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Is it even legal to charge a fee to use a government service, ie, the USPS?
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Is it even legal to charge a fee to use a government service, ie, the USPS?
Jul 12, 2011 02:37 PM
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I am wondering about the legalities of ebay being allowed to charge a percentage of US mail postage that we as sellers must pay. It sure seems illegal, definitely isn't right, and is basically communistic. I'm sure ebay will pull this post, they don't want the truth getting out there.
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(1 of 19)
Re: Is it even legal to charge a fee to use a government service, ie, the USPS?
Jul 12, 2011 02:42 PM
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propblast69 wrote: I am wondering about the legalities of ebay being allowed to charge a percentage of US mail postage that we as sellers must pay. It sure seems illegal, definitely isn't right, and is basically communistic. I'm sure ebay will pull this post, they don't want the truth getting out there.  It is corrupt for sure.
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(2 of 19)
Re: Is it even legal to charge a fee to use a government service, ie, the USPS?
Jul 12, 2011 04:39 PM
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Paypal has been doing it for years.
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(3 of 19)
Re: Is it even legal to charge a fee to use a government service, ie, the USPS?
Jul 12, 2011 04:52 PM
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Not to mention the obvious stupidity of having to pay commission for funds you don't pocket. Reeks of communistic opportunity. If eBay wants to encourage Free Shipping...that is the reason I was given...then why not charge a lower percentage to those sellers and/or items?
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(4 of 19)
Re: Is it even legal to charge a fee to use a government service, ie, the USPS?
Jul 12, 2011 04:53 PM
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kennytarmack765 wrote:Paypal has been doing it for years. Yes, but PayPal provides a SERVICE for their fee. eBay just sits back and says "Pay Up!"
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(5 of 19)
Re: Is it even legal to charge a fee to use a government service, ie, the USPS?
Jul 13, 2011 09:01 AM
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(6 of 19)
Re: Is it even legal to charge a fee to use a government service, ie, the USPS?
Jul 13, 2011 09:05 AM
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Many states require sellers to pay sales tax on the total eBay sale including shipping charges.
Those of us who have a business license and pay all required taxes are already hit 3 times on shipping charges collected. State sales tax due, Paypal fee and the IRS for any penny not deductable. The new eBay charge will make 4 hits on the same small amount of money.
Where is the fairness??
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(7 of 19)
Re: Is it even legal to charge a fee to use a government service, ie, the USPS?
Jul 13, 2011 09:13 AM
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It would be a little more fair if they at least deducted the amount actually paid to the USPS at the time the label was printed first, and then took their cut of whatever was left over, as this would still go towards their stated goal of reining in abusive Handling charges, but without simultaneously leaving themselves open to accusations that they're trying to charge a percentage for services actually delivered by others (which, um, they are, under the current arrangement). It would also be another incentive for printing your postage on-line via PayPal, as opposed to buying it over the counter at the post office.
Note that charging a percentage on the S&H fee is probably not illegal, just dumb, as the post office has always allowed third parties to resell stamps for profit. (I'm not talking about stamp collectors here; I'm referring to those little coin-operated stamp machines you'd find in stores, that would charge you a fortune over the face value in exchange for the convenience of buying a few stamps for your postcards or whatever at times when the real post office wasn't open.)
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(8 of 19)
Re: Is it even legal to charge a fee to use a government service, ie, the USPS?
Jul 13, 2011 09:25 AM
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Has gotten seriously out of control with the fees ebay charges, they want to keep buyers, but are forgetting obviously you need sellers to have buyers, many are leaving and many will follow as I will. The fees were bad enough as they were, but to even collect on shpping fees is an outrage.
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(9 of 19)
Re: Is it even legal to charge a fee to use a government service, ie, the USPS?
Jul 13, 2011 12:45 PM
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Watch for this thread to be deleted by eBay
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(10 of 19)
Re: Is it even legal to charge a fee to use a government service, ie, the USPS?
Jul 13, 2011 01:09 PM
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woodsroad wrote:Watch for this thread to be deleted by eBay Watch for this site to be deleted by sellers. 
09-17-12
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(11 of 19)
Re: Is it even legal to charge a fee to use a government service, ie, the USPS?
Jul 13, 2011 01:14 PM
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Legal, yes.
Reasonable, not in the least.
My shipping charges have always been as near cost as possible.
