posted on November 1, 2004 10:34:23 AM new
I list flat rate shipping on all of my auctions. Since I am in Florida, I set my rate based on postage for zone 8 (FL to the West coast). I include the cost of DC and .50 to cover supplies. Expenses average out in the long run on the shipments that are less than zone 8 charges. I print online postage, so DC is free. So I have built in handling fees from $1 to $5.00.
Have not had a buyer complain yet, but then even with my way of doing postage, I seem to have cheaper rates than my competitors. I use FedEx for anything over 3 lbs. Priority for anything under 3.
My shipping rates are better than the majority of sellers who use Ebay's shipping calculator.
[ edited by ltray on Nov 1, 2004 10:40 AM ]
posted on November 1, 2004 11:29:00 AM newMy shipping rates are better than the majority of sellers who use Ebay's shipping calculator.
ltray, are you suggesting that the eBay shipping calculator is not accurate and inflates the price, or is it because of the 3 lb. cutoff you use to determine FedEx or USPS Priority? Just curious as I have thought about adding the calculator, but most of my listings don't list any shipping charges. I just charge actual shipping fees based on buyer's zip code - no handling fees added in.
"The right to be heard does not include the right to be taken seriously." ~ Hubert Humphrey
posted on November 1, 2004 12:38:26 PM new
With the cost of supplies, employees salaries, etc., I too have though about a $1.00 shipping rate. We already use a flat rate to the west cost since we are pretty close to Florida. But I thought about listing a “handling” charge, extra.
~"It does not matter what I think, it does not matter what you think. The only thing which matters is: What is the TRUTH!"~
posted on November 1, 2004 02:26:49 PM new
CTA, FedEx rates are much cheaper than Priority Rates on packages larger than 3 lbs. Most people are not aware that most interstate USPS Priority mail is now being shipped by FedEx anyway. So why pay the USPS markup?
Your larger shipments will arrive sooner and you have better tracking info with FedEx. I love 'em! Can you tell <g>
posted on November 1, 2004 03:38:35 PM new
I add anywhere from $1.50 to $2.00 for handling charge. I have been chewed out twice this week for charging above what the actual charge SHOULD be in their opinion. They are out of the US and had the gall to tell me how much the rates are and how to mail the items.
I kind of blasted the one woman who told me that I should be able to put the item in a Global Priority envelope and mail it for $5 to Australia. Sure I can! Just slap that chain with locket and all with no padding and send that baby. The rate is only if the envelope is FLAT with no bumps. The buyer said I must have Nazi postal clerks. She ask how much of the postage fee was handling cost. I wanted to say I add it for having to answer questions that aren't appropriate or warranted but didn't. Instead I told her the extra is for bubble envelope, tape, label, ink (if printer is used), time to wrap, gas to go the PO, time spent in line at the PO etc. I will probably get a big neg from her but I really don't care. Rant now complete!
Very few say anything about the cost but now and then you get a know it all. I to ship FedEx if it is over 3 lbs to save the buyer money. Just remember to add $1.40 to the chart quote if it is a delivery to a home instead of business. You can open an account with them online and print your labels just like USPS.
posted on November 1, 2004 05:39:27 PM new
I keep seeing posts about printing postage via USPS online and getting the D/C for free or for 13 cents.
How do I get started with that? Sign up for an account with a credit card on USPS?
I have a postage scale that's shown itself to be 99.9% accurate. But what if the postage I get on my home scale is different from what the clerk at the PO gets?
Also - silly as this sounds - I have no idea of how to use my HP Photosmart Printer to print labels. I do all of mine by hand.
Is there a specific piece of software I could use?
Or does the PO send you the software and sheets of USPS labels when you sign up for an account?
posted on November 1, 2004 06:24:51 PM new
When you use the 'flat Rate Priority Envelope" you can put what ever you want in it as long as it can close, it can be bubbled out it don't have to be flat.
You are not allowed to put clear scotch tape along the sealed top part, but you can put a piece of clear tap on each end to hold the ends.
But since I use Stamps.com my lables are large and I wind up putting scotch tape on all sides of the lable and accross the senders name, so it also helps to make sure the envelope dose not open.
