Variation Listing Shipping Question

[johnsworkshopllc1]

I have a variation listing that has seventeen variation items that only weigh 1oz. each.  Buyers who buy a quantity of 13 or less fall under the weight for First Class shipping and those that buy 14 or more would need to be sent their shipment using Priority Mail.  How do we specify the proper shipping method based on the total weight of the items purchased? 

We have tried adding both First Class and Priority Mail shipping to the listing and only the First Class shipping method is available to the buyer regardless if they are under or over the 13 ounce threshold.  Presently we have the listing set to use Priority Mail which is more expensive than necessary for those buyers that only need First Class.  For example, if a buyer buys two items, they end up paying the minimum for Priority Mail instead of the $2.66 needed to ship a First Class package up to 4 oz. in weight.  These items are low cost and insurance is not a concern for small numbers of purchased items.

[nobody*s_perfect]

If you print a postage label through eBay, your First Class package can weigh up to 15.999 ounces.  

[johnsworkshopllc1]

Yes, thanks for pointing that out.  Sixteen ounces is the eBay cutoff for First Class shipping.  Correcting our original post, has anyone dealt with this issue before and is there a solution?  Or are we pretty much stuck using Priority Mail for purchases under 16oz?

<Corrected Post>

I have a variation listing that has seventeen variation items that only weigh 1 oz. each.  Buyers who buy a quantity of 16 or less fall under the weight for First Class shipping and those that buy 17 or more would need to be sent their shipment using Priority Mail.  How do we specify the proper shipping method based on the total weight of the items purchased? 

We have tried adding both First Class and Priority Mail shipping to the listing and only the First Class shipping method is available to the buyer regardless if they are under or over the 13 ounce threshold.  Presently we have the listing set to use Priority Mail which is more expensive than necessary for those buyers that only need First Class.  For example, if a buyer buys two items, they end up paying the minimum for Priority Mail instead of the $2.66 needed to ship a First Class package up to 4 oz. in weight.  These items are low cost and insurance is not a concern for small numbers of purchased items.

[johnsworkshopllc1]

<Corrected Post>

I have a variation listing that has seventeen variation items that only weigh 1 oz. each.  Buyers who buy a quantity of 16 or less fall under the weight for First Class shipping and those that buy 17 or more would need to be sent their shipment using Priority Mail.  How do we specify the proper shipping method based on the total weight of the items purchased? 

We have tried adding both First Class and Priority Mail shipping to the listing and only the First Class shipping method is available to the buyer regardless if they are under or over the 13 ounce threshold.  Presently we have the listing set to use Priority Mail which is more expensive than necessary for those buyers that only need First Class.  For example, if a buyer buys two items, they end up paying the minimum for Priority Mail instead of the $2.66 needed to ship a First Class package up to 4 oz. in weight.  These items are low cost and insurance is not a concern for small numbers of purchased items.

[goodluckselling]

I would advertise first class mail and when a buyer meets to priority weight area then use priority. 

It really will not make a difference if you use an upgraded delivery service as it will probably get delivered quicker not slower. 

It will make a difference if you advertise Priority and use first class though. 

Good Luck Selling!

[berserkerplanet · Accepted solution]

>>How do we specify the proper shipping method based on the total weight of the items purchased?

You can't. The eBay calculator is not sophisticated enough to handle that scenario. But you can rig it to produce correct quotes for multiple shipping options and leave it up to the buyer to choose.

If you use a "combine all weights" combined calculated shipping rule, the calculator will combine the weights, and then split the result into X number of First Class pkg shipments, but will not bump the shipping to Priority.

For example, I experimented with one of my variation listings that has 7 oz items. When I put 4 of them in my other account's cart (eBay won't let you buy your own stuff :-), the shipping was $8.76 - the cost for 2 14oz FCP shipments. When I tried with 3 the cost was $7.43 - the cost for a 14oz pkg (the first two 7 oz items) plus a 7oz pkg.

What you can do is use that rule AND offer both First Class Package and Priority Mail shipping option and let the buyer pick the cheaper option. That rule will combine weights, and produce First Class quotes based on breaking up combined weights over 15.99oz (16oz?) into multiple FCP shipments, and also a quote for Priority.

Go here, create a combined calculated shipping rule of the "combine all item weights" variety :

https://cgi5.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?SellerShippingPreferences

Then go revise the listing, add both First Class and Priority calculated options, and tick the "Apply my calculated" shipping rule box.

[inhawaii]

You leave it at First Class Mail ... if a customer buys 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 items.  At some point if the customer buys enough of them. they must ship Priority Mail.  Simply change the method of shipment to Priority Mail when you print the label.

If you structure your shipping charges right, you will actually make more money the more they buy.

For example: S&H is $4 for the first item. $1 for each additional itme.

If they buy 3, S&H comes to $6.  If they buy 10, S&H comes to $13.  That's enough to send it Priority Mail and have some leftover to pay for fees, shipping supplies or just prfofit. 

Good luck!

[johnsworkshopllc1]

@beserkerplanet

Thank you for the awesome and well layed out reply!  That is indeed what we did and it now provides the shopping experience we were hoping to provide.  In our earlier trials we didn't actually click on the Checkout button and thus never saw the option to select Priority Mail instead of First Class mail.  All is now good!

[johnsworkshopllc1]

Thanks to everyone for their fast and helpful responses!

[berserkerplanet]

Glad it worked for you.

Couple of thoughts:

You can simulate the checkout experience by getting rates for multiple items on the shipping & payments tab on the listing (without having to switch accounts).

Another thing I have been pondering is the single combined calculated shipping rule situation. Only a single rule of a specific type is allowed for the calculated rule, which can be a problem for many sellers. I have few multi qty or variation listings, and few of them are anything but bulky items where dimensional weight is the dominant factor, so the single"don't combine/no discounts" rule works for me, but other sellers might have that type of item and other types where they might want to offer discounts.

I've played with it a bit, and it looks like one can have multiple rules in a fashion because changes to the calculated combined rule don't seem to affect active listings unless the listings are revised. Whether any revisions to a listing (not just shipping section revisions) trigger use of the latest combined shipping rule, and what happens when the item is relisted both are unknown.