Hi I've lost 4 sales this week

[angelshavenclothingboutique]

I CALCULATE MY SHIPPING ON CANADA POST WEBSITE AND EVERTIME THE BUYER SAY SHIPPING IS OUTRAGEOUS CAN ANYONE PLEASE GIVE ME SUGGESTIONS ON CHEAPER SHIPPING OPTIONS FOR THE US I DO TRACKED PACKAGE DO EVERYONE DO TRACKÉD THANKS HAVE A NICE DAY 

[femmefan1946]

Please don't post in all CAPS.
It is considered shouting and very rude.

[femmefan1946 · Accepted solution]

Have you looked at your listings on a mobile phone?

Could I suggest that the first words in your title be Item Size Colour ?

For example rather than

A Dynanite Beautiful Elastic Waist White Parrot Tropical Lined Dress SZ P/S

You use:

Dress Sz p/s White parrot print lined elastic waist tropical sleeveless

"A Dynanite Beautiful" are not words someone would Search. (And did you mean 'dynamite'?)

You can also set up your Calculated Shipping for international sales. Then the customer can see what her shipping would be without bothering you.

Use Custom Destination. You can use that at least three times.

[angelshavenclothingboutique · Accepted solution]

Hi thanks for the great answer how do I set up calculating shipping have you any more great tips for my store

[littledepotcanada]

It sounds like you're using CanPost's regular rates.

If so, register for CanadaPost Small Business which gives you access to other shipping choices not available for "regular retail" customers and lets you create a shipment  & pay on line. All you have to do is print out the shipping label, attach to the package & drop off @ post office.

Rates to the US depend on size & weight of the package — CanadaPost uses "Volumetric Equivalent" so a box 30cm X 30 X 30 with a 2kg weight will get charged as though it weighs 7kg. The trick is to use the smallest box possible that still provides adequate protection for the contents.

If your item fits "Small Packet" requirements for weight & box size and isn't worth more than $100CAD Small Packet is often cheaper than sending the same package to a Canadian address. Go figure!!! But that's CanPost...

I just bought an item on eBay out of the US: shipping was $28CAD, I could have sent the same item to the seller for $12.

Maybe point out to your buyers that they're also getting around a 30% break with the exchange rate.

[femmefan1946]

Valid point about the exchange, but buyers on dotCOM see prices in both US and Canadian dollars.

[femmefan1946]

Shipping costs what it costs.

Canada Post is generally the cheapest system.

There are several posts by ypdc_dennis watching the current costs of shipping by SnapShip(Canada Post), Paypal , and the new Shippo!. All three have drawbacks.

In my opinion, using Calculated Shipping is your best bet, and I see you use that,  followed by Free Shipping.

DON'T PANIC!

Free Shipping is just including a certain amount to cover your packaging and postage costs in the asking price for the garment.

Which is cheaper? A $14 blouse with $11 shipping or a $25 blouse with Free Shipping?

Which one sounds as if it were better quality? The $14 blouse or the $25 blouse? Smoke and mirrors.

Keeping down your costs is important too.

I shipped a tee yesterday, using one of the Free poly envelopes I got as part of my Store's quarterly coupon for shipping supplies. Specifically an eBay branded poly envelope. If it had been a woman's garment, I might have added some pretty white tissue paper and a cute sticker. 

Between the discounts on labels and free to cheap packing materials, you can reduce your costs.

But if you want to continue using Calculated Shipping (which is probably your best bet) you could put those reductions into your asking prices.

Or just accept a little more profit.

But with your experience, you probably know all that.

Some sales are not worth having.

The buyer who starts out whining will never be satisfied.

[femmefan1946]

 I think a lot of customers might look twice at the shipping on this tie.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/DR-SUESS-Mens-Neck-Tie-Black-Polyester-Cat-in-the-Hat/202277591318?hash=item...

The best shipping prices are from Canada Post.

I'm going to assume you have a Small Business Solutions discount card and are choosing between SnapShip and Shippo for the best prices.

If you are near the border, there are forwarding companies which will for a small fee take your parcels across the border and put them into the cheaper USPS system.  ChitchatExpress is one (TO and Vancouver) but there are others.

