How do I sell and not loose my shirt.?

[markt466]

So I sell an item on ebay and it goes for 0.99 cents and I listed free shipping. My fees were .43 cents to Ebay and Paypal charged me .33 cents on the .99 transaction. It cost me 11.96 to ship. Hmmm

Next I have an item that didn't sell listed at $1.99 and had it listed in two catagories and designer used along with Buy it Now feature for auction. Total fees charged $1.14 because there was a special on. Now to relist I am going to end up paying more than item could go for. If it sells then I pay a shipping final value fee on whatever the exact shipping is.

I charge my customers the exact shipping and I now find out that after all these fees from Ebay and Paypal and now on shipping charges as well, I just don't understand how I can expect to not go broke and stop giving these items away that cost me a lot more than I care to mention. Our Canadian shipping charges are outrageous without having Paypal taking a cut and Ebay taking a cut off them. No wonder Americans are complaining about the high cost of shipping. What am I doing wrong? How come I can by something off Ebay in China and pay 1.99 and have free shipping all day long and they can make money on it. I send the same item to the next city and it costs me 12.00 to ship it there.

I have read about all I can and it is very discouraging trying to make any money. I have listed 48 items at very very inexpensive prices and only 9 sold due to the high cost of shipping that no one wants to pay yet I still have to pay Ebay there fees and when I relist and it doesn't sell again then I am charged again. Something is wrong or I am doing something wrong. Can some one explain how others can do it and I am loosing my shirt please.

Mark

[dmil8030 · Accepted solution]

Hello 'markt',

You say you've read all you can, - but have you read this:

http://community.ebay.ca/question/Packaging-Shipping/How-To-Ship/3000006641

and this:

http://community.ebay.ca/question/Packaging-Shipping/I-Have-Been/3000006636

These people also had similar queries about shipping and the cost of it all,  so maybe you might find the information helpful.

[femmefan1946 · Accepted solution]

First "free shipping" is adspeak for "cost of shipping is included in the asking price"

Second never start an item at less than you are willing to sell it for. EBay tells you different, but what is good for eBay's shareholders is not necessarily good for you.

Third if you can't buy your item cheap enough to make it saleable at 4 times the buying price or $10 whichever is most, it is not worth selling.

This is why many sellers start out by selling off unwanted items that they would other wise donate. The value to the new seller is nothing, but he can learn how to make a profit while clearing out the basement.

Fourth, expect to pay at least 20% of your selling +shipping price to eBay and Paypal . The lower the selling price, the higher the percentage you will pay in fees.

[femmefan1946 · Accepted solution]

By the way.

Drop the Store. Stores are meant for experienced sellers with a large number of (often slow selling) items.

Do not open a Store unless you have at least 54 unique items to put in it. Preferably twice that.

Without a Store you can have 50 free auctions a month. And another 50 free on eBaydotCOM (but watch out for shipping services there. You can't use USPS or UPS. The rates are wrong for Canadians. )

And many of the Free Listing promotions are not open to Store owners.