I have been using the Flat Rate Priority Envelopes for over a year and I ship my books out that way, I will not use media mail. The cost is 5.00 to my customers(thats what I charge for shipping a book) but they are sure of receiving there item better this way then with media mail.
About International shipping in Globel Flat rate envelopes, you can also put what ever will fit, it can be bubbled out and its not a problem. She is right about shipping it for 5.00 and it is excepted by the USPS, But sometimes its cheaper to ship it out in a brown envelope Air Mail it is cheaper, it does depend on what country its going.
About the handling charge, I always add on additional money for my supplies, my listing fees and my time, but I never go over 2.00, it does depend also on what the item is, for example: if the item is going to take a lot of bubble wrap and a lot of time to make sure its packed real good then I would add additional 2.00 to the shipping flat rate cost. If its something simple and not much time is involved then I add 1.00, but I also have home pick-up once a week which is 12.50 so the added on cost helps pay for that also.
posted on November 1, 2004 07:04:15 PM new
I sell mostly books, used books, not expensive books (would that I could).
Would an additional handling charge work for lower priced 5-15 dollar books?
I realize it should make no difference, but do people resent paying as much or more for postage than the item?
Do they feel better if it is an expensive item?
I have tried to quit shipping internationally, but have always packed for shipping and let the PO calculate that. I have actually had two PO give me two different amounts for the same international package??
posted on November 1, 2004 09:17:57 PM new
I feel that most of the buyers don't mind paying a little more for shipping knowing that the money they spent is going to the shipping,.
Some people charge priority rates for shipping but they ship the item media mail so thats when I feel there would be a problem.
and yes, you can charge 4.00 or 5.00 shipping for priority mail delivery for your books, it is a safer way of shipping and a quicker way.
I also feel you can add a handling fee to your items, but keep it at a price according to what your selling,
The Price of the item has nothing to do with the cost of shipping,.....shipping cost is a charge the post office decides,.........the item price is your price, so if you feel to start it low and it stays low, well that is a good buy for the buyer.
posted on November 1, 2004 10:16:14 PM new
Yep, I sell cards at .01 with a S&H of $1.99. I sell twice as much as when it was .49 with $1 S&H
___________________________________
If you build it they will come........
posted on November 1, 2004 10:21:19 PM new
I understand the difference between postage and the price of the item.
What I was asking was from a psychological angle - would people be more likely to accept an added 'handling' fee if you were selling an expensive book as opposed to a cheaper book.
I certainly would like to recoup some of the cost of supplies. I bought my first bubble wrap here in AZ and it was higher than usual, same goes for 'b' flute.
Priority is faster and I like that - customers get their books faster. They are happier. From a wrapping standpoint - I don't like it. The books I sell never seem to fit the boxes without tons of filler.
May look into this flat rate thing. It's been a while since I sold and my small town Post Office was always giving me advice and helping me on these things.
posted on November 1, 2004 11:12:28 PM new
There is a difference between gouging customers, and charging a reasonable fee. The typical item I sell gets sent media mail (I am upfront on my shipping method) which would be $1.42 and I charge $2.99 - This does include delivery confirmation, and insurance though, so I think it is a pretty good deal. Supplies to cost money, and I think getting paypal fees back and some ebay fees is a good idea. I'm reasonable with multiple purchases. Basically, customers are fine with something that is reasonable, but if you charge $8 for shipping on something you pay 83 cents to ship, you are going to have problems.
I switched to Endicia, and am happy with it so far. I do like the postage amount not being shown on my packages. I never really had many problems, the few who complained would have complained if I charged $1.45 to ship a package for $1.42, so it really would not have mattered!
posted on November 2, 2004 08:30:07 AM new
Thanks, Ebayvet.
I may have to check out Endicia. I have heard other people mention that, but don't know anything about it.
Your fees do seem very reasonable. I am not sure how you are really getting any handling fees out of it. Just $2.99 for postage, DC and insurance seems like a real bargain.
posted on November 2, 2004 08:47:32 AM new
If I used the USPS for both, I wouldn't. DC would be 55 cents and insurance $1.30 - However, I use eDC, so that brings it down to 13 cents, and I use private insurance so I pay about 25 cents a package. It ends up being about $1 after that and packaging, and I think that is reasonable too.
