USPS question

shannow

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Oct 21, 2003
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Australia N.T.
I ordered a book from ebay and recieved it today. On the United States Postal Service sticker it says $11.00 and no insurance was paid for this. My question is, was the total cost of postage $11.00?
 

Marty Weiner

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Oct 31, 2002
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Same Area Code As Death Valley
If the shipper used stamps.com and bought their insurance the postage indicia wouldn't show the additional fee paid for insurance.

If the shipper really used the USPS and bought insurance, the package would have an INSURED sticker on it.

I'm surprised that they didn't use the MEDIA MAIL rate for a book.

Marty
 

BF Hammer

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Feb 15, 2003
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Wisconsin, USA
With no insurance, that is the total cost. If it was sent express mail (which sounds about right for $11) the packaging is provided by the post office and included in the $11.00 also.
 

JerryM

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Dec 12, 2003
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New Mexico
Sometimes the postage is as much or more than the item. It causes me to skip purchases I would othewise make.

I agree that Media mail would have been much better. I have ordered a lot of books over the web, and I don't think I have paid over $4 for one book.

Jerry
 

shannow

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Oct 21, 2003
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Location
Australia N.T.
The seller charged me $18 for shipping, no insurance. I asked emailed him asking where the other $7 went. He said
" What you don't see on the postage meter is the cost of actually packaging which is mostly labor.
Thanks again, "
Is this true?
 

PaulW

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Mar 23, 2003
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Laurel, Maryland
Probably true. The seller can charge just about anything he wants for "shipping" if he includes the cost of handling. I like to send an e-mail asking what the price for S&H is before I'll bid, unless the amount is stated in the ad.

Paul
 

Avix

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Oct 9, 2003
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I always find it amazing that people seldom figure in the cost of shipping to an item purchased online, more than once I have blown off a deal when the shipping and handleing costs more than the item.
 
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