This new fee is only hurting me, not helping buyers. Between the final value fees and PayPal fees, profit was already very low. With the added cost of a fee on shipping, it becomes difficult to sell smaller-ticket items for any profit. I suppose it may be yard sale time again.
Of course, ebay does profit from the new policy...
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(12 of 19)
Re: Is it even legal to charge a fee to use a government service, ie, the USPS?
Jul 13, 2011 01:24 PM
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I use eBay's shipment service, so the shipping funds paid by buyer never leave the eBay/Paypal system. How is it justifiable that eBay/Pay take 12% of those funds, which never were mine, and never in my possession??? Possibly not illegal, definately not "right" !.
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(13 of 19)
Re: Is it even legal to charge a fee to use a government service, ie, the USPS?
Jul 13, 2011 01:38 PM
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eBay has stated that they want to encourage sellers to offer free shipping. Since no shipping company I know of ships items for free, this means moving the expense into the selling price of an item (where eBay can still charge a FVF fee on it). In effect, eBay is asking sellers to treat a business expense as income. Isn't that an accounting violation?
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(14 of 19)
Re: Is it even legal to charge a fee to use a government service, ie, the USPS?
Jul 13, 2011 01:51 PM
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bjlevine wrote:eBay has stated that they want to encourage sellers to offer free shipping. Since no shipping company I know of ships items for free, this means moving the expense into the selling price of an item (where eBay can still charge a FVF fee on it). In effect, eBay is asking sellers to treat a business expense as income. Isn't that an accounting violation? And eBays cheerful spin....... "Offer "free" shipping and pay no fees on shipping" Corporate "doublespeak!!!"
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(15 of 19)
Re: Is it even legal to charge a fee to use a government service, ie, the USPS?
Jul 13, 2011 01:58 PM
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junkforjoy wrote:woodsroad wrote:Watch for this thread to be deleted by eBay Watch for this site to be deleted by sellers. I'm with you! 
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(16 of 19)
Re: Is it even legal to charge a fee to use a government service, ie, the USPS?
Jul 13, 2011 02:02 PM
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I have been questioning this since ebay first announced they were going to charge sellers fvf on shipping. I have called, written and posted on facebook, but ebay will not respond to this issue. It is Unfair, especially to the small Mom and Pop sellers who sell anything that has any weight to it. I sell glassware and collectibles, I used to have 100 to 200 listings at any one time, but now I will only be listing items on ebay which weigh less than 1 pound. I am transitioning my heavier items to other online selling venues. I use to think they probably wouldn't sell, but they are. This has been a good lesson for me not to put all your eggs in one basket. Life is Good inspite of Ebay's efforts!
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(17 of 19)
Re: Is it even legal to charge a fee to use a government service, ie, the USPS?
Jul 13, 2011 02:12 PM
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I disagree with charging final value fees on shipping as shipping is not part of the final value!
I agree that there were a LOT of sellers making their profits on extreme shipping and handling charges, but to penalise the rest of us for that is very unfair!
I will now say sorry to all of my customers who used to get a good deal on my smaller, less expensive items as they will disappear from eBay.
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(18 of 19)
Re: Is it even legal to charge a fee to use a government service, ie, the USPS?
Jul 13, 2011 02:15 PM
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They say they are trying to help the buyers but how is it helpful to force sellers to increase their prices to cover the extra fees. It hurts both sellers and buyers and only is helpful to ebay's bottom line. I wish they would learn that there is no such thing as "free shipping". I agree with the post above that ebay could collect the fee on any amount of the shipping fee over the price of printing the shipping label. It would be a little more fair although anything over the shipping costs covers envelopes, ink, part of the paypal fees and there is no profit in shipping charges for 90% or more of sellers.
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(19 of 19)
Re: Is it even legal to charge a fee to use a government service, ie, the USPS?
Jul 13, 2011 02:41 PM
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I am waiting for ebay to send me set of inks ($80 value), labels and padded envelops. I may never receive it. I am crazy. This will never happens. Oh forget some money to fill up my gas tank. My postal service do not deliver to my are and I have to have PO Box. If they do not deliver they can not pick up my shipments. Ebay I need money for gasoline. Give me my FV F on postage back.
Pinki what about that.
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Starting May 1—get up to 2,500 FREE listings* every month with an eBay Stores subscription
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