General shipping questions, tips and answers

[Sauromosis]

USPS or FedEx to ship a small box (6x6x10) from USA to Australia?

[Alpinemaps]

I use free shipping with BIN, on the rare times that something sits and doesn't sell I'll switch it to a lower BIN and calculated shipping. For me using free shipping just makes life simpler.

 

Yep.  Shipping costs are part of my costs of doing business.  But, I also sell at a higher price to account for it.

 

On Bricklink, I sell the same item at a lower cost, and charge shipping, so it all evens out in the end.

[zskid00]

I don't offer free shipping on most of my items because I feel like I could easily lose money here and there by having to ship something across the country compared to a neighboring state.  Due to dimensional pricing structures and odd sized LEGO shipping boxes I think it's hard to predict what shipping is going to cost in order to build it into my BIN price.  I try to be as specific as I can to get customers an accurate shipping price when they look at my listings.  If they are anything like me they look at the total calculated price, regardless of whether free shipping is offered or not, in order to make their buying decisions.  

[Kenxxx]

... If they are anything like me they look at the total calculated price, regardless of whether free shipping is offered or not,... 

Yeah, me too... and I'd like to hope all ebay buyers were as smart as you and me... but I have my doubts.

[10230]

Yeah, me too... and I'd like to hope all ebay buyers were as smart as you and me... but I have my doubts.

Well, how hard can it be to let it sort by "price + shipping". Isn't that even the default, at least for BINs?

[Migration]

I don't offer free shipping on most of my items because I feel like I could easily lose money here and there by having to ship something across the country compared to a neighboring state.  Due to dimensional pricing structures and odd sized LEGO shipping boxes I think it's hard to predict what shipping is going to cost in order to build it into my BIN price.  I try to be as specific as I can to get customers an accurate shipping price when they look at my listings.  If they are anything like me they look at the total calculated price, regardless of whether free shipping is offered or not, in order to make their buying decisions.

I deal primarily in used sets and mixed bulk, so the box size isn't as much of an issue for me. Most sets I sell ship for less than $10 from one side of the country to the other.

[Sauromosis]

Thanks for no answer you bunch of ********!

Edited October 24, 2014 by exciter1
Edited for content.

[gregpj]

Well, how hard can it be to let it sort by "price + shipping". Isn't that even the default, at least for BINs?

 

Default is "Best Match" when you search....

[exciter1]

Thanks for no answer you bunch of ********!

 

You were joking right?  As long as you've been on the forum, a little reading or research will do you some good.

[minicoopers11]

Thanks for no answer you bunch of ********!

the answer is always USPS for international

[Sauromosis]

You were joking right?  As long as you've been on the forum, a little reading or research will do you some good.

 

Yes, was joking, although the word you censored is not really a curse word.  I did a little research, gave up, thought I coud count on the kindness of our people.

[exciter1]

Yes, was joking, although the word you censored is not really a curse word.  I did a little research, gave up, thought I coud count on the kindness of our people.

 

You can price them easily on their websites to get a good idea of what works for you.  From what I've gathered, most folks use USPS for international shipping here, but I prefer EBay's Global Shipping Program.

[teohwp85]

Is indirect signature upon delivery sufficient if I'm shipping via FedEx to a hotel address?

[LegoDayd]

Has ebay USPS shipping discount changed recently?

 

I have 2 accounts one for selling mainly and one for buying and selling odds/ends.

 

I normally don't print out labels for my main account because I sell items that fit in a postal envelope and mail for less then $1.

 

On my 2nd account I always print out a label and remember the discount being 20% or so.

 

I recently purchased a store because of the rising ebay fees, it just seemed more feasible to just do all selling transactions on one account and in the store.

 

I have been sending out packages with the main account/store and the discount seems lower 10%-15%? Or has the usps upped their prices and I am not noticing. I remember mailing a 2lb lego set for like $7 now they are like $9 to the same shipping area.

 

Both of the accounts are Bronze and not top rated. So basically the same status.

 

Has something changed that just passed by me?

 

Thanks for any insight.

[holleman67]

Has ebay USPS shipping discount changed recently?

I have 2 accounts one for selling mainly and one for buying and selling odds/ends.

I normally don't print out labels for my main account because I sell items that fit in a postal envelope and mail for less then $1.

On my 2nd account I always print out a label and remember the discount being 20% or so.

I recently purchased a store because of the rising ebay fees, it just seemed more feasible to just do all selling transactions on one account and in the store.

