Shipping costs

I sell small D&D figures and other collectable toys that need to be shipped in small boxes but weigh less than 4oz. Total cost for shipping and supplies is usually around $4, but other sellers have the same item listed for .99 plus 2.99 shipping. How is that person making any money? Are they anticipating the buyer getting multiple items from them? I want to price my figures competitively, but would lose money quickly if a buyer only purchased one item from me at that price. Thanks for the help.

blue-dragon-bodega

797 View listings

Posted 3 years ago·Last reply 3 years ago

4 comments

monster-deals

·3 years ago

56564 View listings

@blue-dragon-bodega wrote:
but would lose money quickly if a buyer only purchased one item from me at that price.

There are 4 likely scenarios here:

1: They want the market share and are willing to eat it bit to get it

2: They don't know they are losing money

3: They are hoping to make it up in volume

4: They are using it to churn feedback

richard1rst

·3 years ago

53683 View listings

@monster-deals wrote:
@blue-dragon-bodega wrote:
but would lose money quickly if a buyer only purchased one item from me at that price.
There are 4 likely scenarios here:

1: They want the market share and are willing to eat it bit to get it
2: They don't know they are losing money
3: They are hoping to make it up in volume
4: They are using it to churn feedback

5: They are a Chinese seller.

monster-deals

·3 years ago

56564 View listings

@richard1rst wrote:
@monster-deals wrote:
@blue-dragon-bodega wrote:
but would lose money quickly if a buyer only purchased one item from me at that price.
There are 4 likely scenarios here:

1: They want the market share and are willing to eat it bit to get it
2: They don't know they are losing money
3: They are hoping to make it up in volume
4: They are using it to churn feedback
5: They are a Chinese seller.

not mutually exclusive

eburtonlab

·3 years ago

5547 View listings

Chinese sellers with subsidized shipping are a specific example of a more general category: sellers that are having shipping costs paid for by someone else, in whole or in part.

This would also include illicit retail drop-shippers, some otherwise legitimate wholesale drop-shippers, triangulation scammers and general vaporware sellers/scammers.