Fee's on Shipping Killing Profit

[bghunter916]

I understand fee's, been selling on ebay a long time but what is crazy is with the recent cost increase from all shipping providers sellers are trying to off set cost by either charging a small amount for actual shipping or raising their price, makes sense but here's my complaint. I charge flat rate lets say 5$, shipping actually cost me 7$, ok, just trying to off set cost but then u look at ur fee's and see ebay charges a shipping fee, 1$ or so, now my shipping cost is 8$. A lot of time sellers are trying to balance their profit on a very thin line, most times it comes down to "Cents" not dollars and these shipping fee's don't take into account the actual cost versus what u charge and that is plain WRONG. Selling on ebay is a dog eat dog world, with all the China sellers killing prices with cheap stuff that makes buyers think everything should be the same "Cheap". All the discussion trolls can say what they want but most sellers operate on smaller profit margins in order to survive but with increasing fee's from 1 end to the other I don't see this lasting long, cleaning out inventory n I'm out.

[bonjourami]

You are losing money on your shipping fee, yet you continue to use flat rate? I dont get it, why dont you use calculated shipping then? Seems to me if you are losing money on flat rate..thats on you.

[lindyslucky]

Are you speaking of ebays % on shipping? 

Yes, with recent shipping increases, that has become a burden, especially with low cost, small collectibles.

And, yes the profit margin is so slim, it may make many items unprofitable.

What We struggle with, is seeing that many items sell. 

The issue is the buyer on a 7.99 item, can pay $18.00 total cost with shipping, if an item has nearly any weight. 

So, to a buyer, the item is worth $18.00, $1.80 to ebay, aprox 85 cents to PayPal, , leaving the seller with $5.00 & change. Taking away costs for packaging & the cost of the item. You are probably left with $3.00 in profit tops. Not enough to pay a seller for the effort of wrapping & shipping. 

That alone is not enough $$, but throw in the deals made with the overseas sellers on shipping & whatever else we don't know..

Many Small sellers are just not going to be able to make it work. 

It has confined sales to very narrow markets of items that weigh little.

Then there are the constant updates, like GTC which is either more time or money....and the new payment carrier.... 

Regardless of of all suggestions, many just won't be able to continue.

Maybe that is what ebay is after??? 

Best regards. Good luck.