So what is everyone doing to adjust with the new FVF's on shipping?

[craftycatsattic]

Now that I've closed things down with the looming CP strike, I am crunching numbers and am wondering what everyone else came up with in terms of adjusting to the new FVF's on shipping.  My biggest worry is buyers paying without waiting for a combined invoice (a usual occurance) and having to pay FVF's on the first payment amount irregardless if a refund was given or not.  So...I decided I had to come up with a somewhat accurate way to automate combined shipping (I list on .com so no calculator) so that I would cover my total S & H costs (including all the extra fees) without going high enough to see my star ratings fall.

Most of what I sell falls under 500 grams and goes lettermail or small packet.

Anyhow, after crunching the numbers and really wraking my brain, the best solution I could come up with was to increase my item price by $1-2 but lower my shipping costs by about $1 and offer free shipping for additional items.  That way the extra $1-2 price increase per item will pay for the additional shipping charges and still keep the shipping looking reasonable and not over the top.

On items which would risk falling into the 250+ category (if combined) it was more complicated as 2 180 gram items for example would likely not yield a shipping discount and I would be out a lot of $.  So I decided for these items that I would instead include the entire shipping cost in the item price.

In theory it's my best option.  In practice we will see!

[zarzuella]

I also list on .com, and ship from the US.

I converted everything to 'free' shipping about 3 weeks ago.  I added $4.50 to all my pricing to cover shipping cost and additional FVF  (I plan to take off the extra .50 when eBay restructures FVF from 15% to 12%).

So far no real change in business.

I'm more concerned with the new search results page in my category (media).  If you are not eBay's pick you are buried, I do not think most buyers will ever notice your listing.  Example: a search by ISBN (UPC) for the book 'Top Dog'

http://www.ebay.com/ctg/Top-Dog-Joseph-Middleton-2004-Hardcover-/30443092?_pcatid=4&_trksid=m570&_rdc=1

So many menus;  how many buyers will bother?

Ann

[pierrelebel]

"So what is everyone doing to adjust with the new FVF's on shipping?"

Absolutely NOTHING.  I am not changing the way I do business and will continue to charge a flat $2.00 shipping for purchases under $25 and offer free shipping on single or multiple purchases exceeding $25 when combined in one payment.

The extra $0.22 FVF charged by eBay on approximately 1,000 invoices under $25 (total $220 in extra fees annually) is more than offset by the 1% reduction in FVF.

[craftycatsattic]

Pierre you are a priveledged few to sell lightweight items that can easily be combined.

Although I am more impacted than you, I am priveledged too to be selling lettermail weight items.

I can't imagine how much this is going to hurt those sending parcels.

[snoopwiz]

Because approx 95% of what I sell ships to the U.S. and about 1/2 of that remaining 5% being local pick up, I will be showing a very very low domestic ship cost, of which I will be charged the new FVF. Cost to me pennies. Of course, that will be more than offset when the overall FVF drops a point. I've gone over the numbers and this is my best workaround.

[femmefan1946]

snoopwiz has the right idea, for those of us who can manage it.

I have learned recently (yeah, I'm a slow learner) that I can mix Fixed Price domestic listings with Calculated Shipping International.

So I have been changing about 300 listings from Regular Parcel Calculated to Fixed Price LetterMail which will give me lower FVF on US and Overseas sales.

Remember that your FVF is calculated on the LOWER or your first listed domestic rate (to your own postal code) OR the amount actually paid by your foreign buyer.

I am not comfortable with Free Shipping and have not found it to be a good selling point anyway, so I have removed it from books, although I am using it more and more on domestic postcard sales for the automatic 5 star ratings. I am considering adding it to US postcard sales too.

The long weekend gave me an extra day to work on this, but the sun keeps shining and I have tomatoes to plant.