Free postage - does it attract more buyers

[jaks_thingz]

I am in the process of compiling listings for an assortment of video games. These are discs only, so can be posted as a large letter for a couple of dollars....

Normally I add postage to my listings.. But i'm wondering if offering free shipping would attract more buyers

[padi*0409]

As a buyer it's the total price that I look at, "free postage" for me doesn't come into it, what does influence me more is what the seller's feedback is like, how the listings are presented etc.

But I guess some buyers would be tempted by it.

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

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@jaks_thingz wrote:

I am in the process of compiling listings for an assortment of video games. These are discs only, so can be posted as a large letter for a couple of dollars....

Normally I add postage to my listings.. But i'm wondering if offering free shipping would attract more buyers

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Adding the postage to your asking price will ensure you are not out of pocket if you are doing Buy-It-Now listings.  If you include postage into all your item prices then a buyer who buys more than one item will not benefit from combined postage discounts.

For auctions, make sure you start your auctions at the minimum price you are prepared to sell for + the cost of postage.  This too will help cover you in the event of only 1 bid being made.

Including the postage in your Buy-Now asking price will also see you out of pocket on a change-of-mind return (if you accept change of mind returns) as the item price will be refunded, and that price includes the postage.  For eBay MBG returns you will be out of pocket.

Make sure you don’t get caught out having to post international for free.

[digital*ghost]

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@jaks_thingz wrote:

But i'm wondering if offering free shipping would attract more buyers

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Personally, I don't think this is really a yes or no question, in most cases, as it's something that can work for some sellers, but not others. I think if anything, a lot of the time it's more a case of being more likely to attract a certain type of buyer (I don't mean that in a bad way, just that free post can simplify things for some people and they would find items listed that way more appealing).

For free post to be the most appealing, or more specifically 'postage included', I think the costs being included need to not tip the purchase price over the level of reasonable (a $5 item with $5 postage is actually more likely to sell IMHO than a $5 item listed at $10 with free post), and usually it benefits items where people aren't looking to purchase multiples, plus have a low return rate (you can implement a restocking fee for change of mind returns, to cover the cost of outgoing postage in those cases, but last I heard there was some issues getting them to be applied). 

Some buyers like the simplicity of free post, others like to maximise the savings with separate combined postage. As a seller, I like the best of both worlds and can accomodate it with my items by using a flat rate - i.e. a separate postage charge, but it's only charged once no matter how many items are in the order. 

[kopenhagen5]

Personally, if an item has free postage and an item has $3-$4 postage, I don't care about that small difference.

I am going to buy from the buyer that seems to have the better condition item and better feedback.

[egglesdtp]

I usually make postage 'free' on items of low value that I send as a letter, which usually costs $2 or $3 in postage.

I don't do auctions, I don't accept returns and I don't post overseas, so the points raised by k1ooo are not relevant to me.

I don't think free shipping attracts more buyers, however I just find it a bit 'neater' to combine a low cost item with low cost postage into one figure.

Have a read of the thread titled What the funt, eBay?! as this may have some relevance to you.

[springyzone]

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@jaks_thingz wrote:

I am in the process of compiling listings for an assortment of video games. These are discs only, so can be posted as a large letter for a couple of dollars....

Normally I add postage to my listings.. But i'm wondering if offering free shipping would attract more buyers

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I don't know but I suspect it is a question a few other sellers ask themselves & I've seen one testing it out.

I buy occasionally from a seller who sells spices/teas etc and the first time I looked at their range, I saw one of the spices, exact same size, seemed to be a couple of dollars cheaper, so I clicked on it to see what was different. It was the fact postage was separate.

So on some of their listings they have 'free postage' & on some they have separate postage. Price comes to the same.

These are on items which, like yours, are posted as a letter I presume (or mine are at any rate). I don't know what the results of their experiment are. I've bought both ways, depends which ad I find first.

I suspect for small items on 'buy it now' though, a lot of buyers just want to find the product, know at a glance how much it costs, buy the thing. So 'free postage' fits the bill, no maths to be done.

I'm like DG in that i think a low cost item with maybe a dearer postage is a bit of a psychological turn off to buyers.

In your position I'd probably go with 'free postage', see how you go. 

[shoppingbag*]

I don't think it makes a huge difference.  I think most buyers (myself included) add the postage and cost of the item together and look at the total. It may, however save you from getting only 3 stars for postage costs on a $2 postage charge.  This is what happened to me, and I supplied the padded envelope for free. However, there is no guarantee that you still won't get a bad DSR rating for postage even with free postage.  You do not get an automatic 5 star for this unless you are a powerseller.

[cezm]

It probably depends on the items being sold but, personally, all other things being reasonably equal, I will go for the option to be able to combine postage to make a saving.

If I only want/need one item then it doesn't have any impact on me.

I don't see 'free' postage as an inducement because I am paying it in the price of the item anyway. 

[davidc4430]

i have tried both when selling, i have now just put the postage calculator into it as when i was adding postage to my items i was getting it wrong too often and ending up out of pocket.

its fine if you know the amount your going to be charged but once you go over the basic 500grams, suddenly different postcodes are different costs and box sizes alter things. nope, just put the info into the calculator and if its wrong and they get overcharged just refund the extra.

its far from perfect but if its wrong at least i can blame ebay.

as a buyer i look at total cost not if there is free post. i see some sellers double listing the same item, one with postage one with free post but to 2 totals are the same. go figure that one out.