Canada Post Rates Go UP... Profit Goes Down...

[canadabeltbuckles]

For those of us who offer Free Shipping as an incentive for Buyers, and ship via Canada Post, well, we just lost more profit...

Light Packet to the USA up by 16 cents.
Small Packet to the USA up by 24 cents.

Shipping in Canada as well has gone up...

I don't dare raise my prices to compensate for the increase in shipping fees, with fear of losing sales.

Should I change my listings to include a small shipping fee? How would that affect my eBay listings, or will it? Will it decrease my sales? Probably...

I am interested in knowing what, if anything, other Powersellers are doing to combat the increase in shipping fees from Canada Post?

The majority of my sales are to the USA, and ship either light packet or small packet...

Any ideas?

Thanks.

[dipmicro]

Frank, yes, indeed, the name is similar.

You guys should focus on increasing the sales the other way instead of bickering about $0.05 underselling.

Put some auctions. $0.35/m Fixed Price core listing does not give you nearly as much visibility as auction. It scales, more auctions, more visibility.

Put that 100% Pure Copper in the title. Ameropaintball said people will pee themselves hurrying to buy when they see that maging 99.999 or whatever. Ask the guy, he knows how to peddle metals.

Add more pictures. When I am buying jewelry, I don't want to read the 2-page story, but see 10 pictures of it from every angle.

Trust me, when you do all that, you do not have to worry about Frank/Judy copying and underselling you but you will worry how can you pack and ship so much a day.

[craftycatsattic]

Craftycat...

Another thing you might want to try is this:

Buy the largest available size of bubble mailer, and a heat sealer.
Cut the mailer in halves or quarters, and just seal them with the heat-sealing machine.

I get my large size mailers from Uline, I can cut them up in 8 to fit my smallest item, and I save about 75% of the cost, compared with the price of the resulting smaller mailers.

And I look extra super professional, as I got questions of how did I get the item in the envelope, there are no flaps... 🙂

Plasmaco, that's a neat idea! I don't do much with bubble mailers though and usually need to use the entire mailer so it's not helpful to me but it's a great idea that I'm sure others can use.

I also include cardboard backing in all of my envelopes to prevent bending and found that it is much cheaper to purchase the extra large size cardboard and cut it myself. I haven't done the math in a while but if memory recalls, instead of paying 25 cents + shipping for each piece of cardboard it costs about 11 cents + shipping.

[westernstargifts]

Well, this has all been very interesting.

plasmaco...I am very sorry if you took my response the wrong way. I do appreciate your advice and it was good advice. But sometimes there are people with whom you just cannot work things out.

dipmicro....Your input is also appreciated but your comment about not putting an effort into my business is totally wrong. You have no idea of the number of hours that I spend on my listings and have not seen the many many changes I have made to them. Have you ever tried photographing jewellery? And the reason you do not see any auctions in my store is because my Vacation setting have been ON for the past 5 days.

This is the 3rd time that I have re-written my response. My first impulse was to defend myself against the false allegations made about me and I listed all of the things that Frank failed to point out & how he twisted the truth. Then I deleted them. All of you can believe what you want to about them. You probably don't care anyway. As long as I know the truth and can live with myself I don't have to defend myself to anyone.

The new product line which Frank is about to launch are products designed by the other artists that MY SUPPLIER represents. He just wants everyone to think that I searched to find his "new" supplier and copied him to prevent me from selling them too....because he will have made me look bad for "copying" him.

Frank....Oscar has been after me for the past 2 years to list those products. Just because I said no at the time does not mean that I will NEVER sell them. However, I will agree NOT to sell them IF you stop selling Tony's products on eBay. You can always sell them in your B & M store. You can't expect me to give something up without giving up something in return.

And don't think that I didn't have the opportunity to purchase the 15 to 20K worth of stock from the guy in Richmond Hill at 1/2 the regular wholesale price as you did. It was a good deal but there were far too many slow movers included in the inventory for me to make that kind of investment. You have the rare opportunity to make twice the profit on the products but you CHOOSE to list them at low prices. I can't understand why you also list products at low prices on your website where you don't even compete with me. And you ship them free!

I have been selling Tony's jewellery for the past 11 years. Most of my prices at craft shows and in retail stores are much higher than they presently are on eBay and they have done very well for me. Many of my customers actually think I don't charge enough for them.

You could do the same Frank. Believe in your products...don't just sell them.

My husband and I have just returned from Toronto where we spent 3 long days searching for new products. We go there twice a year and have done so for many years. Maybe if you did the same you wouldn't have to watch everyone else and look for their suppliers. You could find your own.

[westernstargifts]

Hmmm,

I guess I don't get a chance to defend myself anyway. So I assume that means no deal. As you wish.

[dipmicro]

dipmicro....Your input is also appreciated but your comment about not putting an effort into my business is totally wrong. You have no idea of the number of hours that I spend on my listings and have not seen the many many changes I have made to them. Have you ever tried photographing jewellery? And the reason you do not see any auctions in my store is because my Vacation setting have been ON for the past 5 days.

Judy, I was merely pointing out that when I type "copper bracelet" on eBay.ca, none of you comes on the top. I did not mean to imply you don't work on the listings, but rather that you may not be aggressive enough in attracting new sales.

[westernstargifts]

Thanks for clarifying that dipmicro.

As I said, we have been away for the past few days. I normally do list lots of auctions. Unfortunately my products are not hot sellers and usually sell for the opening bid price.

When I started on eBay I listed auctions low just as they said I should. It didn't take me long to figure out that they would sell for that price so I gradually put the starting prices higher and higher until I found out what the market would bear. They sold successfully because I didn't flood the market with them. I listed a few at a time. Unfortunately that is no longer the case and I have had to lower my BIN prices to the level that I used to start the auctions.

I used to make more money selling far fewer products with far less work and money involved in listing and relisting. It's a pity it can't still be that way.

[westernstargifts]

OP, your store has a new look! Glad you liked mine.

[canadabeltbuckles]

Thanks for the listing tips dipmicro, greatly appreciated and I will update my listings reflecting the 100% Copper in the listing title, and take more pictures of the products from different angles... 🙂

It all makes perfect sense...

Just never thought about it...

That's why I come to this forum for assistance and helpful hints from people who have more experience and knowledge than I do...

Much Appreciated!!

Best regards,

Frank

[westernstargifts]

My store is Copper Jewelry & Gifts...

Her eBay store is Copper Jewelry Gifts...

Yes, and your other store Canada Buckles (canada_buckles) used to be Western Star Gift....or had you forgotten?

I have taken many of my own pictures to use on eBay. My supplier spent $1200 on a camera to take his photos, which he gave me permission to use. I don't think he would appreciate his photos being called an "artist's rendtion" of his products.

I noticed that you are using the supplier's website photos for your new products.

[westernstargifts]

Don't you have some knitting to do or something?

That comment speaks volumes all by itself.