best method for shipping on ebay?
- Thread starter thirtythree
- Start date
I just make up a number that seems reasonable, given the size and weight. That way people can pay right away and it's a little less work for me. (Outside of the continental US, though, I charge people the actual shipping cost.)
If you average it all out, I probably undercharge slightly, but it's not really enough to worry about.
If you average it all out, I probably undercharge slightly, but it's not really enough to worry about.
Use the shipping estimator for the service you plan to use.. FedEx, USPS, UPS...
Take that estimate and add about 5 bucks to it for any estimate under $20, or about 25% for anything over.
That extra should give you a little cushioning for packaging. If I item only sells for a couple bucks, and you ship it at cost... but you put it in a padded envelope with some bubble wrap, you'd be lucky to have benefited by more than a couple pennies.
That's a real ROUGH idea, but you always want to remember to be realistic.
A CD, DVD or video game won't cost much more than 3 dollars to ship cross country. I wouldn't expect someone to pay 8 or 9 dollars for shipping on one.
If people are selling similar items, you can try and judge how much to put it down for from their items.
Take that estimate and add about 5 bucks to it for any estimate under $20, or about 25% for anything over.
That extra should give you a little cushioning for packaging. If I item only sells for a couple bucks, and you ship it at cost... but you put it in a padded envelope with some bubble wrap, you'd be lucky to have benefited by more than a couple pennies.
That's a real ROUGH idea, but you always want to remember to be realistic.
A CD, DVD or video game won't cost much more than 3 dollars to ship cross country. I wouldn't expect someone to pay 8 or 9 dollars for shipping on one.
If people are selling similar items, you can try and judge how much to put it down for from their items.
buy a postal scale, package your item, weigh the package, go to carrier's website, enter LxWxH and weight from scale?
:roll::roll::roll:
:roll::roll::roll:
1. Just charge $10 and pocket the difference.
2. For packages over 1 pound, FedEx Ground is cheaper then USPS for most of the US if you have an account. UPS is almost always more expensive then either. Also, don't forget that you can't deliver FedEX or UPS to a P.O. box.
3. Media Mail is DIRT CHEAP, just make sure you explicitly say that you are going to be using it in your auction.
-Chu
most everything i ship is 3.85... thats USPS priority mail.. usually stuff the size of a box that a cell phone or digital camera comes in. anything thats a bit larger, or weights more, is roughly 6$ (5.05 to be exact)...
so i just set the S&H at 4$ or 6$... i rarely ship larger items than that. something like a stereo receiver or something would go at 20$... most everything else--watches, shirts, baseball glove, etc should go in the 4-6$ category
leave insurance as optional--why not?
so i just set the S&H at 4$ or 6$... i rarely ship larger items than that. something like a stereo receiver or something would go at 20$... most everything else--watches, shirts, baseball glove, etc should go in the 4-6$ category
leave insurance as optional--why not?
DrPizza
Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
If you have a decent scale, you can send everything priority mail... the post office will deliver everything - boxes, tape, labels right to your door, for free. If you sell a lot on ebay, you can do 100% of the shipping from your home - the post office will pick up the package. To calculate shipping via priority, all you need is the customer's zip. (And, it's a piece of cake to include a shipping calculator on your auction so the customer only has to enter their zip code.
If I'm not mistaken, I think the packages are automatically insured for up to $100. (I may be wrong.) If the item is worth more than $100, there's no way in heck I'm going to ship it without insurance, and I feel that's the customer's responsibility. If it's a relatively expensive item, I get return receipt - something I feel is *my* cost of doing business. All you have to provide is wadded up newspaper or bubble wrap, or whatever for padding - depending on the item.
Personally, if I'm given the choice of bidding on 2 auctions, I'd rather pay an extra $1 overall to someone who charges the actual shipping fees than to bid less, (and make up for it in slighly excessive shipping costs) - even if I'd save a dollar. I'm sure there are many who feel the same way I do. It pisses me off to see someone with $25 shipping on a $10 item. (whereas other sellers have it for $30 with $5 shipping) Yeah, I know how to factor in shipping, I just think those types of people (excessive shipping with the idea of just calculate in the shipping costs are a. lazy or b. trying to cheat the system. I really wouldn't want to be considered a member of either group.
If I'm not mistaken, I think the packages are automatically insured for up to $100. (I may be wrong.) If the item is worth more than $100, there's no way in heck I'm going to ship it without insurance, and I feel that's the customer's responsibility. If it's a relatively expensive item, I get return receipt - something I feel is *my* cost of doing business. All you have to provide is wadded up newspaper or bubble wrap, or whatever for padding - depending on the item.
Personally, if I'm given the choice of bidding on 2 auctions, I'd rather pay an extra $1 overall to someone who charges the actual shipping fees than to bid less, (and make up for it in slighly excessive shipping costs) - even if I'd save a dollar. I'm sure there are many who feel the same way I do. It pisses me off to see someone with $25 shipping on a $10 item. (whereas other sellers have it for $30 with $5 shipping) Yeah, I know how to factor in shipping, I just think those types of people (excessive shipping with the idea of just calculate in the shipping costs are a. lazy or b. trying to cheat the system. I really wouldn't want to be considered a member of either group.
i usually do the same. i'll look at similar items as mine that are selling on ebay and see what they're charging for shipping. you made need a scale and even a measuring tape if you plan on selling larger items more frequently over time. this is because UPS, USPS, FedEx, etc. apply certain shipping charges for larger packages of certain dimensions and it helps to know the size and weight. i've only sold a few items on eBay so far but for me it's just standard to go ahead and include a tracking/delivery confirmation number and insurance in the shipping costs especially since the items i've sold were all computer parts. it gives the me and the buyer some peace of mind just in case something goes wrong or the package gets lost or damaged. for smaller, less expensive items i would ship USPS but for larger, more expensive items i would ship UPS, FedEx, or DHL because they can provide real-time tracking for your packages.
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