bbarsh wrote:I don't understand why he does not use tracking, though. There are way too many extortionists, errr, I mean buyers who just wait for something to arrive without tracking.
Whale Tagger wrote: I always try to get the shipping as close to cost as possible; I never charge a handleme fee. Handling is the cost of doing business.
TheMilford wrote:I sorta of agree... but I add a flat rate of $0.25 on every sale to try to cover some of the money I have to spend on Bubble wrap, Sleeves and backer-boards and ink and paper... it's not much for the seller and it's just little for me to cover those expenses. Beyond this small fee I charge EXACTLY what it costs me to ship... none of this "$5 for first item and $2 for each additional" Bullshit.If I can fit the items a customer buys in a flat-rate envelope or box with adequate protection (cardboard flats, bubbles and kraft-wrap, etc.) then I ship it for the cost of the Flate-Rate. I also have been known to refund the difference if the buyer and I work out a cheaper method of shipping.
Cardboard Carnage wrote:I always charge a dollar over shipping cost, and I can figure out exact shipping here with my stamps.com account instantly. The reason I charge the dollar is for bubble wrap, tape, peanuts, paper, ink, etc., like you had said, all of those things are there and they do add up. Plus the post office is a solid 60+ miles for me round trip as well, so for me, gas is a big factor.edit - just to add to this post, I have never had a complaint about my shipping or price. I also don't care if someone marks something up a buck, or even two... but five or more is getting up there for sure.
TheMilford wrote:I've never had a complaint either but for some reason my DSR for shipping cost is 4.5... Totall CRAP!that is why I have this in everyauction now:"Please leave positive feedback, along with 5 stars in each of the four "Seller Detail Rating" categories. If for some reason you don't feel that I deserve 5 stars in all of the four DSR categories, please contact me via email before leaving feedback! If you feel my terms are not fair please do not bid."I also make it clear that I charge EXACTLY what it costs plus my 25cent fee.So whay have I gotten to a 4.5 on my DSR?
TheMilford wrote:So whay have I gotten to a 4.5 on my DSR?
Guy Fullerton wrote:I obviously can't speak for all your buyers, but I'd guess it's because you don't offer a method cheaper than priority.For me, sometimes priority is fine. But I prefer it when cheaper shipping options are available, especially for lower-value items.Think of it this way: If a seller always required me to purchase insurance even if I didn't want the benefit that insurance would provide, I'd be less likely to be 100% happy with their shipping costs. The same holds true for the speed of priority mail.Personally, I wouldn't knock a star off due to having to pay priority; I'd just have bid less in the first place. But I don't think most buyers think that way.
serleran wrote:I, also, don't like not having shipping options (wow, a weird semi-double negative), and generally ask after winning if there are other methods -- usually the seller will say "yes" and give other rates, but sometimes they just ignore the question, and then they get hit with a minus star in some category or the other. Usually shipping because these people tend to just throw books in a box and assume they're "safe" because they're hardcovers and "durable." I don't ask before the auction is over because I don't care before the auction is over -- I care after, when its actually going to ship.
TheMilford wrote:I will offer whatever the buyer wants... they just need to contact me. I prefer Priority... but if somebody contacts me before bidding I'm usually open. But i don't want to really advertise that because with Priority I can track and insure and get free boxes and daily pickup...
That's why I state in my auction that if you don't like the price DON'T BID.
TheMilford wrote:The other difference is with media mail and parcel post I need to BUY bubble mailers or shipping boxes... Really... Priority Mail packing is FREE.
So even if shipping a few modules to you is like $2.50 for MM or PP I need to charge $.75 for the bubble mailer plus my $.25 it ends up being $3.50... that's only $1.80 cheaper...
you may as well get the benefit of Flate-Rate with Tracking and the nice stiff mailers... which with a nice piece of cardboard in there will not bend as easily as the bubble mailer with a board.
serleran wrote:I see a difference in philosophy already -- I charge exact shipping whenever possible (that is, when I know exactly what it is, which is after it has been shipped -- before is just an estimate; if I overcharged, I issue a refund for the difference) and do not add costs for bubble-wrap and mailers and the like because that is my cost for doing business -- it costs something like $10 to buy a roll of bubbles that I can use for 10 - 20 things, not even considering recycled shipping parts like peanuts and cardboard. If I did want to add a fee, I would simply tack it onto the minimum bid and keep shipping at its exact rate. Why? Because few people like to get an item that says "shipping was $5" and know they paid $10 for it; they forget it was "packing materials" when that stuff should be assumed already. Oh, and tracking can be done with anything, as far as I can tell -- even international (though that is extremely expensive.) Domestically, it is freely included when I ship out, again, my protection and cost of doing business. It's a whole .65 or .75 cents. Granted, if you sell a single $1 item, you're not making much, but you weren't at $1 either. And, it makes the customer feel more secure, I think.Then again, I don't do this stuff for real money -- it is not a "business" to me. Just a way to clear out some stuff I don't need.
