Listing on eBay.com, and shipping details

[cumos55]

Had a telephone call from eBay about

shipping details and listing on eBay.com...

that is eBay US.

The following is from a follow-up email.....

Starting in July, all sellers who list their items on eBay.com in the U.S., will be required to specify domestic shipping services and costs in their listing. When sellers specify the shipping services and costs in the Shipping Details section of their listing, this information shows up for buyers in key places during the purchasing process, like the shipping cost column in the search results page, the top of the View Item page, and the shipping details section at the bottom of the View Item page. Knowing this information upfront helps buyers in making informed decisions and they are less likely to be disappointed with the transaction.

Starting in July, the requirement will go into effect and sellers will simply not be allowed to list items that do not specify shipping. Sellers are encouraged to begin specifying shipping in their listings now, as listings without specified shipping may receive less exposure in search. Specified shipping costs will become a requirement for most listings on eBay, including listings from 3rd party listing tools. Note, exemptions will apply to certain categories like Vehicles, or services such as Freight. Sellers can specify freight without entering any cost, but they will need to specify freight as a shipping service type.

No specific date in July... just July ... as the person on the telephone indicated.

[recped]

I don't know why you are not already doing this. Not having shipping charges specified has disadvantaged you in a Price Search for a long time and absolutely can downgrade you in Best Match search results.

[cumos55]

I have always put S & H right in the listing.. Only with Best Match in the US is this a problem.

Also I list on eBay.com ... So I cannot use the Canada Post option... Have listed on ebay.com right from the very first day that I sold on eBay.

And... finally.

I do not have the luxury of lettermail rates to the US.

I sell books, art glass and pottery .. just as a start.

There are many more than me that are going to have to make this adjustment.

Would be nice if I could list directly to eBay US and access the Canada Post profile for shipping.

[jakeeangel]

That addresses one of my concerns re shipping then. Whew! Thanks for posting that. I was worried that we had to specify shipping for all countries we shipped to.

If they only want domestic for the site you list on, then that's cool! 😄 Saves me some headaches at least.

[momoftwingles2]

The rep that I spoke to said that domestic only shipping was required and that as we were in Canada to just put it as Other. Mind you...domestic could be Canadian shipping or it could be US! Either one will do.

Susan

[jakeeangel]

Careful with that. If you list on .com and mention domestic, it will refer to Americans. Don't refer to Canadian shipping as domestic when you list on the .com site.

[momoftwingles2]

Hi jakeeangel,

No, I know that domestic shipping on .com refers to US shipping. I was just mentioning what the rep said to me.

Susan

[recped]

I have always put S & H right in the listing.. Only with Best Match in the US is this a problem.

Like I said before, if you have not been specifying shipping in the proper place your listings will not and have not appeared in the Price search result for probably at least 2 years. For Ending Soonest or Newly Listed it does not have an impact.

[momoftwingles2]

Hi recped,

You are more than likely 100% correct. As I've previously mentioned I've never had shipping stated. However that being said...I'm so busy now with all of my buyers that I don't know what will happen when I do state shipping!

I'm taking at least the month of July off if not part of August and will get things sorted out with shipping so that customers don't shriek when they see that it costs $6.99 US to ship one piece of paper!

Susan
momoftwingles2

[lina-mallows]

recped - "I have always put S & H right in the listing.. Only with Best Match in the US is this a problem. "

OK- maybe I have too much time on my hands. Looking at your (recped) first page of completed auction listings, I note about seven that do not have rates for Canadian shipping quoted.

Is this beacause the larger format for these discs makes this shipping calculation difficult?

If so- what can eBay's shipping calculator do to address this problem?

[cumos55]

If you list on eBay.com...using Turbolister ... Domestic shipping has to do with shipping to the US..

Shipping to Canada is a part of international shipping...

eBay want all of the listings on eBay US to have shipping indicated..

[recped]

Is this beacause the larger format for these discs makes this shipping calculation difficult?

Bingo! Combine with the fact that less than 3% of my buyers are located in Canada (same percentage for the items I do specify Canadian shipping).

[lina-mallows]

recped- makes sense to me too.

We attempted to 'even out' the shipping cost for a coffee mug weighing just under 1kg. So that it would be ONE PRICE anywhere- yet the method of shipping would vary.

