FAQ Frequently Asked Questions Page. FAQ below.
Save Time: Read our pages instead of waiting for an email response. Scroll the page to see FAQs, links to Guides & Store Pages, information, photos, & flat rate shipping.
Click below to read our eBay Guides
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Introduction to Ebay Shipping for Buyers & Sellers
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is flat rate shipping?
We have flat rate shipping. This means that everyone pays the same amount, based on the amount of our product
that they order. Someone from the west coast of the US pays the same amount as someone from the east coast.
For example:
If the parcel costs more to ship than what the customer has paid : The customer is located on the west coast, ( Nevada, California, etc) and they have ordered heavy items, such as brownies and fudge. We (seller) have to pay the additional shipping costs required to ship the parcel.
If the parcel costs less to ship than what the customer has paid: The customer is located on the east coast (OH, PA, WV, etc.) We (seller) use the extra shipping money paid towards our packaging costs, (bakery boxes, plastic bag packaging, packing peanuts, etc) We also use the extra money to try to make up for the loss that we sustain shipping heavier items to the west coast.
The customer is located in the middle states, usually the S&H is very close. Usually these parcels, going to
the middle states, are only 25 to 50 cents over/under the flat rate S&H charge that we received to ship the items. |
Don't forget, these are not just items, or per item costs.... These are actually items that are heavy, and weigh 1 lb or 1.5 pounds each and sometimes more!- Also, the shipping box has weight that increases the shipping costs.
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This system may seem unfair to some customers, but it does save time. It saves time for our buyers, and also for us. Our buyers do not need to email for combined shipping costs, and they can complete their payment transaction at their convenience. We are then free to start production of items, (with no waiting for the buyer to receive our combined shipping invoice, no waiting for them to get back to their emails.) This process helps everyone get their order faster. |
Also, this is the system that most mail order companies use to charge for S&H. For example, JCPenney Catalog does not charge based on your zipcode. Most companies use flat rate S & H, a specific charge that increases with the amount of the cost of your product. If you order totals up to $25, then your average company would charge you a set amount, no matter where you live.
*Order must be shipped to one address only to receive combined shipping discount
So, don't email us saying: *** "Here is my zipcode, give me the absolute best S&H quote that I can get for my combined S&H, don't charge me flat rate shipping".
Our flat rate shipping is clearly marked on our listings.
If you are unhappy with our flat rate S&H, please do not bid If you have already bid on our items,
& you have a problem with our S&H policies, drop us an email canceling your order. |
1.Do You Deliver To Alaska, Hawaii, APO, FPO, US Military Addresses?..
Yes! We are happy to do so !
2.Can I Give You An Address To Send My Purchase As A Gift?..
Yes! We Do Ship-To Address For Gifts if the address is located in the
USA , 48 States, Alaska , Hawaii , or is an APO , FPO , or US Military Address.
We will ship to US Soldiers anywhere in the world with a military address.
Do you ship to Guam or the US Virgin Islands, or other US possessions / territories?
Sorry, No Shipping to US possessions unless shipping to a Military Address. We cannot get delivery confirmation to American Samoa,
Guam, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia
Northern Marianas, Palau, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands.
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3. Will You Reconsider Your Policies And Deliver To Canada or Some Other Foreign Country? No.
3.5 Question: "I have read that if I email the seller, and ask them nicely, then they will ship international. Is that true?
Answer: No If a seller goes to the trouble stating in their listing that they do not ship international, or even if they block international bidders, they did that for a reason. The reason is that they do not want to ship international.
3.7 Question: "Why have sellers agreed to change their policies when I emailed them?
Sellers may feel intimidated or nagged by ebayers when they email, and just give in, even though they really do not want to ship international.
3.9 Question: I think that US eBayers who won't ship international are evil, and they are against people from other countries. What is your response to that?
Answer: We aren't evil. We are running a business and paying bills, just like you do. We also don't ship to Americans that live in US possessions, because we can't get delivery confirmation to US possessions. It's just business. We have ancestors and relatives in other countries, and we like to visit.
