I disagre with the way that eBay is approaching the excessive shipping fee issue on eBay.  I do agree that it scares potential buyers away from bidding on eBay - even scares them away from eBay itself.  However, the answer can not be laid out in an extremly vauge and open ended manner.  No specific definition for excessive shipping has been put forth by eBay.  As a seller, I have no clue what eBay considers excessive.

     As a buyer, what frustrates me the most on eBay is where I must first "see description" in order to see what the shipping will be.  I know what I am looking for, I know what I want to pay total for it.  I want to also see the shipping fees in my searches so I can do the math.  It does not bother me if a seller wants to charge excessive shipping fees - I will simply move along to the next listing.  It is when I have to waste my time hunting down the shipping fee in a 3 page listing before I discover that it is indeed excessive (in my "book") and go through the same thing on the next listing.

     Lets not forget those new to eBay - how mad they must get at the seller (and eBay as a whole for letting it happen to them) when that "1 cent game" turns into a $10 invoice.

     eBay, if you trully want to attack the issue of excessive shipping fees on this site, the answer is simple.  Force sellers to list their shipping fees through the listing process.  Do not offer a "see description" option.  They either enter it as a flat rate, or through the calculator.  This is no challenge, and the vast majority of "see description" listings that I look at have the flat fee in the listing description.  eBay newbies pretty much enter a flat fee guestimate for their shipping fees and do not use the "see description" option.

     Now I am a seller who does feel there is no harm in making a modest profit from shipping fees.  After all, there is packaging, milage to the post office and the time involved to consider.  I charge a flat fee and typically attempt to aim at $2-5 above postage to cover these considerations (depending on item).  I also disclose this up front, letting potential bidders know up front that they are paying for more than actual postage and listing the shipping fee where they can see it when they search.

There is making an extra buck out of a deal... then there is abusing the system and being deceptive about it.

Welcome to AKWebSiteDesign's AFF (Another Funny Find)

Well, do you know all the words to the Star Spangled Banner?

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5243366100358424440&q=bad+singer&hl=en

Another completly non-eBay related moment, brought you you by AKWebSiteDesign!!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2635494578468396495&hl=en

Another completly non-eBay related moment, brought you you by AKWebSiteDesign!!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1047157044159649860&hl=en

My Latest Creation...

http://www.PandaGardenAuburn.com
(link opens new window, go take a peak!)

     A 5 page web site for a Chinese restaurant in Maine.  I incorporated some "over the top" design into this site and built it around the logo they provided.  Oversized button links and logo on the top.  Go eat here if you live in the area!

If you are in need of a web site (or PS2 games), check out my auctions!