shipping

[jamey]

hello everyone,i have been selling a little on ebay but the shipping is hard to figure out for me.how do you handle the shipping charges without making it look like your trying to make money off the cost.it is always higher than what ebay quotes for me,any tips?

p.s look out for those plastic iowa haweye hats i put one on there,one i pictured here trying to see how old it was,i put it on the .99 cent auction thinking id get a buck or two ended up at 51.00 dollars

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Family Maps of Hinds County, Mississippi, Deluxe Edition - Grab it through Amazon!

[NJ Marty]

hello everyone,i have been selling a little on ebay but the shipping is hard to figure out for me.how do you handle the shipping charges without making it look like your trying to make money off the cost.it is always higher than what ebay quotes for me,any tips?

You need a good postal scale and I visit USPS shipping calculator when estimating shipping. I usually punch in a zip on the west coast for the weighed item ( I am on the east coast) and use that as my shipping rate for non flat rate box items. Flat rate price the stuff that fits in the flat rate boxes.

 

[jamey]

thanks nj marty,going to have to get that scale been paying way over what has been quoted.i can see how the west coast would be good for you.i had a lady ask me to work with shipping i said 11.00 dollars shipping cost on the add well she said that it should cost 17 to 22 dollars and i was chargeing 2 times the cost.why would it say 11.00 on my add but charge her 34 to 44.i told her i would only charge what it would cost but since i put 11.00 on the add not sure how to do it

 

[deserdog]

if you use the right weight and dimensions, your shipping will always be right.

 

[Tallone]

i had a lady ask me to work with shipping i said 11.00 dollars shipping cost on the add well she said that it should cost 17 to 22 dollars and i was chargeing 2 times the cost.why would it say 11.00 on my add but charge her 34 to 44.i told her i would only charge what it would cost but since i put 11.00 on the add not sure how to do it

I am confused by your comment quoted above, jamey. Is your buyer purchasing more than one item from you and asking you to combine several items into a single package so the shipping cost will be less? If that is the case, you can adjust the shipping cost when you create an invoice in ebay.

 

[jamey]

hi tallone,it was just one item that she was wanting to bid on,i had one bid already showing and not a word about shipping from them,but she wanted me to work on shipping for her.my item said 11.00 dollars for shipping but she said it was showing way over that on her end,im losing my butt on shipping and got to get on top of it,im getting a scale for sure

 

[jerseyben]

Is anyone else completely confused on this?

 

[Tallone]

hi tallone,it was just one item that she was wanting to bid on,i had one bid already showing and not a word about shipping from them,but she wanted me to work on shipping for her.my item said 11.00 dollars for shipping but she said it was showing way over that on her end,im losing my butt on shipping and got to get on top of it,im getting a scale for sure

jamey, this sounds like you have a potential bidder trying to get you to reduce your shipping cost. Since you already have a bid on the item, you won't be able to change the terms of the auction unless you cancel the auction entirely. I would tell this person that the terms of the auction (including shipping cost) are defined in the listing and will not be changed.

Unless you listed your item using the "Calculated Shipping" option, I don't know how someone who has not even bid on the item would see a shipping cost "way over" the $11 shipping cost you listed. Which ebay shipping option did you use in your listing - calculated or flat rate?

 

[diggummup]

I agree with Tallone. It sounds like maybe she is not in the U.S. maybe? Is your shipping charge listed as a flat rate? or do you use the shipping calculator? If she is wanting to purchase or bid on more than one item then she has to wait until the auction is over so you can send her an invoice with the reduced shipping cost if she wins more than one item. If this is actually the case that is. I see no other reason/s why her end would show as $34-$44 for shipping. Actually, I don't know how it could give an approx. value range like that in the first place. Something doesn't sound right to me. Now i'm confused too.

 

[jamey]

yea im glad that auction is over,i think she was making it up,so she could top the other persons bid.im just clicking buttons on ebay right now and a cost comes up,lol..i do need to get a scale but i am starting to get rid of some things that i didnt think would sell and getting feedback then im going to start putting some better stuff up and see if i can make it worth my time.so far im likeing it,and some people are getting good deals so maybe they will remember me on high ticket sales.

