Newbie question: How do I determine shipping cost when selling something?

[sebezsales]

I have an electronic scale at home. I want to know how to determine ship cost on both USPS and UPS without having to drive to either. 

Thank you

[rock-rollcafe]

Weigh and measure the the package. When you list, choose caculated shipping and enter the info. The ship label can be printed on line and the cost will be shown to each buyer as they check out your listing.

[newview]

If, when you are creating your listing, you choose "Calculated Shipping" and then input your package size & weight, the shipping will automagically be calculated based on the buyers zipcode (as long as they are logged in under their account). For instance, when I create a listing, I grab a box that will hold my item, grab packing material sufficient to safely pack the item, grab the item itself ... and then place it ALL on my scale. I usually add a few ounces for the tape & label and then THAT is the weight & package size I input. Anyway ... that's the way I do it and I haven't burnt myself on shipping yet. Of course, there are many other ways and I'm sure others will chime in with other suggestions.

Once you have those parameters set, you then choose your shipping METHOD, 1st Class, Priority Mail, UPS, FedEX ... etc. The software takes over from here ... you don't actually input a flat cost (unless you want to, of course, in which case you would choose Flat Rate in the place of Calculated Shipping.

This is also how it is "supposed to work for UPS, but both UPS & FedEX are notorious for being wrong a good portion of the time, usually NOT in the seller's favor.

Here's a link to the eBay Shipping Calculator, which will give you a good feel for what costs can be based on your zipcode and the destination zipcode ... and allows you to input different package dimensions and weights.
Ebay Shipping Calculator

[sebezsales]

Thanks but how i I know the sellers zip code before I have sold the item?

[usmc*usnmom]

You don't need to know the buyer's zip code. If you use calculated shipping, the shipping calculator will figure the shipping cost from the buyer's zip code and the weight and size of the package that you input on your side.

[sebezsales]

Thank you. Still not clear. Im assuming I will post an item for sale and a specific shipping cost when I post the item for sale right?

[usmc*usnmom]

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@sebas_oter wrote:

Thank you. Still not clear. Im assuming I will post an item for sale and a specific shipping cost when I post the item for sale right?

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When you list an item, select calculated shipping. Enter the weight of the item, box and packaging, then enter the measurements of the box. When a potential buyer comes along for the item, the shipping calculator will automatically show the buyer the cost to THEIR zip code using the weight and dimensions that you entered.

[david*42]

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@sebas_oter wrote:

... Im assuming I will post an item for sale and a specific shipping cost when I post the item for sale right?

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No.

When you set up your listing with the shipping calculator in it, the calculator automatically shows the postage cost from your ZIP Code to the ZIP Code of any member who looks at the listing.  The seller enters the information about the package (weight, dimensions) and chooses the shipping service(s), then the calculator figure the prices automatically.

[newview]

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@sebas_oter wrote:

Thank you. Still not clear. Im assuming I will post an item for sale and a specific shipping cost when I post the item for sale right?

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You never need to enter a COST ... the software makes all those calculations for you and displays the cost based on the VIEWER's zipcode.

You are entering the parameters necessary for the eBay software to make the calculation, the weight & the dimensions of the package. You've already detemined your location by entering your zipcode in your account. So all the hard parameters are now set to make the calculation. The only OTHER parameter, the zipcode of the buyer is seen by the software when the buyer himself / herself views your listing. So a viewer who is looking at your listing from a zipcode in a state right next to you (a close zipcode) will see a lower shipping cost than a viewer of your listing that is all the way acrose the country (a far zipcode) who will see a higher cost.

This is why they call it "Calculated Shipping".
The ebay Shipping Calculator works the same exact way.

[z50com]

OP, what are you wanting to sell on eBay?

Most sellers now days have free shipping and include an amount to cover shipping into the price of the item.

I use US Priority Falt Rate for most of my items and 1st class mail for the rest.

[corndog2]

You CAN specify a fixed shipping cost to all buyers if you like. That would not be calculated shipping, but is also an option.

But beware that it costs much more to send your item several states across the country than it does to the state next to yours. That's the nice part about calculated shipping, since the Ebay calculator figures the shipping to each potential buyer's location when they look at your listing, if you select that method. Many previous posters have outline that for you.

Maybe what you are shipping is small and light weight, and you can arrive at a shipping cost by USPS flat rate and then it would be the same to all of the US and you can instead select that when you list, and it will be the same shipping cost to all of your buyers in the continental US.

[sebezsales]

Got it thanks. So it seems I first need to get the box to be used to count that in the weighing for calculating shipping.....?

[timemachine777]

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@sebas_oter wrote:

I have an electronic scale at home. I want to know how to determine ship cost on both USPS and UPS without having to drive to either. 

Thank you

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My best suggestion to you is this: Based on you current location, find a town in the US that is the farthest from you, and use that towns zip code to calculate your average shipping cost. Now...go to the USPS site, and run some rates using that zip code. Start at 1 pound 1 oz. and 12" or more for your package size. Get a note book and make a list, 1lb 1oz, 2lb 1oz, 3lb 1oz. etc. and fill in the shipping rates for standard, and priority fees.

Keep your box size at 12 x 12 x 12. I don't know what you intend on selling, so I'm taking a guess that you will be selling items that will fit in any box that will fit the 12 combination. Example: 9 x 12 x 15. I aways price my 1st class (under 13 oz.) between 3.00 and 6.00. Also remember that very large boxes are subject to a balloon rate, even if they're light.

[timemachine777]

After you do this for a while, you should be able to hold your item and calculate the cost in your head.

[david*42]

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timemachine777 wrote: ... find a town in the US that is the farthest from you, and use that towns zip code to calculate your average shipping cost. Now...go to the USPS site, and run some rates using that zip code. Start at 1 pound 1 oz. and 12" or more for your package size. Get a note book and make a list, 1lb 1oz, 2lb 1oz, 3lb 1oz. etc. and fill in the shipping rates for standard, and priority fees. ...

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Or look at the USPS's published rates rather than hand-generating your own chart.

http://pe.usps.com/cpim/ftp/manuals/dmm300/notice123.pdf

If you print your shipping labels online (e.g.,  through eBay), the weight limit for First Class packages is 15.999 ounces.