually I'm getting rid of something I don't want/need any longer. But, if I did a heavy volume the fees would probably get to me and I'd have to look into an additional fee or an alternate way of processing credit cards.

The seller was very agreeable to adjusting his shipping rates. He didn't tell me how he came up with the old rates, but he did list 3 different options for shipping with new reasonable rates. It was appreciated by me.