General Input

[twolewts]

Hi, I am just looking for input on a few questions. I would like to see what has worked out best for some sellers.  I am venturing out into selling larger items and recently I purchased a complete set of retro  kitchen canisters.  My question is, is it better to sell the whole set at once or individually?  Question two- If you buy something and list it at a lower price than you paid, does it pay off in the long run.  Last but not least for the sellers that sell odd or large shapes items where do you buy your boxes?  I know this is a lot of questions but thought I would throw them all out there.  Any feedback or advice is appreciated!!  

[soh.maryl]

Seems like a set would attract more buyers.

Why would any seller list something for a lower price than they paid? Especially considering the fees? 

There might possibly be some (very few) things that you got for a surprisingly low price (or were given for free) that will go for a higher price, but how could the usual item "pay off in the long run".

Forgive me, but your questions make you sound like a newbie instead of someone who has been here for over 20 years.  

[silverstatetreasureboxes]

@twolewts 

Lol, most of us couldn't hold a candle to you! But I get the fact you are venturing out in fresh waters so as far as the canisters go, always as a set. 2nd Q: No, your here to make money. 3rd Q: find different places to get your boxes, go dumpster diving, talk to a few stores, some thrift shops who get donations will often give you their boxes. Try to keep this cost down as buying boxes are expensive. Best to you.

[fashunu4eeuh]

Hi!

1) i would sell them as a set. 

2) Selling at a loss in order to attract new buyers, additional traffic, or upsales is an accepted practice in retail. The “Loss leaders” strategy works best with a comprehensive plan and very specific goals. 

3) As a small seller i will procure boxes as economically as possible but i am picky. Family and friends collect and save me their clean reusable packaging. Sometimes i find nearly-new at stores who throw away packing materials after large shipments. When buying new, i like ULine, and also find their bulk styrofoam peanuts a good buy (which i have the room to store).

[lepke1979]

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@twolewts wrote:

Hi, I am just looking for input on a few questions. I would like to see what has worked out best for some sellers.  I am venturing out into selling larger items and recently I purchased a complete set of retro  kitchen canisters.  My question is, is it better to sell the whole set at once or individually?  Question two- If you buy something and list it at a lower price than you paid, does it pay off in the long run.  Last but not least for the sellers that sell odd or large shapes items where do you buy your boxes?  I know this is a lot of questions but thought I would throw them all out there.  Any feedback or advice is appreciated!!  

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1) Depends on what it is. If I think I can potentitally make more selling it separately, I might do that. But at the same time, it could be worth selling altogether for less than I'd make separately if only to get rid of it faster.

2) For B&M, yes. For online via a marketplace, less so. Less store loyalty in my opinion. But everyone can have a different experience, I guess.

3) I try to go with USPS so I can use and if necessary resize/frankenbox their Priority boxes. But the times I want a particular size or know it won't go Priority, I'll usually order supplies/boxes from PaperMart because they're local enough to me for pickup. And outside of that, I usually just use boxes I saved. But Walmart, Sam's, or Staples is an option.

[richard1rst]

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@twolewts wrote:

 I am venturing out into selling larger items

 If this is your first venture into larger items you MUST pay attention to the SIZE of box you need.  Anything over 1 cubic foot is going to play havoc with your shipping costs.

Get familiarized with "dimensional pricing". The WEIGHT of the box is irrelevant.

[femmefan1946]

https://postcalc.usps.com/Business/Index

Know how you will be shipping before you list.

Use Calculated Shipping to give the buyer the most accurate price for shipping to her doorstep.

Personally I would first list them as a set. Fixed Price /Immediate Payment Required.

If they don't sell in two months, I would split the set into single pieces, and raise the prices for each.

Then add Best Offer (with yes/no parameters enabled) and Volume Pricing.

Never price anything at less than what will cover your costs. And your costs include your labour - minimum wage here is 25c a minute.

[inhawaii]

A) Selling individual vs. selling sets. Selling individual will make you more money but is more work. 

B) What do you mean by "pay off"? 

C) The USPS offers free Priority Mail boxes. You can order them online and they will ship to you for free.

[calntom]

I get my shipping boxes from dumpsters, such as Burkes, Tuesday Morning and others. I have 3-4 designated spots to stop by. 

They break the boxes down and they are normally clean, used cardboard. 

I use the cardboard from the very large broken down boxes to make custom sized boxes to fit the larger, heavier items I ship. (Check youtube)

I use cardboard sleeves to circumference the product so no damage will occur. Sometimes up to an inch all the way around the product. Over time, one can become very proficient with shipping to avoid damage.

I rarely ever buy any boxes. Only sometimes, 6x4x4 and 6x6x4 and those run about $.25 or $.30 per box off sellers on eBay. Not the flimsy boxes.

You can order free boxes from USPS but you have to ship with some sort of Priority package to use them.