I agree that selling low and charging high shipping to get around Ebay
charges is unscrupulous.
It is interesting that this same seller sold another puerh of the same size
for $15.50. (Item# 4405606228) Shipping was calculated according to zip
code. For me the shipping would have been $20.43 by UPS.
If the current auction works will the seller then charge even more shipping
next time?
Thanks for pointing this out.
Marilyn
"Mike Petro" > wrote in message
news
>I recently had an interaction with an eBay vendor that I think should
> be shared with the group.
>
> I ran across http://tinyurl.com/7cnzd which is your standard coin
> shaped puerh disc. This is a cheap tourist puerh and not to be taken
> seriously for anything more than a decoration. Anyway I noticed the
> "Buy it now" price of $6.99 which is about the actual street price in
> Kunming. Then I spotted the shipping rate of $59.00 which seemed
> extremely high since the item location was listed as Minnesota. So
> thinking it was a mistake I enquired about it.
>
> Here is what I was told: "I am not mistaken. I assume that buyer
> would look at the bottom line of the purchase. In another word, the
> total price for the item would be 60+. It is a great deal! Everybody
> knows that the tea is worth more than $6. I listed a high shipping
> cost and a very low selling price only to reduce the Ebay fee."
>
> This particular eBay vendor
> (eBay ID - reeseyy/Immune Body Supplements - email:
> )
> strikes me as being very unscrupulous, clearly they have no problem
> defrauding eBay so I can only assume that they would treat me with the
> same code of ethics. Besides, $66 for this cheap quality tourist puerh
> is tantamount to highway robbery.
>
> If anyone is seriously considering this item you would be well advised
> to look at http://tinyurl.com/9el8l who has the exact same item for
> $23 plus shipping. Or if you have the stomach to negotiate directly
> with the Chinese then check out http://tinyurl.com/7kfal who is
> listing it for $7.50, a brief search will reveal many more Chinese
> sellers who list it for well below $10.
>
> Another installment in the "Buyer Beware" series.....
>
> Mike Petro
> http://www.pu-erh.net