topic Re: the $6.95 small parcel rate is a pain in Selling

the $6.95 small parcel rate is a pain

beryl_green — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 06:41:54 GMT

How can I expect buyers to pay $6.95 postage for a $7 brooch that is just too fat to send safely at the large letter rate 😐

Re: the $6.95 small parcel rate is a pain

b3llag1na — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 07:46:19 GMT

I tell any buyer who asks that I have no control over Australia Post charges - and once something is over 2c m thick, the ONLY way I can send it is by parcel rate. I point out that A.P. removed the under 250 gm category some time ago as well, in case they were not aware that it no longer exists.

You could always combine the postage cost into your listing and sell it for $14 with "free" post!

Re: the $6.95 small parcel rate is a pain

room3_2010 — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 07:59:27 GMT

I have the same problem at times, with my item cost being less than the postage cost. I encourage any buyers to buy other items so that I can combine the items for no additional postage cost. The other day I sold a roll of coins for $8.99 with $11 postage. The buyer bought another roll of coins for $8 with no additional postage. Instead of paying $19.99 per roll if he bought one roll he ended up paying $14 per roll by buying two.

Try to have items listed that can be combined for no additional postage cost. Make sure you point it out in your description. This strategy could result in increased sales and happy buyers.

Re: the $6.95 small parcel rate is a pain

digital*ghost — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 08:21:22 GMT

If there's a chance you can package it under 2cm, rigid card mailers are a good alternative to padded bags for delicate items, as they offer much more protection so that you don't need to add as much yourself, just make sure it can't rattle around inside. That way, they'll go as letters and be well-protected.

Otherwise, it's as above.

One of the things I do sometimes is split the difference - for example, a $20 item requiring parcel rates becomes $22-23 with $5 P&H.

Re: the $6.95 small parcel rate is a pain

tdom1990 — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 08:28:37 GMT

If items will fit in a CD mailer that will reduce the postage cost a bit. I have posted jewellery in them before.

Re: the $6.95 small parcel rate is a pain

fourandsixpants — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 09:01:19 GMT

Hi:)

I am a regular buyer and just popped in to give my 2 cents worth. I understand that postage rates/charges are out of sellers' control. I get suspicious if a seller is offering 'free postage' on items- there is no such thing as 'free....'!! as this usually means that the post charge is in-built in the selling price. I much prefer charges to be TRANSPARENT.(I99% of the time I check post charges before placing a bid and will not place a bid if the post charge is 'hiked' above what would be an acceptable charge from item location to me plus a couple of dollars handling and packaging costs-I don't mind paying a little extra for this if seller has mentioned in their item/post details)

I get buyer satisfaction from purchasing multiple items from sellers- COMBINED POSTAGE gives me greatest value.

Re: the $6.95 small parcel rate is a pain

patchoo78 — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 09:18:33 GMT

That wasn't your 2 cents worth, that was just you having a whinge about postage cosr after you did the same thing in your thread..

Re: the $6.95 small parcel rate is a pain

glenn8354 — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 09:32:32 GMT

I understand where you are coming from, I work in the front line for Aust Post and yes unless you can keep it at 20mm thick it goes parcel rate. Don't ever use padded bags keep it as flat as possible & go into the Post Office & ask for a letter gauge for your use, your item needs to slide through smoothly. We cop a lot of flak in regards to this issue, I myself believe it is unfair to sellers, but this is where Aust Post is making their profits

Re: the $6.95 small parcel rate is a pain

davewil1964 — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 12:56:35 GMT

I sell books, beryl and a lot of them sell for less than $6. But people still buy them and will pay $13.45 for them.

Re: the $6.95 small parcel rate is a pain

kayedonproducts — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 13:25:42 GMT

Beryl, I also have a problem with this as sell quite a few "fashion jewellery" brooches . I have found the boxes a lot of chocolates come in are just the right size to fit in most of the brooches I sell, and other small items, with some bubble wrap protecting them. The cardboard protects them and they fit well in the envelope without letting the item float around inside. Haven't had any problems so far. I do have a letter guauge which I use frequently.

I use Cadbury and Lindt boxes - just means you have to eat more chocolate or get others to save the boxes for you :-x

Re: the $6.95 small parcel rate is a pain

kayedonproducts — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 13:29:58 GMT

I don't offer free postage - tried it for a while but didn't add cost of postage in.

