****for newcomers to this topic, my apology, there is no short answer. I've gone to great lengths to make things consise and readable. No pain no gain *****
Hi @regs43 , @triber @msmaggie060 . I see the regulars are hashing out this same issue all over again on another thread from last October... I'm not going over there. No need to rehash on another thread.
@regs43 said "Maybe In Time with Music has some suggestions as he works with larger items. Flat rate shipping isnt perfect but there are things you can do to keep it from going too wrong. I lose money on some sales but on the majority I make 50cents and it all balances out, but I dont lose sales becasue people cant combine with ease in the cart".
@regs43 You are correct and also commended for explaining what to do that may work. You're right in suggesting that sthe item weight and dimensions needs to be accounted for. How I did that was to use Business Policies for the variables. Including "Free Pickup" I have 14 shipping Business Policies. They account for size but also for insurance and packing labour in some cases. For example I sold a large xylophone to a buyer in Edmonton. It went out UPS needed insurance and took 4 hours to build a container and pack it. Those cost paramters were built into a general Business Policy that can be used for other similar items.
- To repeat I do not think eBay can provide a "one size fits all" system for 18 million sellers selling 1.7 billion items. That said @lotzofuniquegoodies and the rest are justified in requesting a permanent "Request Total" option on the app and on the regular platform. But that option is contrary to the "Immediate Payment" most sellers & eBay seem to want. Requesting a total DELAYS payment.
- In 2019 I got tired of losing sales like the rest so...
I did exactly what @regs43 describes. I went into Account Settings and fined tuned. I found due to the increases in freight costs I could not "Add on a Dollar" for each item. It was the opposite. In order to compete I changed my settings to "ship on fumes".
- @regs43 "I lose money on some sales but on the majority I make 50cents and it all balances out, but I dont lose sales becasue people cant combine with ease in the cart".
Some sellers still think they can put freight profit in their pockets selling shipping for retail prices. They pocket eBay or Shippo discount margins. Maybe if you sell stamps... Not us. I sell a variety and have to compete mostly with USA sellers.
As well as shipping at cost I removed any "add on per item" handling charge. NOTE: Depending on WHAT and WHERE you sell you're settings may be different.
I find eBay's back end shipping preference settings a complex mess. I'm not sure why folks talk about "Request Total" buttons without asking that the Account Settings be all in one place, simple to set and no "drill downs" to hide things. This is where many sellers (including me) run into trouble and sometimes give up..
After figuring that out things improved but it wasn't enough to have the setting working. In the event of an error in the shipping combination you need to slow down the CHECKOUT. If you don't and the sale completes you may lose a few bucks. there are 2 ways to slow down your buyer.
- Remove "Immediate Payment Required".
- Tell them nicely in every listing how to Request a Total. Put it in your listing template. Even if they can't find an app radio button they now know they can request a total because you have told them they can. Maybe they send you a DM or maybe they move off the phone onto a laptop. It doesn't matter. Now you're in a convo with your buyer before checkout and you can direct them. Meanwhile they are in your store the whole time adding stuff to their cart.
No seller has to do any of these 4 things. In the case of @triber I agree with @regs43. This would work to sell sewing patterns in Canada, the continental USA and Puerto Rico. I don't know what patterns weigh. A 400g package ships from Kelowna to Florida Tr Pkt USA for $16.92 (with the seller discount) plus your packaging materials. Given USPS increases it's competive with the USA.
You cannot sell at retail frieght or add "Handling Charges" per item unless you are losing money. You must build in your actual cost so if an item sells for $200 you need to account for $100 in extra insurance. The only way I know how is through Business Policies.
It may take time and failure to tweak and find the balance of Settings, Business Policies, Listing templates etc. Is it worth it? It sure was for me. Once sorted out and informing buyers that "Request Total" was a "thing" whethoer or not they could see a radio button the number of CS sales doubled in 2021. In 2022 they increased again by 33%.
Now, most of the time, if the buyer doesn't request a total the shipping is close to accurate and whoopee! I sold three items not 1! If the buyer does request a total I can thank them, let them know if or when I may get something else of interest and plant seeds for repeat business.
After having my own retail store for 20 years I don't subscribe to "Slam Bam Thank You Mam" AKA "Immediate Payment".
IT
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