Pink Chalk Studio » Blog Archive » Selling on eBay

Selling on eBay - Part III

Jan 8th, 2008 by Kathy

Selling on eBay - Part I (Taking Pictures)
Selling on eBay - Part II (Auction Template)

Shipping, holey moley. I think I’ve now packaged up every conceivable type of box and envelope the USPS offers. I also have a UPS account, it generally doesn’t stack up competitively until the weight hits 7 or 8 pounds. Even then I compare to see how much can be stuffed into a flat rate box.

I’m going to run down a list of things I think and things I know:

My philosophy on selling anything online is that I want my customers to pay as close to the exact cost of the shipping as possible. Postage and packaging. There’s no bigger turn off for me than getting overcharged when I order by mail. It just makes sense to understand all the options and package things up the cheapest way possible.
An item under 13 ounces ships First Class. The rates are the same anywhere you send it.
An item over 13 ounces ships via Priority Mail. This is where lots of options kick in.
An item between 13 ounces but less than or equal to 1 pound costs $4.60 anywhere you send it in the US.
An item over 1 pound takes on all sorts of funky attributes, all dependent on how far the package is going. It’s much cheaper for me to mail a package to Seattle than to the East Coast. Use the calculator on the USPS website to determine the rate. eBay’s calculator works for this as well. If your item weighs more than 13 ounces you can specify the exact weight on your shipping options and let their calculator determine the shipping cost based on the buyer’s zip code.
The flat rate mailers are one way to fix a buyer’s cost below what they might pay in other ways.
The flat rate envelope can hold a lot of fabric. I did one today that I crammed 1 pound 6 ounces into. The flat rate is $4.60. Had it gone into a different envelope the cost to MA would have been $7.50. I confirmed with the post office that you can use tape across the top of the envelope to secure it. It can also be big, fat, and stuffed to the gizzards as long as the top will close over the contents.
Same is true for the flat rate boxes. There are two different shapes for $8.95, the big 3 3/8″ depth rectangle actually has more square inches of space than the 5.5″ depth box.
The post office will give you Priority Mail boxes and envelopes free!
Don’t forget to consider the weight of your packaging and how that can run up the cost of priority shipping. I always send it in an envelope if I can since it weighs significantly less than a box.
International shipping is very straight forward. Don’t limit your customer base by not shipping everywhere. Canada is similar to domestic rates until the weight goes over 1 pound. Everywhere else in the world starts out expensive and just gets more so the heavier the package.
First class international mail gets a simple green customs form. Heavy priority packages get a long and involved version. If you need to do the long form definitely print your postage out via the Paypal interface. You’ll get a discount and it automatically pulls in all the addresses and descriptions from your eBay invoice. You print it out on your laser jet, take it to the post office along with the package, they stamp it, put it in a plastic envelope and adhere it to your package.
I use stamps.com to print my postage. There’s a lot of features I find useful (free delivery confirmation on priority packages, tracking, history, and print on demand). I eat the $15 monthly fee because the convenience far outweighs the cost. I found the Paypal interface too cumbersome to use except for heavy international customs packages. There’s a lot of information on the eBay forums about shipping products.
Why do postage at home? You can drop the pre-paid packages into the self-service mail machine and not wait in line. Packages with customs forms do need to go to the counter. I’ve gotten to know all my post office peeps very well and now I just catch someone’s eye and hand them my stamped envelope with the green customs form completed and attached (I avoid eye contact with the customers standing in line wondering how I just did what I did). I also bought the counter folks bon bons for Christmas (you can give postal employees a gift up to $25 per year, I can’t imagine anyone that deserves it more!)
Still with me… always get delivery confirmation. It costs practically nothing and will save headaches on the back end. The comments I received on my first post shared very good reasons why you should always use this service.

Tomorrow I’ll talk about packaging and then a final post telling you what you really want to know, how much money did I make!

Posted in Musings | 30 Comments

30 Responses to “Selling on eBay - Part III”

on 08 Jan 2008 at 7:20 pm1Lisa

Our postal employees deserve coal in their stocking. Read my post about my $150 worth of custom-ordered photo albums from Kodak for 4 sets of grandparents and great-grandparents and how they lost them and got highly irritated when we asked that they attempt to locate them (DHL had them signed as being delivered at our local post office, they denied ever receiving them) - not the first time this has happened. Frickin’ worthless employees. Blech. (happy end of story is that Kodak rush re-processed and shipped overnight FedEx at no charge saving Christmas - Santa could not have done better himself!)
on 08 Jan 2008 at 7:29 pm2mj

