"Net To Me" Price?

[seus777]

Have noticed recently some ads in Classifieds with a price but the price is the seller's "net to me" price. So after Paypal and shipping fees. Seems strange. Why not figure all that out and list your "gross" price? Obviously shipping could be a bit of a variable. I don't recall seeing this pricing tactic before. Seems a bit misleading to price this way even if you're describing your "net" in ad. 

 

Thoughts?🍿

[Abh159]

Just my opinion, but... I think someone who does that is just setting themselves up for a headache.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if they have people backing out or taking back offers after they find out the price isn't really the price.

 

Personally, if I offered to buy something listed at $200, and the seller then came back after and said "well after fees and shipping costs it's actually $280"  I would probably just move on.

[I'_rather_be_golfing]

I avoid "net to me" for sale listings. I've had a few back and forth with other members about it. It should be figured out before listing it. Then post asking price once you have it figured out. Its very simple to do. 

[PureStrikes54]

Guess folks are trying to make the price seem lower than it really is like the sticker vs. out the door price at a dealership once sales tax and all the bogus fees are factored in. 

 

Used golf club market has softened significantly so not sure how much luck folks are going to have with this. 

[Rob_X]

I generally don't do that either... just post a shipped price. 

 

However, I was just "burned" by a $13 "delivery area surcharge" by UPS to other day (to somewhere in TX), so I may put some qualifying language to account for that rare situation.  Most other area surcharges I had seen before were $2.50.  All of this is in the lower 48.

 

Or post a price + actual shipping, which is reasonable too.

Edited May 16, 2023 by Rob_X

[bnperrone]

Yeah, it's much cleaner to just assume the 3% and price accordingly. I like to do prices shipped whenever possible and flat rate shipping is a great way to get a ballpark. For big items it makes sense to offer "plus shipping" or "I'll pay the first $25 of shipping" kind of scenario. 

 

Asking buyers to do the math on the PP fees is a bit of a red flag. 

[bcflyguy1]

1 hour ago, seus777 said:

Have noticed recently some ads in Classifieds with a price but the price is the seller's "net to me" price. So after Paypal and shipping fees. Seems strange. Why not figure all that out and list your "gross" price? Obviously shipping could be a bit of a variable. I don't recall seeing this pricing tactic before. Seems a bit misleading to price this way even if you're describing your "net" in ad. 

 

Thoughts?🍿

It's shady, and best practice is to just move on. If not rewared, the tactic will run its course.

[dfeldss]

I generally can estimate shipping/fees so i try to just price accordingly. Definitely seems a bit slimy to try and "hook" people into buying.

 

However i will say, I just had a situation where i listed something $x Shipped and it turned out potential buyer was in Canada, so it was like $30 more bucks. Felt bad but i had to ask to meet in the middle on shipping or something in that suituation

Edited May 16, 2023 by dfeldss

[Pudgelewis]

While I agree the fees part should just be factored in, I can understand leaving some area to make sure you aren't destroyed by shipping. I would still just list "+shipping", but saying "net to me" right after the price isn't shady in any way, IMO. If you can't be bothered to read the three words after the price and miss it, then that's on the buyer.  If the seller lists the "net to me" part somewhere in an opening paragraph and then lists prices later in the ad, that could be a problem, but it's still your responsibility to read. Lol.

 

And feel free to go back and check all my previous ads to see that I don't list "net to me". Lol

[Gohigh]

I was just thinking about this when I saw an ad NET TO ME price...

 

I didnt understand it either, but I assumed it was because there are those who might be willing to gift payments in order to save few bucks on a purchase? Gosh I hope not, but I will say there are few members here who Ive done deals with that I gift payments anyway. 

 

I generally avoid even PRICE+SHIPPING deals, until lately when the shipping prices have been inconsistent at best and overpriced at worst... I understand some people have problems with certain carriers, and would rather pay the difference to use another carrier, or at least I assume thats the case based on what Ive read in the item descriptions. 

