Postage costs

[ferris43]

To certain sellers out there...do you realise that more people will bid on your auctions if your postage costs are reasonable??

I see so many auctions listed where I know that postage could be cheaper...I see items that could easily and safely fit into a cheaper pre paid satchel. To me in the long run you are just doing yourself out of making more money. What money you do gain by buyers paying more for the postage, Im sure would be far less then the amount you could make by more people bidding on your items.

I know for a fact that postage is one of the first things that determines if I will bid on something so Im sure it is the same with other buyers.

And then you get the seller who puts a really low starting bid but then a huge postage price..of course we all know the reasons for this.

I sell and buy on Ebay..When selling I always try and find the cheapest (taking into account the items safety) way to send the item to the buyer.

[federalbookcollectibles]

You cant! - my point was that if you sell higher quality books you can affford to provide postage discounts because the margins are better.  Click and Send charge $9.35 for a 3kg satchel, I cap postage at $6.50 thereby providing a $2.85 postage discount and don't charge any packaging or handling - Have a look at some of the serious book sellers out there -most of them are offering free or heavily discounted postage.

The way I look at it is that up until the point you charge postage the buyer is 100% happy with their purchase - if you then provide great customer service, don't gouge them on postage and wrap the item really well they remain 100% happy (most of the time). If sellers start adding little extras like handling fees then the buyers happiness level starts to fall because they think you are ripping them off. They are then inclined to not forgive anything you may have missed in your description, delays in postage etc etc and the likelihood of them returning to buy more items from you is reduced. Is the extra postage and handling fees worth it - not to me they're not.

[curraone]

Technically, you could send books for $6.50 - you need to have the B1 box that some kind person has sent you on a previous buy

then use click and send for $6.50, about 3 small hardcovers will fit in a box and the only limit is 15 kg.

It doesn't happen often 🙂

[louiedafly]

Remember postage is not just postage. It is postage, packing materials, your time to go to the post office etc...

Also, buyers who are experienced could advise a seller of a better postage method for the bought item. Just a thought.

[almighty_auctions]

Yes I totally agree with this thread I stated in my items postage is $2.00 for one item and I will combine postage but did not state how much ... The woman purchased 12 items of me so in stead of the $24 original cost to post i charged her $11 and that was to be sent registered less then half She has become abusive and has now today left me negative feedback some people out there think its just the stamp they need to pay for but like a earlier post stated its other materials and time and petrol and all that sought of thing... I thought $11 registered for 12 items was fair but thought not and is now refusing to pay so I have open a unpaid item against her....

[davewil1964]

We know, almighty. Your own thread has enough info without bumping old ones.

[aussie.imports]

Technically, you could send books for $6.50 - you need to have the B1 box that some kind person has sent you on a previous buy

then use click and send for $6.50, about 3 small hardcovers will fit in a box and the only limit is 15 kg.

It doesn't happen often 🙂

Totally agree. I found about the AP boxes with C&S recently, and have been able to reduce all of my postage costs.

So far the best i've been able to do is 9.3kg in a B1 box. And at $6.50, that's a bargain. Plus $1 more for sig 🙂

[Anonymous]

Well I closed down by store here about a year and a half ago. Its good to see some people have found a solution to the postage solution.

Its a pity there is no Cash on Delivery postage option. COD could solve both seller and buyer issues.

[***super_nova***]

Well I closed down by store here about a year and a half ago. Its good to see some people have found a solution to the postage solution.

Its a pity there is no Cash on Delivery postage option. COD could solve both seller and buyer issues.

WHY oh why, would you resurrect this 2 years old topic?

But I cannot let this statement go " Its a pity there is no Cash on Delivery postage option"  :_|

There is COD option available, but most sellers have enough brains NOT to offer it.  It is totally inappropriate for on line trading.  It is very expensive (bout $8 on top of whatever service), and can be dangerous for the seller if the buyer does not collect it from their PO - the seller then pays also for return postage.