Combined postage vs Free postage

[penered]

eBay's inclusion of postage in calculating fees has prompted an increase in 'free postage' listings. This acts against the interest of both buyer and seller.

     I frequently buy books on eBay, and have often chosen to make multiple purchase from a single seller because of the savings from combined postage. I do the sums, and if they don't work out, I don't choose the 'free postage' seller. Sorry, mate. It's your own fault.

      Case in point: I've been considering a series of 6 non-fiction books from a certain seller. Two weeks ago, the price was $59 for the books, and combined postage would have been about $13 for a 3kg satchel  (total $72) instead of the 5 x $5.95 listed postages. Combined postage would have been about 22% of the books' value. Today the same books are listed with 'free postage' for a combined total of $95. if the 'real book' component of the $95 is still $59, that's $36 for postage, or $6 per book, or 61% of the books' value.

       Guess what? I'm not buying them.

[harley_babes_hoard]

it's only ebay's best interest that ebay are worried about. "free postage" means more in the kitty for ebay. simple

[curraone]

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@penered wrote:

eBay's inclusion of postage in calculating fees has prompted an increase in 'free postage' listings. This acts against the interest of both buyer and seller.

     I frequently buy books on eBay, and have often chosen to make multiple purchase from a single seller because of the savings from combined postage. I do the sums, and if they don't work out, I don't choose the 'free postage' seller. Sorry, mate. It's your own fault.

      Case in point: I've been considering a series of 6 non-fiction books from a certain seller. Two weeks ago, the price was $59 for the books, and combined postage would have been about $13 for a 3kg satchel  (total $72) instead of the 5 x $5.95 listed postages. Combined postage would have been about 22% of the books' value. Today the same books are listed with 'free postage' for a combined total of $95. if the 'real book' component of the $95 is still $59, that's $36 for postage, or $6 per book, or 61% of the books' value.

       Guess what? I'm not buying them.

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Sellers are struggling against the ebay policy of recommending "free postage"   - even though we all know it is not free, and the seller has to build the price into the cost of the item.     Ebay enforces this by giving sellers with "free postage"  better coverage in Best Match.

Don't worry most sellers hate it too.

However, good sellers are always looking to SELL.   🙂   why not write to the seller and explain your problem.   They might put up a special listing for you with the books you are interested in, with combined postage.

[penered]

is it legal for eBay to charge what amounts to commission on sales by Australia Post?
- penered

[penered]

Re 'better coverage in Best Match': This may not be much of a trade-off. Personally, I always list by 'Price+Postage: lowest first', not 'Best Match'.

[harley_babes_hoard]

Who knows. ebay "encourage" sellers to add postage to the price and call it free post. I only have free post on my small items otherwise it's price + postage listings for me. I am not jumping through their hoop this time.

[lane-ends]

I use free post as its simpler for me, I dont have to weight or estimate anything when making the listing nor answer any postage questions. It will cost what it does, can't change, that nor can i sell for anymore simply because it needs a bigger stachels. I have best offer on many items that I can use to accomodate any incentives for combined postings.

Buyers decide what they are willing to pay, so can't add anything to anything. Its just an overhead the same as anything else.

Would prefer if Ebay set up better discounting rules for "free post' items..

[cq_tech]

There is no power or incentive on this earth that could possibly make me list with "free postage", not under any circumstances. I think most people who know me are well aware of my stance on the matter, and if eBay ever tried to make it compulsory, I'd pull my listings faster than you could say "get stuffed eBay, you bunch of thieving mongrels!". 😞

[ooak3]

I list as free postage not to suit Ebay but because i was sick of buyers crying 'i have been overcharged on postage' so often just because the stamps were not to the cent of what they paid 

but they never offered to pay more all the times i sent to WA or NT and it cost me a lot more than charged lol

[phorum_junkie*]

I have always listed my store items as free postage except when I occassionaly sell books, those I list with postage and the offer to combine and discount, also give the weight and how much I charge per satchel.

I do state that there is no discount for combining on free postage items. I know exactly what my store items are going to sell for, exactly what the fees and postage are going to cost so can factor everything in to the buying price without having to take variables like different postage charges into account.

On my auction id I do quote postage and offer to combine however as I sell mostly plus sizes the buyer doesn't often save much if they buy more than one as more often than not it takes it up to the next satchel weight anyway.

I have sold this way for years and it has nothing to do with how ebay run their site.