topic Combined postage changing in checkout in Buying

Combined postage changing in checkout

theosmama13 — Mon, 21 Apr 2014 01:22:33 GMT

Hi all

I used to buy/sell a lot on ebay, but haven't done so for a few years so I'm still getting used to all the changes.

I'm currently trying to figure out how on earth to do a payment on combined items as the postage changes. The seller combined them for me, and the adjusted postage (large satchel) has changed under my purchased items page. So originally it showed the individual post for each item (3 items), but now shows the total plus the combined post, so all good.

But when I click on the 'pay now' button, and go through to the invoice, the items revert back to the three separate lots of postage. So of course when I log into to Paypal, the postage shows as the non-combined total of $28+, rather than the combined total of $13.40.

I sent a message to the seller a few days ago, but haven't heard back yet. She definitely changed the invoice from three separate amounts of post to a combined amount, as it changed under purchases when I contacted her to let her know I was finished bidding.

Anything I can do, or do I just need to wait until I hear back from the seller?

TIA.

Re: Combined postage changing in checkout

lemmayj — Mon, 21 Apr 2014 02:06:39 GMT

I'd try with a different browser (or with a computer if you're doing it on a phone, as the ebay phone app is notoriously glitchy).

Re: Combined postage changing in checkout

rjm6572 — Mon, 21 Apr 2014 03:16:59 GMT

if you dont have the right postage wait till you hear from the seller, with the easter break they could be away

Re: Combined postage changing in checkout

patchoo78 — Mon, 21 Apr 2014 03:47:56 GMT

Are you using the ebay app? There have been some problems with items not combining..

Also, did you receive an invoice via email from the seller? if you have it often won't show in the ebay checkout so you'll have to go to the invoice that you've been sent (if you've been sent one) and click on the "Pay Now" option on the new invoice

Re: Combined postage changing in checkout

theosmama13 — Mon, 21 Apr 2014 05:07:25 GMT

Thanks everyone

I didn't even think to check my email for the invoice, of course! Hopefully it's there.

I'm actually using an outdated browser too, we are still using XP so have an old version of IE, and I've had issues with displaying a lot of things on ebay. I'll run Chrome and see if it makes a difference.

Re: Combined postage changing in checkout

theosmama13 — Fri, 25 Apr 2014 03:07:21 GMT

Just wanted to update as I heard from the seller yesterday

She had no idea the amounts were changing, as she's fairly new to selling, and was absolutely lovely. It made me realise how utterly confusing all the changes have been as checkout is totally different to what I used to use, and I've been totally lost with some of it despite previously selling for 4-5 years!

So far I've only listed and sold one item, and have to admit I was frustrated when trying to amend post for that one item (I found I could send it cheaper). Each time I changed it, it would change back when I went to send the invoice. So I'm thinking it's going to get seriously confusing when I start listing regularly and combining post. Is there any particular help section that has some detailed and easy to follow (a must with four kidlets and the resulting brain fog lol) instructions?

Obviously I was lucky as I had a truly lovely seller who was as lost as I was, but I would love to catch up on all the changes before I start listing

TIA.

Re: Combined postage changing in checkout

*crikey*mate* — Fri, 25 Apr 2014 04:05:18 GMT

when changing the postage amount on your invoice, don't hit "recalculate" just hit either preview or send. Recalculate really should be called "return to original or something".

Re: Combined postage changing in checkout

haolove13 — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 08:17:09 GMT

Or move to another auction site as from May 6 you are being encouraged to offer "free postage" and combining that is a huge nightmare.

Also you will be paying final value fee on postage as well so what you currently charge $13.40 for will actually cost you $15.20 with ebay adding on the 9.9% final value fee and paypal taking their cut as well.

Re: Combined postage changing in checkout

davewil1964 — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 10:15:33 GMT

I currently charge $12.00 for the equivalent service others charge $13.40 for. So 9.5% of $12 = $1.14, total $13.14.

Or I could use eBay's label system, which gives me a 10% discount on the postage, which pretty much brings my (and the buyers') cost back to $12.00.

And Paypal fees have always included the total transaction amount, so your reference is spurious at best, misleading in reality. The extra $1.34 you claim will only attract an extra 3c in Paypal fees.

Let's see. $13.40 postage = $1.33 more FVF (at 9.9%). Plus the 3c Paypal extra mentioned above. $1.36. Not quite the $1.80 you quoted. Might I ask where you derived that figure from?

Sheesh.

Re: Combined postage changing in checkout

lane-ends — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 13:39:10 GMT

@haolove13 wrote:
Or move to another auction site as from May 6 you are being encouraged to offer "free postage" and combining that is a huge nightmare.
Also you will be paying final value fee on postage as well so what you currently charge $13.40 for will actually cost you $15.20 with ebay adding on the 9.9% final value fee and paypal taking their cut as well.

Yep move to another auction site and you wont have to worry about fees, neither will you have to worry about sending invoices, let alone having to pack and post anything.

Re: Combined postage changing in checkout

haolove13 — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 14:46:57 GMT

The introduction of final value fees will significantly increase postage costs.

I currently purchase satchels from my local post office. They cost me $ 13.40 each.

The addition of final value fees on postage will add $1.33 to the cost.

The paypal fee on that is about 51 cents. Previously I absorbed paypal charges but with reduction in profitability I now need to recove costs to remain viable.

Under australian law it is allowed to recover actual costs on fees/ charges so a $15.20 charge for postage is not even leading to full cost recovery.

With increased fees and charges I am now going to make full recovery on postage costs and that is not making any profit just recovering costs.

