eBay Selling Advice - Need Help!

[Star_Warrior]

I'm really hoping someone has sold on eBay and can help me figure out their setup! 

I want to sell some items on eBay. When I started the process I found myself getting very confused. The shipping is driving me nuts! It allows me to give the buyer other shipping options besides priority but is saying that I will pay for the shipping if it goes any other way. Some of the items I want to sell are very large and priority shipping can easily get into the $40+ range. I want to give the buyer the option of a cheaper rate but I can't suddenly be paying for all the shipping costs on these auctions myself. How do I list with the option of the buyer paying a lower rate? I know it can be done since I've opted to pay for first class shipping when I've won auctions. 

Star Warrior

[moving to TS - kaoskat]

[lovesbabysquirmy]

If you don't use Priority shipping (with a registered tracking number and delivery confirmation), your buyer can claim to have never received their item.  Paypal will take their side as you will have no proof of mailing it, and you will have to refund their money, shipping costs and all.   Paypal does NOT accept scanned receipts as proof, only a tracking number registered in the USPS database.

Protect yourself as a small business and a seller... always use tracking & delivery confirmation! 

[Star_Warrior]

That makes sense.  I still hate to have shipping costs 3x higher than the starting price of my items.  Is there a way to include other shipping options that keep the delivery confirmation and tracking that the buyer pays for? 

I use to sell on eBay from time to time, but that was before their new layout for posting.  I want to be sure I am doing it right not just for myself, but for any potential buyer.

Star Warrior

[ponylady]

I will try and help but I want to make sure I am reading your question right?  It is saying that you will have to pay the shipping costs if it is not sent Priority?  Because I have never heard of that??

I also want to point out that if you are shipping Domestic First Class or even Parcel Post it does not have to be sent Priority for ebay to cover you. As long as you have a delivery confirmation number, which shows proof of delivery it is all you need to win a case.  I think what LBS is referring to is if it is sent Internationally. 

[Star_Warrior]

I tried again on eBay and this time it came up with parcel post as a default option instead of priority.  I wanted to add a second option (priority) for those who wanted it.  The first option says "Paid By Buyer" but when I choose a second option it comes up with "Paid By You".  I don't know how to change that, so I guess I'm not going to be able to give them more than one choice.   

Star Warrior

[ponylady]

I use a third party listing service for my ebay store.  But I went in and acted like I was going to list an item through ebay and I do not get the options you are talking about???



Post Merge: December 06, 2012, 12:02:59 PM

I just got to thinking just because they gave you a default option, doesn't mean you can not hit the drop down box and change it.  Also I am assuming when they gave you the option that "Paid by You" means you are willing to give Free Shipping.

I honestly think you need to play around with it a bit more.  It seems easy enough to list on ebay but it takes some time and patience to figure it all out. 

[Star_Warrior]

I took people's advice and kept playing with it.  For some reason, eBay wasn't giving me any drop down options or anything when I was putting in the shipping information.  It just came up with "Paid By You" regardless of what I put in.  However, when I ignored what they were saying and finished filling out the listing, it suddenly switched everything on its own to the buyer pays shipping and allowed the various options (priority or parcel post) to happen.  Crazy! 

Luckily everything seems to be working now.  I want to thank everyone who took the time to help me through this.  I certainly didn't want to start listing auctions without having all the information correct. 

Star Warrior

[emery]

Sounds like ebay was glitching out for a bit or something! When you list it should let you add up to 4 different options for US shipping services that you can include in your listing.

Just a tip when doing the postage be sure to list the lowest cost shipping service first especially if you're sending a big item. For Priority anything more than a 12x12x12 box will usually bump up the costs so if you have something large/heavy it's best to list either Parcel Post as the first option or even UPS Ground. Be sure that you put in the measurements for your box so that you get the correct rates.

When you print your labels through Paypal you get free or very cheap delivery confirmation (19 cents) added onto the label just depending on what type of shipping you use (Priority, first class or parcel post) and it automatically sends the delivery confirmation link to your buyer. I REALLY recommend getting a scale if you don't have one so that you can print all of your labels at home (you get a discount printing them online as well).

One other thing to be aware of if you are offering shipping overseas as well is if you're weighing a package in a Priority box and someone overseas buys it then you will need a different box to ship in and many times other boxes are a bit heavier than the Priority ones (and it's illegal to wrap the Priority and send using other services) so you may end up shorting yourself on shipping costs. So you may want to add a little handling costs for overseas to make sure you're covered.