Offering multiple shipping options, how do these appear for the buyer?

[cyber_akuma]

I am trying to create a listing, and thought it would be best to offer two shipping options, a cheaper slow one, and faster but pricier one.

When I go to preview the listing however, it says "Read item description or contact seller for details." Is this because since I am the one previewing it, it does not have an address to estimate shipping cost? Will the buyer still see the actual prices if they are logged in with their address?

Also, how can I be sure that all the options I chose are valid? I used the "Calculate Shipping" option, but it gave me a large amount of USPS options, far more than the USPS site itself gave me. And some of them don't seem to make sense, such as having an option for small, medium, or large box shipping when I already entered the size and weight of the box, and I don't think a box that is W17.75 x 14L x 8.5H would be considered small or medium. I was burned before because of the wrong shipping I listed once and had to pay extra fees myself to ship the item, I don't want to pay a huge amount out of my own pocket to ship something becuase I chose the wrong option or ebay is giving me an option that is not viable for the product.

[bubbleman2010]

It always helps when posting a problem about a listing to post with the ID selling it using a posting ID all you'll get is guesses...

[cyber_akuma]

I am still writing up the listing, so I don't have a link or ID yet to post. I am trying to make sure I don't mess up those options before I submit the listing.

[femmefan1946]

KISS

Just don't offer multiple shipping options.

In my opinion, the buyer will opt for the cheap service, but remember (and expect) the faster more expensive service.

Pick the one that fits YOUR needs.

If the buyer wants to haggle on total price, you can do that if she asks.

Most won't.

The mobile view is part of the problem. Buyers don't see as much as we think they will when we write up our descriptions and Terms of Sale on our computers.

You can see your listings as others would by logging in through eBaydotCOM (not your bookmarks) and entering a different zipcode . (I use 90210, for example.)

And I don't want to upset you, but are there any items you can offer with Free Shipping?

DON'T PANIC!

Free Shipping just means including the cost of shipping in your asking price.

Which is cheaper?

A $10 item with $5 shipping?

Or a $15 item with Free Shipping?

This doesn't work well with parcels that use dimensional rates, but if you can use Flat Rate, consider Free Shipping.

But basically, Keep It Simple.

[bubbleman2010]

Write the listing up and submit it then come back and someone can look at it and answer your questions and you can revise it and make the corrections..

[partial*eclipse]

You're correct:  The shipping calculator doesn't work when you're in Preview, probably because it doesn't have any potential buyer's ZIP Code to work with.

When looking at the main page of your listing, the buyer will see whichever shipping service is listed first on your listing form.  eBay's programmers apparently haven't heeded multiple requests over the years for a way to automatically show the cheapest option first.

The dimensions of your box are over 1 cubic foot, so it will incur the dreaded "dimensional weight" when shipping via Priority Mail to Zones 5 - 8.  So your plan to also offer a ground shipping method (Retail Ground or Parcel Select) is a good idea.  Dimensions are entered in  full inches.  Just choose regular "Package/thick envelope" and the shipping aclculator will do the work for you.

[cyber_akuma]

Hmm, seems that both the USPS site and Ebay's shipping calculater list "Media Mail" as an option.... and it appears to be the cheapest as well... It looks like that might be the best idea, but I am a little skeptical, it's significantly cheaper than other options that would take the same amount of time to ship. I just don't want to be caught with having already send an invoice and the buyer paid it.... and then when I go to ship it, I am given a considerably higher shipping price.

Is the shipping price just part of the invoice I get and I have to manually go get the label, or does e-bay actually let me use that to let me print a shipping label or something?

[llllady]

@cyber_akuma

We still don't know what type of items you are selling, but from the size you have described, Media Mail certainly is NOT an option.

USPS Media Mail is very restricted, and before you try to use it inappropriately, you should read the guidelines from the USPS website:

https://about.usps.com/notices/not121/not121_tech.htm

[cyber_akuma]

Oh, sorry, it's an old game console. A Sega CD.

[d-k_treasures]

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@partial*eclipse wrote:

You're correct:  The shipping calculator doesn't work when you're in Preview, probably because it doesn't have any potential buyer's ZIP Code to work with.

When looking at the main page of your listing, the buyer will see whichever shipping service is listed first on your listing form.  eBay's programmers apparently haven't heeded multiple requests over the years for a way to automatically show the cheapest option first.

The dimensions of your box are over 1 cubic foot, so it will incur the dreaded "dimensional weight" when shipping via Priority Mail to Zones 5 - 8.  So your plan to also offer a ground shipping method (Retail Ground or Parcel Select) is a good idea.  Dimensions are entered in  full inches.  Just choose regular "Package/thick envelope" and the shipping aclculator will do the work for you.

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Or at least put back the 'More shipping options available' notation back in. After they took it out, I missed a few things because of high priority costs coast to coast, but later looked and found they offered parcel select also - didn't realize that the note was gone at the time.

The note used to be there so that a buyer knew to look at the shipping tab. Again, a simple change to put back something that would bring more money to the site and they can't figure it out.

[partial*eclipse]

Not eligible for Media Mail.  Even the games aren't eligible.  Here's a handy reference chart that USPS put together for staff:

https://liteblue.usps.gov/news/link/2013/04apr/Media-Mail-Guidelines.htm

[llllady]

You definitely can't ship that via Media Mail.

If you want to provide two shipping options, and you are going to use the U.S. Postal Service, you can offer USPS Parcel Select (if you are going to print the shipping label online) or USPS Retail Ground (if you are going to bring the package to the post office to ship/  The second option could be USPS Priority Mail.  Be sure to include the weight and size of the package.

There are other options if the items are small enough to fit into any of the USPS Flat Rate boxes.  You can check out the different regular Priority and Priority Flat rate boxes, which are available at the USPS for FREE:

https://store.usps.com/store/browse/subcategory.jsp?categoryId=priority-mail&categoryNavIds=shipping...

[cyber_akuma]

I see, thanks. I thought the point of the shipping calculator was to only give you options that the shipper would support for that pagkage.

Seems that UPS's site and Ebay's shipping calculator both offer UPS Ground when I use their estimators, and the prices (though a bit high) seem about the same, wondering if I should use that, though I am worried the higher price will drive off buyers.

Any suggestions on figuring out which options between USPS, FexEx, and UPS will work or opinions on which one would be preferred?

[modulok!]

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@llllady wrote:

@cyber_akuma

We still don't know what type of items you are selling, but from the size you have described, Media Mail certainly is NOT an option.

USPS Media Mail is very restricted, and before you try to use it inappropriately, you should read the guidelines from the USPS website:

https://about.usps.com/notices/not121/not121_tech.htm

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In regards to your quote where you referenced the package size as it pertains to Media Mail...."We still don't know what type of items you are selling, but from the size you have described, Media Mail certainly is NOT an option.".

Well that statment is plain wrong as the OPs package dimensions ARE certainly an option for Media Mail (though the item, gaming system, certainly is not permitted).  Media mail can be up to 70 pounds and the package size can be quite large (look up the package size limits at USPS for further reference).  I've shipped big packages that I could ship myself in via Media Mail.  The OP cannot ship a gaming system via Media Mail but if the item was on the list of allowed items then the OPs package size would not prevent the OP from shipping via Media Mail.  Just don't want anybody thinking that only small packages can be shipped via Media Mail, as this is just false.

[castlemagicmemories]

How do these appear for the Buyer?

They show under the shipping and payments tab on the listing.

Buyer clicks on that and it brings up the various options.