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I'm creative, please tell me neatness doesn't count......

http://bloominmyrtle.blogspot.com/
http://www.mustardseedgiftshop.co.uk/

It's a shame that ebay seems to have lost their way from when they first started out.Think that they want to be another Am*zon. People can look at the p/p charges and if they dont like it, dont bid it's quite simple really. Some people were taking the mickey by starting something for 99p and then putting £18 post so they could get past the ebay fees. I hardly sell any more but still do buy. Like you say it doesnt cover the cost of recorded/special which for a high price item is the only way to post.

I for one welcome this and I am sure you can get around it by contacting the buyer. One woman bought a dress off me and I gestimated £2.50 for posting to France. Turned out she already had one (twins) and it only cost £1.67. I was happy to post it for this as she was right plus the 30p for the wrapping. So I told her the amount to pay me and she did it direct through paypal and when it was all sent & done, I just deleted the sale from my opening page.

I get really cross when someone sends something in a tescos bag with a taped on handwritten addy on it for £4.00 postage when they have charged £6.50. There is no excuse for this. They have made £2.50 for nothing. You have already paid for the goods. I don't like it and use my kitchen scales plus 25 - 30p for wrapping. I use the heavy duty black bags from Lidl and just use them as wrapping paper, cut what I need from the roll and open up and wrap. They are doubled up already as I don't open them up as you would a bag, just use the flat bag.

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http:// www.craftingmummy.blogspot.com

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I'm creative, please tell me neatness doesn't count......

http://bloominmyrtle.blogspot.com/
http://www.mustardseedgiftshop.co.uk/

I hadn't realised that ebay had previously made some items postage free - I am glad for the sellers' sakes that they have reversed it a bit. I won a dvd last week, 99p and post free. It cost 70p+ to send - poor seller, I didn't even think about it until it arrived!

I think that the current system (perhaps with a bit more leeway as BM says) is OK. If sellers charge ridiculous fees then buyers can lower their DSR ratings.

MrsC: just a thought for you and hope you won't think I am being critical, it's just something I learned through experience! Black bin bags can leave fabric and clothes smelling of cigarette smoke... don't know why but the plastic smell is often mistaken for smoke. So take care using it for clothes! I found this out when I won 3m fabric once and the smell on it was horrendous. I contacted the seller who got really cross with me, swearing blind she didn't smoke. In the end I kept it but had to wash it about 3 times to get the smell out and I felt cross with her.... it wasn't til a long time later I read on the ebay forum about the black bin liner problem...which my fabric had been sent in.

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I'm not an expert in any craft but I like to try everything once!

I agree with you Annie, the smell in the bin bags is awful, so could be mistaken for a smokey smell.
If I need to return anything to a store, I always check that the bag I am taking it back in, has no smell, or they might not take it back

I once bought some very cheap foil type christmas paper on a roll, when I opened it there was a horrible smell, it was like a fishy smell. I threw it out it was so awful

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I get my mailing bags and tissue paper from this seller

The problem I foresee is when you need to send something that doesn't weigh much but it's bulky .... especially overseas where postal price is calculated on a volumetric basis rather than weight.

I don't like Ebay dictating what I can charge for posting .... like most of us I use the kitchen scales and add a little to cover the packaging. I have had some sellers tell me in the past they include ebay and paypal fees and even time/petrol money to get to the PO ! It is these people that should be stamped on via the feedback and seller rating system. If I look at an item to buy I always check them and if it looks dodgy don't bother.

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Lalabibaby Blog - Dreaming of the Simple Life
My Website - LalabiBaby

Oh I didn't know that about bin liners. I wanted to get some pink mailing bags will that still have the same smell?

I don't like ebay telling me how much to charge either. If you are sending a kiddies item of clothing it wont cost much but if its a jacket or coat then £2.50 will not cover it, also you wont be able to add a discount for multi items but will have to send things out seperately costing more. (if you see what i mean!) Some sellers do charge extra for posting if they are a business cos they pay somebody to wrap and take parcels to p.o.

Sometimes ebay fiddles with things that was working alright. I wonder if they saw a drop in sales for the free posting items.

Penni - I used to use the blue mailing bags, just like Lala linked to and they are terrific. No smell at all and look good. and they are tough.
I agree re preferring ebay to stay hands off on the charging. I don't bid for something if I think the postage is unreasonable... if I do bid, I'm happy to accept the seller's postage. If it's too high, that to me says something about the attitude of the seller and I prefer not to get involved. But I think it should be up to the buyer to decide whether or not they are happy and the seller to set the charge, I really do.
I use ebay very infrequently now - it's not the same as it was. It's pretty much just a shop, but with hit and miss as to the quality of the things you get.

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No smells Pennib and if you take a look at the link I posted this lady does the lovely pink ones and her p & p was free last time I ordered.

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Lalabibaby Blog - Dreaming of the Simple Life
My Website - LalabiBaby