Ebay postage quote too high?

[Tulips]

I found a MIB SDCC 2011 pony on eBay that I would love to buy so I contacted the seller asking about postage. They changed the option to allow me to purchase it with First Class International shipping but it still says over $24 to post. I have recently bought another MIB Comic con pony and got it posted for just over $10, so this seems far too high. I also checked USPS using weight and dimensions and it says it should be around that to post. Is it because eBay is messing up? Or are they using a flatrate box? I don't know how eBay calculates postage quotes at all. I also thought I could BIN and request a total but nope can't do that.

I've already explained this politely to the seller and asked if they can help but they haven't responded, their messages have been at strange hours considering the time zone differences.

I feel like I should just nab it while I can but I know that if it comes and the postage was way less there's nothing I can do. Any advice? I know should just be patient and wait for the seller to respond but according to my timezone clock they replied at 2am so I have no idea when or if they will get back to me... and it could be gone by the time they respond again.   

Is there anything I can do or should I just forget about it? I really want it 
Thanks 

[banditpony]

They are probably sending it registered mail, which is an extra $12 on top of the shipping price. At least, that is one way to explain the price.
I'm guessing though, you would want to confirm that.


Let me add in a example

1LB box to Australia : $12. Add on the service to register it +$12 = $24

[Tulips]

US $24.16
Australia
USPS First Class Mail International

That's what's listed as the postage. They had it as Priority at over $40 before I asked them for First Class, so that would have been a Medium Flat Rate box. I'm looking at USPS First Class and it says it should be $11.60, no extra options available, can you register First Class? I don't get where the $24 is coming from, even with the weight of the box and handling fee it shouldn't be anywhere near that high.

[emery]

There are a couple things that could be going on. They might have the weight hiked up as they are charging $15 shipping just in the US and that is like double of what it should cost (they are using UPS though and for lightweight items that is more expensive than USPS). Or they might have a high handling fee added since they are selling the pony cheaper. Sellers used to jack up the shipping a bit and list auctions higher because ebay put the fees on the auction price and not the shipping, now that they do fees on the TOTAL price I don't see as much of it but they might not have gotten the memo.

You can send first class as registered which would basically double the price to your $24. You might ask if that's the reason for the high cost?