posted on September 18, 2000 11:09:22 AM new
Hi - I just finished reading a long thread on the ever-popular topic of charging extra for "handling" or whatever you want to call it - excess over actual postage costs. I decided to comparison shop. I happen to have a book listed now which has sold several times recently so there is a record of what other sellers have charged.
My listing gives an actual Priority postage charge of $4.30, with mention that I also ship book rate.
The others were ALL over the board. Mostly they listed "book rate" shipping but none for the presumed rate of $2.03 which it would cost to mail it. All were $2.50 or more, even over $3. One did list a Priority shipping of just under $5.
None belabored the point that it will be X for postage and an additional Y for "handling."
My own buyers are often picky about shipping rates and want the lowest they can get. I usually just charge what I calculate the actual postage to be. Now I wonder if I'm out of the mainstream on this one. I also wonder if people email to complain if they pay a certain amount for "shipping" and notice that the actual postage came out to less.
posted on September 18, 2000 11:31:12 AM new
I ship mostly books and my shipping is stated as XX$$$ shipping with protective mailer. If a book falls in the $2.03 range of payment I will charge $3.00 to cover the shipping, plus mailer - which is pretty much a break even for me. I also use b-flute to wrap around the book before placing it in the bubble wrap mailer if it's a hard cover book. I offer priority but seldom have a customer that ask for it. When I do mail priority I wrap the book in bubble wrap, but don't charge extra for that. I also buy my shipping supplies in volume locally with free shipping - so am able to keep that cost down. Not to mention an occasional dumpster dive at the local hardware store - a great place to find packing materials that aren't contaminated with other "stuff."
posted on September 18, 2000 11:42:59 AM new
Hi - Thanks for the feedback. It sounds like you are primarily after recovery of materials costs. I have been wondering about this issue since the PayPal fees came up. I wonder if some sellers will be adding on those fees (say, 50-75 cents) as "shipping". Since the sellers I looked at didn't spell out why they charge more than postage, it's anyone's guess what sort of cost-of-doing-business they are charging for (high gas prices to drive to the Post Office?).
posted on September 19, 2000 06:34:58 AM new
AS long as the shipping charges are listed in the ad the buyer has no complaint. It's the 3 and 4 dollar handling charges added after the auction end that irritate bidders. My listing show shipping and handling and insurance and state a firm price. My shipping charge includes postage, packaging cost forty cents for UPIC insurance and a 25 cent handling fee to cover incidentals like markers, paper for invoicing, labels and to offset gas to PO. Only four bidders out of 1700 had questioned the shipping charges and 81 percent of my customers leave positive feedback. It's nice that some hobby sellers absorb the packing materials, but I'm running a business and based on my bottom line and feedback I'm apparently doing a heck of a great job!