One of those packages is for me! Maybe one day I’ll be motivated to sell some of my stash on ebay too. There are definitely some impulse buys that I have a hard time imagining how I’ll use them.
on 08 Jan 2008 at 7:29 pm3Carrie

Your posts prompted me to go through my closet today I’ve done a smattering of Ebay selling and always print the postage through usps.com — free delivery confirmation with priority, but maybe not tracking? Anyway I’ve never paid a fee that I know of, so thought I’d mention that. Dropping off those prepaid packages is always golden with the kiddo in tow! Although I always wondering if my kitchen scale is as accurate as it should be.
on 08 Jan 2008 at 9:02 pm4adrienne

Ya know, maybe I should try stamps.com. I HATE GOING TO THE PO!
on 08 Jan 2008 at 9:48 pm5lindiepindie

Good, good info, Kathy! Keep it coming - it’s not just great for Ebay, but for any internet selling!
on 08 Jan 2008 at 10:08 pm6Administrator

Carrie: If you went back in and entered the delivery confirmation # you would see the tracking component. Not as detailed as UPS but it does show the date the item left the post office, its arrival at the target PO and ultimately a confirmation of the delivery to the recipient. Stamps.com is just giving me an app that lists everything I send through them and allows me to double click to see the status. I’m most definitely paying for the convenience of the interface.

One day I mentioned at the counter that my scale didn’t seem to always be calibrated with theirs (made me nervous when my scale hits exactly on the ounce), he told me that it didn’t matter, there was no way it would ever be detected in the mailing process. It still makes me nervous though so I usually put the extra stamp on
on 08 Jan 2008 at 10:08 pm7lucy

Great tips–I really needed guidance on shipping, that is for sure!

What would you suggest on Etsy as far as shipping–for example I am on the East Coast and 3 of my sales so far have been on the West Coast, all of which I have undercharged for my shipping as there is not a shipping calculator avail on Etsy. United States is the United States when we all know (now…regions can vary drastically when the weight or size is bigger than what you can ship first class reasonably)?

Things on my sellers wish list: lights, light box, scale, and of course more printer ink..lol…going forward I’m determined to print and ship!
on 08 Jan 2008 at 10:14 pm8Kristin

This is all great info. One reason I’ve not started listing things on Etsy is the packaging and trying to figure out shipping charges. I think I’ll need to get a more accurate scale to do the online postage. Thanks for all the tips!
on 08 Jan 2008 at 11:29 pm9Administrator

Lucy: One thing I can suggest on Etsy is to charge shipping based on the highest zone. You can refund partial amounts via Paypal very easily. I’ve done this several times and also had sellers do the same for me. I was fortunate when I sold the pencil rolls because the package weighed less than 1 pound which allowed me to charge $4.60 which covered shipping everywhere. I charged a lot more for international shipping and then refunded the difference after calculating the exact charge. Etsy really has a long way to go in terms of functionality but it’s great for selling the handmade stuff.
on 08 Jan 2008 at 11:36 pm10Kristin L

I’d like to add that people mailing from the US shouldn’t be frightened if and when they see and APO address (US military overseas). The mail essentially goes to New York and then gets on a military plane to it’s destination in Europe, Asia, or North Africa. Postage is as if mailing to NY, but the package still needs a green customs form — not a big deal if you grab a few on your next trip and then fill it out at home.
on 09 Jan 2008 at 1:25 am11seemownay

Thank you for sharing all of your ebay-insights with us. It is great learning from your experience.
on 09 Jan 2008 at 6:44 am12patti

Kathy this has just been so valuable! Thanks for taking the time to share all your wisdom. I am wanting a dress form now since I am sewing so many of my own clothes and I am determined to make the money by selling things on Ebay. I am going to use your info to help me sell! Thank you so much!
on 09 Jan 2008 at 7:55 am13laurie

Delivery confirmation isnt’ the same as tracking. If the package is lost between the post office and its destination they can’t tell you where it is. At least that is what my post office told me.

You can order large amounts of free Priority supplies from usps.com. I love this option. I order packages of 25 boxes along with labels and the mailmain delivers them right to my house.

If you use PayPal you can print your postage through it and it includes free delivery confirmation.

Also, if you ship overseas use an envelope if you can!! Much cheaper and if it doesn’t way much there is no customs form required.
on 09 Jan 2008 at 8:04 am14Administrator

Great advice Laurie. Stamps.com gives me info on when it leaves my post office, arrives at the destination post office and ultimately when it gets to the customer. I’m only using it as a way to verify for myself whether the package reached the customer or not. Insurance and what you would do in the event the post office didn’t get it there is a whole other issue!

