Whether you run a big time eBay business or you simply sell various trinkets from your garage on occasion; everyone can stand to trim some of the fat from their shipping charges. However, as a seller you should continuously strive to package your items securely. Pinpointing a harmonious medium between these two ends of the spectrum can sometimes prove to be difficult.
eBay now has the option for buyers to search auctions by shipping as well as price; making it all the more important for you to be frugal with your packaging. Don't be mislead, though, as waiving the shipping fee and tacking it on to your reserve price will cause eBay to claim a higher percentage of your profits.
If you are like most eBay sellers; the majority of the items you sell are less than two pounds. The US Postal Service offers the most cost-effective means for shipping items of this size and the free, yes, I did say free, Ebay/USPS co-branded boxes are an excellent perk (http://ebaysupplies.usps.com).
If you are planning on shipping a great deal, or have a lot of weighty packages, your best option is to ship via DHL. While the US Postal service is primarily the cheapest, DHL offers a lower cost than UPS and FedEx; and if you have a membership with Sellsi.com (http://www.sellsi.com/), you can save up to an additional forty percent.
Before you ship, it is important that you make sure the item does not rattle in the box. Try not to skimp on the packing peanuts or bubble wrap. Believe it or not, the best place to purchase inexpensive shipping materials is on eBay! Do a search for ?packaging material? or ?shipping material? and you will find pages and pages of items that will fit the needs of both small and large sellers.
Are you looking to obtain more customers? Of course you are! Buyers appreciate sellers that will reduce shipping costs when they purchase multiple items from you. Not only does it save them money but it also saves you the expense of having to ship two, or more, separate packages. Offer this benefit in your auctions and you might see your sales increase.
The days of a buying a digital camera for under a buck and charging $150.00 for shipping are over. Not only does eBay frown on this practice but buyers have become aware of this trick and prefer to deal with a seller that offers reasonable shipping charges in their auction listings. Be fair and upfront with your shipping charges, and your shipping schedule, and your customers might come back for more of your items later.
As much as cost of shipping is an important matter to consider, it is equally critical to make sure your customers are satisfied with the condition in which they receive their items. In my experience, the top three reasons eBay buyers leave negative feedback for an auction is due to a product not arriving on time, a product arriving damaged or the cost of shipping being too high. A happy medium of these three will help to ensure customer satisfaction?and increase your feedback rating.
