Free Shipping

[maddkatt06]

I am feeling kind of stuck right now and not sure what to do. Ebay really pushes offering "free shipping" but they also push tracking your shipments  but tracking outside canada is crazy expensive.  I have two international customers open a case because they're stuff hasn't arrived, I sent it without tracking and that still cost an absurd amount of money. I can't control how long things take to show up and I feel like the window offered for things to arrive in is just too short. I've told the customers there is no tracking, one was told more than once but they keep asking for a tracking number and I just ended up refunding one of them already even though she will likely her stuff for free now. the other isn't responding to my message I sent and I keep getting a reminder from Ebay to resolve this already or they could be asked to step in. I feel like im being punished for something I can't control. When you buy things from somewhere like aliexpress they make you wait 60 days for the item to arrive which is far more realistic than 30 days.

I cut my prices to take out the surface rate shipping and then set up calculated shipping but I foresee my sales dropping off completely. Tracking on most of my items will cost over $50.

Has anyone else managed to find a happy medium with the two? how many untracked packages do you send out and have customers claim non receipt for?

[ricarmic]

Here are two threads I published earlier:

I send only about 15% of my items tracked and I send many many packages....

https://community.ebay.ca/t5/Seller-Central/Self-insurance-cookie-jar-RICARMICs-statistics-to-2017/m...

Portions of this may help get $$$ afterward, feel free to use whatever works for your situation

http://community.ebay.ca/t5/Seller-Central/RICARMICs-INR-where-is-my-package-updated-2016-form-lette...

[ricarmic]

I ship stuff up to bankers boxes, generally free shipping. (I am a stamp guy)

I sell mostly on .COM but also am ramping up .CA (for material more likely to interest Canadians)

Normally in my world I'm able to incorporate the shipping into the price. Buyers seem to be able to identify the best price with shipping out vs free (ie I don't lose out to buyers buying something with shipping added afterward because it seems cheaper)

I've also for problematic countries like Brazil and China, forced them to pay for tracking. This greatly reduced the small purchases, but the buyers tend to group stuff together to get enough to make the tracked shipping palatable.

I'm in a rush today so I may think of other stuff to add later but this will give some thoughts anyway...

[maddkatt06]

stamps can be sent in envelopes, letter rate and parcel are different. the cheapest rate for me tracking is $50. I can't work that into my price.

[happy_pigeon]

Naturally, I defer to the much more experienced sellers in this thread, but the idea I have is to offer two shipping services--one that's free and untracked, and one that's tracked and a little more costly (you can decide if you want to "eat" some of that cost to encourage sales, or let the customer pay the full price). Then, just make very clear in your listing descriptions that the free service, should they choose it, does not include tracking.

[femmefan1946]

Read what ricarmic said.
He sells stamps -- sometimes by the banker's box.
A bankers box is about two feet by 18" by 18" .
Fill it with paper and you're into the 10-15kg range.
And a single stamp can sell for a buck or for $250,000 like this one.
https://canadianstampnews.com/166-year-old-stamp-sets-canadian-record-ottawa-auction/

[femmefan1946]

Free Shipping isn't free.

It just means that the cost of shipping is included in the asking price for the item.

Which is cheaper?

A $10 item with $5 shipping?

or a $15 item with Free Shipping?

 I can't control how long things take to show up and I feel like the window offered for things to arrive in is just too short.

Are you using Surface Shipping?

Don't do that.

Keep in mind that while sellers choose the shipping service to provide prompt and secure delivery, it is paid for by the buyer.

If the buyer can't afford prompt and secure delivery, he doesn't have to buy and the seller has no responsibility to lower his standards to suit the buyer's pocketbook.

Some sales are not worth having.

In any case, Canada Post gives us fewer choices than USPS.

We cannot add tracking* to our shipments, we can only choose between tracked and untracked services.

Which means that Canadian sellers use Calculated Shipping and list on eBaydotCA for bulky items, and take advantage of Flat Rate and Free Shipping on dotCOM for small, lightweight and lowvalue items.

*Registration can be added to LetterPost, but is only trackable within Canada. This is true of all UPU postal systems and yes, it is a recent change. EBay and Paypal do not accept Registration as proof of delivery.

[ricarmic]

Here's a bankers box (a bit different dimensions but same capacity as a Xerox sized box) of stamps etc, example....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/WW-boxlot-bankers-box-full-of-bags-covers-bulk-who-knows-what-lurks-here/38...

[pjcdn2005]

I don't think that ebay has ever suggested that shipping be free internationally and I doubt that very many sellers ship for free outside of their own country.   There are also many sellers who charge for domestic shipping. It really depends on a number of things and each seller has to decide for themselves if it is something that works for them.  The only time I ever consider having 'free' shipping in a listing for Canadian buyers is if the item is flat and can be sent using lettermail.  But I often do include part of the shipping cost in the item cost so that shipping doesn't look quite as expensive.

