Lots of sellers do not understand the options and what they mean. I am guessing some even think you need to list "in" the country you are selling to.
I choose "standard shipping from outside the US" as my mailing choice. I say in the listing "no tracking number".
Most of that has to do with shipping quotes. I was a die hard advocate of widget plus shipping. I have changed my beliefs.
Society, I "think", is rapidly switching to the "free" shipping model. I prefer the expression of shipping "included". Oh well, I can want anything my little ehart desires. Doesn't mean i am going to get it.
I do like the phrase you use: "shipping quote". That is far more accurate than "actual shipping" which never is. Again, a phrase I do not like.
I have noticed a swift and radical move to free shipping being used by my American competitors. Except for when I am listing multiples, I am switching over to the shipping included model.I just had the best month in over 2 1/2 years, by a lot. Like, double.
What am I learning? I am learning that buyers are searching and/or buying on mobile devices. Shipping, as an additional charge, is not mobile device friendly. Buyers have to stop what they are doing and use their device as a calculator to figure out the final price, that or click through to see the final cost.
"Buyers can just learn to add". Yeah, live in that world. Buyers want the description, picture, final price all in one little window. You want to drive away customers? Make them do work they do not want to do.
I have noticed this behaviour in myself. You want to add layers to the sale? I will shop somewhere else. These changes, I have noticed in my world, are only in the last 6-12 months.
The complexity of shipping services, prices, options, etc? Who wants that? No-one except for selelrs who think complexity elevates simplicity.
What I want is "Tell me the final price, what it is, when I will get it".
@cumos55 wrote:
Yet eBay states the following...
If you offer free shipping in your listing—and we can confirm the buyer did not pay for shipping—you'll automatically receive a 5-star rating on your shipping and handling charges detailed seller rating..
The logic of eBay's statement escapes me ... if a seller includes the cost of shipping in the price?
Yes, you make a very good point here. This has bothered me too. Basically, along with sellers who really do offer free shipping, eBay is rewarding sellers who add shipping to their prices, whether completely or partially. I find this rather disingenuous and unfair to buyers.
As Mr. E. points out, simplicity probably trumps every time now that so many people are buying via mobile, yet does this mean "easy at all costs"? Even if you know you may be paying for your own shipping? Apparently many buyers and sellers think so, but will they come back to eBay if they later realize they may have been a just a little bit burned?
I'm not convinced eBay should be giving out 5 automatic stars in all such cases, but the problem is how to determine which is which -- is it truly free shipping, or is it hidden shipping? (I just love the euphemism sellers have dreamt up -- "shipping included" -- to prettify what they're really doing). And if it's hidden shipping, is it really a better deal than if the shipping were separated out and shown clearly? I think it takes an experienced and wary buyer to answer that question.
We've always been told by eBay that buyers want to know precisely what they're paying in shipping costs -- yet that's not what happens with "hidden shipping". To my mind, there's a little bit of hopeful deception going on with sellers who roll the whole of the shipping cost into their item prices. Effectively the buyer has only him/herself to blame if they accept an item at the total cost shown and end up subsidizing their own shipping costs.
I know there are two camps to this argument, but I prefer to stay solidly on the side of giving my customers the best deal I can possibly manage on shipping, along with competitive item prices. I won't pull the wool over my buyers' eyes. So I either subsidize my buyers' shipping rates or I do offer truly free shipping. In either case, I do forfeit some profit in the hope of more sales, and/or of attracting repeat buyers.
Now if only eBay could just fix that U.S. cart, I might be able to get back to where I was a year ago....
Cumos, when they first started hyping free shipping, I gave it a whirl. It did not work. Sales were as my shelf price appeared higher. I quit that idea very quickly.
Now, the majority of my competition is using free shipping and my sales were off as the shelf price was not all-inclusive.
INR claims are a myth. Loss rates on eBay sales is far below retail rates. Every seller is going to lose something sometime. So what? It is built into my overhead.
If I am braver, then some have made business, personal. There are no emotions in business. As the expression goes "I will believe a business is a person when Texas executes one".
Now, the majority of my competition is using free shipping and my sales were off as the shelf price was not all-inclusive.
INR claims are a myth. Loss rates on eBay sales is far below retail rates. Every seller is going to lose something sometime. So what? It is built into my overhead.
If I am braver, then some have made business, personal. There are no emotions in business. As the expression goes "I will believe a business is a person when Texas executes one".
@cumos55 wrote:A business is an expression, a reflection, of the person that runs that business..
On eBay that person starts the business, and runs `the business...
The success of that business depends on the ability of that person to make it happen... to deal with people in a situation where there is no personal, face-to-face contact.... and more...
People who have personal problems... have problems dealing with people in all kinds of situations, have problems selling on eBay.
I see these people on eBay.com discussion boards .... they can do no wrong.....
If you want to sell on eBay... My recommendation is that you stand in front of a mirror and ask..
Who am I? ... How do I relate with people?... How do people respond to me?
It is important to be very honest.....
Selling on eBay starts with a person.... and success ...or ... otherwise depends on who that person is....
I about fell off my chair laughing. Yes Cumos, the finger pointers. The holier than thou. The blamers. The "It is eBay's fault". I have been cheated. I will sue!
The ones that telephone eBay ever day. They are on hold for hours, talk to five different Peggys, determined to get their eternal salvation from the Mother Ship. All for a few lousy dollars.
