"Free Shipping" shipping charges

[rxfoot]

I'm interested in hearing how other sellers handle "Free Shipping" when embedding shipping into product price. Do you just pick the most distant zip from your shipping point for that weight an item? Or are there other ways. I've found that even that method sometimes results in a higher freight charge than I anticipated.

[a_c_green]

I only offer Free Shipping (to domestic destinations) on items of 15.999 ounces or less, since those can go by First Class Package, which is not zone-based, just weight-based. Thus I know what my postage cost will be regardless of the destination.

For packages of one pound or more, I charge Calculated Shipping rates, so that each interested bidder can see the price to his doorstep, and I don't need to mess around with guesstimating a fixed price that will look too steep to nearby bidders and won't be high enough for far-away ones. I'll offer both Priority Mail and Parcel rates in case one is signficantly better than the other, although it almost always ends up going as Priority.

For international shipments, I charge Calculated Shipping for First Class International (since my items typically weigh less than the four-pound limit) with Priority Mail International as an option for buyers in a hurry.

(Calculated Shipping is based on your package weight and dimensions, so you need to have those worked out when uploading the listing. Look on the full Sell Your Item form to find the Calculated Shipping tab; choose that instead of fixed-price Shipping.)

[copper.boom]

@rxfoot I do the same thing ac green does.

[megadestroyers]

Never use "Free Shipping".  Shipping cost has to include postage, supplies, fees, your time, gas to the po, profit (bad word?).  How all that figures into your total price (item+shipping cost), is up to you.  Even with fixed rate options, that is JUST postage, so all the other costs should be accounted for elsewhere (item price, or even in a handling charge).  

[buyselljack2016]

I do same as a c  , but when it goes over 15.99 if I am able to use a Priority  "flat rate padded envelope"  I also do those as free shipping with that cost rolled in.

[myboardid]

I also do what a.c.green does, except I will not ship internationally. 

[lintbrush*]

If it can't go for the same rate to all parties, I rarely use free shpiping.  I strongly believe in Calculated Shipping for items over 1 lb.  It really depends on the item price, acquisition price, etc. though.

Can I list a 2 or 3 lb something for $450 Free Shipping that I have $20 in?  Sure.  $5-$8 bucks isn't going to matter much to my profit margin or going to impact the price that much if I do roll the highest possible shipping option in the price.   But then again, if it's valuable and sought after, my Zone 8 buyers don't balk at $17.15 shipping.

[slati_2013]

Offer free shipping on items where you know the the winning big or BIN price will easily cover the shipping to the US. For international shipping you may want to charge the actual price. For example if you sell something for $1999 that will fit in a flat rate Priority Mail or Express Mail box, you really don't care much about the shipping costs. 

If on the other hand you are selling low price items, I would charge actual shipping costs. For anything below $100, I would recommend charging actual shipping costs. If on the other hand you are willing to accept $50 for an item and you know shipping will be $18.85, you can price the item at $69 and offer free shipping. I do not offer free shipping on most of my items and they sell just fine. Most buyers are perfectly happy to pay reasonable shipping costs. I need to point out I use Prioity Mail or Express Mail for all my shipping so I know the costs in advance for most stuff.

[mr_lincoln]

@rxfoot  I seldom use Free Shipping because of the reason you have in your post, you have to allow for the farthest distance's cost.  In our case here we are on the east coast which means really skewing the price if shipping was included in the item price.  The collectibles we sell come in all shapes, sizes and weights so we use Calculated shipping and I offer Parcel Select and Priority on items at 1 lbs or heavier. 

[rxfoot]

Thanks to everyone for the feedback. I've only done free shipping for the past couple of years but believe I'm going to rethink that and try calculated. 

[dhbookds]

another alternative to think about is using flat rate with the excess for farthest zone in price....... or vice versa........  Or build in part, but not all, of the calculated shipping into the price.......... (lessen the weight, raise item price)

That CAN make your shipping "seem" less competitors...and therefore stand out in search.

One thing I tend to look at (tho I don't do much free shipping) is see if there is a consensus of shipping for THAT item.......ie all/most free, or calculated.......... and try to figure out a way to  have the price "look" better than others......either the item price or the shipping price. 

Of course, when an item "sells".......and I've factored in x amount for shipping when listing......it still "hurts" a bit to give up that piece of the item price to pay for shipping......

just thoughts