[dwboston]

"Net to me" pricing is pretty common in other user forums for higher-priced items like watches, knives, etc.  Some sellers in those forums refuse to take PayPal at all (they'll tell horror stories of sellers getting scammed via PayPal, despite the seller protections) and demand bank wires.

 

I think the big difference between the BST here and the watch forums I'm familiar with, is that there seems to be less haggling over price with the watches.

 

Not sure how I feel about "Net to me" pricing here on the BST - especially given the haggling/lowballing aspect of it.  I'd just list it on eBay at that point.

[Bad9]

I think at minimum you should have PP or whatever fees baked into your price i.e. price is $725 plus actually. I always just list the shipped price after factoring how much shipping is likely to be.

[jblough99]

If your too lazy or dumb to use basic math to factor in fees and shipping costs to your asking price, well that tells me all I need to know, not someone I’m interested in doing business with.  On to the next ad.

[snapier]

19 minutes ago, jblough99 said:

If your too lazy or dumb to use basic math to factor in fees and shipping costs to your asking price, well that tells me all I need to know, not someone I’m interested in doing business with.  On to the next ad.

I’m with you on this, I skip listings with asking price ad ons like 3% for PayPal, additional shipping fee east or west of Mississippi, $X for gas to drop off at UPS/USPS/FedEx, $X for packing materials, etc.  

[Therealpatgiles]

58 minutes ago, snapier said:

I’m with you on this, I skip listings with asking price ad ons like 3% for PayPal, additional shipping fee east or west of Mississippi, $X for gas to drop off at UPS/USPS/FedEx, $X for packing materials, etc.  

Just like when companies charge a processing fee to use a credit card but won't take cash. I never use em again. 

The seller should be paying all fees not the buyer. I get paying shipping but that's it.

[VNutz]

I think it's a way of opening the conversation to PayPal gifted without openly stating it. Want something at a discount? Sure, here's what I want to net, you figure out how much you want to pay and how to get there.

[596]

I skip "net to me" ads. Tell me the price, done.

 

I don't even like "+shipping" ads.  That can open a can of worms now a days. Tell me the price, done. 

[Pudgelewis]

3 hours ago, jblough99 said:

If your too lazy or dumb to use basic math to factor in fees and shipping costs to your asking price, well that tells me all I need to know, not someone I’m interested in doing business with.  On to the next ad.

 

Why is someone lazy or dumb if they want to charge the buyer actual shipping instead of working a flat rate shipping charge into the price and crossing their fingers? Shipping a set of irons or a golf bag a state over vs across the country can be a pretty significant difference in price, so I don't blame someone if they want to do that rather than eat an extra $10+ dollars. I agree factoring in 3% should be a no-brainer and they're likely just leaving open the possibility of a gifted payment if the buyer wants to haggle.

[Bad9]

2 hours ago, VNutz said:

I think it's a way of opening the conversation to PayPal gifted without openly stating it. Want something at a discount? Sure, here's what I want to net, you figure out how much you want to pay and how to get there.

 

Or its actually a business of some kind and needs to keep price, shipping, etc separate for reporting/tax reasons.

[SwingBlues]

21 hours ago, Rob_X said:

I generally don't do that either... just post a shipped price. 

 

However, I was just "burned" by a $13 "delivery area surcharge" by UPS to other day (to somewhere in TX), so I may put some qualifying language to account for that rare situation.  Most other area surcharges I had seen before were $2.50.  All of this is in the lower 48.

 

Or post a price + actual shipping, which is reasonable too.

 

Did you ever figure what the heck is that "Delivery Area" surcharge is? Never seen that before either

 

I don't like this Net to Me price either. IMO, its BS

Edited May 17, 2023 by SwingBlues

[596]

29 minutes ago, SwingBlues said:

 

Did you ever figure what the heck is that "Delivery Area" surcharge is? Never seen that before either

 

I don't like this Net to Me price either. IMO, its BS

I've seen that delivery area charge before, but only once. I guessed it's because it's not in a regular route area or in the middle of no where. But that's just a guess

[PureStrikes54]

50 minutes ago, Bad9 said:

 

Or its actually a business of some kind and needs to keep price, shipping, etc separate for reporting/tax reasons.

