Calculating postage using my own packaging with eBay and Austpost tools

[toynbook]

Are there any tools I can calculate the ebay postal cost using my own packaging when a potential buyer make an offer?

Would the ebay postal cost be cheaper or the same or dearer than the Australia Post ?

At the moment I can calculate the postal cost using the Australia Post website 'Calculate postage and Delivery times' webpage

Do anyone know if we can calcualte postage on eBay webpage?

[davewil1964]

I certainly wouldn't trust it.

I use satchels for that reason. Flat rate Australia-wide and the costs are known upfront.

Generally, from eBay's own policies, offers are ex-postage, so they are for the item. Postage is whatever it normally is.

There is a fair chance, unless your items are bulky, that using flat rate satchels/boxes is likely to be the most cost effective. Certainly in the long term.

Edit: you have everything 'free' postage. You should already know what the postage is, so factor that into whether or not an offer is viable.

[toynbook]

I am using my own box as the item is fragile. I can pack it nicelly at my place and drop to post office. If I use the flat rate box I must order ithe box online or extra trip to post office

[toynbook]

Now eBay would charge three different rate, same city, different city and remote aeea. I am sure it would make postage calculations more complex than before. I still need to know the postcode of potential buyer before accepting a best offer. EBay really makes it difficult instead of simpler and easier than before.

[davewil1964 · Accepted solution]

Work out whether or not it's worth buying a few boxes upfront. 20 packs, I believe (at least they used to), attract a small discount. Over 500g (1kg?), own packaging is weight-based and/or cubed. Maybe look at putting your own box in an AP satchel. Flat rate and up to 5kg. It is probably worthwhile checking out the pros and cons.

[toynbook]

Thanks

[shoppingbag* · Accepted solution]

I use my own boxes and list all items as "calculated postage" using Australia Post (only selling to Australia) The eBay calculated postage is always correct (now that they have finally upgraded the new prices) If there is a request for combined postage then it is easy to check on the Australia Post website for the cost and send an invoice for that. You can print your own labels via eBay and that gives you a small discount on the postage cost. There is no need to buy the expensive flimsy Post Office Boxes. There are plenty of sellers on eBay who will sell you better ones and usually have free postage to boot. It usually works out no more than $2 for a large box which I think is about $4.50 at the post office and is not as sturdy. The more boxes you buy the cheaper it gets. I sometimes use recycled boxes. I don't charge the buyer for packaging but just absorb this in the overall cost, so I figure they can't complain if I use a recycled box. I looked into satchels and they are just too expensive in my opinion and putting boxes into satchels, why would you double up on the packaging like this? Makes no sense to me. I have heard from many others that the calculated postaged does not work correctly for International post, but for posting within Australia it is always accurate (except for when they change prices, it takes a while for them to correct the new rates) The other advantage of printing labels via eBay is that the tracking number is automatically uploaded to eBay as well as you can download and save the label, and most times you also get the buyer's phone number (could be handy, if there is a problem)  One last thing, you appear to think that the "eBay postal cost" is not "Australia Post's costs" If you choose Australia Post in your listings then it is linked somehow to Australia Post, and as soon as you print a label Australia Post receives the information. You can choose "print Label" as many times as you like to see what cost comes up and you can back out of that with no charge. However, once you select the next button which is "create label" you get charged. You can still cancel this but it takes about 3 weeks to get reimbursed for the unused label. Parcel prices are easy to work out now that the flat rate applies, ( yes, it does apply to your own packaging)  there is a new book of postal rates at the Post Office for free if you ask. You just need a decent set of scales, I got mine at Officeworks.