Free Shipping Question

[bbsbazaar]

I have some DVDs I want to sell. Some are new and sealed, some are used.

I am trying to understand how you can sell a DVD for $1.50 with free shipping and still make money.

This dose not seem possible. There must be some secret that I am missing. Looking forward to replies.

Thank you

[gator08041971]

Ones listed that low are usually just the disc and they use a mailer with no tracking.

I'm facing the same sort of dilemma myself.  I have several to sell and honestly not sure its worth the bother.  Garage sale time!

I have been looking at the listings and prices not sure why some of them bother, but most seem to offer discounts on buying multiples so they probably make more if someone buys a lot, if that makes sense.

[bbsbazaar]

Thank you for the info. I sent you an email earlier asking about how to find your reply. After clicking on the the "Free Shipping Question" header I finally got here.

Thanks again

Jenny

[chapeau-noir]

@bbsbazaar  If they're one of the huge media sellers, they also get a pre-sort discount with the USPS and use volume to make up for price.

I sell media and for CDs, if you have a lot of them as I did, lotting them up by genre. It doesn't cost much more to ship 5 or 6 DVDs by media mail than one.

[bbsbazaar]

Thank you for the reply. I was thinking of doing bundles. That seems to be the only way to make any profit. I also was thinking of adding a book or artwork with it. That might make it more desirable.

Thanks again,

Jenny

[fashunu4eeuh · Accepted solution]

Hi Jenny. In response to your question below, 

 
“…how you can sell a DVD for $1.50 with free shipping and still make money?”

Most couldn’t.

Unless the eBayer is a mega-seller who deals in volume (or possibly a Chinese seller who gets the item for pennies and benefits from subsidized shipping thru its governmental agencies), it would be nearly impossible to turn a profit under those circumstances.

But there are other reasons why a seller might follow this pricing strategy.

First, one explanation is that the vendor does not intend for the item to turn a profit. Instead, it is meant to be a “loss leader.” The ultra-low price tag becomes an inducement for generating buyer interest and traffic in the eBayer’s store. In turn, the buyer is exposed to the seller’s other full-priced items where (in the fullness of time) he purchases multiples of those higher-priced goods.

Second, another compelling reason for such strategic under-pricing could be  that the seller is a booby who hasn’t a clue as to what he is doing.

[kabilab]

BBS,

I have been selling movies on e-Bay for 20+ yrs., but only 10+ in my current account. I have never nor do I purchase any stock to sell over the Internet. ALL items are ones for which I have experienced zero success vending from my store. The following is my procedure.

I access past sales to determine if my minimum price has any chance of meeting or exceeding $6.29. If not, I give it away. The $6.29 covers Media Mail, e-Bay, a 50 cent profit and misc. costs. So far this yr., my highest priced disc, a game, sold for $35.99. Last yr., it was $94.99 and all time was $279.99.

I am 81, so the value I place on time would absolutely be different at 1/2 that age.

[bashort]

My suggestion is either bundle them as a lot, give them away or trash them.

[luckythewinner]

I am trying to understand how you can sell a DVD for $1.50 with free shipping

Even with a store, the fees on a $1.50 DVD sale are $0.52. So even if you list, sell, pack, and ship 50 of them a day, you would probably not be making minimum wage. Not every item is a good candidate for eBay.

and still make money

You are assuming they are making money.