Ebay - Free Postage or Postage Discount, How do you buy?

[Rafehod]

Hi All

This one seems like a no brainer to me as you would save money overall with a seller who offers a postage charge, rather than free postage for every item. But I see the some of the biggest sellers of programmes on Ebay go down the Free Postage route for example bobfrankandelvis, memorable matches etc etc.

When you buy on ebay do you mainly buy numerous copies from sellers charging postage to take advantage of discounts and only buy the odd programme from the sellers using the free postage option or does it not matter to you?

Interested in your thoughts, when I was selling a fair amount on Ebay a few years ago I would have some buyers purchasing 20-30 progs at a time from me and was happy to give them free postage on the lot for their custom but could not imagine someone doing that when you offer the free postage option as they are trapped into paying postage effectively for every programme.

[bobholl29]

I've tried both methods of selling, and I sell more offering postage as an extra rather than free postage. However, if people are interested in more than 1 item, I will give a discount on those items I have listed with free postage, as well as "plus postage" items. I still get naffed off with ebay charging a 10% fee on postage.

Ebay push sellers to give free postage, to improve sellers ratings. Since I have reduced the amount of free postage items, my rating will be re-assessed from "Top Rated Seller" to "Above Standard" on 20th August. During their monthly assessment of sellers. I have had no bad feedback or late deliveries.

[Fishy]

I will always ask before I buy - depending on the answer depends on whether I think the item is worth it to me or not.

I have found that people who 'charge' for postage, sometimes don't have the postage discount offered box ticked - so when trying to ask you just get blocked with a seller doesn't offer postage Discounts. A polite message normally sorts this out, or if it is someone I know I just wait for an invoice.

At the end of the day it really depends on how much I want / need the item and if I feel that I am being ripped off or not.

[Rafehod]

Hi Thanks for your input.

Seems like a good approach Fishy, its always best to ask before you seal the deal. Most people are reasonable.

[Eck]

If a seller refuses to offer postage discount I won't buy from them again unless the items were worth a lot more than I paid for them, if that is the case, I don't even wait for an invoice.