topic Postage Rate Calculator Issue (Minimum Postage Charge) in Selling

Postage Rate Calculator Issue (Minimum Postage Charge)

billhickian — Mon, 20 Apr 2015 01:41:35 GMT

I've set up the custom Postage Rate Calculator for my ebay store. It works great with one exception: minimum postage cost.

My shipping rates are primarily made up on the cost per kilo with minimum postage cost being fairly superfluous (ie $5). Problem is, customers sometimes only see the the minimum cost (particularly on mobile site), so I'm getting buyers who think postage is $5 when the actual cost is much more 😞

I sell products of varying sizes so minimum postage needs to be quite low so it doesn't blow out for smaller items (my understanding is that minimum postage cost acts as a base rate with the cost per kilo adding onto it).

Does anyone know a way around this? The minimum postage cost is creating quite a bit of confusion for my customers. Ideally I'd like the minimum postage cost to never display, though not sure if that's possible.

Interested to see what other sellers have done to get around this issue.

Thanks all!

Re: Postage Rate Calculator Issue (Minimum Postage Charge)

pennyforum14 — Mon, 20 Apr 2015 01:54:09 GMT

I don't use the postage calculator but back when I did (some years ago) I always thought the minimum cost was the Auspost minimum parcel rate before the per kilo bit is added, and I think that is somewhat more than $5 these days.

What I mean is, if you send a parcel by weight (not using prepaid satchels) Auspost charge a fixed rate plus an amount per kilo. The fixed rate doesn't change, whereas the amount per kilo is dependant on where the parcel is being posted from and to. In other words, a two kilo parcel may cost $8.35 (not the real figure, just made up for this exercise) plus $5 per kilo within the same state, $6 pr kilo on neigbouring states, $8 per kilo several states away, IYKWIM.

If I were setting up postage with the calculator, I would enter the Auspost fixed rate as the minimum parcel rate.

Of course I may have it all wrong, so if that's the case, just ignore me.