Ebay shipping???

[mikkiblueeyes]

I've just started selling on Ebay and wanted to know which type of shipping is preferred by sellers out there? I'm not really sure how I want to ship .

Thanks
Michelle

 

[LisaNJ25]

I've just started selling on Ebay and wanted to know which type of shipping is preferred by sellers out there? I'm not really sure how I want to ship .

Thanks
Michelle

If its a large box I ship UPS. Otherwise, everything goes prioirty mail or parcel post by the USPS. I print my postage at home and the mailman picks up the packages at my door.

 

[brivers222]

This is how our E-bay Business shipping goes:

CD's and DVD's go First Class

Books go Media Mail

Collectibles and everything else go PRIORITY

Large items : DHL <--- the best prices I have found to date!

Also, we ship Global so we use either GLOBAL PRIORITY or USPS Airmail Parcel Post.

 

[mello]

I like to use the ebay shipping calculator, and usually offer 1st class (under 13 oz) or parcel and priority as options. Or media if that's applicable. I don't really sell anything big, so not sure about that. I just got a postal scale and started using paypal shipping - boy is that nice! No more trips to the post office, and with the price of gas, that's worth a lot! And I'm sure the buyers like it better too, because I used to just estimate the weight, and always padded it a little to make sure I didn't underestimate. Now I know the weight, and get the shipping price more accurate.

 

[cgcw]

If its a large box I ship UPS. Otherwise, everything goes prioirty mail or parcel post by the USPS. I print my postage at home and the mailman picks up the packages at my door.

Me too! My letter carrier sometimes even knocks on my door to see if I have anything going out for the day. It's unusual when I don't at least have 1 box sitting out there.

When I have a lot of boxes at one time shipping, I will request a carrier pickup. The only catch to that is you have to have at least 1 package being shipped priority. Not usually a problem for me -- as I prefer to ship priority because the USPS offers the boxes and the items arrive a lot faster. And, most of the time, it comes out to be cheaper for the buyer on the smaller items.

Parcel post seems to take almost 2 weeks and by then, the buyer and I are scrambling trying to locate it. I've found it's hard to get information from the USPS on shipped packages and have talked to local post offices where parcel post packages have sat just because they are parcel post. Unfair, I know, but it's their system.

 

[mikkiblueeyes]

on your Ebay listings for shipping? Do you use the calculate button or do you put a price on there? How do you figure out how much to charge them before knowing their zip code? That's where I'm confused. I will use USPS since it's right across the street where I work so dropping it off is no problem. The calculate button doesn't change with any zip code so now i have to make sure that the package doesn't go over what the calculate button told him since he already has sent payment. I don't want to loose money on shipping costs.

thanks!!

 

[jwfla422]

I live in FL and I will usually enter a midwest zip code into the calculator.This kinda gives me a ballpark figure knowing it'll be a bit less to the NE from here or a bit more to CA. I actually started entering CA zips because a lot of my auctions seem to go to CA. I'd rather over estimate a bit. I have a scale so my items are always weighed out in the appropriate shipping container.

For items under 13 oz I ship First Class. Between 14 oz and 5 lbs I ship Parcel Post and over 5 lbs I ship Fedex Ground. I will also offer Priority Mail as a second option if the buyer prefers since it is always more. The other ways are all the cheapest. Fedex Ground is by far the cheapest shipping over 5 lbs (much cheaper than UPS)...but if it's not convenient than it wouldn't be worth it. There are a lot of Kinko's here plus we have a Fedex office about 10 minutes away.

One word of advice. If you are shippng clothes or soft unbreakable items use bubblepack mailers. This will really keep shipping costs down. For clothes if you can find fashion mailers or even tyvek envelopes that's a great option as well. GOOD LUCK!!

 

[brivers222]

I am in mIchigan and the most expensive shipping location is Cali for me... I use the good ol' 90210.

I love the shipping calculator. Weigh it, type it, list it, sell it, ship it... What ever IT is Ebay has IT

 

[wendyl]

Priority isn't TOO much more than Parcel Post, and it saves lots of headaches. Many customers don't understand that it can sometimes take weeks to arrive with Parcel Post--and if 8-10 days have gone by and no package--the blame game starts. It's not worth it in my opinion.

Now, if you are shipping expensive items, I would recommend using anyone BUT the USPS, because they are TERRIBLE in their handling of claims. Yes, I'm sure someone here on the DIS has had a claim go through fine--but they are few and far between, and often drawn out for months. We have found UPS to be extrememly efficient in handling damage claims (we've had to file 5 of them over the past 1 1/2 years--and they honored all 5, and paid us within 3 weeks / the post office has denied all 3 of my damage claims, which they were clearly the cause of--and the one time they lost a $650 package, it took them 4 months to end their 'search' and finally pay). Now, we mail about 200 packages on average a month, so those aren't bad odds for either carrier as far as loss or damage goes----but in the rare instance I have to file a claim for something expensive--I'd rather deal with UPS than the US Post Office.