Here are the USPS prices.

https://postcalc.usps.com/

This will give you some idea of possible savings. (Remember that the forwarder will charge a fee.)

I disagree with your premise that everyone uses tracked shipping.

I only do on bulky items because my items can be sent LetterPost and losses in the mail are rare. I not only use Flat Rate Shipping I use Free Shipping.

DON'T PANIC!

Free Shipping just means the cost of shipping is included in the asking price.

Which is cheaper :

A $20 item with $20 shipping?

A $30 item with $10 shipping?

A $40 item with Free Shipping?

Most of your products cannot be shipped LetterPost and most parcel services are automatically tracked.

But be careful-- That Boston Red Sox shirt, won't ship for $13.98 unless it is under 100 grams .

You have to decide which items need tracking, and which can go Small Packet which is cheaper, but is not tracked.

You might be happy to trust the honesty of your customers and the efficiency of the postal system on a $20 item but not on a $60 item.

EVERTIME THE BUYER SAY SHIPPING IS OUTRAGEOUS

Your buyers hate paying shipping.

All buyers hate paying shipping, because they cannot see how it benefits them.

Another good reason to include the shipping in the asking price.

Also buyers never ship anything. So they have no idea how much shipping is.

Again look at how much shipping some of your items would cost to ship via USPS to CA or FL. 

Also, sometimes a complaint like that is a bargaining tactic. Not a very good one.

It is, in the long run, meaningless.

[ypdc_dennis]

---

@lanepiper wrote:

I CALCULATE MY SHIPPING ON CANADA POST WEBSITE AND EVERTIME THE BUYER SAY SHIPPING IS OUTRAGEOUS CAN ANYONE PLEASE GIVE ME SUGGESTIONS ON CHEAPER SHIPPING OPTIONS FOR THE US I DO TRACKED PACKAGE DO EVERYONE DO TRACKÉD

---

For light weight stuff to the USA I use Small Packet. It has no tracking or insurance from Canada Post, but you can either self insure or buy third party insurance (originate scan when dropped off at the counter is required).

Small Packet base rates to the USA:

000-250g ..   8.61
251-500g .. 11.29
501g-1kg .. 16.82

eBay's discounted Small Packet rates via goShippo labels:

000-250g ..  7.05
251-500g ..  9.25
501g-1kg .. 13.78

-..-

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

On your lighter "fluffy" items (Clothing, stuffed toys) whenever you can get away with it, package first in a zip-lock bag you can purchase cheap at any dollar store and squeeze out the extra air and zip. Then package in the smallest box you can get away with. And remember some crazy folks open their package with a the sharpest knife they own. Add a piece of cardboard the top and bottom along the opening. Postage is based on weight and/or actual size of the box, mailing services and the distance its going. Anything you can do to reduce the size of your package will reduce your postage. Ask your friendly dollar store to save an assortment of boxes for you. Most won't mind. The more of a variety you have on hand the easier it is to pack your items and mail them for the lowest cost and still be able to package them for safe arrival.  If you need to re-enforce a box to protect your more delicate items add a bit of thick cardboard around your item(or box inside a box with cushion between). It won't add much to your final shipping price. Remember, your packages may be going many miles with lots of handling and you'll have an upset customer if it arrives damaged. And lastly, when you're creating your listing accurately measure your packaged item and enter in the info. Always safest to round up to the next cm on each side and add a few grams to your package weight.  The system will tell you if your package is too heavy or too small for a particular service. I myself base my choices of services to offer on the value of the item. Up to your own personal judgement.

-CM

PS. For anyone interested in reducing their shipping charges

[esclyons]

ZOMBIE    THREAD..

[momcqueen]

Yes, it is a zombie thread but it was one left entirely unanswered until today. So what is the reason it rose form the grave?

[momcqueen]

And then even more oddly, not only did it mysteriously rise from the grave, it rose to be answered by an ebay user who is brand new to the discussion boards. I am always very excited to see new people join us here as I think a vibrant Community is a populated one but it strikes me as odd. Both the OP and the first user to reply are welcome to share their insight. I'm also puzzled because I don't quite understand how any Question goes unanswered EVER with ebay users like the regulars we have. Something doesn't add up. Maybe the date stamp is awry.