Online Selling and Shipping Costs

[freedomatlast]

I've found items I've listed as free shipping with the shipping cost already baked in seem to move faster than the ones that I list with the shipping cost listed separately. I figured this was because the customer really only cares about what the total price is and would just as soon not have to add the two together to come up with the total cost. But who knows for sure. On very heavy items I sometimes list the shipping cost separately since the shipping cost usually becomes a higher percentage of the total cost.

Recently I've cut way back on the amount of items I list on ebay and have found other interest specific sites to be an easier and more economical way to unload the items.

 

[Aerides]

I figured this was because the customer really only cares about what the total price is and would just as soon not have to add the two together to come up with the total cost.

I think it's even simpler. You want (as a seller) to have the fewest decision points between someone seeing your listing and checking out. Just the extra step of saying "oh hum plus shipping" will cause some people to stop in their tracks, or leave it in their cart and go away. And a majority of buyers do not do the math.

 

[razztazz]

Ebay has a shipping calculator that I have found helpful. You can put in the item weight and box size, and it will show the shipping costs across UPS/USPS/Fedex if you sold it from their site.

D'OH! I always have a way of assuming this stuff is going to be harder than it is! Thanks

 

[Sunset]

It's a big difference as a buyer if you prefer to buy from sellers that include 100% satisfaction guarantees.

A $20 item + $10 shipping that doesn't work out costs me $10 to return, as original shipping charges are rarely refunded. A $30 item with free shipping costs me $0.

....

As a buyer, I have the same view and on some sites I see that some sellers play this 'game'.

There would be something listed for $10 free shipping and another seller lists it for $1 plus $8.50 shipping.

If I need to return it, I can be unhappy with my $1 refund

 

[Sunset]

I rarely sell things, but am trying to use the excuse of decluttering or prep for a move. So sold a canoe and roto-tiller, etc.

I have found for these occasional items, that the sites nextdoor and craigslist are great as I'm not going to ship heavy things, and they are free to sell upon.

While I do have some stuff that probably would sell faster or for more on ebay, I also figure I'd get eaten alive by the pro scammers, and end up shipping my stuff and refunding them the money.

 

[Sunset]

My point was just that income has always been reportable whether a 1099 was issued or not. Now people are suddenly upset that they’re going to get a 1099. If they had been properly reporting all along, getting a 1099 makes no difference. This will be my first year getting a 1099 from eBay since 1997 but it’s a non-issue to me. I’ve filed a schedule C for 25 years.

I'm guessing, but if you turn a profit, then this would entitle a person to open a self-401K which has the advantage of high limits on deposits (~61K per yr).

 

[disneysteve]

There would be something listed for $10 free shipping and another seller lists it for $1 plus $8.50 shipping.

Years ago, sellers did that to avoid the final value fee. Then eBay got smart and started charging the fee on the shipping price too. So now there’s not really any benefit except on the rare occasion that something gets returned.

 

[disneysteve]

I'm guessing, but if you turn a profit, then this would entitle a person to open a self-401K which has the advantage of high limits on deposits (~61K per yr).

Yes or a SEP-IRA which is what I have. I don’t need a 1099 to do that. Getting the 1099 really won’t change anything. It’s just one more piece of paper to give my accountant.

 

[Callitaday2022]

My wife was waiting on box to ship her work computer back this morning. I'm looking out window waiting for HVAC guy, and FedEx drives right past without stopping. She gets text or email saying undeliverable. Fed Ex didn't even try to stop and ring doorbell also confirms. I'm going to be trying to sell lots of stuff soon, so thanks everyone for the excellent advice

 

[COcheesehead]

It's a big difference as a buyer if you prefer to buy from sellers that include 100% satisfaction guarantees.

A $20 item + $10 shipping that doesn't work out costs me $10 to return, as original shipping charges are rarely refunded. A $30 item with free shipping costs me $0.

I don't return items often, as I shop carefully before buying, but I still always filter by "free shipping" and never buy anything final sale. I like having the option to return if quality is poor or item differs from what I expected/read.

eBay has a buyer guarantee so it doesn’t matter if the seller does not take returns. Also under a number of circumstances, the seller has to credit back shipping.

 

[m3bs]

Consider shipping large/bulky items by bus. I shipped some items from GA to CA recently. UPS, FedEx, and USPS were all close to $300. I shipped via bus for under $100. It took a couple of weeks, but it worked.

 

[disneysteve]

Consider shipping large/bulky items by bus. I shipped some items from GA to CA recently. UPS, FedEx, and USPS were all close to $300. I shipped via bus for under $100. It took a couple of weeks, but it worked.

How does one do that?

 

[m3bs]

I used busfreighter.com, but when I dropped the boxes off at the bus terminal they told me the cost would have been significantly less if I had simply shipped directly from the terminal instead of pre-paying online. Of course if you don’t have a bus terminal close by it may not be an option. They will do local delivery at a higher cost. My buyer picked them up at the terminal in San Francisco.

 

[disneysteve]

I used busfreighter.com, but when I dropped the boxes off at the bus terminal they told me the cost would have been significantly less if I had simply shipped directly from the terminal instead of pre-paying online. Of course if you don’t have a bus terminal close by it may not be an option. They will do local delivery at a higher cost. My buyer picked them up at the terminal in San Francisco.

Thanks

 

[sengsational]

Case Study: Bulky Item

Yeah, I just want to reiterate that using online shipping sites like Parcelmonkey etc. can save you a LOT of money on shipping.

