Free Shipping....or Free Battery?
I have been selling jewelry on Ebay for 26 years - recently, I have started to sell watches and plan to list more. I need some advice on the following: I pay for free shipping - which is now $7.50- $9.50 per package. I cannot afford to pay for shipping AND batteries, so I take new batteries and test the watches before listing them, then I put in the title Watch works but needs battery. (I have videos of the watches working to show potential buyers that they indeed run.) I have received 2 messages stating - if your watches do not have batteries they are not working! What should I do? Give free shipping, include the battery - and add $10 to every listing - or- include the battery, charge for shipping and keep my prices low? I am wondering what others who specialize in watches do. Just for the record, my watches are not expensive - they are mostly fashion watches. Thank you to anyone who responds.
1tuna
·4 months agomost of the watches I sell are 8 ounces and under,if you sell a watch with a big heavy band then it weighs more.I only charge $6 to ship but am considering raising it up to 6.30 ,you can get plenty of watch batteries on line and just include them. selling watches is fun and profitable. I have been at it for 25 years and only ship with USPS ground
jaysandi
OP5 months agoThank you so much for 2 excellent answers! I managed to sell 5 watches last
week with no batteries - but, you are both right - I want happy buyers, and in
this instance, it means they want to buy the watch and wear it immediately.
I will buy new batteries on Ebay and sell them "working with new battery"
and offer free shipping!
glenvonnie
·5 months agoBatteries and shipping are part of your cost of goods and should be included in the price.
Add the cost of the watch, ebay fees at 13%, 40 cent handling fee, and the estimated shipping cost, and that is your cost, add the profit you expect and that is the price you sell for.
"Working with new battery" is the best thing to have in a title, especially with fashion watches.
You can buy batteries in bulk cheap on eBay, less than $1 a piece, buy the name brands.
reallynicestamps
·5 months agoThe seller does not pay for shipping.
The Buyer pays for shipping.
Some sellers include their average costs of shipping in the asking price for the item.
This is called Free Shipping.
Which is cheaper: a $90 item with $10 shipping or a $100 item with Free Shipping?
For the record, if I bought a battery driven watch and it arrived without a battery, I would be ticked.