Is Free Shipping is crime now day?
Summary: sas_ms is frustrated with the rising costs of shipping, which have increased to $7.86, affecting their ability to offer free shipping on a $7.38 item. They are considering discontinuing free shipping. squinkercat59 suggests raising prices to cover shipping, while monroe67 recommends using calculated shipping or adjusting item prices. simba6 mentions the difficulty of hiding shipping costs in low-value items, suggesting selling higher-value items might be a solution. Other participants agree that free shipping on low-priced items is challenging and share their strategies, like raising item prices to manage costs effectively.
Is Free Shipping is crime now day? I am selling something for $7.38 with free shipping but shipping cost is $7.86 use to be shipping $5 dollars some cents now $7.86 trying to make $1 or $2 on item i don't think i will offer free shipping anymore
what you all think?
iamalwaysright
·3 weeks ago · EditedThen don't.
vintage-camerastuff
·3 weeks agoI love free shipping when I am buying. Not so munch when I am selling. I don't offer free shipping because I am not a dummy. I wonder why my font changed?
redlinear
·3 weeks ago@sas_ms
Just raise the prices of your cheaper items.
I basically now have an $18 minimum. All my $9 listings are now $18+.
Hasn't seemed to hurt a thing...actually, I think it helped.
I know it helped on money per sale. But it sure seems like I'm selling more $18 stuff now than I was selling $9 stuff before.
sas_ms
OP3 weeks agothx
tobaccocardyahoo
·3 weeks agoFree shipping has always been inappropriate for low ticket items. It is now even less appropriate and visible to sellers who were foolishly forgoing enough profit for selling many items.
buyselljack2016
·3 weeks ago · EditedNot a crime, but may be detrimental if a good business model is not in effect.
As posted, free shipping is difficult to work into low price items.
I had items that I obtained for nothing and sold for about $10, but that has become a rather futile endeavor.
hartungcards
·3 weeks agoYou lost me at, "Is Free Shipping is crime now day?"
sas_ms
OP3 weeks agolol
dhbookds
·3 weeks agogood idea!
simba6
·3 weeks agoIt's hard to " hide " shipping costs in low value items. Shipping increases have really put the squeeze on sellers. Used to be the sales tax break made up for part of it.
Might have to look into selling higher value items.
monroe67
·3 weeks agoNo, free shipping is not a crime. Offering free shipping has never been a crime.
BUT -- USPS prices have been increasing this year.
In your screenshot above, the first question is critically important:
"Is your package size correct?"
Was it really 12 inches x 11 inches x 2 inches, and did it weigh four ounces?
If those numbers are correct, then the postage price you paid through eBay is correct.
Also notice that you did purchase United States Postage Service (USPS) Ground Advantage postage at eBay's reduced pricing. It looks like the postage you paid through eBay was 10% less than it would have been if you had taken that package to your local post office and bought postage at the counter, paying USPS retail rates.
eBay sellers who list their items with Free Shipping, especially this year with fuel prices rising
erraticallypsychotically, need to realize that they really must include the shipping price in the item price as shown in the listing. Maybe add $1.00 or $1.50 or $2.00 to your item's price on a "Free Shipping" listing.OR use Calculated Shipping on all your listings. That way, the buyer will pay a shipping price at the time they pay for their purchase.
sas_ms
OP3 weeks agoi try changing the package size still price to stay same...
monroe67
·3 weeks ago · EditedThat's due to the USPS' revisions to their price ranges based on package weights. Those went into effect a few months ago.
Calculated Shipping for everything may be your best plan going forward.
Just be sure that the package size dimensions and weights that you enter
-- during the eBay listing process -- are accurate.
sas_ms
OP3 weeks agowill do thx
squinkercat59
·3 weeks agoI've personally never used free shipping. If you do, you will have to raise your prices to cover it. If you have a $7.50 item, and expect a good return after fees, your item cost should be $15.00 to cover the shipping. There's really no such thing as free shipping. Either you pay, or the customer pays.