What the...ebay sellers

[Monty]

I love enamel paints, and when Testors went crazy expanding their Model Master line, I was in hog heaven.  I still search for them, provided the price is very reasonable, but today I was astounded by what I saw.  A seller had a jar of paint priced at only $3.13, which caught my attention, but shipping from Italy was $62.31.   He's got a couple more listed the same way.  

I know Canadian shipping is ridiculous, but who in their right mind would even consider buying this?  And why would the seller think anybody'd jump on that?  

[PowerPlant]

I’ve seen more than a fair share of similar ebay ads in the US. A small jo-han part, for example, like a taillight, for a reasonable 4-5 dollars apiece, but shipping to europe between 50 and 60 dollars. For a taillight which fits in an envelope? One of the main reasons I quit ebay. It has become ridiculous. 

Edited October 11, 2023 by PowerPlant

[Tom Geiger]

Blame eBay not the sellers!  The eBay shipping calculator is a horrible thing.  And now with this controlled International shipping program (Sellers ship their orders to a US hub, then eBay ships to the specified country), costs have gotten out of control.

Setting up shipping preferences in eBay is a mess.  And when my fixed price items (Buy It Now) renew every 30 days, their program will arbitrarily change my shipping terms, inserting a bogus package size.   

 

[ewetwo]

They could be putting themselves out of business. I tried listing something and they put in a high shipping charge and I couldn't change it. My cousin was a big eBayer and she quit because of this. She said you have to ask for a refund on the shipping charge and they fight you. So it's either deal with the eBay mess or deal with all the jerks on Marketplace, You have no idea how many people on Marketplace want a kit. Want the shipping charge and you send them a post with the total and then you hear nothing. One was a 13 year old bored during history class so he was on his phone wasting my time. Those people get blocked. I've learned to check the "buyer's detail" and then their "profile". If the profile seems a bit odd. I just block them.

[BlackSheep214]

Curious question... how does a seller list a selling price with free shipping? I've always thought the seller determines the cost of shipping (or include free shipping), not eBay.

But yeah... $62 shipping is ridiculous. Then again enamel paint is flammable so I sort of see a reason there.

Maybe their country has strict policies shipping hobby paint overseas be it acrylic, enamel, or lacquer.