Buying on line

-

Dennis Gerard

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 7, 2017
Messages
354
Reaction score
88
Location
Florida/tenn
I buy and sell on line, just retired and my business was doing about 30K a year and I had world wide sales. Now trying to buy a few parts on line from member of this forum is like pulling teeth with plastic pliers.
1. they won't ship and there 100's of miles away
2. don't take paypal
3. charge you extra for boxing it
4. won't use the carrier Fedex or UPS or USPS and trucker you get a discount from

Finally if you want to sell your stuff on line do it right, that why you still have the stuff.

hope I don't get the book for this but someone has to say it.
 
I haven’t bought a ton of parts on here but the dozen or so people I have dealt with have all been very easy transactions.
 
I buy and sell on line, just retired and my business was doing about 30K a year and I had world wide sales. Now trying to buy a few parts on line from member of this forum is like pulling teeth with plastic pliers.
1. they won't ship and there 100's of miles away
2. don't take paypal
3. charge you extra for boxing it
4. won't use the carrier Fedex or UPS or USPS and trucker you get a discount from

Finally if you want to sell your stuff on line do it right, that why you still have the stuff.

hope I don't get the book for this but someone has to say it.

I won't buy anything from people that make it such a pain in the ***.
They have to at the very least take Paypal and be willing to ship, or F em, they can keep it forever for all I care.
Not going to "jump through hoops" to buy their damn part.
 
I agree, however I could use an education here.

For the person who has a full time job, would like to reduce, help others out as well, and avoid mistakes.

What are the ways used to provide an accurate shipping quote on small/medium size parts?

On larger parts, hoods, fenders, etc?

Are certain parts not worth shipping? Just guessing, maybe glass isn't a good idea.

If you're selling something fragile, like a long piece of trim, is making a crate the best way?
And do you pass that cost on as part of the shipping cost?

Paypal, do you send an invoice and upcharge the buyer for the fee, or use the free friends method?

Are the things sellers forget to consider?
 
I have bought good parts and bad on the internet. You are limited to the photos and description provided by the seller. I prefer swap meets but I have bought bad parts there too.
 
I agree, however I could use an education here.

For the person who has a full time job, would like to reduce, help others out as well, and avoid mistakes.

What are the ways used to provide an accurate shipping quote on small/medium size parts?

On larger parts, hoods, fenders, etc?

Are certain parts not worth shipping? Just guessing, maybe glass isn't a good idea.

If you're selling something fragile, like a long piece of trim, is making a crate the best way?
And do you pass that cost on as part of the shipping cost?

Paypal, do you send an invoice and upcharge the buyer for the fee, or use the free friends method?

Are the things sellers forget to consider?

1. usps.com for small parts they have 2-3 boxes and flat rates
2. bigger heavy items Fedex and you can get a qoute on line
3. greyhound also ships
4. big items hood, rear quarters there's uship.com fed freight ups freight but pricey better off, local pickup
5. I always price my items boxed, ready to ship. ( you order from walmart or amazon items are boxed ready to ship)
6. paypal the fee they charge is worth it , if you send it family and friends and you never get item you **** out of luck if you buy or sell your covered in case you need to return or refund money
 
1. usps.com for small parts they have 2-3 boxes and flat rates
2. bigger heavy items Fedex and you can get a qoute on line
3. greyhound also ships
4. big items hood, rear quarters there's uship.com fed freight ups freight but pricey better off, local pickup
5. I always price my items boxed, ready to ship. ( you order from walmart or amazon items are boxed ready to ship)
6. paypal the fee they charge is worth it , if you send it family and friends and you never get item you **** out of luck if you buy or sell your covered in case you need to return or refund money
And don't forget Fastenall for big items.
 
Recently I learned some shippers have a billable shipping weight = greater of weight or dimensional weight.
So size does matter and pricing items boxed is definitely the best way, just make sure you take enough detailed pics. No one needs to spend $ developing film anymore.

Also a "handling charge" may apply due to size.

I tried to get a quote online recently on the USPS website and it stated they don't ship from/to those zip codes. That's a new one.
 
Recently I learned some shippers have a billable shipping weight = greater of weight or dimensional weight.
So size does matter and pricing items boxed is definitely the best way, just make sure you take enough detailed pics. No one needs to spend $ developing film anymore.

Also a "handling charge" may apply due to size.

I tried to get a quote online recently on the USPS website and it stated they don't ship from/to those zip codes. That's a new one.



Your right on the size thing, I use to ship a box 24 x 48 and only 21lbs and they would charge me for 75lbs rate
 
I've walked away from buying if the seller doesn't take paypal. Being in Canada and having my parts shipped to Michigan for pickup I don't have the time or patience to get a money order for you. Grow up and get a bank account so you can have a paypal account.

Riddler
 
There is a limiting length for fedex and ups ground. I believe if it is over 8’ it will have to go LTL with those two and that is big bucks.
 
