eBay

amethyst1415 · ‎07-17-2014

I lose money (sometimes) on my listings BUT HOW can I compete with the person who is selling their PS3 games for $1.29? I price mine to include free shipping which means that I can take $13 off the money I get (shipping in Canada) and the rest is mine. It's still not profit as my husband paid 40-60 for these games. Why do people sell them for that? There is no way they are making money when they have to ship.

pierrelebel · ‎07-18-2014

"which is an added convenience."

Yes, it will be convenient to some sellers.

Others may prefer to purchase postage stamps well below face value and save 20%, 30% or more for a bit of work.

There is no perfect answer fitting everyone. Personally I much prefer to save money but, that me.

If I were to spend $1,000 a year in postage and can save $200 or $300 by spending some time getting the right stamp combinations and affixing the stamps to the envelope or package, why not?

38e_avenue · ‎07-18-2014

@pierrelebel wrote:
"which is an added convenience."

Others may prefer to purchase postage stamps well below face value and save 20%, 30% or more for a bit of work.

If I were to spend $1,000 a year in postage and can save $200 or $300 by spending some time getting the right stamp combinations and affixing the stamps to the envelope or package, why not?

And is that possible to buy CP stamps below their value? 30%???

I spend several thousands a year on Light Packets. They counted as "tracked" at US Ebay, so I was able to maintain the Top Rated status. In August, all rules change - no Top Rated for Canadians sending Light/Small Packets anymore, so probably it's time to go back to old times and buy stamps, again!?

dinomitesales · ‎07-18-2014

To be honest Pierre, I've never tried using stamps for sending things 'Light Packet'. How does the customs declaration work in this case? Is there a form of some sort I need to affix to the package?

pierrelebel · ‎07-18-2014

Customs declarations can be obtained at the Post Office. They have lots of them!

Canadian postage (with full gum) is easily available at philatelic auctions (often in large lots from $1,000 to $10,000 face value) and in smaller lots from many sellers on and off eBay. Usually, once you have formed a relationship with a specific seller, you will have a reliable source for many years.

38e_avenue · ‎07-18-2014

@pierrelebel wrote:

Canadian postage (with full gum) is easily available from many sellers on and off eBay.

Was not able to find any. What should I look for?

mr.elmwood · ‎07-18-2014

38e? Are you actually reading these threads? There are at least regulars on this board who re-market postage.

Because they market postage, they also know who does it in bulk.

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pierrelebel · ‎07-18-2014

"not able to find any."

Pretty easy to find. Not sure what you did to miss it.

In the search box enter: Canada below face

You get: http://www.ebay.ca/sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_from=R40&_nkw=canada+below+face&_sop=16

Then do the same on search engines.

38e_avenue · ‎07-18-2014

@mr.elmwood wrote:
38e? Are you actually reading these threads?

Not really. Don't have time to read the posts. Prefer to spent it to list new items.

38e_avenue · ‎07-18-2014

@pierrelebel wrote:
"not able to find any."

Pretty easy to find. Not sure what you did to miss it.

In the search box enter: Canada below face

You get: http://www.ebay.ca/sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_from=R40&_nkw=canada+below+face&_sop=16

Then do the same on search engines.

Perfect! Thank you for this link. I am from Quebec, English is not my first language - still don't understand what "Canada below face" means! 😉

38e_avenue · ‎07-18-2014

@mr.elmwood wrote:
38e? Are you actually reading these threads? There are at least regulars on this board who re-market postage.

Because they market postage, they also know who does it in bulk.

You are probably not reading, too. I explained in my earlier post, that using stamps would automatically cancel my Top Rates status on US Ebay, so that was not an option at all.

pierrelebel · ‎07-18-2014

"using stamps would automatically cancel my Top Rates status on US Ebay,"

No. Using postage stamps would NOT cancel your TRS status. You misunderstood something somewhere.

38e_avenue · ‎07-18-2014

@pierrelebel wrote:
"using stamps would automatically cancel my Top Rates status on US Ebay,"

No. Using postage stamps would NOT cancel your TRS status. You misunderstood something somewhere.

Of course will. You are not Top Rated on US Ebay, so you don't know the rules.

38e_avenue · ‎07-18-2014

I ship Light Packets to US, the "fake" tracking number provided by CP was accepted by US Ebay as a proof of shipment.

If I switch to letters I would save about 2 dollars on a shipment.

To maintain my TRS status I would need to send the parcels as Tracked Packet, so I would pay about 12 dollars instead of 3, which would make my business financially not profitable anymore.

So the answer is: THEORETICALLY IS POSSIBLE to maintain the US TRS status using stamps, but in real life IT'S NOT POSSIBLE.

I thought we are talking here about REAL LIFE.

pjcdn2005 · ‎07-19-2014

Canada below face = Canadian stamps at a price lower than the value on the stamp (face value)

38e_avenue · ‎07-19-2014

@pjcdn2005 wrote:
Canada below face = Canadian stamps at a price lower than the value on the stamp (face value)

Merci!

pierrelebel · ‎07-19-2014

"so you don't know the rules."

From time to time, I see a comment on eBay discussion boards that really shakes my confidence. That was one of them. Is it possible that I do not know the rules? Maybe this poster - who for some reason does not use his selling ID to post - knows something I do not. On the question of TRS on eBay.com? Is it possible? Really?

After a long searching examination of my knowledge on the subject, I decided to repeat my statement:

Using postage stamps would NOT cancel your TRS status. The loss of status on eBay.com is determined by the type of shipping service used, not how you pay for it (postage stamps or PayPal or Canada Post or UPS or whatever).

And yes, I do know what I am talking about although I do not feel like wasting my time trying to explain the rules here.

Insulting other posters is not how you will get help here.

tobyshitzu · ‎07-19-2014

He is right that non tracked light packet/small packet from paypal only kept TRS because of the "fake tracking number" counting as uploading tracking, while sticking stamps on didn't as there was no number involved.

Not sure why anyone cared about having TRS when they would have the discount anyway from the ,ca criteria, but hes right about the difference

38e_avenue · ‎07-19-2014

"Insulting" means to say you are wrong..?

Here the BASIC rules about TRS on Ebay.com.

To maintain your TRS on Ebay.com we need to provide TRACKING NUMBERS for more than 90% of sold items.

Using PayPal shipping labels we get some kind of internal Canada Post tracking, still recognized by EBAY.COm as a valid tracking number.

And now:

1. (NO STAMPS) If you print your label for Small Packet from PayPal you get your tracking number.

2. (STAMPS) If you put stamps on the Small Packet / Light Packet package and go to the Post Office, YOU WILL NOT GET ANY tracking number.

So your statement is FALSE. Not only the type of the service counts, but also HOW DO YOU PAY FOR THAT.

Using stamps = no tracking = no TRS.

38e_avenue · ‎07-19-2014

@toby**bleep**zu wrote:
He is right that non tracked light packet/small packet from paypal only kept TRS because of the "fake tracking number" counting as uploading tracking, while sticking stamps on didn't as there was no number involved.

Not sure why anyone cared about having TRS when they would have the discount anyway from the ,ca criteria, but hes right about the difference

Thank you for your support.

Concerning TRS - I don't really care. I lost it about two years ago for few months for some "where is my item" DSR. And believe or not, these months were my very best since I sell on Ebay (2002). It gives to think!