Handling fee

[bashort]

I have never had a handling fee before but would do one now if you could do one as a % of the shipping cost.

I just had a buyer buy a $40 item then ask if there was any way to get it next day. I said sure, I canceled the sale, relisted it with next day air and they bought it again and made a special trip to drop it off.

The reward for my above and beyond customer service is that my fees were 28% of the price of the item.

At least it went to a state without sales tax or the fees would of been 30%.

I have next day air as a option on many of my listings but I am going to have to rethink that unless I can come up with a way to get compensated for the extra fees. 

I would love to see a handling charge as a % of the shipping cost.

[stainlessenginecovers]

You can add a handling fee to the 'calculated shipping rate' (that fee (but it's not a percentage, it's a flat rate)

You can add more than 1 way of shipping as an 'option' and never have to cancel again.

You can add a handling fee by just adding a 'flat' rate to all listings in the shipping area (ex: shipping from Cali to NY cost $12 Priority, I can list it as $15 for that item)

[nobody*s_perfect · Accepted solution]

One easy way to approximate this is to leave the shipping calculator set up to charge the retail price for postage.  For instance, shipping a 2-pound Priority Express package to Zone 8 costs $56.00 retail but only $48.35 at online rates (and a further 3% discount for TRS who purchase through eBay shipping).

In this particular case, you also could have aded an appropriate handling fee in the listing's shipping calculator, since you knew the buyer's location.

[bashort]

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@stainlessenginecovers wrote:

You can add a handling fee to the 'calculated shipping rate' (that fee (but it's not a percentage, it's a flat rate)

You can add more than 1 way of shipping as an 'option' and never have to cancel again.

You can add a handling fee by just adding a 'flat' rate to all listings in the shipping area (ex: shipping from Cali to NY cost $12 Priority, I can list it as $15 for that item)

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I do have next day set up on many listings but this is one that I did not think anyone would want next day on.

[lepke1979]

I'm guessing you removed the cheaper shipping option and replaced it with the more expensive option. That's why your fees were higher. Had you had the cheaper option and next day, the fees would have been based on the cheaper shipping method.

[m60driver]

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@bashort wrote:

I have as a option on many of my listings but I am going to have to rethink that unless I can come up with a way to get compensated for the extra fees. 

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Best to remove that option, next day air, especially for lower priced items.  The added  fees based upon that cost, plus the fees on the added taxes to that cost, will significantly impact your net margins.  If a buyer needs something expedited they will inform and ask you and then you can charge accordingly.  On the very rare occasion when I got such an expedited shipping request I relisted the item to cover the added costs after explaining the situation with the buyer and coming to a price agreement.

[luckythewinner]

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@bashort wrote:

The reward for my above and beyond customer service is that my fees were 28% of the price of the item.

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When you relisted the item, you had the option to set the shipping cost to any amount you wanted to. 

You do not need a handling charge feature for that. 

[bashort]

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@nobody*s_perfect wrote:

One easy way to approximate this is to leave the shipping calculator set up to charge the retail price for postage.  For instance, shipping a 2-pound Priority Express package to Zone 8 costs $56.00 retail but only $48.35 at online rates (and a further 3% discount for TRS who purchase through eBay shipping).

In this particular case, you also could have aded an appropriate handling fee in the listing's shipping calculator, since you knew the buyer's location.

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I already got to try this out on another next day air and it actually worked to well, the actual shipping will be $46 and the buyer got charged $116.

[partfinds]

I admire those that change shipping to expedite because when return comes this is the price that it will cost you to return times 2. I do expedited only to buyers with solid feedback knowing item has 0 chance of return. I never charge handling. 

[bashort]

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@partfinds wrote:

I admire those that change shipping to expedite because when return comes this is the price that it will cost you to return times 2. I do expedited only to buyers with solid feedback knowing item has 0 chance of return.

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While it is not without risk I do it on Industrial items and they are low risk buyers.

This was sent UPS air and as far as I know ebay only provides USPS return labels for returns

[partfinds]

This was sent UPS air and as far as I know ebay only provides USPS return labels for returns

Ebay matches return to shipping for me. When item ships fedex it is returned fedex. When it goes usps it comes back usps. The shipper is not mixed up.

i had buyer request expedited shipping and the shortly clai ed not as described. I had that much loss. Item came back fully functional . I guess they quickly needed to seeif there is problem with that part.

[partfinds]

 Also had same buyer placing order again and he asked for expedited and i had no problem with the order at all. When buyers aske to expedite], I would ask for difference through paypal before shipping. This way you don’t risk as much. And I had honest buyers and they all left good feedback

[lepke1979]

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@partfinds wrote:

I admire those that change shipping to expedite because when return comes this is the price that it will cost you to return times 2. I do expedited only to buyers with solid feedback knowing item has 0 chance of return. I never charge handling. 

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I believe if you go here and check off RMA Number at the bottom. You are given the option to send your own return label so you aren't paying like for like.

https://www.ebay.com/rtn/Return/SellerRules

[partfinds]

Yes. Isn’t it that buyer Can  have trouble printing label if you provide your own label and then ebay can force their own or even refund?

[lepke1979]

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@partfinds wrote:

Yes. Isn’t it that buyer Can  have trouble printing label if you provide your own label and then ebay can force their own or even refund?

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That I don't know. I did see someone recommend sending it via the return page and via messaging though. So maybe that's to help give the buyer less ammunition for that.