Why I'll NEVER offer free shipping on everything

[jason_incognito]

Last night while cleaning up and looking for a specific old piece of paper I came across all the other half pieces of shipping labels. A huge stack. 

I'd been thinking about the eBay video I watched earlier in the day that really got my blood boiling. I know eBay wants free shipping to compete with Amazon's prime, but Amazon has warehouses all over the country and almost never ship more than a few hundred miles......

I sometimes offer free shipping. I sometimes offer flat shipping. I sometimes charge based on actual weight.

I noticed that when it's free shipping, the buyer doesn't care how far it has to go. When it's weight based and or oversized they do seem to care. I send alot of big boxes to the West Cost (I'm on the West Coast) In fact I didn't see a single oversize item going past texas. And that was 1 box. Every other was a California / Oregon / Washington thing.

Flat rate shipping and "free" shipping all seemed to go to the East Cost. In fact, almost every single flat rate box label I saw went to the East Coast (East of Ohio). Not one metered rate priority went there.

Free shipping goes anywhere and everywhere. Why should the buyer care if the item comes from 10 miles away or 2,000?

Right now I only offer "free" shipping on balloons that can go in a padded envelope. I've had "free" shipping for certain weeks before and I checked and noticed for those weeks my average postage cost went way up. When the customer isn't paying it they don't care what it costs.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

Why should a buyer care where you have to ship? What an odd thing to say! They just want their item for the quoted price. Running your business is your responsibility.

Buyers care about the total price and that’s all they should have to care about. If they’re paying to ship a big heavy package across country then of course they’re going to care about it.

You wrote a very odd post as far as I’m concerned. Almost  like you’re blaming your buyers for you losing money on shipping? It’s the buyer’s job to look out for themselves, it’s your job to look out for you.

if fake free shipping doesn’t work for you don’t use it. It deters multiple purchases anyway.

[jason_incognito]

One item in particular was a set of lead crystal beer mugs. They weighed 9 pounds.

I had multiple emails about the shipping costs (All from the East Coast)

8 pounds+ in a 14x14x12 box to New Jersey is $47.10 $34.89 for parcel

8 pounds+ in a 14x14x12 box to San Diego is $31.70 $21.19 for parcel

8 pounds + in a 14x14x12 box to Seattle is $11.90

It would cost me $35 more to ship to New Jersey than Seattle. How do you work that into the price? In the end I charged for shipping and they are now owned by someone in San Diego. 

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

That item does not make sense to put free shipping on. Why would you even consider it?

[sandmansales]

So what's the takeaway here. All buyers should move to the West Coast.

[thatsallfolks]

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@jason_incognitowrote:

I noticed that when it's free shipping, the buyer doesn't care how far it has to go. When it's weight based and or oversized they do seem to care. I send alot of big boxes to the West Cost (I'm on the West Coast) In fact I didn't see a single oversize item going past texas. And that was 1 box. Every other was a California / Oregon / Washington thing.

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Glad you finally realized that. I wouldn't even think of offering free shipping unless the item could be shipped via a flat rate method.

[dhbookds]

When the customer isn't paying it they don't care what it costs.

Don't understand what you are upset about?    Why should the buyer care what it costs?  If you haven't figured the shipping costs into the price with free shipping......how is the buyer supposed to know that or what are they supposed to do about it? 

[dhbookds]

When the customer isn't paying it they don't care what it costs.

Don't understand what you are upset about?    Why should the buyer care what it costs?  If you haven't figured the shipping costs into the price with free shipping......how is the buyer supposed to know that or what are they supposed to do about it? 

[jason_incognito]

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@the*dog*ate*my*tableclothwrote:

That item does not make sense to put free shipping on. Why would you even consider it?

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because eBay is pushing us hard to offer free shipping,  setting up Guaranteed delivery and burrying all others in search. 

[jason_incognito]

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@sandmansaleswrote:

So what's the takeaway here. All buyers should move to the West Coast.

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I wish eBay would take into account how close the seller is to the buyer when showing them listings.

[dtexley3]

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@jason_incognitowrote:

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@sandmansaleswrote:

So what's the takeaway here. All buyers should move to the West Coast.

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I wish eBay would take into account how close the seller is to the buyer when showing them listings.

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Search is already screwed up enough, don't give them any ideas on how to bollux it up more.  

[thatsallfolks]

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@jason_incognitowrote:

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@the*dog*ate*my*tableclothwrote:

That item does not make sense to put free shipping on. Why would you even consider it?

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because eBay is pushing us hard to offer free shipping,  setting up Guaranteed delivery and burrying all others in search. 

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I don't do either. If they're burying me, they're doing a very poor job of it.

[myboardid]

I actually try to use the ship cost thing to my advantage.  I live on the extreme east coast, in New England. 

First, I only ship items that weigh less than 1 lb for free. 

Heavier items are always listed with calculated shipping.  I use the total cost of item plus shipping to be competitive with other sellers who ship from east of the Mississippi.  If they are west of there, they will have a lower total price than I do.  I can't adjust the shipping cost, so I adjust my asking price.  This makes me look really good to east coast-midwest buyers.  Then, in general, my packages arrive sooner and with less handling, so less risk of damage. 

Also, I list shipping as Parcel Select, but since, with discounts, I can ship for that same price via Priority, every buyer of a calculated shipping item gets an automatic and free upgrade.  Of course most of them don't even notice that, but what the heck...

[a_c_green]

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@thatsallfolkswrote:
I wouldn't even think of offering free shipping unless the item could be shipped via a flat rate method.

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Well, let's say a zone-free method... For example, all my items qualifying for First Class Package rate (i.e. 15.999 ounces or less when packed) are listed with Free Shipping domestically, because I know what the postage cost will be before I even list the item. For those of one pound or more, buyer pays calculated shipping rates, based on the pre-packed (though not sealed) item's weight and dimensions.

[*eponymous*]

All listings, including Free shipping  listings, must include the price of shipping to the farthest point.

When you make a purchase, do you look for the highest or the lowest total price?

The point of selling is to make maximum profit.  Do what buyers do - look out for your own interests, the same way eBay only looks out for theirs!

[d-k_treasures]

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@sandmansaleswrote:

So what's the takeaway here. All buyers should move to the West Coast.

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And that would help raise the coastline on the east coast .....