How do I list an item with free shipping, but with added postage if more than 1 is purchased?

[mrcap840]

So i'm trying to listen an item with free shipping, however I want to add a shipping fee on ONLY when buyers purchase more than 1 of the item, as it drives shipping costs way up. If they buy just 1, free shipping is no problem.

In the listing options, I unchecked "free shipping", put $0.00 in the "cost" box and $2.88 in the "each additional" box, but it keeps resetting to $0.00

[mtgraves7984]

Don't fret... your buyers will probably buy one at a time to save some money.

[mrcap840]

A lot of buyers order just 1 but plenty buy 2-4 at a time as well and at that point my profits are way low as I have to cover the shipping.

Is there no way to just add a shipping fee when ordering more than 1?

[a_c_green]

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@mrcap840 wrote:

A lot of buyers order just 1 but plenty buy 2-4 at a time as well and at that point my profits are way low as I have to cover the shipping.

Is there no way to just add a shipping fee when ordering more than 1?

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The short answer is No, Free Shipping is Free Shipping, with no added asterisks or conditions. Besides, if you really could enforce a Shipping-charge-on-multiple-purchases-only policy, your buyer would simply make a separate payment for each item in order to get its shipping for free.

It's almost always the case that if you're shipping more than one item in a combined package, your total cost is going to be less than if you made two or more individual shipments anyway. For small, lightweight items, you may be able to add additional purchases to the same package without raising its cost at all.

I wouldn't worry about it; just list them as Free Shipping and hope that your buyers will go for more than one order as a result.

[vintage-car-magazines]

What are you shipping that costs more than double to ship two?

[sg51]

Have you ruled out just shipping them one per package, as if they were separate orders?

[dhbookds]

Do you have shipping as calculated or flat cost?  I think you have to use flat.........

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@mrcap840 wrote:

A lot of buyers order just 1 but plenty buy 2-4 at a time as well and at that point my profits are way low as I have to cover the shipping.

Is there no way to just add a shipping fee when ordering more than 1?

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No, there is no way to offer free shipping for one item but charge for multiple purchases.

Try to be logical, as your buyers would be (as pointed out above, but perhaps too subtly): If purchasing two together (or shipping two together) costs more, then each item will be purchased (and shipped) separately.

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@vintage-car-magazines wrote:

What are you shipping that costs more than double to ship two?

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Could be an item that ships singly via First Class but weighs over 8 ounces, so a package of two would ship at the 2-pound rate (i.e., 9 ounces to Zone 8 costs $4.46 but 18 ounces costs $11.19).  

Or an item that is less than a cubic foot when packaged, but over that dimensional-weight threshold when packed in multiples. Or fits in a flat-rate box when purchased singly but not when multiples.

[slippinjimmy]

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@nobody*s_perfect wrote:

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@vintage-car-magazines wrote:

What are you shipping that costs more than double to ship two?

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Could be an item that ships singly via First Class but weighs over 8 ounces, so a package of two would ship at the 2-pound rate (i.e., 9 ounces to Zone 8 costs $4.46 but 18 ounces costs $11.19).  

Or an item that is less than a cubic foot when packaged, but over that dimensional-weight threshold when packed in multiples. Or fits in a flat-rate box when purchased singly but not when multiples.

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I had similar thoughts but the answer is quite clear.......if it's more expensive to ship 2 items in a single package rather than 2 x 1 item in separate packages the obvious answer is to ship each item separately regardless of how many a single customer might buy.

Sellers usually combine multiple item purchases in a single package because it's cheaper, there is no rule that says they have to be shipped together and obviously if it's costs more per item to do so just don't do it!

[vintage-car-magazines]

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@nobody*s_perfect wrote:

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@vintage-car-magazines wrote:

What are you shipping that costs more than double to ship two?

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Could be an item that ships singly via First Class but weighs over 8 ounces, so a package of two would ship at the 2-pound rate (i.e., 9 ounces to Zone 8 costs $4.46 but 18 ounces costs $11.19).  

Or an item that is less than a cubic foot when packaged, but over that dimensional-weight threshold when packed in multiples. Or fits in a flat-rate box when purchased singly but not when multiples.

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My question isn't about what COULD cause it (I know the possibilities). My question is what is the OP selling that DOES cause it. Once we know that then we'll be able to make suggestions.

[dinpavent0]

Yes could be the issue. For example I had some hair dyes my husband picked up and I wasn't going to use them so I listed them on here. To ship one, it was around $4 from NY to CA and around $3 and change to closer states to me. If someone buys 2 or more, it is always over a pound so it has to go priority mail no matter what. So I then try to use the flat rate boxes in that case if it is more cost efficient. Selling one is ok with free shipping and I had my prices pretty low, but selling two it would most definitely double the amount.
On those type of items I use the volume pricing and make sure I build in my shipping and other costs as if it is going to sell to the furthest place and add best offer. Best offer gives me the option to lower price if it is not going very far and they want to buy more than one. That seems to work best for me.

[adkhighker]

An alternative would be to drop your price and charge for shipping. Many buyers are finally catching on that there is no such thing as free shipping because they know that all anyone is doing is burying their shipping cost in the price of the item. Most smart buyers set the search for "Price + shipping: Lowest first" anyway and don't care if it's free shipping or not as long as the bottom line price is cheaper than the next guy's.

[plymouthsales4165]

 The best way would be to charge flat rate and charge $0.01 for the first one and whatever you need for the additional ones

[vintage-car-magazines]

Seems the OP has left the building.