eBay

ladyjade77 · ‎01-15-2023

Hi there. I recently sold an item. I the person who bought the item felt the need to tell me in a message that he'd like the item, but my "shipping rates are too high". Hmm. I'm just a casual seller. I use pirate ship and the usps site to measure my things and calculate postage. I don't control the shipping rates, and I do try to give people a few options too. My boxes are also whatever I've managed to grab off the porch recently from Amazon. I make do. Is there something I'm doing wrong here?

ladyjade77 · ‎01-20-2023

Why shouldn't I use Amazon boxes? That's just what I have coming to the house. I need to make do with what I have. After I take the labels and all off, it's the same as any other box, correct?

I have the " free" flat rate boxes from usps, but the flat rate fee is crazy for most things I have.

fab_finds4u · ‎01-20-2023

You can order a variety of free Priority Mail boxes from USPS.

Some buyers automatically assume if it came in an Amazon box you're using Amazon to dropship. They come here to complain and their complaints are if I wanted to buy it on Amazon I would have, I hate Amazon, how do I report the seller. I'm not joking. An eBay item arriving in an Amazon box offends some people.

I'm happy for sellers that reuse, reduce waste and recycle.

My local Dollar General lets people plunder their box bin in the back of the building.

fern*wood · ‎01-20-2023

I use plenty of the Amazon boxes, and about any others that I can get my hands on, if need be. Right now I have a Ding Dong box beside my desk in a great size that I might just pass on, though, it's a little too colorful...and telling. 😋

nobody*s_perfect · ‎01-20-2023

I re-use Amazon boxes and envelopes all the time. I do cover up or mark out any barcodes and remove old labels. The free USPS "Priority Mail" stickers are handy.

USPS has about 20 free Priority Mail boxes that are not flat rate, in a useful variety of sizes. You can find them here and order with free shipping to your home:

https://store.usps.com/store/results/priority-mail/shipping-supplies/_/N-p52cprZ7d0v8v?Nrpp=48

deltilogical · ‎01-20-2023

"I'm sorry but shipping rates are set by the post office not by us. We have no control over them."

I just copied this to my standard reply template - and I agree with the advice with the caveat that the shipping was actually reasonable 🙂

On the other hand/side, by chance I told a company earlier today I thought $19 to ship a single thin book was too much and unreasonable.

oldskoolmadskilz · ‎01-20-2023

I noticed that one of your shipping rules has priority mail before parcel select. Reorder it cheapest to highest and it will be less of a shock to buyers.

oldskoolmadskilz · ‎01-20-2023

I actually don't like when I receive an ebay shipment in a new box. I'd rather have a reused box.

ms.rodriguez* · ‎01-20-2023

I can't put that because I add a handling charge. On the bigger boxes that I used to list, I would write that "shipping is based on weight and distance and if you find the price too high, then you need to find this item from a seller closer to you. " I stopped selling anything that requires a box larger than a cubic foot.

ladyjade77 · ‎01-20-2023

I didn't realize that the order mattered. Okay, I'll go fix that in a sec. I always put priority mail in there because I figure that people want things as quick as possible.

On a side note, does anyone know of a decent postal digital scale (inexpensive) and/ or cheap calibration weights that at least are a few oz? My Accuteck scale came saying it was pre-calibrated, but it seems to be increasingly inaccurate lately. It's costing me money when the carrier adjusts for weight.

ladyjade77 · ‎01-20-2023

Thank you. Me too! I can't really afford to buy boxes, etc. I buy the basics, then keep a stash of various sized boxes in a closet. I got really great feedback actually recently for a "hack" I did. Using two boxes to make one large one. She loved how I recycled the boxes. Not bad.

sapphire_studio · ‎01-20-2023

We were discussing in another thread today how it's a lot safer to use Amazon boxes/packaging if you're selling used items that aren't normally sold on Amazon (compared to new items that they might assume you drop shipped).

2013grotz · ‎01-20-2023

@1786davycrockett wrote:
This is one of the "image" problems with selling on eBay -- far too many buyers seem to be under the impression that ALL of us are "major" retailers -- which is just the opposite of reality: the majority of eBay sellers are "one person" operations.

Indeed. I think the way it's presented to them is that they're buying from "ebay" which doesn't translate to individual people in their minds. I've run into that in so many ways myself, including the unfortunate message I got from someone who "totally loved their item and wanted 1500 more" (I mean unfortunate in the way that it would have been a moneymaker if I was that big of a dealer in that item). Course I had to explain that I was selling just a single item, identified its source and expressed to them the hope that they would find what they were looking for.

Really though, it's just hard overall to try to educate people where you are at on things, including the shipping issues. I've gotten a couple of dirty messages about that and probably a neg or two, but it is what it is and I certainly can't help it.

2013grotz · ‎01-20-2023

@ladyjade77 wrote:
Why shouldn't I use Amazon boxes? That's just what I have coming to the house. I need to make do with what I have. After I take the labels and all off, it's the same as any other box, correct?

Indeed. Once you get whatever it was in them, they're still useful boxes. Besides that USPS and others actively encourage reusing packaging as long as you prepare the box properly. Besides, personally, I don't find regular small shipping boxes to reuse that don't have Amazon/Walmart/other store branding printed on them.

wastingtime101 · ‎01-20-2023

@ladyjade77 wrote:
On a side note, does anyone know of a decent postal digital scale (inexpensive)

Weighmax is a solid brand and they have some great affordable options. Make sure you do some price comparison shopping on different retailers because there can be a significant difference.

GLORIOUS!

Confused about the switch to eBay discounted shipping? Read this discussion to make an informed decision about opt in / opt out.