Shipping charged much higher than shipping used

Hmmm, that’s a tricky one as you did agree to the $20 shipping fee. However I would feel ripped off too as that’s almost a 200% markup. I personally would drop the seller an email, thanking them for the charger and saying that you will be placing feedback, but before doing so, you wanted to check if there was a reason for the high postage charges. If not, would they consider refunding you the excess postage costs? A smart seller would offer an excuse and a refund. But if that doesn’t happen, warn them that you intend to place negative feedback and if still no joy, place feedback so that future buyers don’t fall for the same scenario. If you paid via Ping, you may be able to open a dispute with Trade Me, although that can be tedious and time consuming and for the sake of $13 you might not be bothered.

I would run it via Trade Me chat, that is very excessive and not allowed, They will contact the seller,

https://help.trademe.co.nz/hc/en-us/articles/360007000792-Listing-policies

Shipping:

• Shipping and packaging charges must be reasonable and a reflection of the actual costs for packaging and postage, and shouldn’t be inflated for profit. For example, we don’t think it’s cool to charge for your time and petrol as part of your shipping and packaging cost.

I won an item that had excessive shipping, I followed up to get tracking number as sent, and queried why shipping was so excessive? as across town?, which is only around the $6.00 mark for up to 25 Kg's in an old box and would also fit in a medium size bag?, , 2 days no response, so forwarded E-Mail again, got response with Tracking number same day it was actually shipped, so had not been sent when the said they had in E-Mail,

also got a $4.00 refund as shipping was only $6.00 in a old box, if you don't ask you don't get, always query?

some times it pays to follow up with the seller and ask why?, as not allowed to charge for petrol time etc, and when it turns up in old recycled packaging?, & sent via Trade Me book a courier which is picked up from their door ?, is just rude,

Yes, always happy to pay a couple of dollars towards costs tape, printed labels packaging etc, but some is just so excessive,

& some I found Parcels being booked using Trade Me book a Courier as a Small DLE Bag !!, instead of a larger parcel, so they are pocketing what they save there, as listing has the fair shipping as it should for that size item, yes cheating the system, can be picked up quickly on Aramex parcel by 2 letter code in front of number, it is shocking how often this is happening,

Lachelle

I would query with the seller first, as per code of contact, contact the seller first if you have issues, problems etc, before placing feedback, they will then give reason and may offer a refund,

and if reason is outside TM code of conduct policy with no refund, Paper evidence to run by Trade Me & if they give you bad feedback,

But placing feedback straight away is just rude, and they just may retaliate with a negative as they do,

as some sellers do make an effort to refund the over charged,

as I do when buyers select rural & pay rural, then when I book, it is actually urban or has an urban option,

Can anyone explain why European sellers are posting on TM when their goods are not competitively priced and the freight costs are eye watering? Is it something to do with some countries offering incentives for companies to get into exporting?

Is everyone finding that shipping, if you are trying for some convenience, it VERY expensive?

To send a single DVD, tracked as that is the only option from NZPost, it now costs $5.60. I tried the pricing calculator if I wrapped the DVD in paper and it was no cheaper. That is for anywhere in NZ. Additional $4.30 for Rural.

While you may think that $5.60 is expenvive, try and break it down into its components. GSt is 73c, the courier driver for pickup and delivery is at least $1 (50c for each action. so $5.60 is now down to $3.87. It then has to be sorted in both the incoming and outgoing depot, say 50c each, thats $1. It then has to go on a truck between depots. If its a nationwide price for the ticket, then they average out transport costs throught nz, that maybe another $1. We are now at $1.87 which is left to pay the courier compay management, profit for the company and pay their insurance on the parcel. So there is not heaps left in it at the end of the day

it's common on the Chinese sites to pay high freight charges, this is where the profit is, not in the cost of the article. I think this practise is happening here now to a certain degree. Where items are similarly priced, I always check the freight costs first.

Hi

I stumbled upon this post by Alex, while looking at Trademe help to try and find resolutions and others thoughts to my angst of Trademe charging success fees on me as an In Trade Seller. I did ask them a while back as to why they charge fees. The answer was to put my prices up and not charge shipping. Just a little bit hard to do that when the majority of your items are kept at low prices.

Hopefully this might help any purchasers with answers as to why shipping is higher than what an NZ Post Track Bag has written on them.

So, unfortunately myself as a seller has to allow for Trademe success fees on shipping, the cost of my shipping labels and bags as well as the courier or NZ Post Tickets or Track Bags. I sometimes use NZ Post Bags if the shipping will be cheaper for the purchaser but they do have the additionals on where necessary. Then there is $4.30 additional for rural plus the 9.9% success fee on that too. 

All my success fees are 9.9% as I am a small trader.

I used to sell as per NZ Post Bags $4.50 until I saw that I was charged by Trademe for success fees. Some of my items are less than $1.00 so it was actually costing me more than any profit I was making.

As an honest Trader, if I feel a purchaser has picked an incorrect shipping rate I will refund!

But yes $20.00 for Alex shipping was excessive and I do hope a refund was given.

Happy trading everyone!

Hi, I recently brought a ring and have been charged $19 economy postage cost. Feel like thats way over priced, when emailed they use trade me to ship it. I checked the rest of their listing and found they're charging the same for other rings. Do yous even have any regulations on this, feel they are hiking the postage costs.

it is obvious that traders are using freight to make up their margins. I also wonder what is going on when overseas traders list items that are more expensive than you can buy here and the freight cost is enormous. Are they getting a subsidy from their governments somehow?

Hi Fiona, in the case of posting a ring, the shipping cost may include insurance or be a higher fee than usual if it is being sent with a courier who specialises in high-value items. You are welcome to request proof of the shipping costs from the seller though, as it is against our policy to inflate shipping costs

As stated it says economy postage this is including rings upward of $15,000. When sent an email for tracking it is being sent through trade me post. So do yous do all the stuff you just mentioned?

Hi Fiona, since it was sent through Book a Courier, it will have been sent with Aramex or NZPost, both of which cover parcels up to $2000 but NZPost does offer additional cover for higher priced items. You can request a breakdown of the shipping costs from the seller to confirm

Rings are not covered by NZ Post's included insurance.

Ok, that' greatks to know. And thats exactly who its been sent through. Had other rings through NZ post and were just left in the letter box. So buyers beware and ask seller to send it through a more reliable source.

You can request the seller to include 'signature required' on delivery. They will probably charge you extra but shouldn't be a lot as it is only 60c for the add on.

Advising all Traders, I have been ripped off by a Seller charging 3x the actual shipping cost, the size & weight of the package was unknown to me so I paid - no recourse, Trademe won't/ can't help so I've sucked it up, the Seller is not worth the cost of the Tribunal, I've placed negative feedback for the first time in Trading of 30years - yes you guessed it - I'm in my 70's, a distressing sad experience at my age & also the hard times we are all in

Lesley

   Did you contact Trade Me via Chat?,

as they will remind the seller of policies etc.and they do help, depending whom you get on chat gets different results,

So try chat again for a different staff member, as seller should not be charging 3 x actual shipping, that is wrong and they are obviously profiting from shipping to cover all their fees which is a no no,

Thanks flossy 63, Trademe have all the operating policies but do not exercise their authority, I just feel so abandoned

I'm fighting blind as I've never encountered this before - I went through the Dispute Report page so I'll give the chat a chat a go

Not sure how you know exactly what it cost the seller Lesley, but what did the seller say when you questioned them about it? Did they say tough luck, or just wanted to make a bit more, or did they justify in some other way and refuse to refund any overcharge?