Xpresspost within Canada- Expedited Parcel/Small Packet Airmail to the US- and SURFACE Small Packet to the rest of the world.

That was great until Canada Post changed the SMALL PACKET prices to a ZONED model.

Then- the FUEL SURCHARGES hot EXPEDITED PARCEL BIG TIME !!!!

On top of this- charging OVER US$12 to send a single coffee mug was beginning to look scary. So, we rejigged the pricing to a LOWER S/H AMOUNT- so that it looked competitive to the US SELLERS shipping within the US, and RAISED the item's BUY IT NOW price. So far- even with the lower price, shipping time is the same- and people/buyers still perceive US$10 to get a Coffee Mug too high.

So- it looks like NOT selling mugs may be a way to get a better DSR. I am hoping- but not holding my breath. I won't list mugs for a while, and will see what happens.

[recped]

That was great until Canada Post changed the SMALL PACKET prices to a ZONED model.

C'mon the price differential between zones is so small as to be insignificant.

[cumos55]

Small packet US .. Same for all states.

Small Packet international... Small difference among zones.

The point is you as a seller in Canada, and using Canada Post ... must know the postal system inside out.

And in turn know how to use it ... and how to establish general rates. It is these general rates that one puts in a listing..

And if a buyer pays based on those rates, and it is too high compared to reality... you make a refund.

[lina-mallows]

Here's the breakdown for SMALL PACKET SURFACE MAIL:
501 g – 1 kg
12.85
12.95
13.10
13.25
13.35
13.50
13.65

We were charging US$12.oo- as a FLAT RATE- for shipping overseas.
For this- we also provide an 8" x 8" x 8" box- around 60¢
An in inner container for the mugs protection- about $1.oo
enough bubble- or peanuts to insure safe delivery.

So the material to pack the mug are about $2.oo.
ALSO- remember that when the customer pays by paypal- about 35¢ comes off the top of that- notwithstanding any exchange differences.

When the US DOLLAR was 15%+ greater in value than the Canadian Dollar- these expenses/charges were easy to reconcile.

With near parity of the dollars- even for the closest point of shipping-
We would collect $12.oo- and end up LOSING over $3.oo of that.
Charge TWELVE- LOSE THREE.

So- maybe it's just getting to realize that we sellers are not idiots. We shouldn't even be asked to offer FREE shipping- or shift it to the AUCTION side of the equation (WHERE eBAY CAN TAKE A CUT).


cumos55 "The point is you as a seller in Canada, and using Canada Post ... must know the postal system inside out."
While it's a nice thought- no matter well WE understand the Canadian Postal Service- eBay, and PayPal's polices do not recognize that reality. Tracking (Proof of delivery)- INSURANCE (what is insurable), timing, and all those other details are lost on eBay/PayPal.

[cumos55]

Small packet works for me worldwide. Have been using it since January 2003...

To the US it is $12.25 US... and that can take up to an exchange rate of $1.10 US to $1 Canadian.

International small packet at less than 1 kg it is $14.75, while less than 2 kg it is $21.25.

I do ask buyers to wait for an invoice and I will adjust S & H..

If buyer pays the amount in the listing.. I make a refund.

Many are afraid to use Small Packet.. because of no tracking number... That fear may be related to what is being sell as I believe that certain types of inventory do gather the more difficult type of buyer.

I use small packet for books, worldwide, surface mail usually.

I use letter mail for items weighing less than 500 g and less than 2 cm thick... not insured. and that works for me too.

only two insurance claims with over 3000 transactions...

I made a decision early and have stuck with small packet... insured .. and with no tracking number.

It works for me ... but it may not be so for all types of inventory.

Expedite US is about $4 more for shipping a mone kg parcel with a tracking number.

[cumos55]

About exchange rates....

The official rate right now is

$1.00 US = $1.023 Canadian $

The Paypal rate for converting US to Canadian dollars is

$1.00 US = $0.9966 Canadian

Postage is converted to US dollars using the same exchange rate that Paypal uses to convert US to Canadian dollars.

Use of the Paypal exchange rate means that $10 charged by Canada Post is converted to US dollars, and then returned to you as $10 Canadian minus transaction fees.

If you use the official exchange rate the loss is the difference between the official rate and Paypal's rate, plus the transaction fee.