I was just hoping that maybe you guys would tell me if you think I am right about this.

In an ebay dutch auction (non-chip) I bid $32.00 that was the high bid, but the actual price was $24 based on the lowest successful bid. The auction description stated that the Buyer would pay actual shipping via UPS ground plus a handling fee.

Now I know I should have asked what the handling fee was in advance, but then again the seller should have stated it in the auction. My experience is that handling charges if listed seperately are typically used to round up the postage and shipping costs.

Well I get the email from the seller and she tells me that shipping is five dollars and the handling fee is $3.00 bringing my total to $32.

Now right away I am kind of suspicious. Is it just a coincidence that adding the shipping and handling fee equals my original bid, or is it the reason the seller doesn't state the fee amount in the auction so that she can adjust it to match the high bid.

I paid the $32 without comment and the item arrived in time for its intended use as a fathers day gift.

I left POSITIVE FEEDBACK but put in the comments BE AWARE OF $3 HANDLING FEE.

I got a snide comment from her by email telling me to read the whole auction next time. Of course you can read the auction 100 times and you will never see the figure $3 in the description.

She seemed offended, but I'm pretty sure I handled it correctly and that my assumption about why the actual handling charge isn't listed is correct.