Shipping costs

[one1luckygal]

I'm wondering why sellers that I come across, are charging so much for shipping? I sell also and have for years and I know what shipping costs generally are. But I'm seeing much higher costs and don't understand why. If you have an item you are selling, and you offer a watcher a lower price point but leave the shipping high, are people really paying that? I know for myself, I wouldn't. Well perhaps if it was one of a kind, or something I really wanted / needed. For the most part what I'm seeing is just average stuff. By the time you pay for the item, with the shipping costs, you could have bought brand new from a store for the same or sometimes even less. Idk I'm just wondering if that's usual or customary across the board for most sellers. 

[m*and*l*sales · Accepted solution]

I don't set my shipping prices - I have calculated shipping.  I know it is high.  But that is how it is.  I cut down boxes and use the smallest dimensions I can, while not sacrificing protection for the item.

If you're used to "free shipping", you need to understand that nothing is free.  When sellers offer that, they are inflating the price of the item to cover it, and buyers who live close to the seller are paying too much for the item but buyers who live farther away are getting a better deal.

Also, in the event I would have to refund a buyer, I am not giving up my shipping cost this way.  If I had free shipping, I'd have to refund the entire amount.

[evry1nositswindy]

Well, the USPS raises prices at least 3 times a year, so there is that.  They have added fees for items that are longer and items that are larger in size (girth).  When you see calculated shipping, that is the exact cost from the USPS.  Sellers also have to purchase boxes, envelopes, packing materials, tape, etc.  All items cost money.  UPS and FedEx are notorious for charging the seller more money after the item has already been delivered.

[one1luckygal]

While I find your response helpful, I did not say anything about Free Shipping, buying or selling with it. I have sold for almost 2 decades now and am using a cross selling app where you can post varying amounts of shipping by either setting your own, or putting weight of the package in and choosing the way you would like to ship, USPS, UPS, or whatever, depending on your choice because they vary. If you look at other selling apps, Poshmark, Mercari, etc., their shipping is NOT as high as ebay. I even lowered mine after importing items from Poshmark to say ebay, because Poshmarks minimum is $7.29 but if something weighs 6 oz it doesn't cost you that much if the buyer doesn't need it sent Priority mail. Isn't it true ebay sellers get paid on the shipping costs also? If so that would explain why it is so high, and why sellers appear to be giving you a deal by lowering the price point, but charging high shipping. If not, then I don't see the real reson. And yes I am familiar with USPS & UPS rates. 

[redmodelt]

 "Isn't it true ebay sellers get paid on the shipping costs also?" Do you mean the discount for buying the label thru eBay, which is also offered through other outlets where you can buy postage. Fees are based on full before discount postage cost, along with any sales tax paid by the buyer.  The higher the postage cost the more fees paid to eBay by the seller, sometimes those fees on the shipping part can be more than what the seller is paying in fees on the item itself.  The postage discount helps cover those fees along with time and packing material to list than ship the item. Or could be you are seeing packing/handling charge added to the shipping cost. Fees are paid by the seller on those too.

If you don't like the shipping cost shown, no one is forcing you to buy, find a different seller.  

[tobaccocardyahoo]

Poshmark has a special flat rate deal with USPS for one size of box which is lower than rates available to Ebay sellers.

I do not sell clothing but am aware of this rate.

Many sellers do not recycle packaging and charge a shipping fee which pays for their new unused packaging.

There are many Ebay sellers who are totally unprofessional in how they pack, and charge less for shipping because they deserve less.

If my competition were charging more than I do to ship, I would probably ignore that fact because there is nothing useful to use it for.

[wholsaler]

Hi, I offer free shipping on almost all my product's but on my study about this case, seller usually  down the price of product for being in the competition but high the shipping so they got the product profit from there. According to eBay algorithm , price of the product's varies to be in the first page or up in the category. 

[m*and*l*sales]

Every seller does things differently.

I price my items fairly at what I feel is market value.  Or less.  My aim is to get them out of my house, and into the hands of somebody who can use them or love them, whatever the case may be.

That being said, I don't feel like giving them away.

I use calculated shipping and set it so the buyer pays retail, not discounted price.  That small difference (my discounted rate) doesn't even cover the eBay fees in most cases.  So I'm not even truly getting the sales price for my things...and I still have to pay for boxes, bubble wrap, packing paper, labels, ink, electricity to print, internet service to list items, and gas to get to the Post Office, etc.

Sometimes I can re-use boxes or bubble wrap from things I buy.  I'm happy to do so.  But I don't buy much, so I end up having to purchase most of my shipping supplies.

Buyers often don't realize how much it costs to sell here.  Or on Etsy.  Or probably most other venues, either.  Folks who have brick-and-mortar stores have to pay rent and utilities and lots of other things, too.  Online sellers are not alone in that .  But  I truly think that most regular people are shocked when they go to the Post Office to mail a birthday package across the country.  They just have no idea how expensive it is.  And sometimes it seems I could walk it the 60 miles I'm mailing something, before the USPS gets it there, to boot!

I really do hesitate to buy when it is "FREE SHIPPING" because I feel the item is probably overpriced in that case.  I'd rather pay less and then pay for shipping.  I feel like it is more honest that way.  So that's how I sell, too.  But to each their own.

[fern*wood]

I looked at one of your items and noticed almost $10. Priority for a tube of mascara. That seems like one you might find excessive.😉