 

[dumpsterdiver]

I'm in a similar position. Just getting back to it after a long ebay break. I'm not doing nearly the volume some people here are. I have much room for improvement but I always select flat rate. I type in the weight and approximate dimensions. Then ebay shows you a price range and you can double check other similar listings to see what they are charging. I choose a flat rate price a few bucks less than the highest ebay estimate. I select standard Shipping. When I get to the post office if priority is reasonable I pay that. If its not it goes first class. Ebay takes part of the money and I have to acquire the box and packing material. Sometimes its easy to find a box sometimes it not. I then have to pack it up. And right now I have to take it to the post office. Which often charges me way less than the ebay quote. I don't mind making money on it. Its listed right there when they bid. You can't miss it. I don't cheap out when I pack it though. I think I probably miss a sale here and there to be honest. I've only taken a loss on shipping once. But to me I think its hard to argue with the flat rate printed in the auction. Even is that person won the auction she would probably still give you bad feedback for shipping in the survey. I think the advantage printing shipping on ebay is the amount is not printed on the package like the post office. The only thing I really wish I was doing differently is offering a variety of shipping options. I have no problems personally making the money on shipping. It can get you a few more clicks on the auction because some people just search lowest price. I don't think this is the best way but this will stop you from losing money. I'd like to get it to a point where I was charging two to three dollars over actual shipping. But for me currently I'm not losing money on shipping. I might be missing some sales. Also it seem the ending time of your auctions has an effect on who buys them. Try to end the auction between 7pm to 10pm in my time zone has helped me send thing closer to my house. I wouldn't negotiate on it if you already have a bid. Everytime I get a message from someone after there is a bid its something weird. To me selling vintage items I dont think many people are in a rush so I hate to charge a priority rate but I wish I could have some options.

yea im glad that auction is over,i think she was making it up,so she could top the other persons bid.im just clicking buttons on ebay right now and a cost comes up,lol..i do need to get a scale but i am starting to get rid of some things that i didnt think would sell and getting feedback then im going to start putting some better stuff up and see if i can make it worth my time.so far im likeing it,and some people are getting good deals so maybe they will remember me on high ticket sales.

 

[cheese]

If you measure the package and weigh it when you list the item for sale, enter that into the shipping calculator, it will be right, to the cent, when the buyer buys it. If you sell it to someone in the next town over, it might be $4.56 shipping, or if you send it across the country, it might be $7.64. You don't have to worry about it, it shows on the buyers screen and it figures into their invoice. Shipping pricing is worry free and something you should never lose a penny on. If you do, you are doing it wrong.

A side note: It is against ebay rules to make money on the shipping. You are to only charge actual shipping. That can include the cost of the box, etc... and if you want to charge extra for the gas and time if you are taking it to the post office, then there is a place to enter handling charges. I've seen a seller get in trouble with ebay over this.

 

[diggummup]

If you measure the package and weigh it when you list the item for sale, enter that into the shipping calculator, it will be right, to the cent, when the buyer buys it. If you sell it to someone in the next town over, it might be $4.56 shipping, or if you send it across the country, it might be $7.64. You don't have to worry about it, it shows on the buyers screen and it figures into their invoice. Shipping pricing is worry free and something you should never lose a penny on. If you do, you are doing it wrong.

If you are using the shipping calculator to the exact weight etc., then you are losing money shipping, period. That means you are doing it wrong. I used the shipping calculator religiously, until ebay started taking out a percentage of the shipping costs too. A small percentage of greedy sellers ruined it for the honest ones when it comes to that subject. Flat rate shipping is the only way to go nowadays.

I put this in my disclaimers-

SHIPPING I always use extra care and plenty of bubble wrap to ensure safe arrival of your item/s. We have always kept our shipping costs as low as possible. However, given that now eBay charges us a commission on the shipping cost, packing material costs have risen significantly, and both USPS and UPS fees have gone up, you may see a small increase in the shipping/insurance/tracking cost for your purchase compared to years past. We will continue to strive to keep these costs down.

 

[clovis97]

I believe that some of the sellers using FR boxes only are costing themselves money in the long run. The buyers, for the most part, take shipping into consideration, and bid accordingly.

Last week, I watched a tool auction end, and due to it's rusty condition, it should have sold for $45 tops, but because the seller offered cheap shipping, of $6, that tool sold for $67.

Then, the very next day, another identical tool sold, but the seller refused to ship it in a FR padded envelope. "I only ship in medium FR boxes!!!!" he said in an email to me, and his price for a FR box was $15.00. As nice as his item was, it should have easily fetched $75+, but it only brought $53. Due to his attitude, along with his overpriced shipping, cost him several bids from me.

Same, identical tool, but the rusty one sold for more.

