eBay

homesweethome0410 · ‎01-30-2019

So, this is going to sound like a ridiculous question, but I've always used flat rate shipping on our items.
With the new rate increases, etc. from the USPS, I'm thinking it makes more sense to use calculated shipping.
But I have a stupid question: how am I supposed to calculate shipping costs if I don't know where the item is being sent? If I calculate using a zip from the west coast but its going to somewhere in another part of the country, won't that rate be too high (I'm in the northeast.)
It's probably not rocket science but....
Helpful comments only, please.

sam9876 · ‎01-30-2019

Enter the weight of the package into the shipping section of your listing.

Done.

parkersparrow · ‎01-30-2019

As long as your SHIP FROM zip code & weight is correct you should have no problems. Just change the shipping option to calculated. The shipping cost each buyer will see on their end will depend on their location.

nobody*s_perfect · ‎01-30-2019

@homesweethome0410 wrote: ... I'm thinking it makes more sense to use calculated shipping.
But I have a stupid question: how am I supposed to calculate shipping costs if I don't know where the item is being sent? ...

That question is actually related to the difficulties that a seller would face in selecting a flat price for shipping: you'd have to set one price for everybody. Setting a flat price for First Class package shipping is now just as complicated as setting a flat price for Priority Mail shipping (which is zoned).

When you set up a listing with calculated shipping, the seller just enters the package weight and dimensions, chooses the service(s), and the shipping calculator does the rest. The listing automatically shows the exact postage cost from your ZIP Code to the ZIP Code of any member who looks at your listing.

Probably half of the listings that you see that don't have free shipping had calculated shipping, but there's no way to tell just by looking at a listing whether the postage shown is calculated or a flat rate set by the seller.