All overseas envelopes require at a minimum the green customs form. I didn’t know that APO addresses did to, I’ve sent several without (fortunately they didn’t come back to me). Thanks for that information Kristin!
on 09 Jan 2008 at 10:47 am15Miss Sassy

I’ve been enjoying your eBay tips. I was a long-time power seller up until last year when I decided to take a break. I have shipped thousands of packages nationally and internationally and have had few losses or damage. I praise the USPS for a job well done. You can also order postal supplies off their website in case your local office doesn’t have the ones you need in stock.

I use Endicia for postage, a DYMO label writer for printing labels (and my laser printer for international labels), and a third party for insurance - DSI. I really like all of these products - they have drastically reduced my shipping time.
on 09 Jan 2008 at 12:31 pm16Jo Ann

Kathy, fantastic notes and info on ebay and shipping. Unfortunately I was outbid on a few of your items. Post more stuff so i can try again.
on 09 Jan 2008 at 12:49 pm17Kris

I just love coming to your blog. You’re so full of information. I agree with you on just about everything here (I sell on Ebay too) but I do enjoy using the PayPal multipackage shipping feature. The only problem I have is with the international but I’m sure its just a weird computer setting or something. Won’t let me print those labels. I’ll figure it out. I did learn some tips from your previous ebay posts so thanks for sharing them! Happy sales in the New Year!
on 09 Jan 2008 at 12:53 pm18Rick

You’ve learned a lot - more than I can handle.

http://organizeddoodles.blogspot.com/
on 09 Jan 2008 at 5:08 pm19Tricia

I am loving this ebay tutorial series…….this is great information!
on 09 Jan 2008 at 7:19 pm20Day

I think that big box is coming to me! Thanks so much for all this information - you always share the good stuff. I’m bookmarking this post for future reference!
on 10 Jan 2008 at 9:58 am21Emily

Thank you, thank you, thank you! One of my crafting goals for 2008 is to open an Etsy shop, but one of the topics I’ve been dreading researching is shipping options. Your post just cut my work in half! Do you have any recommendations on purchasing insurance/delivery confirmation?
on 10 Jan 2008 at 10:27 am22Administrator

Emily: stamps.com gives me delivery confirmation for free when I print my postage through their software (available on parcels over 13 ounces). Even if they didn’t I would purchase it for the nominal fee they charge. All of that said, make sure the item is worth it. I do not do delivery confirmation for my pattern sales. I’ve only had one parcel not make it to it’s recipient last year. I just mailed out another. Always compare your options and consider what’s easiest for you and what you’d be out if the package didn’t make it to it’s destination.

I never do insurance either because none of the items I’ve sold is valuable enough. Maybe if something was worth more than $100 I would consider it.
on 10 Jan 2008 at 12:29 pm23Beth

What a great compilation of information! Thank you!
on 11 Jan 2008 at 2:59 pm24Rachel

thanks for all the great info. I’m not selling anything in the near future, but I’ve found your posts really interesting. It’s really very kind of you to take the time to share all you’ve learned. thank you!
on 11 Jan 2008 at 5:55 pm25Pink Chalk Studio » Blog Archive » Selling on eBay - Part IV

[…] Selling on eBay - Part I (Taking Pictures) Selling on eBay - Part II (Auction Template) Selling on eBay - Part III (Shipping) […]
on 13 Jan 2008 at 5:04 am26First time making bread at Today’s Homemaker

[…] Selling on eBay, part III (parts I, II, and IV are swell, too) […]
on 14 Jan 2008 at 6:45 pm27emily

Thanks for providing this great information.
on 18 Jan 2008 at 10:32 am28JudyC

Is it that they can only accept $25 from a customer? I gave my mailman $50 at a local retaurant. He’s that good to me with all my packages!
on 20 Jan 2008 at 4:58 pm29melissa

oh, thank you, thank you, thank you for these shipping tips. You rock. Really. You do.
on 22 Jan 2008 at 6:47 am30:: been surfin’ - week 4 :: January :: 2008

[…] Ich hatte mir vorgenommen, jede Woche fünf Links zu posten, über die ich in der Woche gestolpert bin oder die ich mir aufheben möchte, weil ich sie irgendwann einmal gebrauchen könnte … als Anleitung, als Inspiration, als Information. Jetzt gehts los. Ich muss auch mal wieder bei eBay verkaufen und darum habe ich die Erfahrungen von Kathy von Pink Chalk Studio mit großem Interesse gelesen. Selling on eBay - Part I Selling on eBay - Part II Selling on eBay - Part III Selling on eBay - Part IV Selling on eBay - Part V - show me the money Schön, dass sie ihre Erfahrungen mit uns teilt und sich die Mühe gemacht hat alles so anschaulich aufzuschreiben. Vielen Dank! — […]