I have been sending out packages with the main account/store and the discount seems lower 10%-15%? Or has the usps upped their prices and I am not noticing. I remember mailing a 2lb lego set for like $7 now they are like $9 to the same shipping area.

Both of the accounts are Bronze and not top rated. So basically the same status.

Has something changed that just passed by me?

Thanks for any insight.

Honestly I think the usps doubt had gone up for me. I just shipped a pair of boots from Baltimore to Ohio, 6lbs mind you, through priority for under $6. My mind was blown lol

[ravenb99]

Yes the discounts have gone way up. I posted about it a few months back. I've seen them hit 53% on some. Priority mail to closer regions sees the biggest discounts. Sending 15-20lb packages for $10-12. Atl to il in oh mo. All cheap with close to the 50% off.

Not sure if anyone has noticed but there also starting to run ads on the bottom of labels. Its only on random ones but could see it being part of the future

Edited November 14, 2014 by ravenb99

[jbacunn]

Honestly I think the usps doubt had gone up for me. I just shipped a pair of boots from Baltimore to Ohio, 6lbs mind you, through priority for under $6. My mind was blown lol

It's weird you should say that. I shipped a package to Ohio today from *** in it was very cheap also. I wonder if it's a hub or something and that makes it cheaper. I don't know.

[ravenb99]

http://community.ebay.com/t5/Shipping-Returns/New-Lower-USPS-Priority-Mail-rates-effective-September-7-2014/td-p/22019762

Theres the official link. Started sept 14

[exciter1]

Since last year's holiday season, I have excluded Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico as potential customers through the "Exclusions" list in my EBay shipping options.  I was thinking about it and I found it strange to exclude them, when I still sell to Global Shipping Program customers.

 

Yes, I offer free shipping on all my listings, but I found the additional $3 - $5 shipping cost for Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rican customers to be a little too annoying (expensive).  I'm thinking about adding a disclaimer in my listing description, something like this, "Hawaii, Alaska or Puerto Rico customers, please contact me for shipping terms & conditions if you are interested in this item."

 

Thoughts?

[minicoopers11]

Yes the discounts have gone way up. I posted about it a few months back. I've seen them hit 53% on some. Priority mail to closer regions sees the biggest discounts. Sending 15-20lb packages for $10-12. Atl to il in oh mo. All cheap with close to the 50% off.

Not sure if anyone has noticed but there also starting to run ads on the bottom of labels. Its only on random ones but could see it being part of the future

These aren't paypal/ebay specific discounts. USPS slashed many Priority rates, as seen in Raven's link, in September. Priority is now the cheapest option for Zones 1-5, I believe, for most (all?) weights. Priority is cheapest for Zones 6-8 for 1-3 lb.

 

[unless you're a top rated seller, I'm not of that elite group ]

Edited November 18, 2014 by minicoopers11

[minicoopers11]

Since last year's holiday season, I have excluded Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico as potential customers through the "Exclusions" list in my EBay shipping options.  I was thinking about it and I found it strange to exclude them, when I still sell to Global Shipping Program customers.

 

Yes, I offer free shipping on all my listings, but I found the additional $3 - $5 shipping cost for Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rican customers to be a little too annoying (expensive).  I'm thinking about adding a disclaimer in my listing description, something like this, "Hawaii, Alaska or Puerto Rico customers, please contact me for shipping terms & conditions if you are interested in this item."

 

Thoughts?

Seems you don't ship via USPS. I would just make USPS the method for Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico then, since those would be Zones 8 and 9. USPS doesn't extort for shipping to those areas.

[exciter1]

Seems you don't ship via USPS. I would just make USPS the method for Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico then, since those would be Zones 8 and 9. USPS doesn't extort for shipping to those areas.

 

I do ship mostly via USPS.  It always seemed a few dollars more for those zones last year.  If it's changed, I'll take a look and then put them back into the pool.

[minicoopers11]

I do ship mostly via USPS.  It always seemed a few dollars more for those zones last year.  If it's changed, I'll take a look and then put them back into the pool.

I wouldn't notice the difference, but since I'm on the west coast, everything that I ship to the east coast is Zone 8 already. Maybe you're more centrally located and therefore spoiled?

[exciter1]

I wouldn't notice the difference, but since I'm on the west coast, everything that I ship to the east coast is Zone 8 already. Maybe you're more centrally located and therefore spoiled?

 

Yep, I'm in Ohio, so I am a little spoiled.

[fuzzy_bricks]

I got a best offer for a listing that had free shipping.  In the offer it says shipping is not included in the offer price.  I take that to mean that the cost to ship the package will be added to the best offer price?  Am I understanding that correctly?