getting hammered on item not received, what to do... help!

[mxkid23]

So the items I sell are small, cheap and less than 1 oz..and fit in a regular envelope. Some larger go in a 9x12 envelope. 

I've been doing this for years with mostly good results. I've always put stamps on the normal envelopes, and 2 stamps on the larger. 

I understand I run the risk of item not received cases and losing them. Typically it's maybe 1 per month, not too bad out of the 200 orders. Most people are cool with sending them a new one. Sometimes I do that and they end up with 2 sets of product, I just tell them to keep both. 

Sometimes, they never get the 2nd set (or so they claim) and then I end up refunding them and get screwed extra on that deal. But it's been minimal, like less than 1% for sure of all sales.

Lately I've been getting hammered with these, I think I've got like 8 open right now from the last month. I blame USPS service getting even worse.. but now I'm no longer standard rated, I've lost my ability for promoted listings, and lost the global shipping. Since going below standard, I went from like $1000-$1200 a week in sales to $300. This is KILLING ME and am losing a ton of money due to that rating change.

I've played w/ raising prices before and I get no sales then. There are people selling the same things cheaper already. I dont' know if they ship with tracking, if they do I don't know how they can make any money.

I just looked and it seems the cheapest I can send with tracking, as a 1st class package, which means additional time,supplies, etc is $2.80. I don't see me beign able to add $2.80 to my items and be successful. What the heck am I missing? There's got to be a better way?

What are you guys in similar situations doing? DO I have to bite the bullet and just accept that ill probably do half my volume or less, and mark things up and just take whatever I can get and charge for the shipping? or I do I keep doing as I am and hope that USPS gets their **bleep** together (yeah, right..).... 

Are there shipping services/websites that will benefit me? Even with the subscriptions costs and such? (stamps.com, endicia or whatever?)

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm extra frustrated with this today as I received 3 cases just today. I am very honest, do the best I can and try to always be fair to people. Many people I think take advantage once they know I have no tracking, and that is what it is, I expect some of it, but right now it's just getting out of hand and I don't know what to do. Ready to walk away from ebay all together at this point. 

Anyone else doing the same thing noticing the same with USPS lately? Things just magically disappearing...

[cityslickercreations2004]

I feel for you. Most of what I sell is small, light weight and inexpensive (not cheap, haha).

Given the issues facing the post office plus the huge increase in online sales don't expect things to change soon.

I ALWAYS use tracking. Does it price me out of the market? Sometimes. If I am priced out and just can't make the numbers work,  I just don't list those items. I have tried to "bundle" items or sell them at a break even to just clear out my inventory but have had limited success. Luckily, I can use those items but it will just take me a long time.

A word of caution if you switch to tracking. Yes, the minimum is $2.74 up to 4 oz. USPS went to zoned shipping so a package going to the west coast will be $3.18 up to 4 oz. There is a temporary rate increase of $0.25 scheduled for Oct. 18 (?) until the end of the year. USPS routinely raises rates in mid January. I suspect the temporary increase will just become permanent.

I wish I had better news. Not using tracking seems to no longer be working for you so you will have to make some difficult decisions.

Good luck.

[bigjohncruzin]

Ya don't be so sure it`s U.S.P.S fault.Most buyers know if there is no tracking number then it`s free just file a dispute.My advice is always use tracking and charge the buyer.It will cost u sales but your rating on Ebay is very important.If u want to make up for the lost sales look for more sites to sell on.

Hope that helps

John

[martin2001]

I don't understand why you don't use tracking on at least some of your items. I just checked the first page, so I don't know what other prices you have, but some decals you offer at $21. Average price of my items is $16. On 96% of my items I use tracking. The remaining items are very very small, like you, I mail them in a stiff envelope,  without tracking and I keep the overall percentage below 5% so my standard is not lowered by ebay

If you don't want to charge full postage, charge $2 and you pay an extra $1 (in average).  If you think that lower sale are a direct result of no tracking, this is a NO BRAINER.

[mxkid23]

I do use tracking on some of the pricier listings, I shouldn't say "all" of mine are without tracking. Majority are, as the majority of what sells are the more inexpensive items. I do have several that get shipped with tracking every time. But its like, 1 out of every 30 sales or more. 

I think I need to focus my time on selling larger items so that I can still make some $ and pay the shipping, and also account for losing sales on smaller items that no longer sell due to charging a few bucks for shipping. its just very hard to be competitive with what im doing, because theres a million other people doing it, and doing it cheaper. 

also its not so much about the $ on the less expensive items, it's absolutely the time. It takes me 2 seconds to slap a stamp on an envelope and stamp my return address on it. However to make it thicker/rigid so that it counts as a package (my post office is very strict on this) requires additional time, supply cost (ink for printing shipping labels vs an address label, shipping label pouch, padded envelopes vs regular etc)   I imagine a change in my current process at my normal volume would add another hour of work per day, or more most days I don't have a spare 5 minutes much less an extra hour. 

Right now I need to figure out how to dig myself out of the below standard level. Seems the best way is to increase sales and make sure I get no more defects. Tough to do though when my impressions and views are down to like 30% of what they were prior to putting me below standard. Their system really isn't designed to help you get out of that hole. So I'm not sure what I can do there. My math puts me at losing like $10-12,000 in sales before this will go back to normal. You'd think ebay would want that $1,000 in fees..  ugh.