[Bristol Bay]

I just bought a dressage saddle on eBay and was shocked at how much the shipping was, more than double what ebay/UPS estimated. I was going on the cost and weight of close contact saddles, so there's that. Then it arrived in a ginormous box, which explained why it was over $100 to ship.

One question is whether you can curl the flaps under like you can with a CC saddle. The tree is not involved, but can it damage the knee rolls to roll them in?

What is the smallest box you can get away with?

I have shipped CC saddles well in a 12 X 24 box with just some bubble wrap around the pommel and cantle. This wouldn't have worked for this one, but a huge box with popcorn and air packs all around doesn't seem right.

[MysticOakRanch]

I've never found eBay's shipping estimates to be accurate. One thing I realized - mass shippers (aka on-line shops) get huge discounts from UPS, so they can ship a saddle for $25. We normal people pay full price. Then add insurance on top of that (required by eBay), and you are easily up to $70 to $100 depending on how far you are shipping.

Depending on the saddle, you may be able to curl the flaps - but if it has those big foam knee rolls, you don't want to curl those, you can damage the foam. So yes, over-size shipping box charges too.

At least they aren't as heavy as Western saddles!

[Equi88]

Last year I had to ship a huge Western saddle, heavy, big box all the way from Ohio to Nevada, and got a GREAT deal with FedEx! I think it was around $40!!!
Awesome
Sending my Dressage saddle back to the dealer for reflocking just to Michigan was about $35 with UPS.

[JSjumper]

I've never found eBay's shipping estimates to be accurate. One thing I realized - mass shippers (aka on-line shops) get huge discounts from UPS, so they can ship a saddle for $25. We normal people pay full price. Then add insurance on top of that (required by eBay), and you are easily up to $70 to $100 depending on how far you are shipping.

Depending on the saddle, you may be able to curl the flaps - but if it has those big foam knee rolls, you don't want to curl those, you can damage the foam. So yes, over-size shipping box charges too.

At least they aren't as heavy as Western saddles!

This

[NJRider]

I ship saddles all the time; you can get 18x18x24 moving box from Wal-Mart, put the saddle pommel first into the box with proper padding/bubble wrap etc. Average weight is 22 lb. USPS Parcel post is cheapest but you need to buy insurance and delivery confirmation, and it usually takes a week or more. Average is $25 depending on cost of insurance. I shipped a $2800 saddle half way across the country and it was $65 Fed Ex but it was a very expensive saddle to the cost was higher. Fed Ex is usually a little cheaper than UPS.

[Bristol Bay]

I ship saddles all the time; you can get 18x18x24 moving box from Wal-Mart, put the saddle pommel first into the box with proper padding/bubble wrap etc. Average weight is 22 lb. USPS Parcel post is cheapest but you need to buy insurance and delivery confirmation, and it usually takes a week or more. Average is $25 depending on cost of insurance. I shipped a $2800 saddle half way across the country and it was $65 Fed Ex but it was a very expensive saddle to the cost was higher. Fed Ex is usually a little cheaper than UPS.

That sounds more like it, and $60 is what I originally estimated. She (the UPS clerk who packed it) used a 22x 22 x 22 box and it weighed 17 1/2 pounds. It was the size of the box, I am sure, and the seller was shipping the day after Christmas from upstate NY, so I'm sure she didn't feel like running over to Walmart. Now I know if I end up selling it along how not to get soaked.

She was just going to eat the difference, but I split it with her in the spirit of the holidays. At least I have a dressage saddle again. Horsey looks so handsome in dressage drag.

[EcstaticLady]

I have bought and sold saddles, among other things, on eBay. I shipped a Wintec All-Purpose saddle to Canada for $25, including insurance.

When I bought my saddle I told the seller that I thought her shipping cost was too high but I paid it. When I opened the box there was an envelope with a $20 bill in it. I think some sellers over charge on shipping to make a few extra bucks.

[Petstorejunkie]

I buy and sell saddles on eBay regularly. I use either an 18,18,24 or a 20,20,20 box depending on the saddle.
Here's the thing with eBay, you pay eBay a cut of the final selling price, but they don't get a cut of shipping. If you're a regular seller it behooves you to drop your starting bid and up your shipping.
It costs me $30 typically to ship anywhere in the USA with signature confirmation and insurance. I charge $40-45 to cover materials and time.

[Equi88]

I've been charged a fee on the shipping cost by ebay, beside the final value fee for the item....

[Petstorejunkie]

I've been charged a fee on the shipping cost by ebay, beside the final value fee for the item....

That would be a big red flag to me.
BUT if the buyer paid through paypal, then Paypal will charge you a percentage for your business transaction on the full amount.

[AllWeatherGal]

I've been charged a fee on the shipping cost by ebay, beside the final value fee for the item....

I believe that eBay changed its policy from not charging for shipping to this. I remember reading about the policy change maybe two years ago in a message to seller.

Here's an item in ebay community: http://answercenter.ebay.com/questio...rge/1000243816

[Bristol Bay]

I believe that eBay changed its policy from not charging for shipping to this. I remember reading about the policy change maybe two years ago in a message to seller.

Here's an item in ebay community: http://answercenter.ebay.com/questio...rge/1000243816

This has been my experience as well. I have started overestimating shipping fees, because a few times I "ate" a few dollars difference, and then had to pay eBay a percentage. It discourages one from selling lower priced items, which is ebay's goal, I think, unless you're a commercial seller.

[rothmpp]

Yep, eBay now charges Final Value Fees on shipping as well as the sale price - they wised up to the sellers upping the shipping fees to avoid the FVF charges.

OP, if your saddle was packed and shipped through a UPS store, they charge a premium over the online prices, which may explain some of the difference in what you expected vs what you were charged.