SHIPPING VS BID

• Do the math. Some auctions make it easy for sellers to include a shipping cost calculator in with the bid. If the seller has included one, use it before you bid to avoid any unpleasant surprises later.
• Ask the seller. If there's no shipping calculator, you're either dealing with a novice seller or one who is planning to pad the fees after the auction closes. In that case, you'll need to send the seller a question asking for an estimate of shipping costs to someone in your zip code. If the seller won't agree to a shipping price prior to sale, you should probably steer clear.
• Hold onto your money. If the shipping fee is way beyond what you agreed to pay, you can refuse to pay. You should notify the seller of your intent not to pay and see if you can reach a mutual agreement to not complete the transaction. If the seller doesn't agree, most auction companies can nullify the transaction without penalty to either party.
• Watch your (feed) back. If you don't pay, the seller may give you a negative feedback rating, which could mess up your positive feedback percentage. If this happens to you, file a grievance with the auction company. Usually in cases where the fees were truly unreasonable, the auction company will help you recover from the bad rating.