4.Why won't you change your policies?Many Reasons.
A) Lack Of A Reasonably Priced Method Of Delivery Confirmation.Leading To Confusion Over Lost Parcels. If we ship without delivery confirmation, then paypal will refund the buyers payment. We cannot afford to ship product for free. We cannot afford to pay international shipping, and then refund the buyer.
Couldn't that also happen with USA buyers? . No. We get free delivery confirmation to US addresses. Delivery confirmation proves delivery, so paypal does not automatically refund the buyer.
B)Some Foreign Buyers, usually new Ebay members, may expect their parcel to arrive very fast. They may not know about problems which can delay their shipment, such as long shipping distance, and Customs delays
As A Result, They Leave Negative Feedback for issues that are not our fault.
C) OUR ITEMS HAVE AN EXPIRATION DATE, AND CAN NOT BE SITTING IN CUSTOMS
D)Additional Costs: Costs Involving Accepting Payment, Via Paypal , Or Direct Payment Methods,
Involving Increased Risk & Cost For One Or Both Parties Involved,
Possibly Even Costing The Seller More Than The Total Payment For The Item For Sale.
E)Difficulties With Custom Fees, and Other Problems Related To Marking "Gift" Or "Merchandise" On The Customs Forms. -
This Leads To Either Bidder Paying large Customs Fees,
Bidder Blames Seller For Custom Fees,
Some Bidders May Not Know About, Or Agree With, Their Country's Custom Fees,
(Sorry, We have no way to change your country's policies )
Or Worse, Fraud Problems From Lying On The Custom Forms,
And, Most Likely, Unhappy Ebay Members On Both Sides Of The Transaction.
F)Potential For Foreign Country Postal Strikes
G)Excessive Shipping Charges (Which We Have Been Stuck Paying Before)-
Due To Buyer Refusing To Address International Shipping Costs,
And Continuing To Pay Only The US listed Shipping Costs.
H)Slow Delivery Time
I) Bidder Unhappiness With Shipping Cost & Delivery Time Wait
J) Language Barriers - As Buyer Continues To Email In Their Language,
We Are Sorry, Our Business Budget Can Not Afford A Translator.
K)Additional Transaction Time Involved with emails, paypal conversion fees, check cashing fees, an individualized shipping costs. **********
To Sum It All Up, At This Time, Our Business Does Not Support the Additional Costs Involved With Opening Up To A Worldwide Market. The Increased Time & Cost Involved Would Especially Be A Burden If International Customers Reversed Their Payments. We Have No Way To Prove Delivery, Without Shipping At Very Expensive Rates. These Additional Strains On Our Resources Could Force Our Company To Discontinue Our Online Sales Department. If You Are Not Located In The United States, Or Are Not US Military Personnel, Please Be Considerate By Not Bidding On Our Items.
Please Try To Keep In Mind How You Would Feel About Being Forced To Do Something Which Could Potentially Damage Your Business. Maybe you could petition Paypal to change their policy regarding seller protection for international sales.
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5. How Will My Baked Goods Be Shipped?
Your Baked Goods Will be Packed In A Plastic Wrap Lined Bakery Box, Closed With Our "Etta's Tea Room" Label Tape,
Then Placed Inside Another Plastic Food Grade Shrink-Wrap Bag. Usually decorated with Curling Ribbon. Expiration date and ingredients list.
( Some Larger Orders May Be Vacuum Sealed - But These Items Will Be Advertised As Such.)
They Will Be Mailed US Postal Sevice Priority Mail, With Delivery Confirmation.
Delivery Time For Priority Mail Can Be As Soon As Next Day Delivery - But Is Usually 2-3 Day Delivery.
Delivery Confirmation Means that we get confirmation from the postal service after your parcel has been delivered, for proof of delivery. Delivery Confirmation doesn't track the parcel at every stage of the shipment. |
6.How Will My NON-FOOD item Be Shipped?
All Items Are Shipped With Delivery Confirmation.
Depending On The Weight /Content Of the Item - Various Methods Of US Mail Will Be Used.
