Hmm . . .my link didn't work. I'll try again.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mystery Lot

I don't do much E-bay shopping, but my craigslist is full of things from people who seem to be in bad straits.

I've bought from newbie sellers who seriously miscalculated the shipping charges. If I felt I got the item for a bargain price, I've sent the seller a couple of dollars, and in some instances, even paid half of her shipping cost loss.

But this seller is not a newbie. Look at her feedback numbers. However, if the contents of the box thrill you, you could send her a couple of dollars to help with her shipping/packing expenses. I'm sure she'll appreciate it.

I have given people extra money more than once.

I purchased a huge console sink and insisted I pay him $60. extra for packing materials to ensure it wouldn't get broken in shipment. (It was out of it's original box and huge.)

There has never been a better packaged sink. Took me an hour to unpack it. LOL!

I know it's ebay and one can get great deals, but I would feel like a thief, too. Maybe send her some extra money. I'd calculate a bargain deal on each item and send her that or a portion of. Especially in these times. The shipping doesn't look particularly underestimated to me.

LOL @ golddust! What's so great about your story is that the seller actually took your concerns to heart and made such an honest, concerted effort to use the extra $ for its intended purpose, rather than trying to skimp and pocketing the extra $. It speaks to his/her character; how refreshing it is in this day to see people act w/ integrity!

And speaking of honest people, blessings to you, anele, for being concerned on behalf of your seller :-)

I don't buy often on ebay...but your story reminds me of what I just encountered on a trade I did off CL. I traded my recumbant exercise bike for a VERY NICE motorized treadmill. I definitely got the better deal, and the other gal wouldn't take any money or even a statue that DH made. I offered repeatedly, but she said no.

I have her work address, so I am thinking of sending her a card and a check. I feel bad, I definitely came out ahead.

There's one time that stands out in my head. I won a pair of brand new Dr. Marten boots for $.99. I'm pretty sure they undercharged for the shipping too. I just assumed someone's first couple of times selling.

anele, Your seller has 3119 feedback posts. There is no way that's a new and/or uneducated seller. We've listed things at very low prices just to get rid of them. I'd assume that's what your seller did. We've made enough profit on other things that a "loser' has not been a big deal if it means cleaning out items.

Thus, no sympathy from my corner.

I agree with lido. And even for inexperienced sellers, it's a lesson learned.
Don't we all learn from the hard, stupid things we do?

Hmm . . .thank you for the different views. She even said on her bid page that she promised herself she wouldn't be upset if someone won the lot for .99. I guess I wonder why she started it so low?

Since it is a mystery box and, frankly, I do NOT have a lot of extra money, the only reason I even bid was because it was so cheap. And, I guess, even being so cheap, no one else did bid. (The shipping quote is completely fair, so I don't think it is that.) Just weird.

When I buy from CL and I think a price is fair, I never bargain. Maybe people expect it no matter what, but I don't.

I guess I will wait until I see the contents and then decide what to do.

Thank you so much for your feedback-- gives me a lot to think about!!!

LOL interesting seller name- princess of piddle.

I have paid extra when I knew I got a good deal. The seller somewhat grumbled about the price. They didn't have a picture and didn't get lookers but I knew the item. I'm not out to take advantage of anyone.

I have emailed sellers and told them
you have a typo in the brand name, it won't come up on a search.

if you relist this call it a flamingo pond instead of bowl.

They have replied positively.

I can't wait to hear what's in the mystery box.

Well, having learned what players some people are, I'm now wondering if, after snagging a buyer, she then starts in on the guilt trip to get more money -- because you mentioned she was grumbling about losing money on shipping. The shipping amount seems pretty good to me, and they pad that. So, a few dollars there and a few more guilty ones from you ... Not playing above board wouldn't sit well with me, if you think that's a possibility.

One reason to start the bid low is to reduce the fees paid to eBay. It's also not an uncommon thing for sellers to try to ask for more money after a sale, complaining how they are losing money on shipping or the auction. Sometimes they even try to get out of one that didn't go well by saying the item broke or was lost, etc.

Yes! Ol' soft heart here sometimes follows ebay sales merely in hopes that some items "find a nice home." I am so happy when they finally get a bid! Now, I'm an intelligent woman (or used to be), and I need to remind myself that a) these are *things* and are incapable of feeling rejected, and b) the seller is probably more business savvy than I am, as the seller is *marketing* his items for cold hard cash, whereas I give mine away to the local charity thrift shop in fervent hope that someone will be delighted with the good deal she got on my discard.

Two years ago, in need of a new frying pan and not having $ to get a quality, new stainless steel one, I began researching old cast iron cookware and how to restore it. At that time, you could get rusty cast iron frying pans cheaply on ebay. I bought a couple, restored them, and have been very happy with them. Unfortunately, now I find it hard to resist "rescuing" rust-encrusted cast iron pieces offered on ebay. They seem to cry "Save me! Save me!" I just hate to see a piece of Americana lost to the dump. My BIL snickers at my cast iron folly, but I now have a nice assortment of cooking pieces, one a dutch oven dating to the mid to late 19th century.

Kim, I write to sellers all the time if it's not listed properly and missing people searching for that item. I always get thanked. If there is already a bid, they are limited to changing it in the body of the description but they can change the title if there's no bids.

I'd wait to see if you are just taking junk off her hands before you decide to send her money. Somehow, it sounds too good to be true. Shabby chic is a broad term. Is my vintage tablecloth with holes in it shabby chic or just shabby?

One thing I know is you must let us know what is in the mystery package when it arrives!

I try to help sellers, too, when I see something off. I actually shopped a shade onto a lamp once, to try to help someone sell it. She was ecstatic, lol.

Anele, don't you pay a small fortune for cast iron to be shipped? I think they're a pretty inexpensive buy at the store. Even hardware stores used to carry them.

squirrel, do you mean me instead of anele? Yes, cast iron shipping charges have gone up. There were better deals a couple of years ago. Also, seems harder to find unrestored pieces as more people are into collecting, restoring, and reselling. The old pieces cast by Griswold, WagnerWare, or Piquaware are lighter, have better heat distribution, and are more finely cast than contemporary cast iron cookware sold in the stores, hence the interest in the antique stuff. I don't live in an area with a cast iron tradition like in the south or midwest, so I'm at the mercy of "ePay" to find the good old pieces -- no thrift shop or flea market finds here.

Sorry about that! I got the 'a' right, lol.

more finely cast than contemporary cast iron cookware

Ah so, I see. That makes sense. Definitely worth the shipping, then. I was just thinking of how much it costs to send some itty bitty light thing along!

Thanks for all the info : ) I'm sure my mother must have some of her old stuff tucked away in her old house. So I won't have to go out looking very far. She had one of those big lidded roasting pots, too, though I'm sure she's got that one with her and still uses it sometimes.

Thanks again, everyone! I will let you know what was in that mystery box, and the revisit the idea of paying more based on your different viewpoints!

re your mother's cast iron, squirrel, maybe she has several hundred dollars' worth and doesn't realize it. If she decides to get rid of it, it would be worth the trouble to sell it online -- unless you fall in love with the pieces yourself! Once you learn how to keep them seasoned, you kinda come under their spell :)

Yeah, I've always heard they were great for cooking. That rings a bell, that they are valuable, but I'd totally forgotten! Thanks for the heads up. I will likely try them. I know the skittles are great for hamburgers and those kettles for stews and pot roast. Most of them probably go back to when my parents were first married.