Most of us who post regularly on this board would never use surface shipping overseas because it does take too long and very few customers are going to be that patient.As far as using tracking, that again has to be your decision and depends on your risk tolerance. Many of us don't use tracking if an item sells under a specific amount but some use it all the time.  I do believe that most people are honest and if you use a relatively fast service and they are given realistic delivery dates there are few problems even if there is no tracking. 

There are some changes coming up regarding inr claims though so that's something that we will have to take into consideration as well. The changes I'm referring to are mentioned in this portion of the Sellers Summer update.  https://pages.ebay.ca/seller-centre/news/seller-updates/2018-summer/selling-metrics-and-shipping.htm...

Shipping with Canada Post is very expensive and if an item is relatively inexpensive, few people are going to want to pay a lot of money just for shipping.  Have you looked into using DYK Post out of Calgary? They do have a drop off point in Edmonton and they will ship your items using USPS. I have no idea of what they charge on top of the USPS postage.   USPS first class international does have tracking to some countries and then you could also use domestic first class for items going to the US.

[pjcdn2005]

I personally don't think that it is worth listing more than one option because 99+% of buyers are going to choose the less expensive one.  Since buyers are protected from inr's with ebay's MBG there really is no reason for them to pay a lot extra just so that they can have tracking. I'm not a big fan of mentioning it in the listing either that there is no tracking on a specific service although I know that some sellers do put that in their listing.  I would worry that a statement like that would attract that odd person that really isn't honest. But obviously we all have our own way of doing things so your suggestions might work for some. 🙂

[ricarmic]

It is worth noting that some of the stuff I'm listing on .CA is heavy enough that it isn't fair to the Canadians buying it to have to pay the amount it would cost to send to folks in USA, so I've made those free shipping to Canada and have added a charge to folks in USA (and internationally but theirs is higher).

Much to my surprise some of these have been selling to folks in the US which I did not expect!

An example (this goes in a "pizza box" sized box).

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Canada-FDC-first-day-covers-50-different-Canada-Post-2000-2013-era/20232665...

[maddkatt06]

I sent airmail but the time frame is still too short. ebay says 30 days canada post says up to 60

[maddkatt06]

I seem to get alot of international customers, most popular is australia! there has to be a happy medium. I thought airmail would be fine but holy **bleep** even that is so slow. and then things get stuck in customs. I refunded one buyer but this other one I asked her to wait a little longer shipping to Korea from Canada can take up to two months according to canada post

[maddkatt06]

ive spoken with them before but shipping to US isnt an issue its pretty quick I find. my orders are mostly international. I used airmail but its still slow as a molasses. I wish there were more options for shipping things in Canada. 

[femmefan1946]

ebay says 30 days canada post says up to 60

Ah.

You may be misunderstanding.

The clock for Disputes (for Item Not Received et al) starts on the last estimated date for delivery which eBay gives the buyer.

And then the Dispute mechanism is available for 30 days after that.

So.

If you are paid on June 10 .

And eBay tells your buyer that delivery will take 20 days.

The buyer can open a Dispute on June 30.

If eBay tells your buyer that delivery will take 40 days- the buyer cannot open a dispute until July 10.

While you should always try to get your sold items into the mail as soon as possible, having the longest acceptable handling time can be a strong seller protection here.

If you sell on June 10

And handling is given as 10 days

And eBay says delivery will take 20 days

If you ship on June 10, the last estimated date for delivery will be July 10 not June 30.

I still love your choice of products-- but keep in mind that you are selling luxuries to the willing.

A fair shipping time and fair shipping cost is not the same as the lowest cost .

[femmefan1946]

Give your shipment enough time to arrive, then get back in touch with your Australian customer and ask to have the refund repaid.

Worth a shot.

Most people are honest, if a little impatient.

[ricarmic]

---

@maddkatt06 wrote:

I seem to get alot of international customers, most popular is australia! there has to be a happy medium. I thought airmail would be fine but holy **bleep** even that is so slow. and then things get stuck in customs. I refunded one buyer but this other one I asked her to wait a little longer shipping to Korea from Canada can take up to two months according to canada post

---

Hmm some of the mystery may be solved. Till now I hadn't looked at what you sell. As far as I know Australia is very very restrictive about foodstuffs in the mail.... you'll have to check the customs rules about that. I don't know what they do with stuff that isn't allowed, whether it is returned or not.

Check here....

https://www.canadapost.ca/cpotools/apps/wtz/business/displaySpecialRequirements?execution=e1s1

[maddkatt06]

That's an interesting idea about the processing time. If I mail it asap does it still give me that ten days? Or should I ship it asap an snit mark it shipped until the date it should be? Most of my  candy fits on a small mailer so I mean I can mail airmail under twenty bucks and offer a price that includes the shipping  If what you're suggesting will work out. I think that's a clever idea I never thought of it 

[maddkatt06]

So far my Australian customers haven't complained. One from Korea but I messaged her and said it takes time please wait a little longer but the one I refunded was to lithuania so I mean I'm not terribly surprised... 

[musicyouneed]

Hi Ricarmic; I would like to thank you for sharing your responses.  I have used them several times in fact had to go searching through old threads to find them.  I have now copied them to word to have handy.  Thanks again.