We Are Located In A Rural Area - So We Rarely or almost never use United Parcel Service - As This Would Involve A 30 Minute Drive To Reach Their Facility.
7. Will You End One Of Your Auctions Early And Sell The Item To Me With Buy It Now?
No. - Sorry. We Do Not Want To be Unfair To Those That Are Currently Bidding On Our Auctions
& Those Potential Bidders That May Be "Watching" The Auction.
You Are Welcome To Place A Bid On The Item.
8. Can You Help Me Open A Bakery / Restaurant Like Etta's Tea Room?
Sorry - No. We Are Very Busy , And Laws Vary By States.
Please Contact Your Local County Health Department, Your State Board Of Health, And Or Obtain A State Bakery License & Vendors License.
We may have some ebay help guides coming out soon on this subject.
9.Do You Really Sell That Much On Ebay, Or In Your Ebay Store, And Could I Also Sell Alot & Quit My Day Job?
Sorry - We Cannot Estimate Your Personal Ebay Potential, And Would Not Advise You To Quit Your Job.
You Can , However, Give Selling On Ebay A Try.
10. Do You Sell Sugar-Free Or Specialty Diabetic Foods?
Sorry - Not At This Time.
11. I accidentally placed an order. (Or, someone in my family used my ebay ID, etc. )Please cancel my order.
Answer: On eBay, orders can't be just "Cancelled". Ebay charges the seller a commission charge when another ebay members clicks "Buy it now" for an item, or when they win an auction.
Ebay doesn't allow sellers to "cancel" orders.
If you have ordered, and no longer want the product, we won't force you to purchase.
Simply ignore the purchase in your ebay "Items Won" list, and in your "Items I need to pay for list"
We won't file complaints with ebay about you failing to pay, UNLESS you cause further problems with us, or leave inappropriate feedback.
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We Have Been Running An Old-Fashioned, Family Operated Tea Room For Thirty Years, & Are Licensed By Our Local County Health Department. We Have Now Eliminated Dinner Parties, Wedding Rehersal Dinners, Showers, Etc. From Our Scheduling To Concentrate On Expanding Our Bakery Business. We Are Getting A Little Too Old For Catering Large Weddings :0) Look For Our Gradual Additions Of New Dessert Choices! My Youngest Daughter, Wendy, Convinced Us To Advertise On EBay. She Is Doing All Of The Computer Work. She Handles The Emails, Any Order Problems, Refunds, Etc. If You Are Ever Unsatisfied With Your Purchase Please Let Us Take Care Of The Problem, Instead Of Leaving Negative Feedback.
We Are Happy To Refund If The Customer Is Unhappy! - Just Return Your Item To Us For A Full Refund. |
Other items for sale on our site:
Our Friends & relatives all have something that they want to sell. We are allowing them to sell these things on our site, to be nice. If you are unhappy with anything of theirs that you purchase, these items are also covered by our money-back guarantee. We want you to be happy! But we would like you to consider that. If an item has been greatly discounted, We were already trying to make you happy with the price. Thanks For Viewing Our Listings and Ebay Store Items.
Etta Mae |
Why am I blocked from bidding at
Etta's Tea Room?
1)You may be located out of our shipping area.
2)You have ordered from us in the past, and are now blocked from bidding. If this is the case,
We have blocked you for your own benefit.
****Were you unhappy or dissatified with our:
products, product costs, size/shape/volume of items, packaging, shipping methods shipping costs, shipping time, wording of our listings, our feedback practices etc
**** If you were unhappy with any of these aspects of our business,
It would be wasting your money for you to purchase from us again.
| 3) You left a neutral or negative feedback, or you
left a positive feedback with a negative comment/
complaint /suggestion without contacting us
first with the problem.
*****At this point it becomes obvious that the
communication level has broken down to a point
that we can not hope for a future successful
transaction with you.
We are not the right seller for you.
We try to make each customer happy, but we were unable to please you. Why should you pay money only to be unhappy?
Why should we risk shipping to you, only to have lost product, wasted shipping funds, and the costs of reinbursements for return shipping? |
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