I honestly believe, generally speaking, that the buyers know when the shipping is too high, and they quit bidding.

We sell quite a few items that can ship first class for $2.25, but we offer priority FR envelopes for $5.50. In all of last year, only 3 people opted for the FR envelope...and I sold a ton of those items.

 

[Flex68]

A side note: It is against ebay rules to make money on the shipping. You are to only charge actual shipping. That can include the cost of the box, etc... and if you want to charge extra for the gas and time if you are taking it to the post office, then there is a place to enter handling charges. I've seen a seller get in trouble with ebay over this.

eBay's calculator quotes the cost for shipping charges that one would pay in the Post Office, and has always been accurate in my experience.
Use the USPS site or PayPal, print out your own shipping label, and pay the online price....the automated invoice will quote the Buyer the 'actual shipping' cost but the Seller pays the reduced cost for purchasing online.

eBay requires insurance be on the Seller's dime, tho, unless they have changed their policy. These charges can be 'made up' via a Handling Fee, but Buyers always seem to dislike those

 

[diggummup]

I believe that some of the sellers using FR boxes only are costing themselves money in the long run. The buyers, for the most part, take shipping into consideration, and bid accordingly.

Last week, I watched a tool auction end, and due to it's rusty condition, it should have sold for $45 tops, but because the seller offered cheap shipping, of $6, that tool sold for $67.

Then, the very next day, another identical tool sold, but the seller refused to ship it in a FR padded envelope. "I only ship in medium FR boxes!!!!" he said in an email to me, and his price for a FR box was $15.00. As nice as his item was, it should have easily fetched $75+, but it only brought $53. Due to his attitude, along with his overpriced shipping, cost him several bids from me.

Same, identical tool, but the rusty one sold for more.

I honestly believe, generally speaking, that the buyers know when the shipping is too high, and they quit bidding.

We sell quite a few items that can ship first class for $2.25, but we offer priority FR envelopes for $5.50. In all of last year, only 3 people opted for the FR envelope...and I sold a ton of those items.

I don't mean the flat rate priority boxes. I would never use those unless it was cost effective (ie- extremely heavy item/s), that's only common sense. I am talking about a flat rate for shipping across the board no matter your zip code. In my experience, most buyers will take into account the shipping charges when they are making their maximum bids, at least I do.

PS- I'm still trying to figure out the "woodworking tool thingies" that you buy and piece out myself, lol. I will eventually. That is you isn't it?

eBay's calculator quotes the cost for shipping charges that one would pay in the Post Office, and has always been accurate in my experience.
Use the USPS site or PayPal, print out your own shipping label, and pay the online price....the automated invoice will quote the Buyer the 'actual shipping' cost but the Seller pays the reduced cost for purchasing online.

eBay requires insurance be on the Seller's dime, tho, unless they have changed their policy. These charges can be 'made up' via a Handling Fee, but Buyers always seem to dislike those

I understand what your saying and I agree somewhat but the amount saved from printing your labels online does not always equate to the 10% that ebay now takes from every item sold across the board, not to mention the other expenses involved in shipping. As you've stated yourself, I think buyers frown more upon seeing a "handling charge" than they do seeing an across the board shipping rate.

 

[deserdog]

Mnay good options for shipping. Small, light items you cna just use a flat rate of shipping(not flat rate box!) For heavier samllish items, regional A boxes are great, 2 lb. rate up to 15 lbs.

 

[jamey]

thanks all you all,getting some great advice here and diggumup do you think a old husky 1/2 inch rachet would sell.it is way old pat.pending it says on it ill get it out and picture it when i can post pics the site is not letting me now for some reason

 

[NHBandit]

Is anyone else completely confused on this?

Not confusing at all when you realize that the Ebay shipping calculator figures out the cost depending on location. It may very well have shown $11.00 on HIS page because that would be the cost to ship it to someone in the same zip code as him. Shipping it 3000 miles across the country will naturally be higher.

 

[diggummup]

thanks all you all,getting some great advice here and diggumup do you think a old husky 1/2 inch rachet would sell.it is way old pat.pending it says on it ill get it out and picture it when i can post pics the site is not letting me now for some reason

This one sold for $30-
Vintage Husky Tools 1 2" Ratchet H4725 Free Shipping | eBay

But this one only sold for $10 but it is a newer "vintage" one. I believe you have the one in the first link above (pat.pend.)-

Vintage Husky H3183 Reversible Ratchet 1 2'' Drive with Female Drive Gear | eBay

Hope this helps.