Shipping Question

lkenefic

I've resumed selling on ebay and would typically charge a flat $3.69 for the bubble mailers I send. That covers the mailers, tape, paper, etc, and postage. My bubble mailers are the standard #000 (4 x7 in) and I'll put the coins in 2x2 flips. I've sent over a dozen parcels this way over the last month. The most I've ever been charged is ~$1.20 for 6 coins going to a west coast address... until today. Today, I was charged $5.00... for three coins that sold for the princely sum of $1.04... As you can plainly see, this is not economically viable for me. Great for the Post Office!

So, to ebay sellers that sell lower end stuff... do you eat the cost of shipping on items that hammer for small amounts, do you use ebay shipping (I haven't navigated that yet), or have you just stopped selling smaller value items through ebay?

Inquiring minds, and all... Oh, and to keep it coin related, these are the coins from the auction....

airplanenut

If I sell something that cheap, it's probably something a consignor would consider an accident. That said, I sell everything at auction and charge my shipping rate which is based primarily on weight. My shipping is high for really inexpensive items, but it's not worth it to me to figure out how to ship a few things cheaper among many dozens of higher value packages. With all that said, it sounds like you got charged a package rate at retail at the PO. If you print a label from eBay (or PayPal, or some other online service) you'll pay a lower rate and save the hassle of having to stand in line.

I also think there's an eBay-backed service for very inexpensive items at a yet lower rate, but I don't know the details.

MarkKelley

Check out the eBay Standard Envelope rate for items <$20. One ounce is 53 cents and two is 73 cents.

Cougar1978

Generally I don’t list items online less than $20. I did recently buy some bubble mailers bulk and this computed to 57c each.

Most items I offer free shipx but factor in a transaction fee (similar to what I do at shows as contribution to show expenses) into the sales price to cover shipx, pkg material, my time etc. or shipx plus t&m. Example1 - items less than $100 TF of $5. Items over $100 TF $10 or more (big ticket material).

At shows: For stuff under $20 I have stacks of currency (under $20) and a binder w pages for collector coins in 2x2.

Example 2: mod Commem silver $ seller has $28 cost in it. With Sellers Cost plus 50 pct markup factor = $42 Sell. With trans fee added bin is $47. It may or may not be bin / mo.

lkenefic

@MarkKelley said:
Check out the eBay Standard Envelope rate for items <$20. One ounce is 53 cents and two is 73 cents.

Thanks! I guess I must have bypassed this when I set up the auctions this go 'round. It's been several years since I sold anything and I think ebay kept my defaults?? I also had an issue with the micro deposits hitting my account... that precipitated anear hour long phonecall.

Anyway, thanks again for the suggestion. I'll definitely go this route on my next auctions. Just seems like the only people really making out are ebay and the USPS..

MasonG

@lkenefic said:
Just seems like the only people really making out are ebay and the USPS..

Not so sure about that- eBay Standard Envelope rate has made selling low value items practical. And where else are you going to get insurance plus tracking for 53 cents?