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Sales: truth in weight?

I see many listings for the same item and weight can go from an actual weight to insane numbers up to triple its actual spec. Do you feel some abuse this estimate in an effort to profit and if so do you call out sellers on this?
I made a purchase once and the shipping quote the seller gave me from their own weight estimate was almost three times its actual value so I asked for the item to be re-calculated. The seller was gracious and all was fine but do many buyers accept what the seller tells them, and if you do when item comes have you ever noticed the item is way off from what you were told?
Should part of a sellers integrity include an honest estimate of weight (knowing that actual double boxing and protective packing can add a bit to the total)? I am mainly talking about items such as Music disc's, CD players, amps and items that typically dont have super high weight and should be fairly easy to estimate accurately.
chadnliz
viridian's avatar
viridian
4,184 posts
 
My butcher always rests a finger on the scale, perhaps he sells on Audiogon.
chadnliz OP
3,736 posts
 
I am always up for a good joke and welcome them, but I do not recall seeing a thread about this and felt it was worthing asking. I hope to learn and laugh so hopefully this keeps rolling.
unsound
6,115 posts
 
I think some sellers might pack their items with greater care which increases the cost of shipping. It's been my experience that the actual cost of shipping is always higher than the shipper's web site estimates. Personaly I'd rather pay a reasonable amount more for better packing than have to deal with the consequences of "cheap" shipping and especially handling. In the past, I ate some pretty expensive "shipping estimate expenses". Now, that I'm more conservative, any over charges, have been less than $2.00. The cost of packing is usually many times that amount. As both a seller and a buyer, I hate to see new higher than agreed upon expenses. Recently I have tried to include shipping as part of the asking price, but, I wonder if the Audiogon opening listing [item.......price] format might discourages some from clicking on the ad for further investigation, because they assume the price is inflated and don't realize it's the net cost?
tvad
9,467 posts
 
Often, it's easy to verify shipping wieght by looking the same item being sold by other sellers. Usually, the anomally will be obvious.

Also, I agree with Unsound about packing. IMO, you have to consider the cost of boxes, bubble wrap, peanuts, labels, etc. These items can easily add $15 to the cost of shipping.

No joke.
chadnliz OP
3,736 posts
 
oh well.......thinking outloud again, nevermind.
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