posted on May 9, 2004 07:31:32 AM new
I am an EBAY seller and an occasional buyer- When I sell I try to give the buyer a choice of shipping options- since the shipping tends to add a great deal to the final price sometimes. If it is at all possible to use 1st class mail or parecl post to save substantial amounts I do offer them, the option- I have recently purchased some items that could be shipped for .37 cents in a #10 envelope and the sellers wanted me to pay for priority mail plus insurance- I requested the buyer use 1st class mail insured-the savings were at least $3.00- in both cases- Do any of you find resistance to high S&H fees?????
posted on May 9, 2004 08:09:11 AM new
I assume the sellers your dealing with accept paypal and they need to used DC to qualify for "seller protection."
If the item will fit in a #10 envelope, I assume it wouldn't meet the 3/4 inch thickness required by the PO to use DC on first class.
Are you paying for these items with paypal?
You could always ask the seller if they would ship first class if you paid with a USPS Money Order, that way they wouldn't have to worry about chargebacks or checks bouncing.
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Life is full of misery, loneliness, and suffering - and it's all over much too soon.
Woody Allen
posted on May 9, 2004 08:48:26 AM new
If something can be sent with a single stamp, I will send it that way, adding some cost for the envelope and padding needed, plus a little bit for my time in packaging. But not to the extent of charging priority postage for a little simple lightweight item.
Books go for media mail plus about $1. Heavier objects go for priority costs plus "something" more.
International sales--I usually give the buyer a choice of cheap and slow or fast and more $$.
Choices can eat up a lot of your time. If you're reasonable in your charges, you won't get a lot of complaints. I haven't had one in about 3 years. Occasionally a buyer will note from the postage cost on the package that I had to eat higher costs than I'd calculated for and they will actually send me the difference. God bless 'em.
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posted on May 9, 2004 11:45:19 AM new
Personally, I will almost always ship priority or UPS. It is most convenient for me, takes up the least amount of time and the package is delivered in a timely manner. I almost never get the "where the heck is my package" e-mail because of it. With the other services, you do.
I simply don't have the time to try and track packages. So I use the services in which I generally won't have to.
posted on May 9, 2004 12:01:25 PM new
Are you sure they are shipping Priotiy or is it simply that their handling fee is similar to that or prioirty? I know when I was selling sports cards I found that the trend in that area (which I followed) was to start low and create a shipping charge that covered all costs and the profit margin since if there is one market that was descimated by ebay - it's the sports card market.
As a seller - As for resistance to high shipping - sports card buyers are cheap bastards. I can't tell you how mny times I got a check for less than a dollar and a stamp as payment (I can tell you how many times I actually shipped to people that did that - ZERO) I was never so glad to leave a catagory behind in my life. As for resistance now - I list very clearly what shipping is and I take no flack. If people object, they can go elsewhere. I don't cater to problem money.
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on May 9, 2004 04:22:06 PM new
Ive been using priority almost exclusively
as I mainly sell music videos.Recently I have been selling my movies and since I copied them on to dvd,I have been selling them at 1 cent as I just want to get rid of them.Since the only way I can make any money is ship them media mail.I cant tell you what a difference,between the two--media is a real pain the ass,I'll be glad when I get rid of them all.
posted on May 9, 2004 05:13:08 PM new
Classic - there are a couple sellers that sell (sold - not sure if they are still around) video mailer boxes. Don't combine shipping, just pop the tape in the box, slap on a label and go. On the few where I did combine shipping, I just taped the boxes together. I think I was paying 14 centsa box when I was doing the same thing you are doing now.
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on May 9, 2004 09:23:05 PM new
Fenix-I got a couple of hundred mailers,beause I do sell videos over seas and Canada,so I have been using them.To make about a buck a video isnt worth the hassle.I only have about 10 left-good riddence.Im getting a digital camera in June that can also take still pictures.Before I had a hi-8 mm machine to go along with the hi-8 camcorder I had.Since Im going digital I sold all the 8mm cassttes I had in one lot,which was about 150-bingo all gone in one shot I should have probably done that with these vhs's cassettes.
posted on May 9, 2004 10:55:31 PM new
You are not doing them as BIN for 1 cent are you? When I was clearing out my collection I was doing 3 day auctions starting at 99 cents. had 100% sell thru with at least half going $5-10 plus $3.00 shipping each. Ended up buying my second DVR with the funds among other things.
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on May 10, 2004 08:22:23 AM newfenix03 You mentioned taping boxes together and saving on the shipping. I had never thought about this, till a few years ago.
We LOVE Zatarain's Cajun Dinners, but we can't always find all the flavors which we like locally. I got tired of making trips to the grocery to try to find such, and went to the Zatarain's web site, and began ordering what we liked by the case. Point being, when our orders arrive, there may be 4 to 6 cases, each a box about 15X8X8. THEN, Zatarain's piles the boxes up, and runs highly reliable tape around all of the boxes, making one shipment out of 4 to 6 separate boxes. It saves them time in labeling, etc., and it saves the customer over sending 4 to 6 separate shipments.
Taping boxes together is a good idea, if your boxes are stable, and the tape you use is a fiber type tape which will stand the combined weight. Of course, such is always shipped UPS.
posted on May 10, 2004 12:38:20 PM new
I use 3 different ways to ship. For coins, I use 1st Class Postage. I charge a flat fee of $5.00. Anything else, I charge $10.00 & shipp by Prority mail if under 3 pounds. Over 3 lbs. I ship by FedEx Ground & charge accordingly. I do not give the buyer a choice, it is my choice & I never have had a complaint on high shipping charges. My TOS states the cost of shipping.