 

Regardless of the massive rule that the "BST is for personal use only" in what business scenario would someone be required to have exact shipping and paypal net figures ahead of time that couldn't be accounted for post sale?

[Rob_X]

1 hour ago, SwingBlues said:

 

Did you ever figure what the heck is that "Delivery Area" surcharge is? Never seen that before either

 

I don't like this Net to Me price either. IMO, its BS

 

39 minutes ago, 596 said:

I've seen that delivery area charge before, but only once. I guessed it's because it's not in a regular route area or in the middle of no where. But that's just a guess

 

I think it is just a charge for areas that are pretty out of the way, such that they rarely have other deliveries nearby.  So I guess they are sort of charging you for the gas to drive XX miles out of the way.  

https://www.refundretriever.com/blog/2019/04/04/what-are-the-ups-delivery-area-surcharges-das

 

Quote

Providing service to and from less populated or accessible domestic and international areas carries higher operating costs. The extended and remote area surcharges are assessed to more accurately reflect the cost of providing service to these areas.

 

I have seen it 3 or 4 times, but mostly it has been <$5, that $13 surcharge was a surprise.  You never can tell until you price it out to a zip code. 

 

The $13 must have been a "remote area surcharge", which is more than the "delivery area" or "extended delivery area" surcharges.

Edited May 17, 2023 by Rob_X

[Bad9]

27 minutes ago, PureStrikes54 said:

 

Regardless of the massive rule that the "BST is for personal use only" in what business scenario would someone be required to have exact shipping and paypal net figures ahead of time that couldn't be accounted for post sale?

 

That massive rule I believe is broken routinely. On the second part I'm just throwing out stuff that may or may not have some accuracy in it, like 99% of what gets posted here.

[SwingBlues]

Yeah, thanks guys, that makes better sense. Ssssh, thats a stinger you never saw coming, If that was my sale, I would probably reach out to the buyer to cough it up before shipping. Don't feel it's fair on the seller. Wonder if FedEx or USPS has same for the same address?

[Pudgelewis]

36 minutes ago, SwingBlues said:

Yeah, thanks guys, that makes better sense. Ssssh, thats a stinger you never saw coming, If that was my sale, I would probably reach out to the buyer to cough it up before shipping. Don't feel it's fair on the seller. Wonder if FedEx or USPS has same for the same address?

 

I've never seen one with USPS, but they deliver everywhere anyways, so there's really nowhere that's too remote for them, I would think.  Of course they do that surcharge for length now which makes it pretty much a no-go for shipping clubs with them anymore. At least in my experience.  I'd been out of the playing/buying/selling for a good couple years or more and sold a set of irons on here. Promptly took it to the post office and it was like $65 because of the surcharge.  I went ahead and sent it due to not wanting to mess with it but checked UPS later and it was like half the price or something stupid.

[awtryau89]

I got hit with a $19 surcharge a couple weeks back. They just charged my card on my account and I reached out about it. It was one of those routing issues. I raised all kinds of heck about it and told them they should know ahead of time based on address and charge up front. They removed the charge. 

[I'_rather_be_golfing]

I’m glad OP created this topic. Hopefully it brings more awareness to sellers on here. 

[jacincm]

Any time I make an offer and the seller counters with “I need to make x after fees and shipping”, I just walk away

 

1) Its long been a practice that the seller eats the fees and prices their product higher accordingly

2) shipping clubs isn’t as expensive as people think

 

this hidden fee BS is annoying, just set your all in price and save you and the buyer the extra work 

[scrody17]

I’m with OP here. Definitely a turn off. Usually just hit the back button when I see that…