New to ebay - can someone check my listings so far?

[blushingsweet]

Hi, I just created my first 2 listings. Before I continue, I would love your feedback to ensure I have listed them properly? Especially when it comes to shipping! I'm not sure what to put in the fixed charge. I was going to put free shipping but again still don't know how much to include in my price. 

Also, it seems it would be worth it to have a scale at home, correct?

Thanks so much!

[2nd-time-around-jewelry]

First of all as a new seller, I would suggest that you limit your selling to only Canada & the US for now.  It also depends on what you are selling? I didn't see any of your listings to look at.  I ship all my items in Canada by Canada Post Expedited as it comes with insurance & a tracking number. Smaller items can be easily sent to the US with Small Packet either untracked or with tracking. And larger items can be sent to the US by Canada Post Expedited which again comes with insurance & tracking.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

Never hurts to check eBay for current and ended/sold listings of the similar item(s). Also, you can do some power googling with as much info as possible and check products and pictures for a better idea. Try a few different combinations with your search words. A small accurate scale is an excellent investment to get accurate amounts for shipping. Making a few small purchases on eBay with prompt payments can get you a few feedbacks hopefully to get you started. Feedback has become very random as of late. Base the scale size on the items you plan to sell. Accuracy is the most important concern.  For packaging your items, the best place to visit is your local dollar store for cheapie supplies and a small variety of free boxes if you ask really nice.  Remember, the smaller you can safely package your items the cheaper your final postage will be.  🙂

-CM

[femmefan1946]

You don't have any listing up at the moment, but don't worry, eBay does tell you that it may take up to 24 hours for a new listing to 'index' and appear online.

I'm not sure what to put in the fixed charge.

https://www.canadapost.ca/cpotools/apps/far/business/findARate?execution=e1s1

If you are shipping by Canada Post on dot CA, you have a choice of Fixed Price (which includes Free Shipping) or Calculated Shipping.

If your items are under 2cm thick and 500 grams

• only use metric. Canada Post went metric in 1974, everything else is guesswork.

you can use LetterMail/ Oversize Lettermail.

BUT you can also list on dotCOM in US dollars and use Flat Rate Shipping.  This is another discussion but many US buyers never look at listings in other currencies.

If your item is heavier than 500 grams and thicker than 2cm, you MUST use a parcel rate.

You also have to use Parcel Rates if you want Confirmation of Delivery.

• confirmation is not available on every service.
• Registered Mail is expensive and does not give confirmation by the standard of eBay or Paypal.

I was going to put free shipping but again still don't know how much to include in my price. 

 I'm happy to see you understand that Free Shipping means the cost of shipping is included in the asking price. Many long-term sellers don't seem to understand that.

The chart will help, but remember parcel rates are also based on distance.

K1S 0A6/ A0P IC0/ V9R 0H5

Do some playing with the Canada Post website with those three postal codes (House of Commons in Ottawa, GooseBay NL city hall, Nanaimo BC city hall) to see what the differences might be.

Generally, if you are shipping a parcel, go with Calculated.

Have you found the more detailed Advanced Sell Your Item Form? I think the link is at the top right of the over-simplified one eBay foists on newbies.

it seems it would be worth it to have a scale at home, correct?

Absolutely!

I got mine at Canadian Tire, StarFrit under $20 and weighs up to five kilos. Indispensible.

But do some buying - poly envelopes, tissue paper, spices, pens-- anything small useful and cheap. Compare the number of FB the seller has left to the number she has received. There should be more left than received. That shows she leaves FB first, which you want at this point. (It's not really all that important in the long run.)