Buyers don't appreciate excessive postage charges - and will walk

[WRHayman]

Hers a though do away with postal charges in the UK Buyers should list the item for what they want to get and take into account P&P, Charges ETC in there asking price after all you dont pay fees for listing like the other well know auction site and this would eliminate excess postal charges completly

Just a thought

Bill

[raindropsies]

Hers a though do away with postal charges in the UK Buyers should list the item for what they want to get and take into account P&P, Charges ETC in there asking price after all you dont pay fees for listing like the other well know auction site and this would eliminate excess postal charges completly

Just a thought

Bill

But you would pay a fvf of postage then, also you would then not be able to discount clearly the P&P for multiple buys.

I just think the solution is for every seller to be honest, but that will never happen, and because of this I hope the honest sellers get the business

[TiasTreasures]

Hers a though do away with postal charges in the UK Buyers should list the item for what they want to get and take into account P&P, Charges ETC in there asking price after all you dont pay fees for listing like the other well know auction site and this would eliminate excess postal charges completly

Just a thought

Bill

Unfortunately, that will turn buyers away. Look at Google shopping, for example, and you'll see that shipping & handling, or P&P as it's called in the UK, is not listed. Someone browsing through this is going to see higher prices for the eBid items and won't bother to check if it includes the shipping charges. If I put "Free S&H" in the title I usually don't have enough room left for the important keywords. Also, I think many buyers won't take the time to calculate if the total for another seller is higher than the eBid item. Keep in mind we're competing with the whole online world, not with other eBid sellers.

[dr-oxide]

Reading all the posts and previous threads regarding postage charges ... whatever the reasons used to ensure a profit is obtained from a sale, it is imperative that eBid sellers do NOT fall into the 'trap' of inflating their postage charges to compensate for fees, etc. whatever they are are to whomever they are due.
Why a 'trap'? - because Buyers are not fools, and inflated postage charges WILL drive them away. There are few enough buyers on eBid at present as we know, but if we list with inordinately high postage charges, we stand no chance of luring them to this site.
I have seen many, many instances of excessive postage on eBid listings - we moaned about it on eB*y didn't we? - now we must strive to stop this practise here on eBid.
I know we must stick together etc. - but those that are overcharging for postage are potentially affecting the prospects for sales for all of us - and so I feel that the worst offenders should be reported, so that there can be a fairer playing ground for all of us.
No names here - but I have seen a pair of gloves with P&P of £5.00; CDs with a P&P of £2.50, etc, etc.. Items that are heavy such as books for instance, you would expect to pay for the weight and the buyers realise that.
My policy is to set a starting bid (or BIN) price at the lowest that I would be happy with. Then I calculate postage at the actual cost + 20p-30p to cover packaging materials etc. You have to accept that fees must be paid, but at our own (sellers) cost - if you advertised in a newspaper you'd have to pay advertising costs, if you advertised on TV you'll pay extraordinary costs, if you sold via your own website you'll have website costs. So why worry about the less than consequential fees we pay from selling on eBid (virtually nothing to eBid, and a modest amount to P*yP*l or PPPay where you are actually paying for a degree of security for your monies).
So, before we continue to complain about lack of buyers, let us all look to our listings to assess whether perhaps we have been a little hasty in setting the postage charges we have.
Remember, you can make a lot more profit in the long run with selling many items at a lower margin than you can with selling a few items at a higher margin.
With profuse apologies to the majority of sellers on eBid who adhere to all the eBid recommendations and T&Cs and keep their postage charges reasonable.

I agree with your views on setting postal charges. On my auctions, I put where possible, the weight of the item, the postage for that weight plus I put the link to the Royal Mail website ( subject to the strike not going ahead ( Fat chance of that ) so that bidders from where-ever can check the postage at the current rate.

So pop down to my auctions - You know you must , just to check my claim.

[marschenegger]

Hers a though do away with postal charges in the UK Buyers should list the item for what they want to get and take into account P&P, Charges ETC in there asking price after all you dont pay fees for listing like the other well know auction site and this would eliminate excess postal charges completly

Just a thought

Bill

Hiding the postage charges in the price of the item eliminates seller dishonesty? Are you kidding?

[Rubysafira]

Difference of a 5 oz small package containing a CD between the US Postal Service and Royal Mail is astounding.
5 oz is a general weight for most CD's and that's about 120 grams.

US:
First Class Mail International Package $4. 80

UK:
Airmail Small Package £1.93

[deltadelta48]

I agree with your views on setting postal charges. On my auctions, I put where possible, the weight of the item, the postage for that weight plus I put the link to the Royal Mail website ( subject to the strike not going ahead ( Fat chance of that ) so that bidders from where-ever can check the postage at the current rate.

So pop down to my auctions - You know you must , just to check my claim.

Shipping cost is always going to be a concern to buyers. Sellers too. But too many sellers fixate on their "costs" down to the penny and miss many opportunties to sell more if they would just make the shipping cost more attractive to buyers.

Sellers have to get smart, while some sellers are adding wrapping paper expenses to the shipping costs, others are charging 50 cents UNDER the shipping cost and taking all their sales!

To me, I would rather give shipping discounts to make a sale than charge over the postage rate and lose it. I would rather give free shipping on second items in order to sell more second items. I would rather discount shipping on large purchases, in order to get those buyers making the large purchases in first place.