So Dave you should control your rage and try to get your facts correct. If you choose to give discounted postage that is your option. But do not denigrate others for not duplicating your generosity.

And please note that I do not add a handling fee or charge for bubble wrap, etc. which I could legally do.

In addition I refuse to buy Ebay postage products as I prefer to support actual shops who provide me with good actual service.

Re: Combined postage changing in checkout

haolove13 — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 14:53:34 GMT

Yep move to another auction site and you wont have to worry about fees, neither will you have to worry about sending invoices, let alone having to pack and post anything.

This month would have to be the worst I have had in dealing with Ebay for about 14 years. Our household sales have been quicksales 2 Ebay 1. And the value was four to one. in favour of quicksales.

Seems to mirror quite a few others. And costs are significantly lower as well.

Re: Combined postage changing in checkout

*crikey*mate* — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 15:01:55 GMT

but the PayPal component of the fee oin the postage isn't 51c - that's on the whole amount, The fee has only increased your PayPal account in that example by about 3 cents.

So in that example of the $1.33 for the eBay fee and the 4 cents for extra PayPal fees, you only have to recoup $1.37 extra than what you were before

so to round it all up - lets call it $1.50 more after May 6 than what it costs now.

BTW, any fees are an operating expense, so they need to be included in operating expenses, not postage expenses.

The reason for this is because you are not being charged a fee on postage, you are being charged a fee on the entire price of the terms of the contract that you are charging the buyer in the contract that you foirmed on the eBay site.

The contents or terms of the contract are irrelevant.

So when you do your listing, if you list post + product, the fees have to be put into the product cost like all other operating expenses and fees.

When doing your tax, you only claim postage costs of exactly what it costs you to post (packaging is an operating expense too) the price on the rteceipt from Aus Post. The fees need to be counted under and claimed in operating expenses.

Re: Combined postage changing in checkout

haolove13 — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 16:17:24 GMT

The 51 cent cost for paypal is on the $15.00 postage component only.
The tax component, bookkeeping and accounting practices have nothing to do with this conversation.

I am purely stating the cost of postage and how I work it out.
Up till now I have absorbed paypal costs in the total but nowadays paypal and Ebay fees are eating too far into viability

With regard to the cost of the product it is essential now to consider costs. . I calculate the total of what an item costs, or what I consider it to be worth. Then add on all the costs and charges. hopefully there is a little profit included. That helps me set a buy it now or starting price for an auction. I do not need to be lectured on bookkeeping or accounting practices there either. And tax treatment is irrelevant to this situation as well.

Re: Combined postage changing in checkout

*crikey*mate* — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 16:21:34 GMT

wasn't a lecture, was just sayin'

in case

,,,,,,,,

others read here too and are confused about how to work all this out and what goes where

Re: Combined postage changing in checkout

davewil1964 — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 06:59:41 GMT

@haolove13 wrote:
The introduction of final value fees will significantly increase postage costs.

I currently purchase satchels from my local post office. They cost me $ 13.40 each.
The addition of final value fees on postage will add $1.33 to the cost.

The paypal fee on that is about 51 cents. Previously I absorbed paypal charges but with reduction in profitability I now need to recove costs to remain viable.

Under australian law it is allowed to recover actual costs on fees/ charges so a $15.20 charge for postage is not even leading to full cost recovery.

With increased fees and charges I am now going to make full recovery on postage costs and that is not making any profit just recovering costs.

So Dave you should control your rage and try to get your facts correct. If you choose to give discounted postage that is your option. But do not denigrate others for not duplicating your generosity.

And please note that I do not add a handling fee or charge for bubble wrap, etc. which I could legally do.
In addition I refuse to buy Ebay postage products as I prefer to support actual shops who provide me with good actual service.

The EXTRA Paypal fee on your extra postage fee is 3c. Not 51c. My facts are correct. Do the math yourself, on the real figures I used.

Maybe buy your satchels in 10 packs. That will give you a 67c discount per satchel, which would help absorb some of the FVF cost. Or 100 packs, which will save, oooooh, $1.34 per.

I don't offer discounted postage. I use the tools available to me to reduce the cost to the buyer. ie Click and Send flat rate postage options. They are significantly cheaper than standard AP satchels, and atm attract a discount from eBay of 10% if using the eBay label system. Which will pretty much cover the extra FVF on postage. Plus C&S is tracked to the door and has the verifed address added electronically, so no chance of false INR claims. And your local PO get paid to scan them. If you choose to charge your customers extra for a philosophical point it might pay to note that in your listings. I'm sure there are buyers out there who then won't consider you to be overcharging on postage.

I noted most of this before but you obviously chose not to read what I wrote.

Re: Combined postage changing in checkout

davewil1964 — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 07:06:12 GMT

@haolove13 wrote:
The 51 cent cost for paypal is on the $15.00 postage component only.
The tax component, bookkeeping and accounting practices have nothing to do with this conversation.

I am purely stating the cost of postage and how I work it out.
Up till now I have absorbed paypal costs in the total but nowadays paypal and Ebay fees are eating too far into viability

With regard to the cost of the product it is essential now to consider costs. . I calculate the total of what an item costs, or what I consider it to be worth. Then add on all the costs and charges. hopefully there is a little profit included. That helps me set a buy it now or starting price for an auction. I do not need to be lectured on bookkeeping or accounting practices there either. And tax treatment is irrelevant to this situation as well.

Paypal charge 2.4%. 2.4% of $15.00 = 36c. You cannot honestly try to split the 30c transaction fee between the item cost and postage cost. If they paid by Paypal and picked up, there would be no postage cost, but the 30c transaction fee would still be charged.