Getting it right.. the shipping fee

[Tom Murphy]

I've been an online seller for a lonnnnng time. I've sold on eBay, Amazon, my own store, and now Bonanzle.

And I think I have it pretty well mastered.... EXCEPT as relates to shipping and handling.

Despite my best efforts, I still only get about 85% of the cost of shipping right when I list an item.

If I actually pack an item, and then weigh it before making my listing.. then my accuracy rate in getting the shipping fee correct are pretty high. But so often when I do that.. the items gets purchased along with other items.. and I have to unpack the item and repack it with the additional purchases. And all my efforts go down the drain.

If I "guestimate" the shipping weight before listing .. I am often wrong.. and it costs me money. Yes, on occasion the actual shipping fee is less than my estimate.. but not often.

I'm anxious to learn how other successful sellers go about calculating, guestimaing, figuring the package shipping fee - before making their listing.

Any takers?

Tom

[Nancy J Asplund]

Hi Tom: When I first started selling on line a few years back I also had a problem guessing the shipping. I got to where I was loosing so much money I went out and bought a scale. I then weigh the item to see how much it weighs and then I weigh a box. I combine the two and that's the weight I put down. Plus, once the item has been sold I package it and if the weight is off I eat the cost and if the buyer overpays I send them a refund with an explanation of what happened. With the postal service continually changing the cost of shipping, it's no wonder we are all confused. When it comes to packing material, use peanuts or bubble wrap because it adds no weight to your package. If you use newspaper or packing paper your weight will be off. Paper is heavy. You can go online and order free boxes from the post office and they will send them to your door at no cost to you. Don't go out and buy boxes. As for packing material, you'll still have to fork over the cash for that. I have a supplier on eBay that I use for the packing peanuts, very fast and free shipping. I also save all the peanuts and bubble wrap that I receive from sellers.

[Tom Murphy]

I'm with you Nancy... I do essentially all the things you do BUT I never thought to weigh the empty box. I do weigh the item and guestimate the weight once boxed and peanut-wrapped. And as I said, I come close a bunch of the time. Maybe by knowing the weight of the box in advance, I'll be a bit closer to actual.

I am interested to know your source for peanuts. I too buy online... but pay for shipping. Maybe your supplier is cheaper. Care to share the name?

Tom
Nancy J Asplund said:

Hi Tom: When I first started selling on line a few years back I also had a problem guessing the shipping. I got to where I was loosing so much money I went out and bought a scale. I then weigh the item to see how much it weighs and then I weigh a box. I combine the two and that's the weight I put down. Plus, once the item has been sold I package it and if the weight is off I eat the cost and if the buyer overpays I send them a refund with an explanation of what happened. With the postal service continually changing the cost of shipping, it's no wonder we are all confused. When it comes to packing material, use peanuts or bubble wrap because it adds no weight to your package. If you use newspaper or packing paper your weight will be off. Paper is heavy. You can go online and order free boxes from the post office and they will send them to your door at no cost to you. Don't go out and buy boxes. As for packing material, you'll still have to fork over the cash for that. I have a supplier on eBay that I use for the packing peanuts, very fast and free shipping. I also save all the peanuts and bubble wrap that I receive from sellers.

[Tom Murphy]

There is always that line item called "Cost of doing business" I suppose. I just wish I could get it down a bit.

Maybe by using Nancy's suggestion of weighing both the item AND the empty box.. I can get closer to actual

Thanks Professor.

Tom
Professor Falken said:

Tom, like you I guess at shipping weight. Also, like you I have been doing it long enough to get fairly close. Obviously the larger the item the harder it is to "guess". I know it is not perfect and I know I occasionally lose money on shipping. But, I simply chalk it up as a "cost of doing business" and move on. I would rather do this than not list a shipping price or worse yet, scare off a potential buyer due to high shipping cost.

My best advice on shipping is: save all you can on supplies (free boxes from the P,O., free packing material from local businesses who would otherwise trash it, etc..)

[Jmacksgirl]

What I do is weigh the item and the box and then I add 1/2 a lb for packing material, this usually gets me within 1.00 of the actual retail price, (lol) errrr, shipping price. I have never been over by 2,3 or more dollars on the shipping, UNLESS, its combined guess, in which case, I too just refund the excess. I get peanuts, airpacks and boxes free from... you ready? THE HOSPITAL! Do you know how much packing material they throw away?!?! think of all the equipment that comes in and how meticulously it has to be packed!?!? They have hug bins of peanuts and boxes and those formed styropacked thingys in boxes that they just throw out. I get stuff once a week or so. I even get the large bubble wrap from them, I only have to buy the small bubble wrap. Hope this helps!

[Tom Murphy]

Wow, what a wonderful idea! We have a very large hospital nearby... all I need to do now is figure out who to speak to in the hospital. Shipping and receiving would be a good starting point I bet!

Thanks Jmacksgirl!

Tom

Jmacksgirl said:

What I do is weigh the item and the box and then I add 1/2 a lb for packing material, this usually gets me within 1.00 of the actual retail price, (lol) errrr, shipping price. I have never been over by 2,3 or more dollars on the shipping, UNLESS, its combined guess, in which case, I too just refund the excess. I get peanuts, airpacks and boxes free from... you ready? THE HOSPITAL! Do you know how much packing material they throw away?!?! think of all the equipment that comes in and how meticulously it has to be packed!?!? They have hug bins of peanuts and boxes and those formed styropacked thingys in boxes that they just throw out. I get stuff once a week or so. I even get the large bubble wrap from them, I only have to buy the small bubble wrap. Hope this helps!

[Starving Packrats]

Tsk tsk, tsk. Been there and OH SO DONE THAT! Started out without a scale and it didn't take long to realize I was grossly underestimating the shipping charges on everything. This was due to my earnest belief that shipping charges weren't actually (or rather, "Just couldn't actually be") as high as they are.