Shipping is not a absolute, it is negotiable. If almost everyone figures it out to the penny (and charges to those extras), the one who charges a flat rate, or discounted rate on 2nd items, or gives a xxx percent discount on shipping will be the one to make the sale. It is that important to buyers!.

So sellers who don't get creative with the shipping costs will sell less. Most don't realize it, they are still in the feebay mindset of getting above the cost of the item plus inflated shipping costs. In the heat of the fight over the items, buyers often lost track of value, and did not think clearly enough to realize they overpaid. On ebid buyers are very smart, bid and buy slowly and carefully and do not get silly by bidding an item up over its value (remember that traditionally at auction, items are sold for 1/2 their 'real" price).

If sellers do not take that final step, keeping shipping low, giving discounts, they will not make the sales here. Those who offer deals to buyers will. Simple.

How to keep shipping expenses low?

Memorize the postal codes, various services, restrictions and costs of your postal service. Pick the best way to ship at the best price while not sacrificing mailing time (i.e. in US, do not mail a hankie in a $4.99 priority flat rate box, mail it in an envelope for $1.50). You are supposed to be a professional seller/shipper, know the ins and outs of all shipping services available to you.

Waterproof labels at $1 each, no, use a $1 Sharpee pen

Reuse envelopes, boxes and wrapping paper.

Use less expensive UNPADDED envelopes, adding a sheet of recycled bubblewrap for padding in a plain brown envelope (about 75% cheaper if you shop around, I pay $10 for 100 envelopes, 10x13" at Office Max) or stick a sheet of recyled cardboard in envelope for protection.

Buy discount tape, $1.25 verus $2.99 a roll adds up (I get great tape at a local scientific supply company). Buy all your pencils, pens, paperclips, etc cheap too. Go practical not fancy.

In US, use provided USPS boxes and envelopes ONLY if that postage is best way to ship item but be aware the cardboard boxes add almost a pound to your shipping costs. Use tyvek USPS if possible.

Check out your discount grocery stores or liquor stores and ask for their cardboard boxes. Why buy a box when it is free to just ask? If the box is marked up, use a brown grocery bag and tape as a wrapper.

Skip expensive extras, shrinkwrap, new bubble wrap in dispenser boxes, new boxes from stationery stores (so nice and clean), new padded, namebrand envelopes, and buying foam peanuts for cushioning (use newspaper). Everyone goes crazy when they first start to sell, avoid buying cases and cases of packing materials and passing costs on to the customers. They won't like it. Fancy stuff can add $3+ to each box you mail.

Consider selling lighter items that are easier to wrap and mail instead of fancy glass items that need padding etc.

Bottom line, buy your stuff as cheap as you can too. That gives you wiggle room on pricing, shipping and increases your profit.

[pawtasticpet]

Bravo deltadelta48!!!!

You took the words right out of my mouth!

The goal on shipping is to break even, not make a profit... Ship the best and the fastest way, and get the cost as close to the actual shipping charges as you can. Your customers will notice this and appreciate it! Don't charge $5 and then ship it for $2.00. Or if you do, pass the savings to the customer, either with a refund or a coupon for $3.00.

Figure out what your mark-up on your items needs to be to cover your operating costs and make a honest profit. Understand in this economy your profit will be lower than in the past. Don't try to be the lowest price out there, mid-price is better (smart consumers are leery of low pricing). When the economy picks up (and I sure hope it does!!), raise your mark-up as needed.

Keep it real, and your customers will keep coming back. No get rich quick, but slow and steady sales will build your business and your bank account will grow slow and steady along with it.

Just my 2 cents

[raindropsies]

Bravo deltadelta48!!!!

You took the words right out of my mouth!

The goal on shipping is to break even, not make a profit... Ship the best and the fastest way, and get the cost as close to the actual shipping charges as you can. Your customers will notice this and appreciate it! Don't charge $5 and then ship it for $2.00. Or if you do, pass the savings to the customer, either with a refund or a coupon for $3.00.

Figure out what your mark-up on your items needs to be to cover your operating costs and make a honest profit. Understand in this economy your profit will be lower than in the past. Don't try to be the lowest price out there, mid-price is better (smart consumers are leery of low pricing). When the economy picks up (and I sure hope it does!!), raise your mark-up as needed.

Keep it real, and your customers will keep coming back. No get rich quick, but slow and steady sales will build your business and your bank account will grow slow and steady along with it.

Just my 2 cents

Disagree with the "Ship the best and the fastest way" a lot of my customers that are outside the UK prefer the slowest and cheapest way. It's only Monday and I have already spent £25 on postage and most of them are or the cheapest way as chosen by the customers. Even within the UK a lot of buyers go for 2nd class or standard parcels rather than first class

[florida33549]

I, personally, have never had a problem with sellers adding 'charges' to their shipping rates. They have spent time packaging item, buying supplies, and taking item to post office to ship. When I buy something from a department store on-line, there are always additional charges included in the shipping quote and I know it. They have to pay for the time it takes their employees to pack, etc. It's no different with on-line auction sellers. Now granted, if I went to buy something and the seller added $10 to the shipping price for their time and materials, I just would not bid on item.

The mentality that sellers should not add some charges to shipping comes from e*ay's 'star' program. We all got burnt from that and it carries over to other sites now. I purchase items for shipping and have to include them in the shipping price. I don't manufacture bubble wrap, bubble envelopes, nor gasoline to get to the post office.

If a buyer does not like the shipping price, just don't bid on item. It's as simple as that.