posted on October 11, 2005 06:03:03 PM new
I am wondering how each of you that handles combined shipping (CS) goes about doing so through the Vendio checkout. I've purchased some items on ebay (but never more than one item per seller) so I'm ignorant of this process. Lord willing, I'll be selling soon and want to offer CS, but am puzzled. I was going to put one item in a box with all the packing so it would be ready to go if it received a bid. Should I wait instead 'til a bidder messages that they want another item, then go put everything into a larger box and give them a new total? How is that handled through Vendio checkout? Obviously, I'm completely confused and need a kind-hearted, patient individual to explain it. Thank you!
posted on October 11, 2005 06:15:59 PM new
I don't use Vendio checkout, but I can tell you how I handle it through the Ebay process.
I love combined shipping - bidders love it and tend to bid on stuff they aren't even that interested in just to save a few dollars on shipping.
I offer $1 off the combined shipment price for each additional item they buy - but most people don't go that far to encourage it. Actually what I'm doing is waiving my handling cost.
As for the packaging, I tend to wait until after the auction to do my packing, so that isn't a problem for me. But it is quite easy to just get it all packed up beforehand and not seal the box - then if you have to combine purchases, just put them in a larger box together.
Does that help at all?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Caroline
posted on October 11, 2005 06:16:23 PM new
I don't know that I can answer the entire question, but I would discourage any packing before being paid (much less before bidding starts).
The time, energy, and materials involved in packing are wasted if someone picks the item up (which happens more than you might think).
I usually charge a bit for packing additional items, whatever the weight increment is, and also any bump in the cost of insurance. Typically, it comes to a very few dollars.
I also point out to people that not all items can be combined safely in shipping (an extreme example would be an amplifier and china; they don't belong in the same box). Furthermore, while the shipping might be not be double, packing a dozen pieces of stemware takes roughly twice as long and twice as much materials as packing a half dozen.
posted on October 11, 2005 06:31:48 PM new
I never worry about the extra labor or material involved in packing combined items. The savings in gas and time by eliminating an extra trip to FedEx more than offsets that. Re-Read Claude's post above. Don't paint yourself into a corner by inserting default text into every auction offering combined shipping. Some items should never be combined with anything else, and you need to specify that in the descriptions for those items. I can think of very few items I would want to combine with a ceramic canister set, a crystal punchbowl, or a chandelier. Also, be aware that the combination of two 5 pound items can result in an oversize carton where you will be charged for 30 pounds. In those cases, it's cheaper to send the two 5 pound items as seperate shipments. Combined shipping can be a tremendous customer attraction, but offer it intelligently or it can bite you in the butt.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
posted on October 11, 2005 06:44:14 PM new
Great advice, Sparkz - I forgot all about the oversized shipping charges since I tend to deal in smaller items.
Listen to Sparkz and make sure you know the oversized charges for each method of shipping - for USPS if you add girth + length and get more than 84 inches, there are additional charges and again at 108 inches.
Same goes for fedex and UPS if you go over a certain dimension, it bumps up the price and they call it dimensional weight - a 5 pound large box can not only be charged the same as a 30 pound box, but may end up being to big to ship altogether! Which has happened to me...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Caroline
[ edited by carolinetyler on Oct 11, 2005 06:45 PM ]
posted on October 11, 2005 07:07:55 PM new
I play the combined shipping by ear. I don't use either Ebay or Vendio checkout but send my own personalized EOA message. In my auction description I state that I'm happy to combine shipping whenever possible. It happens rarely, though, that I need to.
If a buyer wins two or more auctions, I add what I've already stated for the shipping charges and then take about 30% off the total. Sometimes more. Depends on my mood. I'm not scientific about it.
posted on October 11, 2005 07:21:47 PM new
As many of you on this chat room know, I sell a lot of china which is weighty. I very carefully weigh the entire purchase & then tell the buyer what the actual charges will be. If it is over 4 lbs, I ship by FefEx Ground which a lot less than Priority Mail. I m not out to goug my buyers, in fact, I hjave even lost mponey on occasion.
posted on October 11, 2005 08:44:19 PM new
Not knowing about dimensional weight is dangerous even for those that do know... let me explain.
I'm selling some keyboards. They are close enough to 40 inches long that I will wind up with a UPS oversized package. My "competition" indicates shipping so low that I KNOW that they're going to lose money (even if they don't know yet because they've never done it), but I get emails asking why my shipping is so high. It will sell for more than $500, which means that if I don't double-box it, UPS will deny any damage claims. It's high because it will be considered oversized-2, which is the equivalent of 70 pounds. All of which will be regarded as yada/yada/yada by the bidders, who really think I can ship this for $25 cross country and am just trying to gouge them.
I saw a listing today for one of those flex workout machines. Flat shipping charge $50. I don't think I can ship it cross town for that amount!
Claude
PS I am also selling carnival glass, and as sparkz agrees, I won't combine that with the keyboard
posted on October 12, 2005 08:32:49 AM new
First of all, ladies and gentlemen, let me thank you all for your time and replies. Unfortunately, I feel even more confused. I still have too many questions, so I'll just skip the combined shipping for now, except on my umpteen cross-stitch leaflets. But thank you all again kindly.
posted on October 12, 2005 10:10:38 AM new
I list in my TOS my combined rates for items like Audio Books,Books,VHS,DVDs Music CDs,LP Records,the other items I e-mail with the combine shipping rate when they ask. Like the others said they are to heavy to do it any other way.
**********************************
Two men sit behind bars,one sees mud the other sees stars.
Caroline