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shipping costs as a seller.
As a seller, do I have to use ebays shipping label, etc? I often find that ebays shipping costs are much less expensive than the amount our local USPS provides. This causes a lot of problems. I prefer to provide the shipping amount to my buyer based on their zip code and other factors, such as weight, size etc of package. Is this allowed?
5 comments
monroe67
Mentor4 months ago"I prefer to provide the shipping amount to my buyer based on their zip code and other factors, such as weight, size etc of package. Is this allowed?"
You are describing eBay's Calculated Shipping feature. eBay does all that work for you.
Indeed, I am sure eBay encourages sellers to use their Calculated Shipping service.
My selling ID has used Calculated Shipping for about 15 years and is very satisfied with it.
When you list an item for sale on eBay --
whether you list it as an auction or as a Good-Til-Cancelled or Buy-It-Now listing --
you will enter the item's packaged weight and the package's sizes during the listing process.
(Of course, eBay already has your zip code, which you provided when you registered your selling ID.)
Then, when any potential buyer looks at your listing, they will see the appropriate shipping amount based on their zip code and the weight and size of the package.
Say you are in Boston. Say I'm in Los Angeles. Say another potential buyer is in Albany, New York.
When I look at your listing, eBay's Calculated Shipping feature will show me the appropriate shipping amount to, say, 90036, a zip code within the City of Los Angeles. Probably pretty high, going across the entire country.
That potential buyer in Albany will see a shipping amount that is probably much less than the cost to send the item to me, simply because of the shorter distance from Boston to Albany.
YES, eBay's shipping costs are much less expensive than buying your postage at your local post office.
eBay has negotiated these reduced prices. Paying less for shipping helps both eBay buyers and eBay sellers.
mr_lincoln
Mentor4 months agoHi @sugprin
-You do realize that you pay eBay a FEE on the amount the Buyer pays on shipping plus any sales tax levied on the transaction for that hipping cost???? The discount eBay labels provides you with helps offset those fees.
-On the following page link you can consider setting up an across the board Discount % off Retail costs. I currently use 20%. I view shipping as a break even proposition and that 20% off shipping just might show some of my items' total price with item + shipping as just a little lower than the next guy, that's an advantage in some instances. Shipping Preferences
The section you want is "Carrier rate settings"
So what kind of "problems" do you think getting a discount off your out of pocket shipping cost causes?
sugprin
OP4 months agoI find ebays shipping label is expensive. When I can put my own label on the package and add the tracking number myself. I know ebay charges fees. What am i missing here mr_lincoln?
mr_lincoln
Mentor4 months ago@sugprin
We see most mistakes from newer Sellers in the area of shipping. I think that @monroe67 has outlined it extremely well.
You definitely want to use the Calculated shipping setting which means Buyers pay YOU based on the information YOU put on the listing. If you don't have a scale I suggest getting one. You need to include the item weight, the packing material weight and the box weight of what you plan to ship in and have accurate dimensions of the box size to be used. eBay labels are not expensive compared to buying a label at the carrier's counter.
evry1nositswindy
Mentor4 months agoThe USPS cost at the desk is much more expensive because eBay has a commercial discount that it passed to sellers. Media mail is the same cost; all other type of postage are cheaper through eBay. Plus the tracking number populates automatically.
When you set up the listing, putting in the correct weight and dimensions is essential. eBay then uses your figures to calculate the distance based on the buyer's ZIP code. This is quite easy and will save you a lot of time and gas.