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.

[ferris43]

Yes you may be right in most cases as you said I agree. 🙂

I have always explored the cheapest way to send to a buyer for their sake because Im a buyer too. Im sure there are some that probably don't and just quote for the larger pre paid bags for the convenience no thought involved thing..even if there was a way to send it cheaper.

[ferris43]

Oh god yes oreily_85 🙂

[geishame]

Well i get what you are saying, and I totally agree 🙂

[john_abc]

Ferris

Have a look at the postage rates AUS Post charge on their web site:

http://www.quicksales.com.au/community/australia-post-parcel-post-increases-4th-april-2011/430331.

I used to sell books. I’m getting out. Why? the pirates who charge me! For example to send a standard book between 500 grms and a 1kg :

$6.05  (Cheapest option - unregistered)

$1.00  (packing, addressing & getting it to the post office,  offset cost of the monthly $20 fee for the EBAY store site)

$0.75  (10% Final value fee EBAY charges on a sale)

$0.12  (1.7% Paypal takes on transaction)

----------

$7.92 total cost of postage!

Now for me to be competitive I have to sell my books cheaper than the imports from the UK *

This means that I can not price my books on average higher than $12 if I want a sale.

If you work it out 66% of the total revenue goes on postage alone! That’s before other admin costs.

* Did you know that thanks to the exploit / loop hole that exits in the international mail delivery agreement a seller from the UK can have their postage delivered in Australia by Australia Post at a lower UK rate than what Australia Post charges its local customers. For us to remain competitive against this we sellers cannot over price.

Pirates of the Caribbean, wrong ! Pirates of  Penzance, wrong ! Pirates of Postage, right !

[ambridgebuckskins]

Ferris - l think some of the reason you were jumped on was for your comment: Personally if I ever got an item sent to me and the amount I paid in postage wasn't the same that showed up on the parcel I would be asking the seller a few questions.

You then went on, in later posts, to say you accepted that a seller could charge a small handling fee but l think a lot of replies were to your first comment.

Me - l send in Click & Send Satchels or boxes with tracking almost every time. There are some cases where an item might be able to go as a small parcel for $5.00 but l won't send it without tracking and proof of postage. Way too many buyers were getting into the lark of 'my parcel didn't arrive. Give me my money back'.

[cjm2589]

John, you should have started up a new thread rather than dragging one up from so long ago.  The last post before yours was back on 20th March!  I doubt that Ferris will be monitoring their thread.  Most posters will now let this thread die a natural death and rest in peace.

Cut and paste your post and start a new one if you want others to comment/reply.

[cjm2589]

Ferris - l think some of the reason you were jumped on was for your comment: Personally if I ever got an item sent to me and the amount I paid in postage wasn't the same that showed up on the parcel I would be asking the seller a few questions.

You then went on, in later posts, to say you accepted that a seller could charge a small handling fee but l think a lot of replies were to your first comment.

I don't think Ferris will be monitoring this thread closely.  Let it go

[ambridgebuckskins]

Oh poop! l didn't look at the date. The thread was up near the top so l answered it.

Sorry.

[john_abc]

Nope let this thread continue.

Its been festering away between Australian buyers and sellers for sometime now.  I for one am sick of it. Buyers who think there are getting ripped off have the ultimate come back – just don’t buy the item in question!

If you want to get serious get Australia Post to offer up a flat rate system of posting. None of this crap they offer up now and none of this crap from EBAY about if you offer free postage you get 5 stars. 5 stars – wow!  If I’m making only $2 margin after postage costs and ebay fees  I’m sure ganna want 5 stars!

[straybooksoz]

AP do offer a flat rate of postage.

It's called Click and Send and is good up to 15kg. And it provides Paypal compliant tracking.