posted on April 9, 2003 10:41:40 AM new
Okay - first let me say HELLO. We're relatively new to this board and eBay. Thus, we're a little confused by all the shipping options.
When we first started out (selling jewelry,) we were using USPS Priority and including delivery confirmation in our fee, insurance optional. Typically, this ran $8 with insurance.
This time around, we were selling some clothing items. We decided to go through FedEx as for ground, they would be charging the same $8 including insurance and we wouldn't have to step foot in the post office (my fave part.)
A potential bidder stated that $8 was too much for a shirt and caused us to reconsider our shipping.
What works for you guys?
We started looking into Iship and Stamps.com hoping that would enable us to stay out of the long, unpredictable lines at the post office - but we're not sure how well it works with things like confirmation, tracking and insurance.
Any ideas and thoughts you guys have would be greatly appreciated.
posted on April 9, 2003 11:02:30 AM new
it depends one how much is the shirt??
many items shipped in usps priority box get to destination with no problem,may be you can offer him usps priority with no insurance,just delivery confirmation.but this will still require you to go to the post office.
or throw the shirt in a padded envelope shipped first class with no insurance ,tell him you will go to the post office whenever you find it convenient to do so.
posted on April 9, 2003 11:18:18 AM new
Parcel Post in an envelope for very cheap soft items, especially if item is used. Offer but don't insist on insurance. But tack on handling fee to cover envelopes, etc. If item is more expensive, Priority. $8.00 seems awful high shipping for any blouse. How much does it weigh? If less than a pound in the box, Priority should be $3.85 postage to anywhere in U.S.
I buy clothes on Ebay and I would never pay $8.00 to ship a blouse.
"Ebay buyer" = "looking for bargain".
Also, keep in mind if you use UPS or Parcel Post, you must provide all the shipping containers, labels and tape. Priority supplies are free, you can order online and they will deliver them free to your door. But they may only be used for Priority Mail, per federal law form you will be required to sign and return before they are shipped to you.
posted on April 9, 2003 11:32:16 AM new
The customers who complain about the high cost of shipping are usually the same that complain about orders being received late or not at all. Your quotation reflects the true realities of what it cost to ship an item in a professional and protected manner.
There is a direct correlation between the cost of shipping and the service that is received. The most important factor, from a business standpoint, is for a seller to have assurance that their products are being delivered and the ability to track such deliveries. It's all part of the reality of doing business today. There are many things that can go wrong with shipments. Everything from theft, loss to fraudulent non-receipt claims. In order to protect yourself from these things, it is best to ship in a trackable, insurable manner. It will cost you more to ship in this way, but you will have the safeguards in place to prevent you from incurring credit card chargebacks and other non receipt problems. It's best to ship with UPS, Federal Express or insured via the Post Office. The increased cost is worth the protection that is provided. They types of customers who complain or are not willing to accept these realities are often the types to be avoided in the first place.
Staying competitive in the shipping department while not losing your shirt (pun intended) is a challenge. If your items are going to be lightweight (under 2 pounds or so), then the USPS will probably be your low-cost alternative. And, if you plan to sell internationally, you will likely have to use the good ole USPS anyway.
BUT, that doesn't mean you have to set foot in the post office---at least not all the time. I highly recommend Endicia for printing online postage and DC. http://www.endicia.com Many excellent features, including a stealth mode where the amount of postage is not shown, but rather is given as a series of lines in the bar code. Stops those "why did you charge me $5.00 when the postage says $3.85?" questions cold. You can check status via the DC numbers by pressing one button in your shipping log. Also remember that First Class mail can use DC if it is either in a box, or in an envelope that is at least 3/4 of an inch thick (yes, they measure!)
Talk to the mail carrier that delivers your mail and find out if he or she will take your packages when they come around each day. Mine will (even international packages), but I choose to walk two blocks to the post office unless I have too many to haul in my little cart. Tell the carrier it is like metered mail, with the postage already paid and ready to go. When you sign up you become a "known shipper" to the USPS, so the rules about handing packages to a clerk over the counter do not apply.
Endicia has a 30-day trial period, so you can give it a whirl. I pay an annual fee which works out to be cheaper than the monthly fee, but even the monthly fee is worth every cent to me in time saved and in organization of my shipping records.
