Do buyers prefer free post, or post cost listed separately?

[extra-keen]

For those buyers who don't know, ebay soon will require sellers to offer "free post" or in real terms, post cost included in the price of the item being sold/listed.

Sellers who choose not to offer "free post" on all their listings will loose their "Top Rated Seller Status" and be lower in searches.

So what I would like to know - do sellers prefer listings with "free post" or would you rather see the cost of postage and handling listed separately.

Love to know what sellers and buyers think!:-)

[extra-keen]

I also wanted to ask those who didn't mind either way, but the silly thing went off before I got to write the last question.

Oh well, your comments would be appreciated anyway!

[steen1equestrianriding2]

where did you here this?

[extra-keen]

It was in the information sent to us September in ebays own notices regards the changes coming up early next year.

[judyztreasurez]

Personally, I look at the total cost before purchasing so free post does not particularly draw me in

What I do look at is Buy It Now because I can't be bothered with bidding

As a seller I have postage costs & free postage. I haven't found free postage to be any better though. I don't think buyers are silly. They can do the maths 🙂

[digital*ghost]

The announcement actually says:

In 2013, listings from Top-rated sellers that provide 0-1 day handling time, free postage with an express postage option and 30-day money back returns, will receive higher rankings within best match. (Link)

So, it's not saying you have to offer all that to qualify for TRS, but if you are a TRS and offer them, your listings will rank higher than those who don't. 

[extra-keen]

Thanks Digital, I was looking for it and couldn't find it.

[steen1equestrianriding2]

I have found being TRS makes very little difference to sales at all.........all smoke & mirrors to try & make us sellers dance to the Ebay tune. When speaking to CS about Best Match TRS was low in the algorythm priority.

I do beleive they are going to have 2 tiers of TRS - TRS Plus for those with Free Post and normal TRS for those that don't

[steen1equestrianriding2]

Plus the arguement with CS about Express is ongoing bcause unless both buyer & seller live within the Express Zones we cannot offer Express Post which means many sellers would be discriminated against because they live outside the Express Zone. We are not allowed to offer Express unless it is 24 hour overnight delivery.

[digital*ghost]

I'm not so sure how it's all going to work out, having read the recent article re: Cassini manipulating search results and altering terms entered by the searcher, plus eBay ranking listings on how likely they are to sell - which in turn is based on data crawls.

It's like they want to think for buyers and sellers, which is a very dangerous thing to try to do on behalf of buyers and businesses.

It's also how stuff like Skynet happens. 😮 :^O