I won't buy from anyone who offers me the option to pay for it through PayPal and Mark it as "friends and family"
If this guy has no problem lying to the people who handle his money, I have ZERO incentive to believe he is not lying to me.
 
It's not just the payment and delivery aspect...
Every aspect of on line shopping SUX!
Try to buy a set of gliding rocker cushions. Colors like red, blue, green, gray, brown, aren't shown. They give them fancy misleading names like rust, marine, thyme, stone, chocolate. Consumer learns the hard way that "stone" isn't gray even though the little square on his 'puter screen appeared to be.
If the professional retailers can't get it right, why expect so much more from the average Joe?
 
smartly run businesses make money and succeed

poorly run businesses don't

whether one person or a hundred thousand employees
 
I won't buy anything from people that make it such a pain in the ***.
They have to at the very least take Paypal and be willing to ship, or F em, they can keep it forever for all I care.
Not going to "jump through hoops" to buy their damn part.

THIS ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

No friends and family either !
 
My wife and I had a part-time Mopar parts business for 13 years . We went to Mopar shows and swap meets throughout New England , New York , New Jersey , Pennsylvania . I met my customers face to face and let them examine the product before I took their $$.
 
Anyone can open a shipper's account for FREE. You do not need to have a business. It is often more convenient to have shipping charges billed to your bank account directly (some charge it immediately while others like UPS charge it on Sunday). UPS picks up outgoing packages at no charge while FedEx presently charges $6.

Using a "pack and ship" store is usually a ripoff, especially if you have access to packing materials yourself and can read, understand and follow the insurance rules posed by each shipping company. Far too many people just shove the part into a box (regardless of whether it fits or not) with no packing or cushioning and then get surprised when the buyer's insurance claim gets denied! A few minutes spent familiarizing yourself with their policies can go a long way to having a happy buyer.

Do not let anyone convince you to 'send the payment as a Gift.' That little 3% protects YOU, the purchaser, in the event the transaction goes badly. What you're effectively paying for is Paypal's "Buyer Protection Policy" and it's just cheap insurance against a less-than-honest seller. If you waive that fee, they waive their policy to cover your backside.
 
I agree, however I could use an education here.

For the person who has a full time job, would like to reduce, help others out as well, and avoid mistakes.

What are the ways used to provide an accurate shipping quote on small/medium size parts?

On larger parts, hoods, fenders, etc?

Are certain parts not worth shipping? Just guessing, maybe glass isn't a good idea.

If you're selling something fragile, like a long piece of trim, is making a crate the best way?
And do you pass that cost on as part of the shipping cost?

Paypal, do you send an invoice and upcharge the buyer for the fee, or use the free friends method?

Are the things sellers forget to consider?

your not going to sell for a loss, or even break even unless your just a charitable guy, some of us break even and just like promoting the hobby. Paypal fees are petty, 4%? Id gladly take the 4% hit to get my money in 5 minutes and get the ball rolling. I dont know how many "the check is in the mail" BS stories I have dealt with that just eat up your week. If your going to ship, you have to get the right container. an AC compressor wont survive in a shoe box, and your buyer will be the first to tell you that once its opened. Get a box and peanuts. Its part of the sale price. Pack it up and then quote a price on the entire ball of wax. I always try and estimate shipping CA to Maine. That way, Homie in Detroit will get an accurate quote and you can refund whatever is left off your quote if that makes you feel good. I try and ship everything flat rate. There are no questions after a firm price is set. Even a Holley will fit in a Medium FR box if you take the choke linkage and bowl vent off. Shipping trim in a packing tube may work but hockey sticks or wheel well trims are going to take a larger box. Its all part of the price. If I ship flat rate, its in the quote or I just add it and tell 'em its $40 shipped. Love the "$20 shipped" sales because they are solid. You say you wont ship? Sell it on Craigs and link the post. I understand shipping a rear end is more trouble than many are willing to spend to make a buck or just rid themselves of a part, body panels included. Paypal "friend" transactions are not protected in any way. If your serious about providing protection for both parties, negotiate a price, post up a buy it now ebay listing and send him the link. If hes good with that (and the ebay/paypal fees) you got a bullet proof transaction that is protected by Ebay/paypal. Id consider this with big ticket items like $500 or more. you'd think in a tight community like ours that this BS doesnt happen but it does. How many of us are 4 posters that are just in here to hock Moparts? Not many. As for no paypal accepted? Please.......tell 'em to pound sand or ask if he'll take/send a walmart money transfer....I did that once and would consider as a last resort over a check. Walk in, tell them what walmart to transfer the money to (address) and who is going to claim the money and you get a receipt. They go to walmart with your receipt number (IIRC) and they get their money same day from customer service counter.
 
I don't take PayPal. I don't have a business and don't feel the need to use it. Postal money order works for me. Tough if you don't want the trouble of getting a Postal MO.
 
-
Back
Top