posted on June 18, 2001 06:18:01 AM new
Can't remember who it was but what a great idea! Hasn't hurt my sales in the least. Actually sales have never been better. On most of my auctions just added a nominal 50 cent fee to defray the PayPal and BillPoint costs --- no it doesn't cover everything but every little bit helps. Used to charge exact shipping charges and was getting eaten alive by onerous eBay fees, PayPal fees, BillPoint fees, cost of packing materials, etc. and now finally have a little cushion. I simply state the shipping charge as a shipping and packaging charge and buyers don't seem to be offended. I don't like to use the word handling as that word seems to have negative connotations. Thanks to whoever came up with the great idea!
posted on June 18, 2001 06:39:45 AM neweseller - I did the same as you several weeks back and have no problems either. I generally tack on anywhere from .45 cents to $1.00 depending on the item. I like the term packaging fee instead of handling fee, good idea!
posted on June 18, 2001 08:46:32 AM new
Speaking as a buyer, I pay approx. $1.09 to purchase and send a domestic money order, PLUS the time off work to go purchase it, PLUS the time it takes to makes its way to the seller. I will happily pay up to that amount to avoid the expense and time and pay instantly via PayPal.
posted on June 18, 2001 12:34:59 PM new
I've also been using the phrase Postage & Packaging for about a year now, and have had no complaints, in fact numerous bidders have thanked me for keeping the costs so low. I usually "round it off" to be 1/2 of the packaging material costs , roughly, if I use first class or parcel, especially padded envelopes and mailers, my biggest expense.
For priority, I either charge actual costs, over 2lbs. or add a nickel 1-2lbs.
I don't begrudge sellers who employ similar methods and charges, as it can be seen to assist with actual materials expenses.
Handling has become too much of a catch-all term that appears, to buyers, to give sellers carte-blanche in the 'off the top' and downright 'fleecing' departments.
Before we get into the inevitable breakdowns of "our time-is-money" or "never a handling fee" posts, may I say that I'm saying how it "appears" to some buyers.
posted on June 18, 2001 01:30:50 PM new
i've done the same in this batch, after the thread about pp raising fees. don't mention handling, just that i ship priority, and it'll be $x.xx. i'm only adding on $.50. bidders don't seem to notice or mind. before this i charged postage only. it does make me happier having this little cushion for the fees, and for my time and effort.
as a buyer, i wouldn't mind paying a seller a small fee for their troubles. but i'm also a seller. wasn't sure buyers who aren't also sellers would feel the same, but apparently so!
posted on June 18, 2001 01:58:39 PM new
On Priority I only round up on the $3.95 size, to $4, strictly for easier math. Otherwise it's exact cost because I use the free boxes, labels, and newspaper for padding...don't even have to use my own tape.
On media mail stuff, though, I state a shipping amount that is increased to offset what I pay for boxes or padded mailers. Nobody ever says a thing about it, probably because compared to buying from any other mail order source, it's a bargain.
posted on June 18, 2001 03:06:19 PM new
Eseller04, the handling fee charge is almost as good an idea as Paypal charging for the transfer of existing funds. However, I must cry "FOUL". You complained in a thread you started about onerous PayPal charges, specifically charges to the seller on non credit card transactions. Now we have onerous Eseller04 charges, phantom charges to the buyer. Bad for PayPal but good for Eseller04. Hmmmm.
posted on June 18, 2001 03:17:30 PM new
A handling fee by any other name (e.g. packaging fee) is still a handling fee. For me, the term packaging fee is even MORE onerous than handlng. Why should I pay you to pack, you lazy bum!
Glad your business is fine. But you wouldn't get my bids -- and you wouldn't hear from me about it either.
