Has Trade Me had its day?

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#1433934 24-Nov-2015 14:11

I seldom buy from private sellers on there anyway. Most of the time it's been because the businesses either choose not to sell directly online or because their site to buy from is too crap.

Richard rich.ms

rhy7s

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#1434062 24-Nov-2015 19:20

Just adding my two cents on the RD issue as it applies to me personally. We live in the Far North and RD packages appear to be signed off at Whangarei and aren't tracked from there, there seems to be at least three other changes of hands or sorting that occurs after that before it may or may not come out to be dropped in our letter box (no signature) or we have to go and proactively check the PostCentre to see if large items have been left there, again picked up without a signature. Standard post and CourierPost get here rapidly, often overnight. Any other courier is often in the weeks range (overseas items are usually faster to arrive than NZ based couriers, DHL is amazingly quick). I have emailed NZ Post and they have said "With regards to Post Centres, if you are referring to Counter Delivery at a Post Centre? No that is not classed as rural." but I haven't had any luck getting a reduction in that scenario.

It just seems to me to be a bit of a rort, I'm not sure what benefit either sender or receiver get from using an expensive option with an additional surcharge that provides a worse service. Maybe the fee is to cover items lost on the untracked portion?

gzt

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#1434192 24-Nov-2015 22:45

The benefit to the sender is a single supplier with standard pricing for nationwide service.

Edit: minor point iirc there is a standard 2k package insurance for the courier service.

Geektastic

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#1434234 25-Nov-2015 00:19

rhy7s: Just adding my two cents on the RD issue as it applies to me personally. We live in the Far North and RD packages appear to be signed off at Whangarei and aren't tracked from there, there seems to be at least three other changes of hands or sorting that occurs after that before it may or may not come out to be dropped in our letter box (no signature) or we have to go and proactively check the PostCentre to see if large items have been left there, again picked up without a signature. Standard post and CourierPost get here rapidly, often overnight. Any other courier is often in the weeks range (overseas items are usually faster to arrive than NZ based couriers, DHL is amazingly quick). I have emailed NZ Post and they have said "With regards to Post Centres, if you are referring to Counter Delivery at a Post Centre? No that is not classed as rural." but I haven't had any luck getting a reduction in that scenario.

It just seems to me to be a bit of a rort, I'm not sure what benefit either sender or receiver get from using an expensive option with an additional surcharge that provides a worse service. Maybe the fee is to cover items lost on the untracked portion?

Your experience is not dissimilar to ours, yet we are only 80km from the capital and 3km from the village centre!

I even had a new iMac left by the door, no signature.

gnfb

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#1434387 25-Nov-2015 10:20

I was just thinking if TM was smart it would take a relook at its whole "shop" thingy. At present it is beyond the reach of the small-medium seller.
It could well be a avenue they could explore, if they need to look for more profits. I see TM becoming some sort of a Etsy maybe.

Is an English Man living in New Zealand. Not a writer, an Observer he says. Graham is a seasoned 'traveler" with his sometimes arrogant, but honest opinion on life. He loves the Internet!.

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Lastman

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#1434610 25-Nov-2015 15:03

Bought an item from a UK seller on Trade Me(a bike tool) recently for $9 including free freight to my rural address. The cheapest NZ seller wanted about 27$ incl freight of $5. It arrived in not much over a week.

As mentioned many rural users of Trade Me ship to an urban address to avoid the $5 to $6 surcharge which adds up for a lot of parcels. This is lost business for the rural delivery system and probably accentuates the lack of profitability. I wonder if NZ Post have got this right. I wouldn't care about a couple of dollars but the current margin is too big.

keewee01

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#1434614 25-Nov-2015 15:13

Lastman: Bought an item from a UK seller on Trade Me(a bike tool) recently for $9 including free freight to my rural address. The cheapest NZ seller wanted about 27$ incl freight of $5. It arrived in not much over a week.

As mentioned many rural users of Trade Me ship to an urban address to avoid the $5 to $6 surcharge which adds up for a lot of parcels. This is lost business for the rural delivery system and probably accentuates the lack of profitability. I wonder if NZ Post have got this right. I wouldn't care about a couple of dollars but the current margin is too big.

