How shipping $3 - $5 item is profitable?

[aliseexpress]

Look at majority of items from top sellers on eBay, I am seeing prices between $3 and $5 with free shipping.
 

How is it ever feasible to return profit from such sales? Even assuming sourcing those used books/cds costs $0. How do they have cheap enough shipping (e.g., with USPS) to turn profit?

[monster-deals]

Volume or Loss Leaders

[lindyslucky]

I have noticed it also.

And not just in music/books, which at least can be shipped Media Mail & allow for a few cents profit.

In Preowned jewelry, clothing, small collectibles, there are just a whole lot of items being sold that are making little to no profit.

Many of these things are at auction, which I think can be attributed to newbies, or sellers just throwing out a chance at making any amount. 

Also, with free shipping, maybe there are those who just don't get how little they are making. 

And then maybe a few are trying to get more feedback.

Personally, I think sales have fallen for many, and for others, a few cents of profit is better than nothing.

The economy in this country is not good for all.

I think there are a lot of desperate people (sellers).

[southern*sweet*tea]

@aliseexpress wrote:

Look at majority of items from top sellers on eBay, I am seeing prices between $3 and $5 with free shipping.

How is it ever feasible to return profit from such sales? Even assuming sourcing those used books/cds costs $0. How do they have cheap enough shipping (e.g., with USPS) to turn profit?

These sellers buy  books by the tractor trailer and train car load. They pay mere pennies per book. They also get deeply discounted shipping rates because they do such a high volume. They pallet and presort their shipments - work that the carrier doesn't have to do.   Also, most people who buy from them don't just buy a book - they buy multiple books at one time.  They make very nice profits because they 1. source cheaply 2. they do the huge volume which allows them to source cheaply, and 3. they do the huge volume which allows them to ship cheaply.

Volume, volume, volume!