Best way to offer a quantity discount/combined postage discount if item has zero shipping?

[jeni!!]

I'd like to offer a discount within and across items where more than one is purchased, as I would do if when shipping is specified explicitly.

NB. I don't use an Ebay store.

I tried setting up a discount profile (Subtract an amount) and applied it to my listings. But when a buyer purchses multiple items the discount has not been applied.

In the short term I've been doing a partial PP refund, but Id rather it were all automatic.

i have queried Ebay Live Help and got two different answers:

1/ it's not possible. discounts can only be on shipping and if shipping is zero then no discount can be applied.

2/ i have set everything up correctly and the discount should be applied. My problem has been "escalated to the technical team for the future improvement" (not sure if that means fixing the problem or adding it as a new feature?)

My confidence in each of the CS people was already eroded as both of them gave me incorrect information on other topics.

Is there a way, or will I have to go back to using explicit shipping costs?

[clarry100]

In my experience you can only discount against postage. Not item price.
So if your items are free postage you cannot discount.

[digital*ghost]

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@jeni!! wrote:

In the short term I've been doing a partial PP refund, but Id rather it were all automatic.

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Item price discounts for multiple purchases can only be applied if you have a store, which gives you access to the promotions manager tool. 

I'd be more inclined to "value add" for multiple purchases if they all had 'free post', rather than issue refunds, eg a postage upgrade to express (if feasible). 

[plaig_bearings]

It's incredibly frustrating that something so simple yet so helpful is not able to be done on eBay, I'm in the same boat, discounting is not possible on a website that has always attracted the discount shopper, it blows my mind that the FREE website store software that I use allows me to give both quantity discounts and postage discounts without limitations. eBay is stuck in 2005.