Simply-the-best-for-you Volunteer Community Mentor
mam98031 • Volunteer Community Member • Buyer/Seller since 1999
@johnrj1226 wrote:Only if the seller includes it in his selling price
@johnrj1226 Nope there is a Handling Fee field on the listing form. Has been there practically forever. If you use that field, you have entered a Handling Fee, but it is not shown as a separate fee to the buyer.
@golfinggal wrote:Is the handling fee included in the shipping costs when a potential buyer is looking at a listing?
It depends on how you set your prices.
Some people add their handling cost into the price of the items.
Others add a handling cost to the shipping.
Some split handling to both item price and shipping.
Spot On - Simply The Best For You - wanted to simply state "Spot On" but had to have at least 10 characters - what a waste of ink.
@johnrj1226 wrote:Think you are splitting hairs. Certainly the handling fee is not shown as a separate line item to the buyer but neither are the seller's cost of the item or cost of packing materials or label printing, label costs etc. A cost should included along with an expected profit margin which is not also shown to the prospective buyer. Personally I always included a shipping/handling fee on every item I sold and shipped by USPS. My shipping charge was at USPS RETAIL price vs what ever discount rate there was extended from eBay label purchases - my label cost was not shown either. People offering "free shipping" play hide the pea too. Never offered "free shipping" on the 1665 items shipped and achieved my target profit margins - the name of the selling game.
@johnrj1226 Sorry, not meaning to split hairs. I thought you were saying there was no special place to enter it & there is. Those other costs do not have a specified field. Of course you're right that it doesn't really matter if you put it in that field or just roll it into your costs.
My intent was not to split hairs, but to simply answer the OP's question. I assumed they were using the Handling Fee field (though they did not indicate) & were wondering if the amount entered in the field is shown to the buyer anywhere. That's how I read the OP's question.
@golfinggal wrote:Is the handling fee included in the shipping costs when a potential buyer is looking at a listing?
Only if you set up the Calculated shipping to include a handling fee or if you set your own shipping charges on your listing, you added in your handling fee..
@dirk12955 wrote:Yes it is.
No it isn't @dirk12955 unless the seller has set the handling fee in the calculated shipping or in the amount they put in as shipping on the listing.
@nobody*s_perfect wrote:IMHO, the only way to interpret the OP's reference to "the handling fee" would be as a reference to the handling fee box in setting up calculated shipping. A handling fee which has already been added to a flat shipping cost, or to the item's price, is obviously included.
Clearly it isn't. I completely respect your opinion and you are likely right, but it may not have been correct as the OP did not explain any further nor did they post to the thread any further details, so I wanted to make sure bases were covered. If I made you feel like I was dismissing your posts, that was never my intent. I have no idea what is in the mind of the OP nor do you. Your way seems more likely, however I have been surprised many times on these threads as to what the OP really meant.
I use a handling fee to cover shipping materials and at least part of the fees on shipping.
@monster-deals wrote:
@mam98031 wrote:I use a handling fee to cover shipping materials and at least part of the fees on shipping.
I use my discount to cover that and the small stuff like bubble mailers.
Anything large and expensive usually uses a large and expensive box and I usually insure anything over $300, but I make the buyer pay for it.
And that can work if you are charging the buyers full retail on shipping. Not everyone does that.