My first purchase to remedy this was a 10 pound scale I picked up at Sam's Club for about 30 bucks. I found I was still having trouble with the smaller items so I picked up a second scale, a small desktop model that only goes up to 5 pounds but is wickedly accurate for ounces, especially good for first class pieces. Between the two scales, I spent about 65 dollars. I've had them for about 4 years and they've long since paid for themselves.

As for what to charge for handling fees, yep, this got me too. Now I've figured this much out. If it's a flat first class item that I ship often, like a postcard or sheet music, I know exactly how much to charge because I've done it so often. The knick-knacks, clothing, etc., is the tricky part. For those, I've learned to use this rule: if the item itself weighs more than 7 ounces, it will probably weigh a little more than a whole pound packed (i.e., a Hummel weighs 9 oz, estimate more than 1 pound; a paperweight weighs 1 lb 7 oz, estimate more than 2 pounds.

If you're using Priority Mail, this formula is quite easy because postage is based on full pound weights (1 lb prices, 2 lb prices, etc.) If you're using Parcel Post or selling books that are shipping via Media Mail, the weight you use in your listings should be more precise. In this case, as JMacksgirl has suggested, a 1/2 pound is a very good estimator.

As stated above, paper is surprisingly heavy as compared to packing peanuts or bubble wrap. What you spend in materials for the latter will save you postage on the box that contains them.

USPS charts for May are online here: http://pe.usps.com/PriceChange_May2009/PDF/PriceList/PriceList.pdf
There are alot of tables in this reference, but don't let it overwhelm you. You would know if you are a Commercial Base customer. If you don't know, you are most likely a Retail customer and need only consult those pages.


Jackie

[Tom Murphy]

Excellent note Jackie.. thanks.

Tom
Starving Packrats said:

Tsk tsk, tsk. Been there and OH SO DONE THAT! Started out without a scale and it didn't take long to realize I was grossly underestimating the shipping charges on everything. This was due to my earnest belief that shipping charges weren't actually (or rather, "Just couldn't actually be") as high as they are.....

[Jenny (aka Alas y Cia)]

I've been the same route - undercharging for shipping with "guestimates" and ended up buying a proper set of scales - just like the fruit and veg stalls at the market. on fleabay, spain (Well Bonanzle hasnt arrived here yet). And now can sell the angels by the pound (or kilo) It has saved me from 100 disasters and I dont know how I managed without them. They really do pay for themselves fast - if nothing else, in reducing your stress level!

I weight the painted or unpainted figure plus a box and some packing stuff before I list it (and show kilos/lbs too)

Hospital AND Pharmacies are great for the polystyrene boxes. And I made another discovery - the boxes they pack fresh fish in at the market. LOL (I discovered that when I was looking to buy new ones on the internet) Those you have to scrub out and disinfect in the yard before using, but work just as well.and they are the right price = FREE Light packaging is critical for me, as I nearly always ship international (outside Spain)

The problem I have on Bonanzle is the inablility to put any non flat rate shipping FROM Spain to the rest of the world. The only way it seems possible is to calculate the exact shipping for the various possible destinations you might send to - but that is very laborious.

Any ideas?

[Tom Murphy]

Well Jenny, your ideas have merit (and by the way I have had a scale for years now.. that is not the issue)

The problem is if you are shipping various different size and weight items (sounds like your items are relatively the same size and weight?) then the problems begin.

Tom

[Jmacksgirl]

Youre right Tom. Since I deal in dinnerware and the items never weigh the same (even a plate from the same set of Corelle can weight different than the next!) thats when its tricky. That's why I weigh the item(s) in a box and you can even take a grocery bag(s) of peanuts and weigh them and add that to the weight you are gonna be purdy dang close that way. Also, I have a 75lb scale, I've had it for a few years, it weighs from ounces to 75 and its dead on with the post office. Tom, as far as the hospital goes, you would need to ask to talk to someone in the shipping department (yep, they have one) this guy is the one who throws the stuff out, and he will set it aside if you say you are coming a certain day each week, and they will save all size boxes and peanuts and bubbles (mine does anyway) cuz its just trash to them, they keep some, for when they have to send equipment back for repairs or warranty, etc. but most of it is considered trash to them. Good luck with it!

[Jenny (aka Alas y Cia)]

Regrettably mine are all different sizes and weights Tom. Which is why I would LOVE a "reverse shipping" calculator from spain TO the US, Canada, UK and other places, but that will be a long way off.

Right now I have to weigh each individual piece and put the price for the US in and tell people to ask me the pricefor other regions. One thing I did notice in Specialist Auctions, they give you three options for shipping - national, international and european. So for three options, people can just click on "Buy Now" and complete their purchases without having to come back to the seller. To do the same thing on Bonanzle, I have to list each item three times.

I think this might be a suggestion to make to the Bonanzle Boyz.

By the way, I sometimes get my local furniture store to save me bubble wrap - another source

[Ilene Asbury]

Well, I've learned a lot this morning. I never thought to ask at the pharmacy or furniture store (both down the street) for packing materials. I've owned a postal scale for years and it's saved me many times. I do get my boxes from the PO but have been buying peanuts and bubble wrap.

I do not use the flat rate boxes, because they all seem to be flat or too big. I ship lots of records and the lady at the PO suggested that I take a box, and without putting it together, slip the record inside and tape it closed. Works great. Media mail . . . but the $4.00 allowed by ebay and amazon does not cover the insurance cost (which you want on a vinyl record). This creates an extra step for me as I have to tell the customer that I can't be responsible for damage during shipment and to add $1.75 if he wants insurance.

Happy Memorial Day and a heartfelt THANK YOU to all our soldiers, sailors and airmen.