Conditional Shipping Costs?
If you've been following along with my saga of shipping fabric, you'll know that I unfortunately have a lot of fabrics that don't fit in envelopes, even big ones. The good news is I recently got some boxes! 馃槃
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The fabric聽will wrinkle and crease in a box, but imo, most people won't care about that if the shipping is cheaper. The fabric can be ironed on a low setting, and most of the remnants are better for small projects anyway.
Despite that, my employer wants me to offer roll shipping at an extra fee; regardless of if anyone takes it, he wants it to be an option for people.
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Is there any way I could offer an optional extra fee for shipping, and if so, how would I go about it? Should I not even worry about it until someone actually asks for the fabric on a roll?
I've looked through the shipping policies and I don't see anything that's quite what I'm looking for, but maybe I missed something. I guess I could do this using variations, but...ehhh...
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Any help would be greatly appreciated!
a_c_green
路4 months agoYou can add a note or flier in the box with tips on this. Some folks might otherwise think that the wrinkles or creases are permanent so this will reassure them at opening time.
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As for what your boss is asking, I would say that you will eventually find some practical limit to remnant size, above which it will no longer fit in a box anyway. Longer remnants can stay on a roll (with its rather exorbitant Shipping cost); shorter ones can go in a box.
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In future, it may turn out that no one wants the roll-based remnants anyway due to the Shipping cost, at which point you might consider cutting them into standard-sized smaller lengths for box shipping, which can be listed as Quantities (e.g. 6-foot segment each, 3 available; something like that).
fabrics24
OP4 months agoThat's a great idea! I'll make up some notes for that! Thank you 馃槃
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Tbh I would much rather sell the huge remnants that kind of have to be on rolls on Marketplace. I have some By-The-Yard fabrics and notions I'm excited to list here, but first I want to get rid of all the remnants I can.聽
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I love that idea of cutting them down; that'd be so much more manageable than trying to sell them as they are. I'm secretly hoping the roll-shipping doesn't turn out to be that popular because it聽is really expensive.
kalyoth
路4 months agoWhen you set up your shipping policies, it should be a part of that functionality for that via a handling cost. Please not that every major carrier HATES rolled containers as you can't machine sort them & they are unstable in trucks. Expect the charges they apply for non-standard to be ridiculous. I would contact your carrier & provide them with estimates for size options you intend to offer so you can get real pricing.
fabrics24
OP4 months agoI'll check the handling cost policy and see what I can do! Thank you!
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I'm desperate to move away from the rolls; the 12x12x12 boxes I've got are perfect. They fit a great amount of fabric in them.聽
If I had it my way we wouldn't offer rolled at all. The boxes are infinitely superior, and fabric is stupidly easy to ship because it doesn't need any padding.
kalyoth
路4 months agoUSPS used to have round containers. They stopped & went to triangles for flatness & sortation. I work in an Amazon Sortation center & know the pains of round containers well. Have had many near misses with heavy round metal in circular tubes above our heads. It slips thru nets. Someone having an off day may put fitness weights or even ship a curling bar inside one.
stainlessenginecovers
路4 months agoYou are not looking at the right envelopes. There are Bubble Manilla in 16x12 sizes and 19x16 sizes and when purchased by the 100, cost about .50c each.聽
A folded fabric will fit in there easily.聽
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Boxes (16x10x4) can be had for about $1.00 ea when buying by the 100 as well.聽
fabrics24
OP4 months agoIs this a glitch reply? This seems like it's meant for another thread XD
stainlessenginecovers
路4 months ago@fabrics24聽How do you get that??聽
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You stated 'envelopes don't work' so I told you there are large sizes that are cheaper than boxes that WILL work.聽
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a_c_green
路4 months agoThis all looks like a continuation of the exchange that the two of you had in a previous thread here:聽
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https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Positive-Feedback-with-Negative-Comments/m-p/35611294#M2693980聽
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(including the reply following the one linked above)
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I'd say that in general, there's "fabric" and then there's "FABRIC," big heavy exterior-grade stuff that can only be rolled up so far, and the OP seems to be working with the latter, from what I've seen of their listings. When you've managed to get a big heavy roll under control, I would much rather put that in a box than a monster padded envelope any day. Other more lightweight items that are not harmed by squishing can go in a padded envelope if there is any weight savings to be had that way.
fabrics24
OP4 months agoThat's exactly it; these are really thick pieces of outdoor acrylic canvas. I've never heard a complaint about the quality, but packing and folding it is kind of an adventure.聽I've explained to this guy that a 16x12/#5 Envelope doesn't fit nearly as much as they think it does, but they keep bringing it up.聽
Just today I had to wrestle a single yard into a 16x12, and it took a couple of tries. As you can imagine, I'm so relieved I have the boxes now.聽