What do you perceive Flat Rate shipping to mean?

[donnashuggy]

and what does it mean?

[thecatspjs]

I agree with you Donna, the term free post is so misleading and ebay wins on fees no matter what.   I do use free post on some items and absorb the cost across my selling and bottom line overall rather than any individual item.

JMO but as a buyer I love to see to fixed price post specials:-x - where no matter how much you buy, only one post charge sticks or a small charge that is clearly outlined, applies to each additional purchase is made - usually prompts me to at least check out sellers other listings 🙂 

.

[donnashuggy]

Yes, there is no incentive any longer to buy more when everything is free postage.

Interesting fixnwear! thanks for your posts!

[leader-of-the-band]

I always understood it to mean that you don't pay extra for additional purchases, am I wrong in that regard?

I think you may be wrong with that line of thinking.  To me, "Flat-rate shipping" means it would cost the same for all buyers, regardless of where they live.  I use the Aust Post pre-paid satchels because they are flat-rate for posting anywhere in Australia.  I live in north-west Vic and can post up to 500g to Perth or Darwin for the same rate as posting to Bendigo or Melbourne . . . flat-rate shipping at its best.

[silversterio2]

"I always understood it to mean that you don't pay extra for additional purchases, am I wrong in that regard?"

Donna,

When I've purchased from other internet sites, that's exactly what it's meant.

If the postage has been eg: $10.00. it would be $10.00 in total whether it's for 1 or 20 items

[donnashuggy]

Good discussion, I don't use satchels as I have a contract but I guess the local buyers subsidize the buyers that live further away from me, not really fair - then again we are forced into this free postage situation.

[thecatspjs]

lob - it truly is perception -

A number of well known womens wear retailers that have both b&m and websites with on-line purchasing,  heavily promote flat rate shipping at a fixed price no matter how much you buy. 

The "purchase" and flat rate post charge is applied to one transaction and single on-line payment transaction - regardless of how many or much you have may be processing in your shopping cart.

[donnashuggy]

"I always understood it to mean that you don't pay extra for additional purchases, am I wrong in that regard?"

Donna,

When I've purchased from other internet sites, that's exactly what it's meant.

If the postage has been eg: $10.00. it would be $10.00 in total whether it's for 1 or 20 items

Great, thanks I think I have seen it many times before just cannot find it now, I remember lots of sellers used to advertise TRUE combined postage, perhaps CAPPED postage is a better word for it do you think?

[thecatspjs]

Another example is supermarkets that deliver locally and have a flat rate delivery fee that applies no matter how many bags they are delivering.

[thecatspjs]

I liked capped postage Donna 😄

...far better than free psotage - cause thats a bit of a porky pie 😐

[wishuponastarcelebrationsandgifts]

Typically when buying online, flat rate shipping means you pay a set rate for shipping no matter what you buy, how much you buy or where you are located domestically at least.

eg. Flat rate shipping of $9.95 means that is how much shipping will be for your order no ifs or buts. This is consistent with how my website shopping cart option for flat rate shipping is set up if I configure it this way for calculating shipping costs.

The issue with ebay is that there is no shopping cart, so  combined postage comes into play as well. As a buyer I would not assume that flat rate shipping applies to multiple purchases. I would err on the side of caution and assume it meant that the shipping was fixed at the specified rate for the item in the listing only, and any additional purchases would incur additional postage.

If you deceide to apply flat rate shipping on all orders perhaps elabrorate on what this means in the listing and make it very clear. Something like "Flat rate shipping on all items. Buy as many items as you like from my store and pay ony $x shipping" This may also entice people who were intending on only buying one item to browse your store.