When should you offer tracking?

[westron123]

I was wondering if with some sellers, is there a dollar amount where you decide to mail with tracking? I don't use it items that are small and under 100 dollars, but now that there is  no automatic insurance up to 100.00 with Canada Post, I am wondering if I should be rethinking it?

[bb_cool_stuff]

Is the item unique & can you afford to lose it ?

Can you add the extra shipping cost to the item price ? 

Hundred & over i add the cost of tracking to the item price.

[theafkgamer]

I look at it this way...

Would it be worth it to drastically increase your shipping costs (and in turn, scaring away potential customers) to cover your ass on the one item that gets lost out of 100?

I'm a small time seller, I understand that a loss is a loss. Just be smart about your losses.

[westron123]

Well yes  to all your questions. So I will continue doing it that way, so far I have been lucky, but the law of averages says one day I won't be lucky 🙂

[westron123]

I look at it this way...

Would it be worth it to drastically increase your shipping costs (and in turn, scaring away potential customers) to cover your ass on the one item that gets lost out of 100?

I'm a small time seller, I understand that a loss is a loss. Just be smart about your losses.

The short answer is ,no it wouldn't help  my sales to drastically increase  my shipping cost.

Thanks for your perspective.

[queenpalmer]

You may not have much of a choice when you get to the wicket at Canada Post.  I sold an item for $11.99 at Ebay auction, thinking I had plenty of room to make a few dollars.  Wrong!  I mail items from Thamesford in the London area, the buyer is in Oakville.  That's about an hour and 15 minutes away.  Same country, same province.

The item had to be shipped as a parcel.  The choice quoted to me made a difference of around 10 cents.  Expedited with Tracking and insurance was aproximately $9.54 with tax.  No tracking or insurance was around $9.44.  I did use my Venture One card for those figures.  So I saved 5%.  OMG

Sellers must increase the charge for S&H.  Buyers (myself included) will be reluctently obliged to pay a higher price, or we can drive or take transportation to a brick and mortor store.  

In a related matter, it is extremely unfair that I can agree to a high S&H charge for something I really want on Ebay and still have the option to give a one or two star rating for cost of shipping.  This option should be withdrawn when a payment has been made.

[vintagenorth]

You may not have much of a choice when you get to the wicket at Canada Post.  I sold an item for $11.99 at Ebay auction, thinking I had plenty of room to make a few dollars.  Wrong!  I mail items from Thamesford in the London area, the buyer is in Oakville.  That's about an hour and 15 minutes away.  Same country, same province.

The item had to be shipped as a parcel.  The choice quoted to me made a difference of around 10 cents.  Expedited with Tracking and insurance was aproximately $9.54 with tax.  No tracking or insurance was around $9.44.  I did use my Venture One card for those figures.  So I saved 5%.  OMG

But you could have sent that parcel a lot cheaper by printing your postage through PayPal. You would have got an approximate 25% discount on your expedited price so it would have cost you a lot less than the $9.54 or $9.44.

[inuk_the_polar_bear]

The only time I use DC, never tracking as that does not work, is when I buy Expedited on-line. I buy expedited because the cost is attractive for what I am selling. In 8200 sales, I have never sought out tracking.

Tracking does not work, never has, never will. I do not offer it and specifically state that it is not available.

[pierrelebel]

"When should you offer tracking?"

The answer depends on several factors including your experience in the mail order (direct marketing) business and tolerance to risks.

Most experienced sellers who have been selling substantial volume by mail for a long time do not worry about the occasional loss in the postal system or courriers.  Yes, a few buyers may take advantage from time to time: it is a cost of doing business.

As a business, the way I look at it is simple.

I would rather sell 100 items for $20.00 (no tracking) ($2,000 total sales)

than offer them for $30.00 with tracking and only sell 10 ($300 total sales).

It is that simple if you look at it from a business perspective.

Yes, there may be a few losses and claims out of that $2,000 sales.  Still, you end up making more money.  And that is why folks go into business: to make more money. 🙂

[inuk_the_polar_bear]

folks go into business

Ah, but Pierre, that vast majority of sellers, trying to make a profit, buying and selling are not in business. They consider everything to be on a personal level. A neg is personal. A lost widget is a lying buyer and personal. A comment from a buyer is personal. eBay fees are personal. Postal rates are personal.

The vast majority do not put that barrier between them that separates business from personal.

The postal system does not know me, eBay does not know me. Buyers do not know me. Why should I make any of this personal?

I put it in the mail, it gets there it gets there, it doesn't well it doesn't. NEXT!

Part of the cost of business is shrinkage. Shrinkage is inventory that goes missing or gets damaged. ALL businesses deal with that.

[femmefan1946]

There are several ways to save money on shipping.

One is to use Paypal labels, especially since we get a 5% discount (like VentureONE) on many and 20-25% on Expedited.

Another is to self-insure by adding a tiny premium to our asking prices (less than a dime) for Cookie Jar Insurance. If a claim is made, pay it from the Cookie Jar and don't get eBay/PP involved. It doesn't matter if the buyer is honestly unhappy or scamming, it's business. (But do ask for a return before refund.) (Or a picture.)

And many sellers reduce their postage costs by buying discount postage from other eBay sellers. Saving 20% on your postage costs for Small Packet and Letter/Light Packet pays for a lot of cookie jar insurance.

