eBay

Anonymous · ‎03-23-2011

I've been playing around with automated combined shipping rules in an effort to forestall some of the trigger-happy multi-item buyers out there who pay each invoice before I can issue a combined one.

Is there any way to check whether listings created using the combined shipping rule work (other than waiting to see when someone actually purchases them?) Without actually "purchasing" the items, is there any way to see the combined shipping?

Or should I just leave well enough alone in anticipation of the soon-to-arrive shopping cart, and all the mayhem that may cause?

Karin

westernstargifts · ‎03-23-2011

I don't think there is any way of testing that without actually purchasing something. Did you see the thread I started previously regarding combined shipping not working properly? It seems to work for all but U.S. buyers.

pierrelebel · ‎03-24-2011

I have used combined shipping for ten years and it works. It generates more business.

However, nothing will prevent some buyers from NOT reading terms of the listings and making several purchases with individual PayPal payments. Even repeat buyers do it from time to time.

The problem is not eBay or its system. Buyers do not read.

axe_n_gear_music · ‎03-24-2011

Disagree.
eBays combined shipping on .ca does not always work. Just yesterday I had a buyer who bought a few things, emailed me and said that the combined shipping did not work and was hoping for a partial refund of shipping funds, which of course I did right away.

pierrelebel · ‎03-24-2011

"buyer who bought a few things, emailed me and said that the combined shipping did not work "

???

Were all the items listed on eBay.ca ?

Did all the items show:

Shipping and handling
Free shipping for each additional eligible items you buy from axe_n_gear_music ?

Were all the items in the same currency (US$) ?

pierrelebel · ‎03-24-2011

While checking some of your recently sold listings, I noticed some combined shipping problems. For example: 370487900264

Free shipping for each additional eligible items you buy from axe_n_gear_music.

AND

Shipping and handling to Canada US $44.95

Each additional item US $22.00

I do not know how the invoicing system would look at the contradiction of free shipping for extra item or US$ 22.00 for extra item.

coxengines · ‎03-24-2011

The shipping glitch that began in October 2010 is well and alive, so to speak.

Mostly, the eBay system combines correctly but we end up refunding one or more customers every day.

There seems to be no pattern that I can see but I do notice that it seems to affect some repeat customers, over and over, whereas others have no issues.

And I don't mean the ones that can't read and pay for every item individually. I am referring to the ones that buy everything first and then go through checkout.

We list on .ca only and each item has the "free" rule assigned for extra items.

The system worked well for years and the glitch begain in October of last year.

Bernie

axe_n_gear_music · ‎03-24-2011

Pierre, from us, large items do not qualify for combined shipping. its too expensive, and we'd lose our shirt. If you have the same item (like stamps or small parts) then it is easy to combine shipping (if eBays glitch wasnt present).
All of my small items qualify for combined shipping but four foot long boxes containing expensive items do not. Free shipping for each additional eligible items says it all "eligible items", mostly small items that can go in the same box. I need to make some adjustments on some of those larger items.
It's hard to have a blanket policy for everything when there are so many different things, but I'm trying!

pierrelebel · ‎03-24-2011

What were the numbers of the two items yesterday the buyer could not combine?

axe_n_gear_music · ‎03-24-2011

They seem to be pretty random. They work most of the time, and then you get some that don't. Actually, here is one example of the SAME item that also had combined shipping problems the other day. The customer emailed asking for a partial refund and said it was charging him 4.95 twice, so I refunded him 4.95
370215325011

axe_n_gear_music · ‎03-24-2011

Here's a seller I've been watching for some time, trying to understand his methods. He shows that he ships worldwide, but only shows the exact cost to the United States. And he combines shipping also, charging only the shipping price of the one item with the higher shipping amount. He does extremely well. Sample listing is item # 190376891933

westernstargifts · ‎03-24-2011

The shipping glitch that began in October 2010 is well and alive, so to speak.

Mostly, the eBay system combines correctly but we end up refunding one or more customers every day.

There seems to be no pattern that I can see but I do notice that it seems to affect some repeat customers, over and over, whereas others have no issues.

And I don't mean the ones that can't read and pay for every item individually. I am referring to the ones that buy everything first and then go through checkout.

We list on .ca only and each item has the "free" rule assigned for extra items.

The system worked well for years and the glitch begain in October of last year.

Bernie

Ditto. But I do see a pattern. Initially it affected most of my combined orders no matter where they were from. Now it seems to work for all but orders from the U.S. They are charged the full amount for each item whether from one FP listing or from several listings. Additional items in most cases are free.

pjcdn2005 · ‎03-25-2011

I think that I might know what the problem is. The shipping calculator gets confused when you use the same shipping descriptions for different shipping sections in your listing form. It seems to cause a few different glitches so perhaps that's the problem in this case.

Both Axe & Bernie use the term standard int'l flat rate shipping for both the U.S. and other international countries. Perhaps if you use standard for the US and 'other int'l flat rate' for the other countries, the glitch might be fixed.

On the couple of westernstargifts listings that I checked, she has the United States associated with both light packet $2.75 US and Light packet international $6. The combined shipping calculator probably doesn't know which one to use.

pierrelebel · ‎03-25-2011

"The customer emailed asking for a partial refund and said it was charging him 4.95 twice,"

Your listing is specific one shipping charge and additional items free.

Did you check the actual PayPal payment? Did the buyer actually paid $9.90 for shipping?

axe_n_gear_music · ‎03-25-2011

Yes Pierre, he originally did pay the 9.90 for shipping, and I refunded him the 4.95.

Did anyone get a chance to look at the seller I described above? I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on how he runs things. He looks extremely profitable, yet only shows shipping to the US.

pierrelebel · ‎03-25-2011

"Shipping in North America: by express, insured, trackable $17.00, or by request regular mail $6.00. When shipping multiple auction wins together, you only pay one shipping fee (of the highest shipping amount). For international airmail please inquire."

The seller is Canadian but lists on eBay.com (like I do). His listings show USA only as the country where he will ship, limiting viewing to eBay.com while the description clearly offers to ship worldwide at higher shipping cost.

Huge feedback. It seems to work for him.

axe_n_gear_music · ‎03-25-2011

Actually his listings say shipping "in North America", and they do show up in a search quite well on .ca

I have purchased from him in the past, and the shipping amount comes up on the invoice perfectly without having to inquire the cost before paying.

Also, I see his shipping method shows for the USA to be "economy". That option is only available on .com?

dipmicro · ‎03-25-2011

Axe, your seller may be using fulfillment warehouse in USA.

westernstargifts · ‎03-25-2011

I think that I might know what the problem is. The shipping calculator gets confused when you use the same shipping descriptions for different shipping sections in your listing form. It seems to cause a few different glitches so perhaps that's the problem in this case.

Both Axe & Bernie use the term standard int'l flat rate shipping for both the U.S. and other international countries. Perhaps if you use standard for the US and 'other int'l flat rate' for the other countries, the glitch might be fixed.

On the couple of westernstargifts listings that I checked, she has the United States associated with both light packet $2.75 US and Light packet international $6. The combined shipping calculator probably doesn't know which one to use.

It should, and always did previously, know which one to use. One is Light Packet U.S. and the other is Light Packet International which are 2 different services. The only one that does not seem to work is to the U.S.

There is one thing that I have noticed a couple of times (but not in all cases) when I sent an invoice to a U.S. customer. The shipping showed Standard Delivery, or something like that, to the U.S. with NO shipping price shown. I don't use that service. Somehow the system is changing it because the S/H in the listing was correct. I don't know what happened with the others as they showed the correct shipping service and price but they charged full price for every purchase...even from the same FP listing.