Free Shipping vs Calculated vs Flat Rate

[midwestmarketcollectables]

This Usually Depends On What Type Of Item Or Items We Are Shipping.

Just putting it out there to see what others prefer and what has worked best most often for fellow ebayers?

Thank You In Advance For Sharring...

[7606dennis]

Personally, I prefer flat rate so I can set the type of shipping that best suits the item being shipped.

I've heard too many stories about calculated shipping to trust it although I use to use it.  Let's say I'm skeptical of eBay's glitch ridden site to trust it.

Free Shipping is an oxymoron.  There is no free anything in this world.  There is a cost for everything and in eBay's case that cost has to be added to the price.

[nobody*s_perfect]

eBay's  shipping calculator  for USPS postage is 99.99% accurate.  Reports of errors are almost always due to user error. I've been using it for many years with no problems at all.

I use calculated shipping for items that are over 1 pound, unless they're so dense that a flat rate box is cheaper.  Often, it makes sense to offer both a flat-rate box and weight-based, so the buyer can choose whichever is a better value for their location.

[green-night]

I use a hybrid of all of those myself, however, as a general rule, if I am not offering free shipping, then I always use calculated.  That way, when the USPS raises their rates in another 6 months, I don't have any editing to do. 

[mikeystoyz]

For me 80 percent of my stuff is free shipping.  All media and most 1st class stuff up to a lb and maybe priority to 2lbs.  Anything after that is calculated.

[7606dennis]

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@nobody*s_perfect wrote:

eBay's  shipping calculator  for USPS postage is 99.99% accurate.  Reports of errors are almost always due to user error. I've been using it for many years with no problems at all.

I use calculated shipping for items that are over 1 pound, unless they're so dense that a flat rate box is cheaper.  Often, it makes sense to offer both a flat-rate box and weight-based, so the buyer can choose whichever is a better value for their location.

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That may be true.  Most of the items I listed on eBay were light enough to go first class.  Now that USPS has changed the rate structure for first class it might be a good idea to check into it.

[greencastleor]

Free shipping calculated with my desired profit level (using a website such as FinalFeeCalc) set. Unless I have to use FedEx in which case I will use calculate since the price varies to greatly to accurately predict how much it will cost.

With the new rate changes for USPS First Class Package rates to zone based, PirateShip generated a spreadsheet with the zones I most frequently ship to. Being on the west coast, it tends to be zone 8  50% of the time. I base my desired profit level based on zone 8 rates.

Free shipping is just easier for the buyer who is too lazy to do math or sort by lowest price. Plus, it gives automatic 5 stars for shipping costs.

[johnrj1226]

I've used flat rate shipping for all of our items since day one - never  has been an issue for us.  99% of our items ship via Priority mail.  We  live on the east side of the US and ship lots of stuff to the Western states.  

Don't  like the idea of  "free ship" even though eBay claims it will increases sales by 11% which I don't  believe they can  back up that claim as they  have used that figure for many years & it never changed.  My rationale is that price is important to buyers, but not the main factor to buy, many buyers  speed shop.  With a separate S & H charge my listing at a glance will appear  lower than those with "free ship" included.  This should increase the chance a shopper to stop scrolling &  take a look at my listing rather than pass me by.  Hopefully, my  listing(s) will turn the shopper into a buyer.  I believe  my listings are my best sales representative.

[hunnie910]

I have the same question too and glad to see the responses above. My items are heavy, over 5 lbs home decorations in over-sized box. I ship them via USPS ground (sometimes Priority Mail is only $2-$3 more and I would upgrade to Priority Mail). Today, one buyer complained because of USPS delay. He said he paid $30 for shipping and that I should have used something more reliable. I said I will call USPS to understand the delay and get back to him. He said "the delay is because parcel mail doesn't have service guarantee". I checked only USPS Priority Express has delivery guarantee, and for his item, this would have been over $70. The USPS person called me back later saying the delay was due to weather conditions and with the public holiday yesterday, she expected the item to be delivered tomorrow. I am surprised by the buyer's complaint since the delay is out of my control (I shipped the item - took it to the Post Office - within 2 hours of payment, same day).

That's why I am wondering if choosing "Free shipping" is better and incorporate the shipping cost into the price of the item, but like the previous comments, this would make my item appear to be more expensive / lower on the list on the screen.