Multiple Paypal Payments per 1 Shipment

[cc_stamps]

Customer paid for a few items, they all packed and ready to ship next day. However, customer bought a few more items, I combined shipment and only charged 60 cents for shipping which covered paypal and ebay additional fees. My rate of 'Shipping and handling charges' drops.

How do you handle this kind of situation ? Absorb that 60 cents yourself ? Or same as me, charge the least amount 60 cents ?

Thanks in advance.

[femmefan1946]

It is possible to change an invoice to make the shipping cost $0.00.

DON'T HIT RECALCULATE.

If the extra sale doesn't change the cost of shipping, I don't change the shipping charge. If it goes down, I might even refund a loonie or two (if it's less than a loonie, I don't. De minimus...) 

If you are using stamps, and most stamp dealers do have lots of mint postage at hand, your costs are already below what the PO would charge you.

[cc_stamps]

Yes, the shipping cost is the same.

Just that was the second Paypal payment for the same shipment, I needed to pay another Paypal transaction fee and eBay shipping fee the second time. So, I put this cost back to buyer. Sounds like using Paypal may not be a good idea, it costs a lot.

[pierrelebel]

Whenever buyers make multiple payments for combined transactions, I absorb the extra PayPal fee ($0.30 per payment) as a cost of doing business.

[mr.elmwood]

Had a customer pay a premium price for a couple of widgets. I was "entitled" to the full shipping costs they paid on the individual widgets. I trimmed my packaging and cut them half back on the cost.

If ya need to add in 60¢, there is a problem with yer business model.

[pjcdn2005]

If ya need to add in 60¢, there is a problem with yer business model.

Or, it means that their average item price is about 1/10 or less of your average selling price. It's easier to absorb .60 cents on 3 - $25 sales than on 3 - $2 sales.

[rose-dee]

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@pjcdn2005 wrote:

If ya need to add in 60¢, there is a problem with yer business model.

Or, it means that their average item price is about 1/10 or less of your average selling price. It's easier to absorb .60 cents on 3 - $25 sales than on 3 - $2 sales.

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You have a point -- I see that many of the OP's listings seem to be under $3.00, in fact most are $2 or less.  Unless you're looking at a combined sale of 10 or 15 items or more, a $0.60 charge would seem reasonable.  

If I were the OP, with his/her listings as they are, I'd probably only collect the Paypal fees from the buyer on multiple purchases of 5 or less.  

To the OP -- I don't sell stamps (Pierre could no doubt be of more help here), but wouldn't it be possible for you to group related items or items from one country into lots of 5 to 10 items at a higher set price?  At least you don't have the problem that many of us have that 5 combined items can add up to a lot of weight and a pretty big box, meaning sometimes not that much savings for the buyer in shipping costs. 

[pierrelebel]

"OP's listings seem to be under $3.00, in fact most are $2 or less."

... and that is the problem.  Most professional stamp dealers listing and selling on eBay have long ago stopped selling items worth less than $8.00.

By the time one adds fees at eBay and PayPal, packing, invoicing and mailing, there is no money left to pay for one's time. As a hobby, it could be a lot of fun.  However as a business, it makes no sense at all.

[ricarmic]

As Rose says.....if the op searches in my ebay store for "china" they will see that that is exactly what I do... I sell combo lots.....and as Pierre (another stamp guy) says $10 minimum is a good rule of thumb for a lot price......

[ricarmic]

Ooops sorry $8 is Pierres number, mine is $10

[ricarmic]

Thought op might get use of this thread I opened a while ago about how much time it takes to sell one lot..... http://community.ebay.ca/t5/Seller-Central/My-experience-so-how-long-does-it-take-me-to-sell-1-ebay-...