How to price shipping in auction when item requires multiple boxes?

[openletter]

I am creating an auction for a pair of speakers. The speakers weigh around 50 lbs. each and are rather large.

To put them into one box would make a 100+ lbs. box that is also quite huge, and actually many times more expensive to ship than two separate, smaller 50 lbs. boxes.

However, the auction format does not allow me to select two boxes to ship.

If I make a fixed price, then I have to assume the person is completely on the other side of the continent or else I eat $200 in the sale. However, if someone in the same state as me purchases, then they are paying $200 extra in shipping costs.

Any way to resolve this?

[nobody*s_perfect]

Probably your best strategy is to set up shipping rate tables in your site preferences.  You can figure out the actual cost of shipping the two boxes and enter  a flat shipping cost to each state.  

https://www.ebay.com/ship/prf

[frodobagginskennedy]

I ship heavy dish sets daily that have to go into 2 or 3 boxes.

I weigh the total item.  Input the Largest box I would use.  Then I add 10 pounds into the calculated shipping field for weight.

This has been working for me for years.  RARELY do I overcharge or undercharge the customer.

[openletter]

There isn't a fixed rate. The difference between shipping from the nearest to the farthest zones is $100 per box.

[openletter]

When I do this, the price is off by hundreds of dollars. I suspect your dish sets are not as large nor as heavy as shielded speaker cabinets.

[nobody*s_perfect]

Indeed, if there was a fixed price then you wouldn't be here in the first place.

The purpose of setting up shipping tables is to set rates that are appropriate for different distances. You specify different prices for different locations.  You can price per state, region, etc. Take a look at the way the option is set up.   You can set a price  for California and then enter a price that's $100 more than that for the east coast states.

[lja440]

Easiest way is to figure out what the cost of each box is to zone 8.  If there is a difference add in the least expensive boxes postage into the starting price. Then set up the calculator for the more expensive one. If you find that the buyer is in a close zone, you can always give them a partial refund after the sale. I would wait though until the transaction is 100% complete though because if there is a SNAD claim the buyer will get back more than what they paid.