Questions About Combined Shipping

[allthingsmoody]

For the first time, today a buyer purchased three items and is requesting combined shipping. I've read posts on here and on a Facebook group, but I want to make sure I understand the procedure, as this is a new experience for me. 

Do I purchase a shipping label for "Item A" and include the total weight of all items and then simply upload the tracking numbers for "Item B" and "Item C" without actually purchasing those labels?

Also the buyer paid for the items immediately, including the individual shipping costs. Assuming the combined shipping cost is less than the individual shipping costs, do I just refund the difference to the buyer?

[bashort]

---

@allthingsmoody wrote:

For the first time, today a buyer purchased three items and is requesting combined shipping. I've read posts on here and on a Facebook group, but I want to make sure I understand the procedure, as this is a new experience for me. 

Do I purchase a shipping label for "Item A" and include the total weight of all items and then simply upload the tracking numbers for "Item B" and "Item C" without actually purchasing those labels?

Also the buyer paid for the items immediately, including the individual shipping costs. Assuming the combined shipping cost is less than the individual shipping costs, do I just refund the difference to the buyer?

---

Yes, that is all there is to it. 

If you want you can refund the extra shipping costs, just make absolute sure to select "shipping discount" as the reason.

[ebooksdiva]

It’s real simple to combine orders. I don’t use the app this is on desk top.

Start by going into your orders awaiting shipping. 
Select orders you want to combine 

Then click the button that says “Shipping” and click that. It will take you to bulk shipping. 
In that page select all orders again when all can be combined a button at the top will light up blue, click that.

Once combined you can put your weight and dimensions of the package containing all items. Choose your shipping service. When all looks good pay for your postage. 
The combine button in the image isn’t blue because the items selected for this demonstration are already shipped and not combinable. 

[heckofagame]

Do what @ebooksdiva said. 👍

[wastingtime101]

---

@allthingsmoody wrote:

Do I purchase a shipping label for "Item A" and include the total weight of all items and then simply upload the tracking numbers for "Item B" and "Item C" without actually purchasing those labels?

---

I do not recommend that @allthingsmoody . A lot of sellers use that method, but it can create unintended problems.

From this eBay help page:

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/posting-items/labels-packaging-tips/buying-printing-postage-labels...

If you’re shipping multiple orders to the same buyer in a single package, the Bulk Shipping Tool will indicate if the order can be combined. Simply select the Combine orders per buyer link and complete the label purchase. Tracking will be automatically uploaded to each order, and the value of the combined items will be assessed for any liability coverage included or added to the label purchase.

-------

From this eBay help page:

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/shipping-items/shipping-rates/offering-combined-shipping?id=4169

Combining shipping fees after the buyer paid
If a buyer has already paid for shipping, you can still offer a combined shipping discount by sending a partial refund to the buyer from Orders in Seller Hub orMy eBay.

[allthingsmoody]

Thank you, this was very helpful, especially the link to the Bulk Shipping page, because I could not find it. I do have at least one more question, however. On the page where I can pay for the combined shipping label, there is no option to check for date of shipment, only Confirm and Pay. I won't be shipping the items out until tomorrow, but I'm assuming the label will have today's date, which will make it appear that it was shipped today? 

[wastingtime101]

1. It doesn't matter whether today's date or tomorrow's date is on the label.

2. You can change the date. On the bulk page, check the box next to the combined transaction then at the top of the page click the edit button.

          The pop-up will have multiple tabs. Select the second tab "dispatch information"

Hope that helps @allthingsmoody .

[allthingsmoody]

Thank you, it absolutely does! And I hope this doesn't sound stupid, but after I confirm and pay, will it give me the option to print a label or get a QR code? I have found it's so much easier to just let my postal clerk scan the QR code and print the label himself. 

[wastingtime101]

Unfortunately it will not @allthingsmoody . Printable labels only through bulk.

[allthingsmoody]

Well that's disappointing but good to know. Thank you again for the valuable information. Today has really been a learning experience for me.