ok4leather
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posted on September 1, 2001 12:19:01 PM
I was wondering how other sellers handle shipping items that cost under 12.00 : I sell lots of bracelets that normally bid out at 6 to 12 each. Delivery conformation is available only on 1st class over 16 ounces or priority. I would think it excessive to spend 4.00 on a low cost item. Been charging 1.25 and sending regular bubble mailers, but Once in a while a shipment dosn't make it and I send another. Ive heard others say its shipped at the buyers risk - But myself in their position -Id want what I paid for. Is their a better way ?
Ed
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argh
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posted on September 1, 2001 12:35:09 PM
I'd guess that about 80% of the over 1300 packages I've shipped out were valued between $5 - $20. The vast majority were shipped first class in bubble mailers. I have yet to have even one buyer claim that their item didn't show up...not one! I've also had no breakage. I offer insurance, most of my buyers don't want it on inexpensive items. My policy at this point is that if something is lost or broken, I will replace or refund money; if it's a spendier item than $20, I require insurance.
I sell vintage glass beads and jewelry I've made with vintage glass - seems to be a very honest segment of eBay buyers!
Argh
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BJGrolle
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posted on September 1, 2001 12:58:46 PM
I have quite a few low dollars sales myself and I don't use DC or insurance or any other method of proof of shipment as a rule. Most of my items go Media Mail. So far, no lost packages.
About how often would you say you have to replace a lost shipment? Is it too high of a percentage of your shipments?
Also, do you put tape over your address labels so they can't come off easily?
http://bjgrolle.freehomepage.com
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ok4leather
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posted on September 1, 2001 01:28:19 PM
Ive had good luck so far - having replaced only 3 shipments in the last year: One of those turned up in Canadian customs(still there)- I was hoping that the majority of sellers were having the same positive results with the Honor system. I just wasnt sure if there was a more secure way. Shipments over 18.00 I usually send priority with conf.The majority of people using ebay are good honest folk, it seems.
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BJGrolle
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posted on September 1, 2001 02:07:53 PM
Sounds to me like you're doing OK! And I agree with you about the honesty of the majority of eBayers, at least in the low-dollar categories. 
The only other option would be to send everything Priority with DC, but that would inflate the shipping cost so much, I'd guess the bidding would drop off, making it much cheaper to replace those few lost packages.
http://bjgrolle.freehomepage.com
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GreetingsfromUK
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posted on September 1, 2001 03:41:44 PM
I sell low value lots World Wide. My lots are covered by the UK Post up to approx $38, and never had a problem in claiming.
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wbbell
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posted on September 1, 2001 08:41:44 PM
If you are selling commodity type items then one very competitive area is in the S&H charge. If you can undercut the other guy by a dollar or so, then that might tilt bidders your way. I compete with others who only send on priority and charge $1-3 more for S/H than I do sending first class. It takes a little more time to handle but I think the lower overall price increases my sales.
I have had only one or two get "lost" and I just send them another one. I was out my item cost which was very much lower than the cost of insuring all of those packages sent out.
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ok4leather
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posted on September 2, 2001 09:17:33 AM
wbbel, That is an excellent point ! I hadnt thought about the competition aspect of using low cost shipping - Thankyou!
Ed
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icyu
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posted on September 2, 2001 12:20:04 PM
So you high volume/low price sellers believe that a simple sentence - about the seller not being responsible if the buyer doesn't opt for insurance - would scare off bidders?
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ok4leather
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posted on September 2, 2001 12:48:38 PM
Icyu, I believe it sets a bad tone- bidders form an opinion about your business based on your listings and the terms you post. I also try to view it from the bidders point of view - If I pay for something and it dosnt show in a reasonable amount of time (which now-a-days is one week or less) I will call the company . The standard practice for businesses is to re-ship: substitute or refund - and eat the lost shipment as a cost of doing business -not tell your customer tough luck buddy. If you do that to someone he will never buy from you again and he'll most likely tell everyone he knows how wonderfully you handled his lost shipment. It costs you more to spend less.
Best wishes
Ed
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BJGrolle
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posted on September 2, 2001 06:28:06 PM
I was browsing the auctions today looking for an item for my son. And, yes, I did hit the back button on each one that had that "insurance disclaimer" in it. To me, it's not good customer service to put the responsibility on the customer to make sure the item arrives safely.
Requiring customers to pay for insurance or else they're out of luck, just doesn't sound very friendly. It makes it sound like the buck is all they care about, and maybe it is.
I don't even mention insurance in my auction ads or EOA notices because I don't want to do business that way.
http://bjgrolle.freehomepage.com
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mballai
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posted on September 2, 2001 09:12:08 PM
I've thankfully never lost a package yet, but considering how many packages go through the system, I would suspect that one must accept a percentage that doesn't make it. If you replace a couple of items out of a thousand or so that seems to be worthwhile. I use DC on books/items over a certain dollar amount and insure only the most expensive items. I usually pay the insurance out of pocket to cover my assets.
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