Larry,
Well, there's a one pound minimum for Priority Mail. It's priced differently, but essentially the first pound costs the same whether an ounce or 15.99 oz. Right now it costs about $5.35 from ebay and that's what I charge my customers, period. It's not "free shipping" but it's realistic. I pay for everything except the magic ride and do it in a timely manner.
So whatever the seller can squeeze in and sell you in that first pound is to his/her advantage. It doesn't pay to send packing past that, but you also don't want stuff broken. You can often get two HO car kits in that first pound, but it's close and often doesn't work. Overseas buyers will sometimes tell you to ditch the weights, as it both saves on postage and, they fear, damage, although I always pack internally unless a sealed kit to minimize internal shaking damage.
Really the smallest practical box to send locos and large cars in is the Medium Flat Rate if you're using PO boxes, thus my comment about needing a better box to suit our trade.
What it does is greatly simplify shipping. Don't forget time is money for most large shippers. It takes labor to give the best postage everytime. The Flat Rate box makes things simple. If it fits, it goes. And really for the buck or two, as a vendor I sympathize, especially if they're paying folks to do the work. Me, I just do it because it's my thing. But it does take a lot of time.
There is another thing that's coming into use that reduces costs, the Regional Priority Mail Box in several sizes, available only by mail IIRC someone already mentioned. This depends on having a lot of relaitively local customers and several people have noted it being used. I've received them several times and it is a pretty good savings.
In all cases, if someone wants to try for cheaper than stated postage, it's usually noted in the shipping policies. Mine is like most in that I ask for that to be done prior to payment in any event, but prefrably before the end of the auction itself if it will be a show stopper for someone's budget. Don't make things difficult for someone after the fact and you may find you get exactly what you want. But it really is poor manners to start quibbling with things when they're all clearly stated only when you're ready to pay for a closed auction.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
mlehmanBut it really is poor manners to start quibbling with things when they're all clearly stated only when you're ready to pay for a closed auction.
As I mention earlier one would be wise to shop for the better prices and best posted shipping. I seldom use e-Bays shipping calculator since the sellers I normally buy from has the shipping cost posted.
A seller that goes that extra step will get me to look over his auction or BIN.
As far as BIN plus shipping there is a formula I use when using the BIN option.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
I haven't been on the buyer end of the calculator lately, but it has gotten noticeably more accurate lately based on my input. So part of it is the algorithmn and part of it may just be me doing better estimating of shipped weight. Since I ship random stuff that varies widely, I have to be good at that.
Someone shipping pretty much all the same size stuff, for example locos and cars, can probably tell pretty closely without sizing each item up like I do how much something will weigh.
And if they're using Flat Rate Boxes, of course they know the cost -- but that may not be absolute lowest cost, which in a case like that may actually be produced by the calculator. So if a site offers both, I would definitely try both and I would not skip the calculator without checking it first if it is the only choice. You might be pleasantly surprized.
Remember when Rich and I had the discussion about discounts on shipping? The claculator is where/how they are applied. With the Flat Rate boxes, I suspect there is a discount, but the vendor may be able to capture that, I'm just not sure. If the postage value is printed, it is accurate, so that might be a way to check.
Ultimately, the shipping servuice dictates most of the cost and that choice is up to the buyer. The shipper may or may not receive a discount, and may or may not pass it along, although it's usually less than people imagine until I think it was something like 3,000 transactions a month. I'm going on 15 years on ebay and I haven't reached that many total transactions
I believe a lot of people are quoting prices in amounts that were in force months ago....what I tried to say in My post, is that all USPS shipping costs have gone up considerably, especially International shipping, which can only be shipped now Priority Mail, no first class, only letter's. Take a look at the cost to ship a small Priority Flat rate box to the UK.....Months ago it was 12.65, for the same size box.
Take Care!
Frank
richhotrain I just sold a used set of golf clubs on eBay, so I decided to add an update to this thread regarding shipping charge discounts. The calculated USPS charge was $26.90, but when I ordered up the eBay shipping label, the actual USPS shipping charge was $15.93, a 40.8% discount. Rich
I just sold a used set of golf clubs on eBay, so I decided to add an update to this thread regarding shipping charge discounts.
The calculated USPS charge was $26.90, but when I ordered up the eBay shipping label, the actual USPS shipping charge was $15.93, a 40.8% discount.
Rich
Until the seller creates an eBay shipping label, via USPS, the final discounted shipping charge is not known with certainty. This is not necessarily true for UPS or FedEx shipping in which the actual shipping charge can be determined once the buyer's zip code is known. However, because of the arrangement between eBay and USPS, discounts of up to 50% or more are available for shipping charges, but these discounts are not initially taken into account in the eBay auction setup process.
This situation is not the seller's fault because the seller cannot control the amount of the shipping charge shown by eBay for USPS shipping when a potential buyer clicks on the item for sale or auction. The first time that the seller sees the actual discounted USPS shipping charge is when the seller prepares the eBay-provided shipping label. If the seller unwittingly prepares a shipping label through the USPS web site, the shipping charge will be the higher, undiscounted amount.
Alton Junction
Mike,Now we come to "free" shipping that some of the sellers I buy from uses..Of course we know there is no such animal and its figured into the price but,still some prices is less then some prices and shipping combined.
A example I found while searching for a LL P2K SCL GP9 #1025-mate to my 1027.Both was listed as used.
e-Bay store A: LL P2K SCL GP9 1025 for BIN $69.95 plus $8.55 shipping.
e-Bay store B: LL P2K SCL GP9 1025 for BIN $55.00 with free shipping.
Store B listing was a "new" listing according to the store's auction information and I grab it without blinking a eye.
I've seen the opposite of my example many times too.
Again buyers need to go beyond the first few pages for the better prices and shipping..Using B&M hobby shops with e-bay stores helps finding missed models at reasonable prices and shipping cost..
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Frank,The current shipping prices I use can be varified with a simple check on e-Bay and is in line with what I been paying for years..
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In recent years, all my purchases on Ebay have been "Buy It Now" when I think the price is fair. I use the "Price + Shipping: lowest first" sort option.
I know that I may not be getting the lowest price by not bidding on Auctions, but in most cases (I do check) my total cost has only been a little higher than the for cost that an Auction item from another seller sold for, and in a few cases my costs have actually been lower. And it's a lot less hastle.
I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.
I don't have a leg to stand on.
DSchmittI know that I may not be getting the lowest price by not bidding on Auctions, but in most cases (I do check) my total cost has only been a little higher than the for cost that an Auction item from another seller sold for, and in a few cases my costs have actually been lower. And it's a lot less hastle.
Yeah, if done close to halfway right, even if shipping is not the absolute rock bottom price, then you're only talking a dollar or two.
But when shipping is twice as much as would be typical, that's when you definitely walk away. Even 50% more than what is expected would have me asking questions. Gotta be careful on Buy It Now to check the shipping first, pull trigger second.
mlehmanEven 50% more than what is expected would have me asking questions. Gotta be careful on Buy It Now to check the shipping first, pull trigger second.
Mike,With most BIN shipping is already shown or in some cases free.
Some use the shipping calculator to get shipping before you buy.
One would foolish to buy without seeing the shipping costs and I'm yet to see a auction without posted shipping or the shipping calculator.