postage in australia

[mechellemaple1]

Hello can anyone help me with this question so I do not have to line up twice at the post office,when a buyer pays for postage does that include the packing i.e 3 kilo medium size sachel?

I usually supply packing at my cost but wondering if I am doing this wrong?

[kopenhagen5]

Usually sellers will include eBay fees in the price of the item.

Then any packing and handling costs are added to the price of postage.

Or some sellers include it all in the price of the item and list with free postage.

But it's up to you, some sellers prefer to add any pack n handling to the price of item as well and charge exactly the postage price only. Because some buyers when they get the item see a postage price of $7.50 on the package and then complain that they paid $10 not realising it is also for pack n handling.

But as I said, it's up to you how you factor the costs into your listings.

P.S. We were all newbies at some stage.

[lyndal1838]

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@mechellemaple1 wrote:

Thank you everyone, so do I add that cost in the cost of the item or separeate in the shipping? Sorry I am pretty ebay naive.I know I am doing it all wrong well what I have been doing so far.

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Never ever give the buyer a breakdown of your costs.    If the actual postage is $7.50 and you add $2.50 for packing and handling, ebay fees and whatever else it covers, just put the postage as $10.00 otherwise you will get the numpty buyer who will want a refund because you charged more than actual postage.

[thesoulyearns]

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@lyndal1838 wrote:

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@mechellemaple1 wrote:

Thank you everyone, so do I add that cost in the cost of the item or separeate in the shipping? Sorry I am pretty ebay naive.I know I am doing it all wrong well what I have been doing so far.

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Never ever give the buyer a breakdown of your costs.    If the actual postage is $7.50 and you add $2.50 for packing and handling, ebay fees and whatever else it covers, just put the postage as $10.00 otherwise you will get the numpty buyer who will want a refund because you charged more than actual postage.

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I disagree. If the packing costs are $2.50 over the actual postage, the buyer may often notice it anyway. Sending a friendly message explaining your costs may help the buyer to understand how it came to be $2.50 over the stamp cost. If they're going to want a refund because of excess cost, they'll want it anyway. At least the message explains it so they can understand.

A better way might be to include the extra packing fees into your item price, e.g. if it's more than $1 extra than the stamp cost. I don't think most buyers will mind a couple of dollars extra than what they pay, aslong as it's packaged well and arrives as described. More than $2 might be pushing it a little, which is where you than incorporate it into the item price.

[davidc4430]

its pretty basic, you work out the cost to post your item, then add that to your lowest price for your item to make the profit you want.

if it doesnt sell well thats the luck on ebay.

no point selling if your losing money.

[lane-ends]

When listing you have 3 choices;

~ List free post with enough to cover everything

~ List item price + a price under shipping to cover cost, say no more

~ Ditto but disclose a handling cost.

After an item is sold you receive the money as per the listing and absorb whatever costs are incurred to get to buyer, you cannot add anything or make any adjustments after sale.

Ebay take a fee in effect to cover total money transacted regardless of whether it is item or shipping, or however it is broken down.

[jimmyjoejoe_jnr]

Hi I had a look at your listings and some you have offered free postage your probably going to pay between $5-$8.50 for postage of these items so you are going to be at a loss.If you offer free postage you have to factor it into the price,I post in $8.50 prepaid satchels so that means the buyer pays the price of the item say $20 plus the $8.50 postage.You then buy the satchel for $8.50 and you have made $20 minus fees on your item.Hope this helps.