Comments

  • 24 Comments sorted by Votes Date Added
  • Thanks for this George.
    So I guess we can all expect more complaints from buyers on shipping times...
  • My husband was joking (I hope) what I was going to do when my orders start taking a month for delivery.

    My oh my, raise the rate of a letter and take longer to deliver. Are we in the wrong business? lol.....
  • What I love is the irony here...
  • Reading that article makes me more so then less to make sure the buyer's Know the costs of shipping added in any description so there can't be any buyers remorse if everything is stated clearly and single stamp listings if a bulk buyer say buys 20+ separate listings I'd charge them only 1 postage stamp for delivery .58 cents + .05-.10 for Envelope so .63-.68 isn't unreasonable priced! Now if going by weight the 1oz be 1 stamp value at .58 per if less then a pound it be $2.74 or more, for over a pound $7 + .10-.25 per additional pound added I'll be using these rates when I list stuff for sale!
    Sorry but charging something like $2.00-$6.00 for a single stamp or wight of stamps less then 1 once is absurd! I personally stay away from those seller's pocketing shipping costs that are costing them less then half what there charging!
  • The postage charge and the envelope cost are not all that I have bundled into my present shipping charge of $1.25 which I will soon be increasing to $1.50. My shipping charge also takes into account the HipStamp fee on the shipping charge (8.9%) and the PayPal fee ($0.49 per order + somewhere between 3% and 4% of the total charge including shipping). Also included is the cost of the glassine envelope (a few cents) and the stock card (about $0.20) used to protect the stamps.

    Any shipping charge that does not take into account the PayPal fees and the HipStamp fee will be incurring a loss if set at less than about $1.20. Since most of the stamps that I offer for sale in my store list for 10 cents or less, those fees have to be included in the shipping charge. I do get orders from time to time for one stamp priced at 3 cents. If I charged 68 cents for shipping, just the postage (58 cents) and PayPal order fee (49 cents) would be well over one dollar. I am selling as a hobby and not as a business, but that doesn't mean I want to go into the hole when processing small orders.
  • Thanks, Richard. You saved me from having to explain why sellers have to charge at least $1.50 - $2,00 shipping fee. It was bad enough having to justify International shipping now sellers aren't supposed to break even on US shipping?
  • You left out printing costs for invoices (paper & ink), not to mention the 'handling' part of 'Shipping & Handling.' My time and the work involved in breaking up collections, checking ID's in catalogues, scanning (you can amortize scanner wear / age into the equation here too), packing safely, etc. has value as well. I recently bumped my charge to $1.30 to compensate for increased PayPal and USPS costs, and not counting any of the above, when the dust settles I still end up with less than the selling price. Then you subtract all of the above and there's an even bigger hit on your bottom line.
  • It never ceases to amaze me that you have buyers that are willing to complain over a buck over actual postage on shipping their orders in which they get door to door delivery and never have to leave their home to get it. (Unless they use a PO box.) If you don't like the slight extra on the shipping charge you as a buyer can always come and meet me at my PO and pick it up yourself. I will gladly take the shipping charge off if you really want to do that.
  • Over the past few months I payed well over $150 for shipping mainly because I got 2 big boxes from ebay 13+ pounds assortment of stamps n related items shipping for that I don't mind like above goes by weight not to mention these days every dollar adds up but these days how much a dollar really worth maybe a Nickel in today's economy lol
  • It's just funny for example when you buy say stamps at 5 cents each and shipping per item is an additional 10 cents or more each making it double the item's initial price to me that just don't make good business ethic sense but since the pandemic most common sense is very rare!
  • I have found that S&H has always been a balancing act for me. Too much, run potential buyers away. Not enough, lose money on each sale. George is absolutely correct, one much take into account "the costs" of doing business. The old saying the time is money is actually true and every little thing it takes to list item(s) takes time and costs money. I've seen stores that charge outrageous prices for S&H and have relatively low prices. Others, have free shipping and high prices. Some have both extremes with many, if not most, somewhere in the middle. The sweet spot is somewhere...still not quite sure where that is but I'm trying.
  • The solution is really quite simple! As part of your evaluation of any lot or lots, always be sure to look at the sellers S&H fee (I always do). This way there are no surprises and if you don't like what you see, you move on. Really, its that simple!
  • It is that simple!
  • edited October 2021 1 LikesVote Down
    I've also been looking at my shipping prices- USA $2.45 extra items always free plus free shipping if 4 items or more. Prices for me have went down since fleabay started with the free tracking. Before I had to include it in the average charge of $2.45 as tracking costs average $3 for USA. Thinking of dropping to $1.50 soon. My cheapest item is generally $2.95 before discounts. I don't sell a lot of expensive items though. I try for mostly $3 to $6 prices so shipping price is important. But then if a huge concern to the buyer if they don't agree as "George said" they can move on.. I say this with respect to them.
  • The UK charges £1.70 to post worldwide. We charge £1.95, after you take off the Paypal fees, Hipstamp fees, we will be in the negative, a sure way of going bust. So when you charge additional fees for extra stamps, it helps each other out which gives us the enthusiasm to sell and you stamps to look at or even purchase. My old theory is buyers on Hipstamps are fully aware of the costs they pay and so are we
  • Just courteous
    Does the UK charge 1.70 worldwide for merchandise or for a letter?
  • I blame Amazon... it's created an on-demand culture where shipping is $0. Great for consumers, bad for everyone else involved. This is just an extension. If Amazon can do it, why doesn't everything else work that way?
  • I don't blame Amazon, I blame ignorant consumers who haven't learned TANSTAAFL. That product doesn't come with free shipping; the shipping cost is rolled into the selling price.
  • edited October 2021 0 LikesVote Down
    Yes Ted, but the net effect is the same... and who do you think dominates, the ignorant (at least the psychological sheep), or the enlightened?

    (It's the same group that think "Daylight Savings" is a great idea, but would never "Come in to work an hour early" if required... or at least struggle to make it on time).
  • I forgot about the fees part, but I agree with adding shipping into initial price so it cancels out anything misguided!
  • Back when I had my hobby shop I did enough business with evilbay that they would call every month to check on things and offer advice. The extent of their sage advice was to buy cheap shipping supplies (duh) and offer free shipping. They never explained how....
  • Seller "A" sells nominal $3 postcards for $4.95 with free shipping. Seller "B" offers $3 postcards for $3 plus $1.95 shipping for any quantity.
    Buy 20 postcards from Seller "A" and it's around $100. Buy the same 20 postcards from Seller "B: and it's around $62.
    But a buyer will give a neutral to Seller "B" because he is charging too much S/H for a $3 card... happens often. They get removed by Hippostcard.
  • I like how you put that Carol, I would go with B and put positive simply because that is like a $40 savings money in the bank! Since a wee boy math has been my thing so I respect the way you put it very well written and easy to understand one thing I have a issue with putting words so every living soul understands but I bet I'm not the only one who writes something and someone else gives you the dog head tilt side ways questions or comments look lol
  • The uk charges £1.70 for a letter up to 10 grams for world unless you go to zone 3 then you can add a few more pence on it, this also applies to Europe , basically anything posted beyond UK is £1.70, even a Christmas card, Post office states any overseas mail must also have a customs declaration on it ( just to let everyone know if it is worth nicking i guess ) or so customs can hold onto it for weeks, one letter sent to USA took 11 weeks and it was tracked. Customs obviously checked it out, seems like they want to charge import duty on everything purchased these days
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