I recently sent a ~20lb package across the country (GA to CA). UPS and USPS prices were around $60 for the cheapest and slowest option for either. Through parcelmonkey I got the same service for less than half the "official" cost from each. I ended up shipping it UPS ground for $27 (UPS ground price on UPS.com was $59.xx estimate). I assume these sites get volume discounts on shipping and pass some of the savings on to you, but it's still well worth going to them if you can't get such discounts on your own (which most can't).

I shipped a bulky (not real heavy) item sold on eBay recently. I estimated the package to be 44 x 20 x 8 and 10 pounds. This was done when I created the auction. When it came time to ship, I remembered this thread and thought about trying pirateship or parcelmonkey, but it was too easy to just click "print label" right on eBay, so that's what I did...$27 for FedEx Home 28269 to 32806.

The problem with clicking "print label", is that they didn't give me a chance to enter the actual weight and actual dimensions. Not only that, they didn't even give me the estimated specs I typed in when I created the auction, so I could compare to actuals. Hopefully they won't come after me, money wise, if the box was heavier or larger!

It doesn't look like UPS is giving eBay the discount...The same package FedEx Home is doing for $27, UPS is $52! And my listing had UPS first, so that's what the buyers saw unless they clicked into shipping and saw the $27 alternative.

I had to set-up an account for PirateShip to get a price. They didn't have FedEx Home, but offered UPS Ground, also for $27. And USPS for higher.

Parcel Monkey offered $30 for this example, again, no FedEx Home offering. And USPS for higher.

 

[frances]

Buyer ALWAYS pays shipping

I've sold online off-and-on over the years (had an ebay store at one time) and I rarely had "free shipping" - I found it ate into my profit too much.
I decide what I want for my item (I'm never greedy - I try to price things a little under what I see others have been successful at selling the same or similar for) and then say "buyer pays shipping". eBay allows you to add the shipping based on your location and the buyer's location. a postal scale isn't expensive ($30 for one I think) and you can decide the size box, weigh everything, measure, and let eBay figure the shipping on the auction.
I've not sold anywhere other than eBay, so I can't speak to anywhere else.

 

[JoeWras]

Any use "OfferUp"?

 

[FindingForward]

The problem with filtering by free shipping is you often end up overpaying, which is a bigger concern to me. Dealer A charging $20 + $10 shipping. Dealer B charging $35 with “free” shipping. I’ll keep focusing on total cost myself.

Yup: fair point. I guess it's kinda like insurance: Occasionally I pay a bit more upfront for a little more peace of mind - but I always comparison shop offers without free shipping, just to check if there are any big bargains and I'd say 75-80% of the time, it's the same cart total: $10 + $10 shipping or $20 total, free shipping.

Since I hate losses more than I enjoy wins, I'd rather pay a bit more the few times I've had to. Eating the shipping costs on something returned would bug me more than the joy of getting the lowest price.

 

[OldShooter]

... Eating the shipping costs on something returned would bug me more than the joy of getting the lowest price.

The beans are always being swapped among the walnut shells, but AFIK all Amazon returns are paid by them. You just fill out the simple online return form and print the QR code, then drop the package at a UPS store where they scan the QR and print a shipping label. I have always packed returns but I think the UPS store will do the packing for free too.

The UPS store will give you a receipt for the package too. I never worried about this until the time the package missed the shipping scan and Google didn't recognize the return until later on in the process when it was scanned again. But in the mean time I had no proof that I had shipped it.

 

[ERD50]

The beans are always being swapped among the walnut shells, but AFIK all Amazon returns are paid by them. You just fill out the simple online return form and print the QR code, then drop the package at a UPS store where they scan the QR and print a shipping label. ....

Careful. I got a gift I couldn't use, was going to return it, but guess what - it was a 3rd party through Amazon, and shipping would be half the cost of the item, plus my concerns about it getting lost/damaged, and having the return rejected - too much hassle. I gave it away instead.

-ERD50

 

[bigadventure]

Discount Fedex labels printed via ebay can be dropped off at Walgreens if they weigh less than 50#.

Overseas returns are a super problem. First you cannot print or expedite a label because of your location and different foreign rules. eBay requires you to supply the return label and US postage is not acceptable in there country. The buyer cannot just print a return label via ebay. eBay will tell you that if you do not supply the label for return, the buyer gets a full refund without returning the item.

 

[bigadventure]

I am of the opinion that, USED items sold via whatever means should not be taxed. Tax was paid once when it was newly purchased.

Why should i pay sales tax on a used item?

I know used car and truck are taxed again and again. But they have titles.

 

[bigadventure]

Facebook market place now is issuing 1099s.

 

[sengsational]

If you sell something at a loss, like household items that you no longer need, I have always held the position that you don't owe tax on that income. If there was documented income, then you could document an even larger list of expenses (what it cost you to buy the stuff originally) and your "business" could show a loss.

 

[OldShooter]

... Why should i pay sales tax on a used item? ...

Because the taxing authorities say so? Actually in our state there is an exemption for casual sales like at a garage sale when made by someone who is not a dealer in used goods. But that doesn't help when selling through online services.

... Overseas returns are a super problem. ...

Overseas sales, too. Once I made the mistake of selling to someone in Mexico. The package disappeared somewhere in the Mexican postal system and, since the buyer never got the item, eBay charged back his payment. Leaving me with no money and no item

I avoid eBay wherever possible. They are arrogant and expensive. When I started in 1998 and they had only 50 employees, things were pretty good. It has been a steady ride towards arrogance and greed ever since then.