Free Shipping

[debbienight]

is it OK to offer Free shipping  in the body of the listing if the purchaser uses the Buy It Now feature but charge for shipping if it goes through the auction process ( no one uses the BIN feature)

An example would be Doowop auction listing with a $5.00 start bid and $15.00 shipping or use BIN for $20.00 includes free shipping.

[pierrelebel]

Yes it is possible - many sellers do it - but I most strongly advise against it.

Buyers do not read.  They will see "free shipping", place a bid, and be very quick to file a complaint or leave negative feedback when they are sent an invoice with shipping charge.

[rose-dee]

I agree with Pierre - doing this would be a recipe for a defect, and it's best to avoid as many of those as possible these days, i.e. those we actually have some control over. 

Personally, I'd just try listing the item with BIN for the $20 with free shipping -- you'll probably get a quicker sale anyway.  

[femmefan1946]

I agree.

Further, the customer who opens a $5 auction then sees a $15 shipping charge will backbutton out of there, muttering about gouging.

If you are happy with $5 for your item, and it will cost $15 to ship, go with the $20 and Free Shipping model. It works better.

[ricarmic]

My perspective is to assume that the buyers:

-see the first picture only

-never read anything aside from the title and the automagic things like the free shipping messages

(folks buying stuff via cell phones have to do extra work to read the descriptions etc and from what I see lots of people just buy based on the primary picture and the listing title only. I am forever getting questions that are clearly answered in the item listing description and/or in the extra pictures!)

That was the long version of agreeing with everyone else above..........