How Is This Possible?

there are numerous similar ebay auctions, selling 44c postage close to face.

but when fees are calculated it seems impossible.

here is one example:
$44 fv for $42.95

= $41.41 net after paypal fees
- 3.86 ebay fee
.75 listing fee

$36.80 before postage which is included in the price

and works out to be 80%

there are thousands of these ads, the stamps are full booklet

I have sold discount postage for years at 88-95% and this this just doesn't seem possible.

The wholesale price for US postage has dropped dramatically in the past two years -- I would estimate by roughly 20%.

There are also other minor factors, especially on ebay. I'm not accusing anyone in particular, but there are issues with general/employee postage theft and even some pretty good quality counterfeits. With the internet, the historical "filtering" of their postage sources by stamp dealers is bypassed. USPS has been going after some of the more high-volume counterfeiting.

these are current forever stamps, in complete booklets/sheets, with huge quantities. some have thousands available. I added just the forever available now, and estimate over 15 thousand from various sellers. Only small companies use stamps, if even medium they would have meter. I just can't imagine a small office having thousands of stamps laying around. I can see employees taking a few stamps, just as they take ballpens, or paper clips. it just seems so strange; not one buyer for discount postage in Linn's. really wonder where they get so many

You are assuming that nobody tries to steal from USPS.

Also, owners steal from their own companies. I don't want to go into details, because I don't like providing specific details online about theft/forgery processes. But basically, you are thinking in terms of an honest small/medium business. Sometimes volume purchases of stamps are made without the intention of actually using them for company postage. If you are going to run a racket, it's not that difficult. That is why integrity is such an important part of this hobby, and for society in general.

I want to point out that "problem" stamps are still a very very small fraction of sale offerings. However, with these bad economic times, you can expect more and more of these types of illegal activities.

Even in good economic times, the temptation is great -- even for the powerful. Dan Rostenkowski, chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, fell from power and was convicted and served jail time for postage theft, using his free franking privileges as a cover. There are now rules/safeguards in place to keep this from happening. But like I said, if someone really wants to run theft scheme, it's not that difficult to figure out an alternative method. It all goes back to simple integrity.

the entire ebay makes no sense. we have ebay.ph, which is fee free. I don't see how anyone can pay 9% to ebay, 4% plus 25c to paypal, listing fees etc

It's just about the most efficient way to run a business for a new business owner. You have millions of instant customers for next to nothing.

Try opening up a brick and mortar store and we'll talk about "fees"

Try starting your own website, then tell me how much you spend on advertising, after you realize its not "field of dreams" on the internet. They don't come just because you build it.

Sure, there's other alternatives to ebay that may be cheaper or even free, but if you look at ROI, ebay dwarfs them.... even the free ones.

Also old business owners and buyers.

I remember before the internet it was IMPOSSIBLE to even sell your cheaper stamps because you could not find a viable cost effective way to make them available to potential buyers. Sure, there were sales circuits, but those also involved fees, postage costs etc. and the turn-around could be up to a year - and a big hassle to prepare the books, etc.

Right now if I bought a $15 set of stamps by snail mail from say England, it would cost me $5.00 for a bank draft, $1.70 postage to mail the draft, and $3.00 for return postage. My set now costs $24.70.

Agreed. It would be nice if someone (corporation) with a lot of capital tried to compete with ebay all the same. ;o)

Keep an eye on the big G, they've been preparing for years.

Don't forget.Everyone is not a dealer...plenty of Collectors just want to unload unwanted stock...its Possible !!

That's my point too Pilby, it is much easier and more economical with the internet, for the collector

Bobby131313, who is the big G

Started years ago with the introduction of Google Checkout, which was completely free for a long time. They don't beta test on paying customers like Microsoft does.

OK I understand - Google Checkout. I was thinking on the line of an Auction site. StampWants (Bidstart) accepts Google Checkout, but of course ebay does not (officially, anyway, but it can be used if seller and buyer agree).

It will be interesting to see if Google gets into the Auction business...

Google Checkout shot themselves in the foot last few months. They began to refuse to process transactions on certain collectibles (including older stamps) because they incorrectly interpreted the UNESCO rules regarding sales of antiques/collectibles.

They have since then stopped this stupid incorrect enforcement, but not before some sellers dropped them as a payment method.

I prefer paying by Google Checkout, but when they do silly things like that, sellers don't like to have to worry about whether or not Google Checkout will or will not process the transaction.

So am I. Like I said, watch the big G.