EBAY shipping question

[Lanshark]

I have only bought a few things on ebay but notice that most items have a preset shipping amount. This amount is always substantially higher than the actual shipping amount. Is this how sellers pull in extra money on their items? The last thing I had shipped actually cost around 3.50 and I paid 7.00 because that was their preset amount.

 

[UncleKyle]

That is how some make money. When I sell stuff I set an amount, sometimes I come out ahead and sometimes I don't. Some sellers do ship many items and have to purchase shipping materials and that adds extra costs as well. I know I once didn't have a box big enough to ship my item in, so bought one at Mailboxes Etc. and paided like 8 bucks for the box! So it just always depends on the item, the seller, and the actual weight.

 

[Minniespal]

Have read on e-bay that sellers calculate shipping not only on the cost to ship but also the time it takes them to pack the item ready for shipping.

 

[Grog]

Usually when I sell anything the postage also includes the packing materials. I also put this in the item description. I almost never come out ahead on this and have even lost a couple of dollars here and there on the deal. I won't even go into the time I had to pack a kilt for shipping! I've only ever had one complaint from anyone about the shipping costs (who didn't read the description closely) and once I explained to him that I had to put out about $4 more from my pocket, he was OK with it and gave positive feedback.

 

[Fire14]

I sometimes choose to use preset shipping costs and other times I will charge what it costs me to ship. I have found for me it's a royal pain to get acual shipping costs for an item because it means I have to take pkg. to post office to get it weighed and get cost than come home email buyer and let them know than once I get money I have to take pkg. back to post office to mail it. All this plus working full time. Also the post office bases shipping costs over one pound on zones so if I ship something from Oh to Ca it costs more to ship than if I ship from Oh to MI. I try to be fair in my shipping costs and usually I come out even or lose with what paypal charges for receiving payment through them, Ebay listing costs etc.


I hope this helps explain it some for you.

 

[Lanshark]

Thanks!