1) The seller still pays a fee to PayPal for items paid through PayPal. For me, it's $0.30 PLUS 2.9% of the entire transaction. That really hurts on a $3.00 transaction ($0.30 + $0.09 = $0.39)
2) Yes, postage adds up. But so does gas if driving around to the various shops.
3) Packaging materials (tape, envelopes, plastic bags, etc.) are not free. Priority Rate packaging (envelopes and boxes) are 'free' - but, the packaging costs are built in to the cost of using Priority Rate mail.
People are kind of funny at times (including me) - sometimes we think nothing of driving 100 miles round trip for a $2.00 item (at a fuel cost of approximately $15.00 or more) - and fuss and fume at paying $3.00 for shipping for the same item.
4) As far as getting 'a house full of fabric for $5.00' - I consider those deals to be in the same category as getting a big win gambling. It happens, but the majority of the time, it doesn't.
Last edited by bearisgray; 08-21-2012 at 06:16 AM.