Has Trade Me had its day?

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sleemanj

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#1435884 27-Nov-2015 10:46

gnfb:
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 ?

I once had a customer who wanted a refund because I charged her $2.70 but it only "cost me" $2.40 of stamps.

Edit to add: she complained also that because I didn't use 2.70 that it must have been why it was "so slow"... having arrived to the other end of the country 3 days after I had posted it.

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

Rikkitic

Awrrr
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#1435980 27-Nov-2015 12:52

richms: 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.

I don't wish to sound disrespectful - as I earlier mentioned my sister is also a small trader - but isn't all of this kind of thing just part of doing business?

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

sleemanj

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#1435996 27-Nov-2015 13:03

Rikkitic:
I don't wish to sound disrespectful - as I earlier mentioned my sister is also a small trader - but isn't all of this kind of thing just part of doing business?

Six of one, half dozen the other, it just comes down to accounting.

You can amortise such costs into slightly increased sale prices, or you can amortise it into slightly increased shipping prices, either way it has to be accounted for somewhere.

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

richms

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#1436010 27-Nov-2015 13:29

Rikkitic:

I don't wish to sound disrespectful - as I earlier mentioned my sister is also a small trader - but isn't all of this kind of thing just part of doing business?

Yes it is, and if I couldn't put a properly paid staff member in to do all the work that me and my friend were doing, and still deliver a decent profit on all that capital that is tied up to cover the added risk of the business, then I do not have a business, I have a hobby that is costing me in time.

Too many sellers on trademe are running like that making it impossible to compete. Or using start up techniques of family and friends helping out to keep the business running, which again is actually running at a loss.

Richard rich.ms

gnfb

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#1438334 1-Dec-2015 09:40

Aaroona: 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.

Not just picking on you for your comments but I know that they are not uncommon in Kiwidom

Here's a rule of thumb

If you think the seller is trying to "rip you off/make a living" in their freight prices Don't Buy The Item!
If you don't like paying rural delivery fees...... yep you got it you can choose not to life in the outback!

what that line ?? "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

Thats the one!

I have always accepted there is like a tax to pay for living in NZ I gladly pay it as I luv living here! BTW

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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#1438442 1-Dec-2015 11:42

gnfb:
Aaroona: 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.

Not just picking on you for your comments but I know that they are not uncommon in Kiwidom

Here's a rule of thumb

If you think the seller is trying to "rip you off/make a living" in their freight prices Don't Buy The Item!
If you don't like paying rural delivery fees...... yep you got it you can choose not to life in the outback!

what that line ?? "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

Thats the one!

I have always accepted there is like a tax to pay for living in NZ I gladly pay it as I luv living here! BTW

Hey, Mr Grumpy, here's a suggestion, if you don't like the thread, don't participate in it. The cities are not short of complainers ,last time I looked.

People are just giving their experiences of rural parcel post and discussions over how the charging system is working.

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