And buyers who DO go ahead and bid don't usually bother to complain -- why bother? They read the TOS, they bid anyway, they figure YOU'LL figure what's to complain about? Waste of time and effort. Eventually they'll get sick of it (or will be pinching their pennies more closely), and WON'T bid.
posted on June 18, 2001 03:18:12 PM new
i can't use newpaper for packing what i sell. and i use my own labels because i haven't figured a way to use the priority labels in my printer. but it's less about the small amount i put out for supplies, and more about putting a small dent in offsetting fees and the time i care i put into packing. can't justify to myself more than $.50.
posted on June 18, 2001 03:21:14 PM new
tabularosa,
Hey you have to do what you have to do in order to survive! For the longest time I wouldn't charge for packaging supplies, but now I am, and even still I'm taking a slight loss. The brand new literature mailers I use for shipping run 50 cents or more when buying in bulk, so the 50 cent charge I'm adding to shipping barely covers that. Not ripping anyone off. Just shifting the cost of supplies.
I'm still wrestling with tacking on an additional fee to cover the onerous PayPal/BillPoint fees. I'm not as ruthless and unfeeling as them or I'd have jacked up my fees by a buck per auction already!!!
posted on June 18, 2001 03:26:48 PM new
If eBay, PayPal, BillPoint, the Postal Service, and others jack up fees incessantly, why can't we sellers follow suit??? I don't like doing it one bit but it's the cost of survival and maintaining profits!
posted on June 18, 2001 03:34:36 PM newkittykittykitty, do you have an ink jet printer? I setup my Epson inkjet to print USPS Priority labels. I can send you my Word document template if you want. E-mail me at [email protected]
posted on June 18, 2001 03:48:40 PM new
Eseller04, you missed my point entirely. I totally agree with adding handling charges to the shipping amount. What I questioned was why it was wrong for PayPal to charge extra but not wrong for you. Sounded a little hypocritical or self-serving. We, too, state a fixed shipping cost that includes a fair amount for materials and labor. Maybe that's why I do not begrudge PayPal making a dollar as well. If they don't make a buck the service won't be there.
posted on June 18, 2001 04:04:01 PM new
tabularosa,
No, in reality I don't like the idea of adding any sort of handling fee and didn't do it for years. Now with all of these petty fees adding up from all sorts of intermediaries there comes a point when you have to try and cut your losses somewhere. If eBay and PayPal and other intermediaries didn't raise their fees continuously, I'd be more than glad to take a small loss on shipping to keep customers happy. All these added fees in aggregate was the straw that finally broke the camel's back and made me cave in! If eBay and PayPal dropped their fees tomorrow I'd never even consider an additional "handling" fee!
posted on June 18, 2001 08:20:32 PM new
I added 50 cents to my auctions as well,having to buy alot more bubble wrap and bubble mailers than last year.We are also using a ton of peanuts. Hopefully this will help...great idea!
posted on June 18, 2001 08:36:10 PM new
I ship all items under 13 oz for a flat fee of $3.00. Most of these auctions cost $1.75 or so to ship. I have shipped 500 or so of these and had only one bidder take issue with it. I disclose the flat rate shipping in my auctions and they always go like hotcakes.
When I ship USPS Priority I have always charged actual rate, but I am currently thinking of changing that.
Items that I ship UPS I add $2 to $4 to cover the cost of the extra large boxes.
I have a 80 to 90 percent sell rate on my auctions...........so I don't think a small handling fee bothers most bidders.
posted on June 24, 2001 03:37:03 PM new
kittyx3...You don't have to print your own priority labels...the post office will do it for you! All you have to do is call their 800 number and place an order. In a couple of weeks, a whole bunch will arrive at your home...100% free...with your return address nicely printed. Of course, you have to address them yourself to your buyers...You can go to the USPS site and order all sorts of priority materials (the boxes they come in are nice sizes too and make great "non-priority" shipping boxes)...all delivered to your home free! The 800 number is on their web site.
posted on June 24, 2001 03:45:21 PM new
This is obviously going to open a can of worms, but personally (and by personally I mean that I do this and am only speaking for myself) I feel that if you want to add extra charges in, such as $0.50 in eSeller004's case, do it in the opening bid amount.
