eBay and Free Shipping: Don't do it!

A lot of eBay sellers sell stuff with Free Shipping. It is a bad idea.

I don't believe in selling any of my items with "Free Shipping". Why? Because shipping costs very real money. I can be more competitive with my pricing if my shipping expenses are lower.

Here are the details:

Shipping costs are based on distance. Shipping costs real money, and shipping cost is almost always based on distance. It is simply more cost efficient and fair if local people pay less and far away people pay more. Are you 300 miles away? You should pay less because my real shipping costs are less. Are you 1800+ miles away? Sorry, but shipping that far costs me more money. I'll ship it to you, but you need to pay more to cover the shipping costs.
Taxes. Some areas do not charge sales tax on shipping. If a product is $15 + $5 shipping, the customer pays tax on the $15 product. In contrast, if a product is $20 with "free shipping", the customer pays tax on the whole $20.

In contrast, some like free shipping because:

Buyers think they are getting a special deal. (They are not).
Buyers can't complain about shipping cost. (This is an eBay problem, not a real-world problem).

Of course, some sellers charge far more than "shipping" for shipping, like $13 for a 12 ounce, $5 item. That's mere trickery, and buyers are smart to avoid such scam-oriented sellers.

Fixing a SodaStream Jet, part 1: Disassembly Guide

I've had my SodaStream Jet for years, and once in a while something has gone wrong. Disassembly is the first step to repair. Start with this article to see how to disassemble the SodaStream, and then once you have that down, scroll through my other articles to see how I repaired specfic SodaStream problems. SodaStream Jet Disassembly Guide Tools Required Flat head screwdriver Phillips head screwdriver 1. Remove the Carbonator. Duh. 2. Remove the black panel lever The front big black tilt lever needs to be removed first. Removing this panel is tricky, but it isn't impossible. Looking up at the bottom of the black panel, there are two tabs, one on the left and one on the right. These tabs fully secure the panel in place. The trick is to use a flat-head screwdriver under the plastic to gently lever the tabs out of the way. Note in the pictures how I approach these tabs with my screwdriver. I usually release the left side first, and then I release ...

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The Lance J. Technoweb

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