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Some people juggle geese.-- Hoban Washburne.

[inuk_the_polar_bear]

Femme, yer talking the same language Pierre and I are talking.

[pocomocomputing]

There are several ways to save money on shipping.

One is to use Paypal labels, especially since we get a 5% discount (like VentureONE) on many and 20-25% on Expedited.

Another is to self-insure by adding a tiny premium to our asking prices (less than a dime) for Cookie Jar Insurance. If a claim is made, pay it from the Cookie Jar and don't get eBay/PP involved. It doesn't matter if the buyer is honestly unhappy or scamming, it's business. (But do ask for a return before refund.) (Or a picture.)

And many sellers reduce their postage costs by buying discount postage from other eBay sellers. Saving 20% on your postage costs for Small Packet and Letter/Light Packet pays for a lot of cookie jar insurance.

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Some people juggle geese.-- Hoban Washburne.

Venture One card gives 5% discount on Expedited Parcel and Xpresspost. Currently PayPal labels gives 25% discount on Expedited Parcel and 8-9% on Xpresspost. Neither Venture One nor PayPal gives a discount on Light Packet, Small Packet, Lettermail, Letterpost.

[pierrelebel]

"Neither Venture One nor PayPal gives a discount on Light Packet, Small Packet, Lettermail, Letterpost."

and Canadians can easily obtain postage at 20% or 30% below face value for those services.

[rosscd57]

folks go into business

Ah, but Pierre, that vast majority of sellers, trying to make a profit, buying and selling are not in business. They consider everything to be on a personal level. A neg is personal. A lost widget is a lying buyer and personal. A comment from a buyer is personal. eBay fees are personal. Postal rates are personal.

The vast majority do not put that barrier between them that separates business from personal.

I know you are right - but I fall into that trap all the time.

[westron123]

Thank you all for your input. I sell items mostly under $ 40.00, so I will continue as I was doing and hope that I my packets don't start going astray.

One thing ,I have never  actually printed labels from paypal. Advantages? Disadvantages? Where do you get the labels to print? As you can plainly see, I don't have a clue about Paypal labels.:-)

[rose-dee]

"Neither Venture One nor PayPal gives a discount on Light Packet, Small Packet, Lettermail, Letterpost."

and Canadians can easily obtain postage at 20% or 30% below face value for those services.

Oh no, Pierre!  Are we back to the stamp-licking again? (LOL) 😛

[rose-dee]

I sell items mostly under $ 40.00, so I will continue as I was doing and hope that I my packets don't start going astray.

One thing ,I have never  actually printed labels from paypal. Advantages? Disadvantages? Where do you get the labels to print?

It's easier than you think to print labels.  Just go to your "Sold" page once a buyer has paid, choose the Print Shipping Label option from the drop-down list, and follow the instructions.  You will be taken through, along with all your buyer's/item's info, to the page where you enter Customs and weight/size details, and choose your shipping service type. 

You can also access the "Print Shipping Label" from the "Sales Record" view, as well as from within Paypal itself.  You don't need anything other than an inkjet printer and some Labelopes (clear stick-on plastic label holders) that you can order from Cda Post for free if you have a Venture One card.

I'm in much the same boat as you, selling about half and half under- and over-$50.  The most reasonable options as I see it are:

1)  Do as "femmefan" suggests and self-insure;

2)  Set a sales price limit you're comfortable with taking a loss on if necessary, say $25 or less, ship those without tracking or insurance, and be prepared to refund promptly if need be.  (Oh yes, and as a nod to Pierre, use discount stamps for this shipping type if you like, or just use online labelling with Lt/Small Pkt to the US - a little easier on the tongue, and no standing in line at the P.O. required);

3)   Do you use an auction-management site?  I use Auctiva, which will insure Cdn. eBay sellers.  You can pick and choose which items you insure, even after a sale (within a time limit).

4)  There are third party insurers available, but I haven't used them

5)  If you don't already have restrictions set, consider restricting where you sell if you ship internationally.  You can go a long time without a lost/stolen parcel to the US, Australia/NZ & Europe, but other regions can be more risky.

[valuestore]

If I see an 'apt' 'suite' number or a multi unit type address, the argument for tracking and/or signature goes way up. I may also refer to the buyers feedback to see if there is a history of delivery issues.

[pjcdn2005]

folks go into business

Ah, but Pierre, that vast majority of sellers, trying to make a profit, buying and selling are not in business. They consider everything to be on a personal level. A neg is personal. A lost widget is a lying buyer and personal. A comment from a buyer is personal. eBay fees are personal. Postal rates are personal.

The vast majority do not put that barrier between them that separates business from personal.

The postal system does not know me, eBay does not know me. Buyers do not know me. Why should I make any of this personal?

I put it in the mail, it gets there it gets there, it doesn't well it doesn't. NEXT!

Part of the cost of business is shrinkage. Shrinkage is inventory that goes missing or gets damaged. ALL businesses deal with that.

I rarely use services with delivery confirmation as well however I disagree that using it means that you take things personally. I suppose that is true for some but the majority of large retailers that I have dealt with always use a service with some sort of delivery confirmation. I doubt that Neiman Marcus considers a loss as "personal"