And can you do that with all classes of mail, including Media Mail?
Do you need one of those other services - like stamps.com, Endicia - to do an eDC?
I looked through the Clik-n-Ship links on USPS.com last night - found the stuff that relates to printing your own postage and labels for Priority Mail and Express Mail.
But all I really need to do and want to do is to reduce the cost of the D/C by doing it electronically.
posted on November 2, 2004 01:22:47 PM new
I currently use Endicia, so I get it that way. However, until recently, I was using USPS Shipping Assistant 2.2 which is a FREE program you can download from the USPS - It doesn't add postage, but allows you to print out a mailing label and use eDC - Free for Priority mail and Express mail (so drjackk, you can actually get delivery confirmation for free) and only 13 cents for other classes of mail. You can use 1st class, media mail, parcel post. The only requirement is there needs to be a 3/4 inch thichness to the package, so a regular first class letter won't be eligible for this. With USPS Shipping Assistant, you can either use stamps or go to the post office for a meter.
Would an additional handling charge work for lower priced 5-15 dollar books?
I buy a lot of popular fiction for my mother and also for myself.
If you're selling in that category, probably not.
If I'm doing a search for "R for Ricochet," the search engine will give me a choice of hard cover, audio, etc. When I click on hard cover, I get a read-out of all the available copies (new and used), showing bid price, shipping cost, and also feedback rating - the feedback number and also the percentage.
Her initial bid price was 99 cents, but the shipping was lower than anyone else's, too.
I really look at that shipping cost. I'm also a seller of my father's model railroading books, so I know what it costs to ship a 1 lb. book via Media Mail with a delivery confirmation ($1.97) and the padded mailer costs another 50 or 60 cents.
So, if someone has a shipping cost of $2.25 to $3.00, I would consider that "in the money." Anything over $3, I probably wouldn't bid - especially $5 for shipping via Media Mail.
In a situation where a lot of people have exactly the same books, some people very definitely low-ball the initial bid - 99 cents - but the shipping is $4 or $5.
If someone has a BIN of $3 on the same book, and the shipping is $2 or $3, I'm more likely to go with that seller (if the feedback is equal) because I feel that's just a more honest representation, even if it's the same amount.
Two other big factors: Whether the seller has taken the time and trouble to take an original photo vs. the stock photos that most people use. And, whether the seller has other books listed in a store with BINs where I can also hit the BINs and get combined shipping on multiple books.
Anyone who has a stated shipping cost of less than $2 - I will definitely look at that ad.
With popular fiction, where a great many people have the same thing, that shipping cost plus the ability to see a photo of the actual book I'll get - just one photo - those are big factors for me.
The word "handling" in an ad for popular fiction - that would be the kiss of death because it's such a competitive market.
If you want to incorporate the cost of supplies, add another 50 cents or a dollar into your shipping cost. But always run that cross-comparison search to see what your competitors are charging.
The shipping charge is so visible in that search, I think most people will eyeball the screen - look first at bid price and secondly at shipping.
I just got outbid on the new Carol O'Connell book, "Winter House." If you look at all of the listings for that one, the seller who has a charge of $1.84 for shipping via Media Mail has gotten 14 bids, while other copies are just sitting there with zero bids.
posted on November 2, 2004 05:38:49 PM new
I call it a SAFE PACKING FEE,,,,,And I sock it to em' and it's right in the description,right up front! No likey, No biddy,,,,and if you do,,biddy and you NO payee,,,,I tell MEG,,,,and She no likey no payee types....She have a 3 strikey thingy,,,1,2,3, YER OUT!!!!!!! I got NO problem with these NON reader types,,,,U pay or you No play....
Handling?,,,,,they have a VISION in their mind,,,,lift and place in box,,,,Handling $9.99?.....NO, it's a SAFE,,,,, Packing FEE.....
