The big postage question

[garymatthews7]

I would like to get opinions from buyers on what they like to see when purchasing an item and from sellers, to see what they have found works for them. 

As a part time seller on eBay, I always ask myself, should I do postage this way or that way. I have watched many videos and gone to many sites but I am still not satisficed. 

I started selling items all with free postage but found, I always lost money especially if I accepted an offer.

I then went on to doing half postage which seemed to work pretty good for the most part. 

Now, I just started doing full postage but am un decided if I should price my items as normal or reduce the price as a buyer might not want to pay for a full priced item and postage.

Lets say an item you are selling is for $20.

Do you like to see "Free postage" meaning the seller would sell the item for $30 with the postage built in?

Do you prefer seeing the postage separated from the item you are buying?

Say, half price postage, so $4.85 postage and $4.85 built into the price making the listing $25 with $4.85 postage

Maybe full postage selling the item at $20 with $9.70 postage?

Or would selling a $20 item for $30 be to much? So listing the item at $10 with $9.70 postage maybe?

[*sons_and_daughters*]

As others have said, I prefer to see a postage cost. That way, if I buy multiple things, and assuming the seller combines postage, I'm only paying one lot, not multiple lots because the price has been incorporated into the price of the items.

I did try the free postage thing for a few months. Instead of $10 with $7 postage (yes, it was a few years ago), I listed for $17 with free postage. Sales came to an absolute grinding halt. People would look at the item and think, that's not worth $17, it's only worth $10. The postage cost was a given in their eyes, they were merely looking at an item that they didn't see was worth $17. So, I went back to adding a postage cost and sales took off again within a few day. 

If you have 2 of the same item, try listing one with free postage, and the other with added postage. You've got nothing to lose.

Years ago an overseas seller had 2 of the same item (not identical because with that item, it wasn't possible, but a close match and both weighed exactly the same). Both items were listed as auctions. One started at $20 with free postage, the other 1c with $40 postage (it was after the fees on postage kicked in in Australia, but not sure about that overseas country).

I watched the free postage item climb and climb and climb. From memory, it sold for around $150. At the last minute, I bid on the high postage item and got it for 1c, and a third of the price other other piece. Moral of that story is, plenty of people get sucked into the free postage thing. So, give it a go on a few listings and see if it works. 

[springyzone]

I don't think there is an easy answer. A lot depends on what you sell but also, not all buyers are the same & you'll never please everyone in this life, so go with what overall works best for you.

Having said that, here are some of my views as a buyer these days.

-I definitely look at both prices-what the item costs, what the postage costs. And yes, a lot of things have free postage, but I know the price of posting has been added to the item cost.

I've actually seen some spices where the seller listed the same item both ways. I added the costs and they were identical prices.😁

But I have to say, with low cost items, free postage is 'easy' in that there is no maths involved.

Those ads present a customer with an 'at a glance' idea of what the total will be.

- one factor, I think, is the ratio. The cost of postage compared to the cost of the item. This is not logical, I realise that. Postage cost is based on weight and size, not the 'cost' of the actual item. But I suspect most buyers don't want to buy something for eg $4, if postage is eg $12. In that situation, they would possibly say to themselves-it's a cheap item, I'll look in op shops or elsewhere.

Would they pay $16? I don't know. But by labelling it as $4, you are making it look dirt cheap and I think impressions are important.

So what I think might work better in that situation would be to bump up the cost of the item to eg $10 and make the postage $6.

-buyers (well, I would imagine) might type in a few key words and browse the things that come up, so if you are selling the same or similar as other sellers, it is going to come down to total cost or how you present your items. I had a brief look and noticed you sell a lot of pre owned items. I used to as well.

I also noticed in one description you wrote 'condition is pre owned. As a buyer, I would find that frustrating. I already knew it was pre owned from the ad, what I would want is a bit more detailed description eg excellent, very good, no stains etc

For me personally, I will pay more for an item if I think I am getting quality.

-Have you had multiple people who bought several items at the same time? You charge for postage at present, so you'll know if any asked about combined postage. Combined postage, in a buyer's mind anyway, means they expect that if you can, you would send the things together with an overall saving in postage cost.

If you have a fair bit of that happening, then separate postage is the way to go. If it doesn't happen much, then don't factor it in to your decision. If you do decide to go with it though, mention it in your ads. It could be an incentive to some buyers to buy a second item.