Is there an ebay discount on shipping by volume?

[randysauto01]

Facing an all to quick arrival of my current employment status ending due to business closure. I am trying to plan ahead for my next perspective job of selling used auto parts for another salvage yard about 30 miles from us.

One of the things that I did when I was asked to take over the ebay side of our store, was to figure out roughly the cost of most of the items we sold, to ship.  And created templates to include free flat rate shipping.

For example, a headlight that we may have sold in our B&M store to a walk in customer that was priced at $150, my template was built to automatically add $24.99 to the listing, so if sold on ebay, it was $174.99.

Sometimes I would get the occasional over size headlight, and it would run me $40 to $50 to ship it.

But with over 1000 headlights in stock, it would take me forever to go through and specifically add different amounts of shipping based on size.

It made a big difference in our sales, and the number off times I was getting messages so that I could quote them a price with freight. This especially applied to engines and transmissions. With over 800 of each at one point and time, I was quoting freight prices about 40-50 times a day, and sometimes selling 10 in a week, some times none. 

I would like to take the flat rate shipping numbers that I have in existence now, and apply them to the new yard I hopefully get to go to work for.

But with it going to be a brand new ebay store, I'm not sure if the pricing we get after being on ebay and using their shipping services for however many years its been, will be the same discount be applied to a new start up.

Does anyone have any thoughts or insights on this?

[klhmdg]

There is no shipping discount for longevity.   

[pjcdn2005]

Unless this has changed recently, TRS sellers get an extra 3% off of USPS Priority. Other than that, a brand new seller gets charged the same as an established seller when using ebay shipping.

[randysauto01]

I generally end up using fed ex. A package doesn't have to get very big before the prices go right through the roof on USPS. Small stuff like door handles and some starters and alternators I used to use USPS. But after the seasonal catastrophe last year, and the number of complaints I had on items shipped specifically on USPS, I don't ship anything with them anymore.

But thanks for the insight. I think it will take a bit of time for me to get a new salvage yard up to TRS, but everyone has to have a goal, and its definitely my top one.

[stainlessenginecovers]

You can set up a shipping discount system with Fedex or UPS, but you would do that outside of ebay and set up an account with one of those carriers. and then just input the tracking number manually on each sale.

Regarding USPS, I've had no issues for the past 10 years, shipping about 2500 packages a year. 

[randysauto01]

At my current location we've had a UPS Worldship account since before I started here 15 years ago. For a couple of months I constantly compared the price of our Worldship account vs. UPS on ebay, ebay always won hands down.

Now that Fed Ex is an options, often times I can send something Fed Ex 2 day for $1 to $2 dollars more than Fed Ex ground. I'd be willing to bet that nearly none of them actually make it in the 2 days. But since I've started using primarily Fed Ex via ebay, I've not had one complaint (knock on wood 😊)

[glasser]

You could explore other shipping sites that integrate with eBay like Pirate Ship. Agree with others that USPS rates pretty much the same as other places--eBay's rates for USPS are basic commercial discounts.

FedEx for me is best for heavier items over long distances can be 50% of USPS and yes sometimes 2 day is cheaper then priority mail.

What I have been dong as of late--I sell smaller things then car parts and am east coast--I use flat rate and then say if likely will use priority mail but FedEx if you are wet of the Mississippi . As a new account I would try and offer the least expensive shipping possible even maybe free for items less than a couple of pounds to be competitive and try and get some sales for the new user name.

Maybe you could talk you boss into buying a few things with new user name to establish some track record as well.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@randysauto01 wrote:

Facing an all to quick arrival of my current employment status ending due to business closure. I am trying to plan ahead for my next perspective job of selling used auto parts for another salvage yard about 30 miles from us.

One of the things that I did when I was asked to take over the ebay side of our store, was to figure out roughly the cost of most of the items we sold, to ship.  And created templates to include free flat rate shipping.

For example, a headlight that we may have sold in our B&M store to a walk in customer that was priced at $150, my template was built to automatically add $24.99 to the listing, so if sold on ebay, it was $174.99.

Sometimes I would get the occasional over size headlight, and it would run me $40 to $50 to ship it.

But with over 1000 headlights in stock, it would take me forever to go through and specifically add different amounts of shipping based on size.

It made a big difference in our sales, and the number off times I was getting messages so that I could quote them a price with freight. This especially applied to engines and transmissions. With over 800 of each at one point and time, I was quoting freight prices about 40-50 times a day, and sometimes selling 10 in a week, some times none. 

I would like to take the flat rate shipping numbers that I have in existence now, and apply them to the new yard I hopefully get to go to work for.

But with it going to be a brand new ebay store, I'm not sure if the pricing we get after being on ebay and using their shipping services for however many years its been, will be the same discount be applied to a new start up.

Does anyone have any thoughts or insights on this?

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I'm not sure how it works in the USA but in Canada if I purchase my postage using either Shippo or Canadapost I have access to a level 2 discount. If I were to use eBay Labels, maximum discount is basic level 1. That is designed for low volume shippers or basically anyone shipping occasionally.

In theory depending on the system you create your labels with you should be able to qualify for a discount. Issue being it's based on the previous 365 days and reviewed at that time if you your volume/dollar level increases or decreases.

-Lotz

[randysauto01]

Yes with the new user name and under the new boss I'm going to explain to him the importance of getting as many sales under our belt as we can and as quickly as we can. 

I've seen their yard and they are compare pretty closely to the our size. I will suggest that we look at some of his inventory that has been there the longest (I found headlights here that had been in inventory for over 15 years and never sold) compare prices to whats listed, and be as absolutely competitive as we can be, all while offering free shipping. Might only make $5 dollars on it, but hey, if its been sitting there for 20 years already and wasn't sold, $5 bucks is $5 bucks.

Once we get some sales and a bit of a track record started (hopefully get some good reviews) we can move onto engines and transmissions, and start generating some real revenue (we offer free flat rate shipping on those also).

Its sad to see that we currently have 20k items listed, and another 60k not listed, (I got that number down from about 94K when I first took over).

I'm sure that this yard will have nearly as much to list as well, so if I can convince them of the value in selling on ebay, I will have my work cut out for me.