[Mccoypottery-talk] slightly OT: ebay and shipping

[acp]

I'm looking for info.
As I've said before, I'm an ebay newbie, even though I've had
an account for many years.  

In the past, I have been looking around at pottery pieces on
ebay and noticed some vendors don't tell you what the shipping
charges are.
Now, this is ok if they say -- "buyer pays actual charges and
you can go figure out what they are".  

However, the ones I have a problem with are the ones who
state (in the shipping area), "fixed shipping prices ...  see
item description for details".   Then you look at the description
and there is no shipping price there.  There is NO shipping price
on the entire page, anywhere!  
So, it looks to me that if you win the bid, the vendor could tell
you the shipping costs are anything -- $25 dollars or more and
if you didn't pay it, then they could legitimately give you a "black
eye" in the ebay buyer/seller ratings.
I never bid on items like this.  I like everything spelled out before
I decide whether or not I want to buy something.  I hate surprises
and I don't like gambling, either.  ;-)

So, am I being overly suspicious of these vendors, needlessly??
Or is this really the underhanded way of squeezing more money
out of the buyer, that I think it is??   If they are not crooks, then
why don't they tell you what the "fixed shipping charges" are??
acp