Tips on how to reduce shipping charges

[lgonzalez28]

Hello,

I am attempting to list a 24" Christmas wreath in it's original box. The item itself is fairly lightweight, just under 3 pounds packaged. The container for this would be approximately 29"×29"x 10"h.

The usps parcel option gives me $28-$101, priority just a bit more at $33-$121.

The item bin price is $60. Without adding the cost into my list price and offering free shipping (which isn't an option for me should there be a return) can anyone provide any cost savings tips?

Other sites offer commercial based pricing allowing this same item to ship for roughly $16 usps to any location just for comparison.

Thank you for any advice,

Lori

[mam98031]

Are the prices you have stated Retail [going to the PO to purchase] or online pricing?  Ebay and other online providers of postage all offer commercial rates, which is much cheaper than Retail.

[lgonzalez28]

This is just the ebay calculator from my listing page. Should I be using a different way?

[coffeebean832]

---

@lgonzalez28 wrote:

Other sites offer commercial based pricing allowing this same item to ship for roughly $16 usps to any location just for comparison.

---

Those other sites may be large retailers that do high volume so they get huge shipping discounts.

This is an oversized package so there's not much you can do to reduce the shipping cost. Items that large are sometimes better sold locally with a pickup option.

[18704d]

I have many items which are large, heavy

and cost almost as much to ship as they're worth on eBay.

Myself?

I feel that they are not eBay-able.

I don't list them.

Other sellers do it differently.

Thanks

Lynn

[lgonzalez28]

Thank you, I was just not sure how other sellers proceed.

[coffeebean832]

That depends on the seller's acquisition cost and their shipping volume / access to discounted rates. A seller that doesn't do a high enough volume to qualify for special discounted rates from the carrier would have to have a low enough acquisition cost that they could reduce the listing price of the item enough to make the $30 local shipping cost worth it- and they would know that buyers in far away zones are not going to pay the shipping price that's higher than the item's worth.

It's beautiful but it's also fairly common- it's easy to find a similar wreath in the fall/winter- so it's not rare enough to make the shipping cost worth it. Just my opinion.

[lgonzalez28]

Agreed. As a buyer I wouldnt pay this cost, which is why I asked. There is a seller that I love her fabrics, but states $60+ to ship for about 3 yards. She states in listing that it doesnt fit in large fr, so I have to pass on her listings, sadly. Thank you for your input. Much appreciated
I will just keep it up elsewhere

[fern*wood]

---

@lgonzalez28 wrote:
Thank you, I was just not sure how other sellers proceed.

---

I would hang it on my own door and enjoy it.   I'm keeping many items now for myself due to the postage cost.

[lgonzalez28]

Lol I will screenshot this and send it to my husband
I swear I end up keeping half of my stuff for various reasons. He hates that. 😂

[18704d]

And, in my opinion,

Sellers also need to calculate the possibility of themselves again paying the Return shipping charge,

which will be forced on them, when a buyer files a Not As Described.

Lynn

[lgonzalez28]

Exactly this, Lynn. My Biggest fear of selling anything on ebay.
I don't know how you high volume sellers do it without losing sleep. One day maybe it wont bother me as much...

[mam98031]

---

@lgonzalez28 wrote:
This is just the ebay calculator from my listing page. Should I be using a different way?

---

Then those rates are based on Commercial Rates.  Retail would be more expensive.  

Selling things that have that have a large shipping rate can be challenging, but there are many times where I've sold something over the years that has a shipping price that is higher than the product price.  

Sometimes people just don't live in places that they can get certain things easily so they are willing to pay the price.

[getitright1234]

Check FedEx.

[lgonzalez28]

I did that as well, it was a few dollars more. The parcel ground seemed to be the least expensive in this case. Oh well. I guess I wont list here. Thanks for the suggestions