It's actually a lot harder to use the site now than when it first appeared many moons ago. It was fairly basic and simple in those days and that's the way it needs to be. Things have to be easy to find otherwise people won't bother and that's bad for sellers and bad for Trade Me.

If there is proof of delivery, it becomes a civil matter and it is up to the buyer to report to Police or initiate an insurance claim.

It's time someone started a website solely for smaller NZ 'in-trade' sellers. I do wonder if something along the lines of a co-op could possible work?

S, I do realize that. I also realize that cash can only be used in a pick-ups which makes my question valid. 

I really think that we should have the right to be able to question some of the 'improvements' that have been made. 

The problem is that the nationwide cost does NOT specify urban only.

Well, way back when I first joined Trade Me - it was easy. I learned to do it and had few computer skills, just enough to get by. I was reading Gary's instructions the other day in relation to shipping costs and it may as well have been in Chinese. All I want to do is to be able to list the courier/postage costs on my auctions - not complete a bloody degree!

I'm not too sure if it has been tried. However, with the way that Trade Me has been going and their blatant dislike of small NZ 'in-trade' sellers I do wonder if it could work. I for one are sick of being treated as the 'smelly kids' by Trade Me who really couldn't give a damn. I agree that there are other websites out there, but none of the them run an auction system. 

Michelle, I recently had a buyer who selected postage on each book that she had purchased. I asked her if she could please pay each postage amount using Ping, then I would immediately refund it so that I could get a refund of success fees charged on postage. She informed me that she would not do so and accused me of trying to rip her off. She insisted on paying by bank deposit - so how do you deal with a situation like that?

I think that Sharon is 100% correct in that Trade Me want to get rid of 'in-trade' sellers. I also think that it leaves is a great opening for an auction site for small or sole-traders?