NZ Post rural charge for tracked services is $3.20 - if anyone is charging more than this difference for urban and rural than they've added some extra on top and that is wrong.

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sleemanj

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#1434624 25-Nov-2015 15:51

keewee01:
NZ Post rural charge for tracked services is $3.20.

other couriers charge different rural charges (and have different boundaries)

---
James Sleeman
I sell lots of stuff for electronic enthusiasts...

Aaroona

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#1434673 25-Nov-2015 18:01

While there is definitely some issues with the cost of courier, I also do find that a number of sellers on trademe, mainly for lower end electronics (cheap chargers etc.), jack up the cost of the postage and bring the buy price of the item down.

One example I had on this recently was the shipment of some cheap Go pro mounts- the shipping, of which was just standard post, non-courier to the Auckland CDB, from a guy in the CBD and he charged me around $9. The mounts, which would fit into a normal envelope, cost me $5.

So there is a bit of dishonesty with the sellers in some cases as well- no different to eBay mind you.

DarthKermit

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#1434701 25-Nov-2015 18:27

I recall seeing some greedy prick on TM state that he charges a RD fee, whether people are rural or not. Just to make extra $$!

gnfb

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#1434961 26-Nov-2015 09:04

I am always surprised when people start talking about sellers "jacking" up the price and charging excessive frieght !. Try buying from the states if you want to see excessive charging.
2. The majority of the people you buy from on TM don't give a "rats behind" what you think. Their job is to make money. (I myself do it for the betterment of mankind and to help save the lesser spotted kiwi)

Whilst we are on the subject some one explain to me the logic of NOT being able to charge for "packing" with TM the T&C states that you aint allowed to charge in excess of the actual postage. Why? Its like when some people who buy form me say "I know that a stamp only costs 80c why are you charging me $3.50? Morons!....I mean customers.

ok venting complete as you were

Is an English Man living in New Zealand. Not a writer, an Observer he says. Graham is a seasoned 'traveler" with his sometimes arrogant, but honest opinion on life. He loves the Internet!.

I have two shops online allshop.nz patchpinflag.nz
Email Me

sleemanj

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#1435013 26-Nov-2015 10:29

gnfb:

Whilst we are on the subject some one explain to me the logic of NOT being able to charge for "packing" with TM the T&C states that you aint allowed to charge in excess of the actual postage.

That is not true at all. Se e section 4.2j of the terms.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/help/143/terms-and-conditions

"You must not charge unreasonable amounts for shipping and packaging costs. "

In other words, you can charge reasonable amounts for shipping and packaging.

---
James Sleeman
I sell lots of stuff for electronic enthusiasts...

richms

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#1435025 26-Nov-2015 10:32

Also as trademe are the ones enforcing it, it only matters what their opinion of unreasonable is, not the idiot buyers.

Richard rich.ms

gnfb

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#1435801 27-Nov-2015 09:37

sleemanj:
gnfb:

Whilst we are on the subject some one explain to me the logic of NOT being able to charge for "packing" with TM the T&C states that you aint allowed to charge in excess of the actual postage.

That is not true at all. Se e section 4.2j of the terms.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/help/143/terms-and-conditions

"You must not charge unreasonable amounts for shipping and packaging costs. "

In other words, you can charge reasonable amounts for shipping and packaging.

I stand corrected one learns something everyday. So I wonder what the market will stand at present I have been charging $4.90 for a satchel that cost $3.02 I dont see that as unfair $2-3 per item seems to me reasonable ?

Is an English Man living in New Zealand. Not a writer, an Observer he says. Graham is a seasoned 'traveler" with his sometimes arrogant, but honest opinion on life. He loves the Internet!.

I have two shops online allshop.nz patchpinflag.nz
Email Me

richms

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#1435854 27-Nov-2015 10:30

IMO the cost of shipping and packaging also covers the capital sitting there in satchels and bubble wrap and the time you spend on putting it into those items ontop of the actual cost if the satchel and bubble wrap. Also the time chasing addresses from people that like to not use Trademe to send them and also time spent dealing with lost and misplaced parcels. We worked out that if we got to the break even 1000 trades a week that would be a single staff member just to deal with buyers that are a pain and missing stuff.

Richard rich.ms

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