I know that there are those who say it won't work if you do it this way, but to those people I say this:
2 auctions - 1 starts at 0.01, the other at 0.51. They both end for $10.00. The person who started theirs at 0.01 tosses on a "packaging" fee of 0.50, the other doesn't. I will always do my bidding at the person who doesn't.
The only way you can get around this is to hide your fees so I don't see them until after the auction ends, in which case, you are a despicable seller.
notice I was not speaking about anyone in particular, therefore noone should take offense to this post. so there.
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posted on June 24, 2001 04:50:30 PM new
clevergirl
My dictionary gives 2 distinct meanings for 'packaging'
1. The process of packaging
2. The material used for making packages.
I have always associated the term 'packaging fee' with the second meaning. Your view is interesting.
In any event, the thing that makes 'postage and packaging' work so well for many sellers is that it is shown as a single fee. i.e. $4.50 for postage and packaging.
And it does avoid the dreaded 'handling fee'
Common Zazzie, you wimped out on this one.
Bill
typo
[ edited by cdnbooks on Jun 24, 2001 04:51 PM ]
posted on June 24, 2001 06:43:26 PM new
We can argue all we want about a so-called handling or packaging fee, but the only vote that counts is that of a BID! As long as they keep rolling in that fee will continue to be jacked-up to offset rising costs. JMHO
posted on June 24, 2001 07:13:20 PM new
When I began selling on eBay 1997, I could not successfully charge a handling fee. We didn't even have the free Priority Mail boxes back then. Of course bids were much higher [no PayPal either] and there wasn't a whole lotta concern amongst the majority of sellers to charge additional fees...
Now there are handling fees pretty much across the board. But that is actually benefiting me, because I undercut other sellers within my major categories. Often penny-pinching bidders will bid my items up well beyond a similar seller's item with more s/h/i fees. EVEN IF THAT SELLER OFFERS A SIMILAR ITEM IN BETTER CONDITION!
I can offer lower s/h/i because:
I ship FedEx 90%, and I have a negotiated aggressive pricing agreement with them. In other words, I don't pay FedEx retail rates.
Items under two pounds go Priority Mail. I self insure LEGALLY, via a blanket collectibles policy that covers shipping damage and loss. Said policy costs approx. $100 per year.
I use free Priority Mail supplies when possible. I purchase in bulk, boxes for FedEx shipping. I pay 20 cents for a box Uhaul charges almost 5 bucks for!!!!!
posted on June 24, 2001 08:15:59 PM new
Haven't we covered the "add it into the starting bid amount" myth several times here?
******
I feel that if you want to add extra charges in, such as $0.50 in eSeller004's case, do it in the opening bid amount.
I know that there are those who say it won't work if you do it this way, but to those people I say this:
2 auctions - 1 starts at 0.01, the other at 0.51. They both end for $10.00. The person who started theirs at 0.01 tosses on a "packaging" fee of 0.50, the other doesn't.
*******
No, it doesn't work that way.
The seller who "adds it to the opening bid" gets .50 less than the seller who added the handling fee.
It's an auction. You can't just get an extra .50 by adding that amount to the opening bid.
posted on June 24, 2001 08:40:01 PM newmagazine_guy no, the one who tosses in the extra .50 at the end gets nothing, because I am not bidding on that person's auctions, and I know a lot of other people aren't either.
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This is my sig file. Deal with it.
[ edited by revvassago on Jun 24, 2001 08:44 PM ]
posted on June 24, 2001 09:10:48 PM new
You are welcome kitty. FYI, the return address that the post office prints are from DOT MATRIX printers. So the labels will arrive in sheets that have the perforated holes on the side.
The template I sent you is for the generic labels you get from the post office.
For the longest time I wouldn't charge for packaging supplies, but now I am, and even still I'm taking a slight loss. The brand new literature mailers I use for shipping run 50 cents or more when buying in bulk, so the 50 cent charge I'm adding to shipping barely covers that. Not ripping anyone off. Just shifting the cost of supplies.