AuctionSage, which is the post-auction management system I use, just implemented an interface with Endicia. From my invoice screen I press "Send Address to Dazzle" (Dazzle is the name of Endicia's postage program) and up pops my Dazzle screen with the address (which it verifies and adds ZIP+4) and the item description, value, invoice number, and shipping method already filled in. All I have to do is enter the weight, double-check the info, and PRINT. It's almost too easy. Threw me off at first. LOL.
If you want to insure all or most of your packages, then I recommend looking into PIC, which is a private insurance company. http://www.u-pic.com They have programs for all shippers, big and small. Their website can be confusing, so it is best to call them or email their sales department. No pressure, but if you decide to go with them, they will easily set you up with the plan that is right for you. WONDERFUL people there (just like at Endicia) and you will save tons of time and money. The rates are WAY cheaper than the post office insurance rates, and their claims process is hassle-free. Their coverage includes the item price and the postage, so your customer doesn't have to be out a penny in the event of a package being lost or damaged in transit.
They will also insure international shipments, whereas the post office won't if it is Airmail Letter Post. You can offer your international customers the lower Airmail Letter Post shipping rate, and still have full insurance coverage. Shipments to Canada are charged at the U.S. domestic rate.
And, SURPRISE: PIC interfaces with Endicia, too, so you can print your insurance reports right from Dazzle.
These three services: Endicia, AuctionSage, and PIC have been the greatest time and money savers for my business. Add SpareDollar (a flat $4.95 a month, easy-to-use program) for eBay ad preparation and image hosting, and I swim through this work each day. Gives me time to focus on more profitable aspects of my business, such as finding better inventory, etc.
Hope this helps. Didn't mean to write a treatise. LOL. I'm not affiliated with any of these companies, other than being a happy customer. But, I learned about all of them from this board, so I'm passing the favor on to you. Good luck!
posted on April 9, 2003 02:24:07 PM new
We keep it simple. Post in the auction the price for shipping plus your boxing and labor. We use a fixed price as all our packages go out in the same size box at 3lbs. If the shipping costs are posted in advance there is no argument. They can bid or not given your terms.
Some mail order companies charge a percentage of the cost of the sale. That can also be stated in the auction.
I was curious about your FedEx charges as we are paying $6+ for a 3lb package 20x20x2. Are you using a third party postal service like Mailbox Etc.? Fed Ex Ground is the Cheapest for a box. UPS is getting way to costly and the USPS is so unreliable its almost not worth it to deal with them.
posted on April 9, 2003 02:37:09 PM new
I now ship everything by FedEx Ground. I buy boxes from Uline, My most expensive box (14X14)costs me 80 cents. I charge $1.00 on top of the actual shipping charge to cover box, tape etc.I ship a lot of china & pottery so the weight can vary from order to order. FedEx is very reliable & not too bad on delivery time. From CA to east coast is usually 5 to 7 business days.
posted on April 9, 2003 04:13:39 PM new
i dont know what kind of clothing you sell,8.00 is not really a lot compared to mail order catalog house,you can have a nice silk shirt costing 50-100 and 8,00 is not out of line,if it is ordinary shirt which comes plenty,why not just self insure??
a usps priority box with dc looks quite professional and seldom get lost.
posted on April 9, 2003 06:26:22 PM new
Here are some price comparisons for people that insure everything they ship:
(Fedex includes insurance upto $100)
Fedex-----Ground---------Home Delivery
1 pound
zone 1:---$3.45-------$4.62--($6.40 rural)
Zone 8:---$4.26-------$5.43--($7.22 rural)
2 pounds
Zone 1:---$3.53-------$4.70--($6.48 rural)
zone 8:---$4.96-------$6.14--($7.93 rural)
3 pounds
Zone 1:---$3.64-------$4.81--($6.60 rural)
Zone 8:---$5.50-------$6.67--($8.46 rural)
USPS Priority
--Insurance upto $50------upto $100
1pound
Zone 1:-----$5.15------------$6.05
Zone 8:-----$5.15------------$6.05
2 pounds
Zone 1:-----$5.25------------$6.15
Zone 8:-----$7.05------------$7.95
3 pounds
Zone 1:-----$6.05------------$6.95
Zone 8:-----$9.85------------$10.75
fedex also guarantees delivery in 1-5 bussiness days (depending on distance). If they take longer they will refund the shipping cost. (must request refund)
http://grd.fedex.com/cgi-bin/map2000.exe?func=entry
[ edited by sapington on Apr 9, 2003 06:34 PM ]
