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Message:: [QUOTE="umtrr-author, post: 267888, member: 5719"]Let's not leave out of the discussion the fact that eBay charges the "final item value fee" on the price paid before the S&H charge.  S&H fees aren't subject to the eBay Final Value Fee and it's commonly understood that this setup incents the use of S&H as a profit center. Although eBay also has an "excessive shipping charges policy"  ( <a href="http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/listing-shipping.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/listing-shipping.html" rel="nofollow">http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/listing-shipping.html</a> ) that prevents ridiculous charges-- although that's certainly in their stockholders' interest as well as the customers. I personally do feel taken advantage of when a shipping cost implies something more safe and secure than an envelope and a postage stamp.  My response to that is simple: chalk it up to experience, state the facts in the feedback (if I leave any at all), and don't use that seller again.  It has always been my policy to figure S&H into the bid, so no worries there. In terms of the world view of merchandising, plenty of the cost of a product is its distribution.  In my other hobby (model railroading), it's commonplace to see items that cost cents to produce costing in the $10 and up range.[/QUOTE]