Would rather my buyers benefit from combined postage where they can, keep my prices reasonable and not give ebay any more fees.

My postage DSR has gone up so must be doing something right.

Re: the $6.95 small parcel rate is a pain

kayedonproducts — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 13:30:54 GMT

That would be "Postage & Handling Costs"!!

Re: the $6.95 small parcel rate is a pain

nonny_muss — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 13:35:39 GMT

Hi:)

I am a regular buyer and just popped in to give my 2 cents worth. I understand that postage rates/charges are out of sellers' control. I get suspicious if a seller is offering 'free postage' on items- there is no such thing as 'free....'!! as this usually means that the post charge is in-built in the selling price. I much prefer charges to be TRANSPARENT.(I99% of the time I check post charges before placing a bid and will not place a bid if the post charge is 'hiked' above what would be an acceptable charge from item location to me plus a couple of dollars handling and packaging costs-I don't mind paying a little extra for this if seller has mentioned in their item/post details)

I get buyer satisfaction from purchasing multiple items from sellers- COMBINED POSTAGE gives me greatest value.

I didn't interpret this as a whinge at all, in fact I find paintsew007's comments rather helpful. eBay has told me as a seller that my sales increase if I offer 'free post', and seeing that means that unless I want to run at a loss, I would have to factor post prices into the item price, thus putting them higher (and pay FVFs for the total) so I wonder if it's worth my while, especially because many customers prefer a lower starting price and are happy to pay reasonable postage on top of this. When I buy, I prefer sellers to be transparent also, so it's nice to know that others are the same.

And back to the small parcels, SO frustrated the up to 250g option isn't around anymore. Don't care what they say, the only reason they removed it is because we have no choice but to pay more. And yes, THAT may be a whinge but its still true!!

Re: the $6.95 small parcel rate is a pain

beryl_green — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 13:55:15 GMT

thank you all for your replies, I do offer combined postage plus I have some 19mm cardboard boxes but some items just won't slip through the Australia Post template. I would imagine AP have lost a certain amount of revenue since they dumped the under 250gm small parcel rate.

Re: the $6.95 small parcel rate is a pain

chezzy — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 01:06:00 GMT

Not sure how thick the AP mailers (CD) are but there are other products/flat boxes around that are 16mm, could make a difference. I know I will probably be investing in some.

I am thinking rather than offering combined postage, actually 'bundling' items into listings to make the most of the postage cost. And so people know up front what they are paying.

I am another that doesn't particularly like the "free postage". It would actually be more accurate/truthful if the wording was "postage paid" or "postage included".

Re: the $6.95 small parcel rate is a pain

extra-keen — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 06:05:18 GMT

How about post cost included

"no more to pay"

Would be much morehonest of eBay instead of this crazy "free post" it doesn't exist.

For jewellery items which I sell very occasionally I sandwich between two pieces of card whith a bit of that skinny packing foam then into an envelope which I then tape thecontinents to so they can't move around. So far so good

Re: the $6.95 small parcel rate is a pain

kustomizer99 — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 10:15:31 GMT

I was very excited when I first saw that some sellers on eBay were offering 'Free Post'. So I went down to the local PO to see how I could get a piece of that action, but they told me there was no such thing!

Darn.....

Re: the $6.95 small parcel rate is a pain

purplespoilz_au* — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 22:12:26 GMT

There's not much you cab do about it although I agree it is a pain if your item is just that bit too tight to fit through the slot.

On the other hand, I like it better than the old $6.60 because it comes with tracking. You can also do the label through click and send and generate your own barcode, and pay for it at the post office to save time.

I always tell buyers if there is anything else they want to buy, we can combine the postage costs, sometimes that helps too

Re: the $6.95 small parcel rate is a pain

purplespoilz_au* — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 22:16:12 GMT

Forgot to add, I don't like the idea of free postage either - we have tried it on some of our listings and find that we end up paying too much on the final value fee - better for ebay, not for you. THe only time I would do it is if you only need one or two stanps to post your item, not for a $6.95 parcel.

I know myself when I am looking for stuff to buy on ebay, I sort the result from lowest price to highest - if you have your postage costs built in to the actual price, your listing will come up at the bottom and may not even get looked at