It cost REAL money for shipping stuff as WE ALL know......time, materials, labor. The BIG Boys do it....Start thinking BIG......WE/You are a Business,,,,Act like one....
posted on November 2, 2004 05:46:39 PM new
Hi Roz. I just wanted to tell ya, you dont need special labels for your printer to do the online postage. Ideally, you'd like to have labels but even just plain paper will work. Just have to and cut and glue/tape the label to package. Did you know you can do your postage online through ebay-paypal now? I think if you click under print invoice packing slip...it will take you to paypal for the postage service they offer. So you dont need endica or stamps.com. Its pretty easy to do it through ebay as all the info is 'pre-populated' from your sale. All you have to do is enter the weight and what service you'd like it shipped, i.e., priority, media, etc.
edited to add: it is prepopulated if they pay with paypal - dont think it is if they use other means.
posted on November 2, 2004 07:36:52 PM new
Thanks, <b>Rozr</b> that's exactly the input I wanted.
I don't buy much on Ebay anymore, not for myself. I do buy or pay for what my children pick out or need sometimes, so I appreciate the information.
Usually, I try to charge exact postage. Sometimes, I miss because I weigh the book and add a little more weight for the packing. If I overcharge by a 1.00, it bothers me and sometimes I stick a dollar bill in the envelope and mail it to them.
I have, hoewever, started stating "Buyer pays shipping via media mail of ____". That is just to give me a little leeway. I also absorb the cost, just .13 for the DC, and if a book is over $40 (doesn't happen nearly often enough), if the buyer doesn't include insurance, I do. It is worth it for my piece of mind.
When I first started selling, there was a very nice man who posted on the Book Board who was so helpful. One day, while discussing insurance, he said he had a $20 bill taped to his computer. He said that was his insurance. He said he figured he could afford to loose anything up to $20.00.
Anyway, thanks a lot. It gives me a good picture from the standpoint of a buyer.
posted on November 2, 2004 07:54:18 PM new
I list the terms (shipping/h $4.00) in my auctions most of my items go priority under one pound. I state $4.00 for items up to 2lbs I state $6.00 shipping/h, after that I just list a weight. Also in my winning bidder info I refer them to www.usps.com for insurance etc, hardly ever have a problem.
I am not shipping large items which goes to ups or fedx etc.
I also ship a lot of global priority to europe etc. Always try for the envelopes most are either $5.00 or $9.00.
My business is mostly smalls so it is not an issue for me larger items I can see where you would have problems and when you make an error it is very costly.
posted on November 6, 2004 09:45:36 AM new
Neroter,
Thanks for the info. I will definitely check that out.
NNT,
I don't think you need to charge just the exact cost of shipping. You can add a little to cover the cost of the padded mailer - say, 50 cents - just incorporate it in the cost of shipping, without using the word "handling."
On the more expensive items, I don't think you need to pay for the insurance yourself.
My ads on my father's books always offer insurance for an additional charge. Sometimes, people will take insurance on the relatively cheap books - for $9 or $10 - but they almost always ask for insurance on the more expensive ones or the combined shipments of multiple books.
With insurance, I think it's not just the value of the item; it's also the personality of the buyer. Some people want insurance on everything they buy on eBay, even if it's not an expensive item.
People seem to be quite willing to pay for insurance, but I think it's the D/C that counts. The D/C seems to expedite the delivery of the cheaper classes of mail like Media Mail, and I think the tracking number provides more security.
With my father's books, I use exact cost of shipping for a couple of reasons. It's clear that a lot of my guys answer to their wives for what they spend on eBay on their hobby items - money out of the family budget. Most don't have a lot of money to spend on hobby stuff - that's why they're on eBay. About 30% - 40% of the time, the wives step into the picture to handle the details on payment and shipping, and I've had 3 or 4 instances where the wives did all of the bidding for items their husbands wanted.
So I always assume that behind every avid hobbyist, there's an eagle-eyed spouse who's reading the ad, too, for lines like: "Buyer to pay just the exact cost of shipping."
Also, some of our books are vintage or out-of-print and "tough finds." But the other half of it is the very common, mass-produced books by Carstens and Kalmbach. The latter are the "tough sells," where the lowest possible cost of shipping and the ability to combine multiple books for shipping really count.
But in the market for popular fiction, I don't see very many people using exact cost of shipping.
Usually, there's a flat rate that incorporates a little extra for the padded mailer and D/C.
All of my sellers take PayPal, so they all use a D/C.
