I don't understand. If you sell on ebay, everyone has this rate if they pay using the Print Shipping Label feature, don't they? I know I do and I'm nobody special on ebay.
Chainsaw shipping costs on eBay: Effective way to complain?
- Thread starter Chris J.
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Small flat rate costs me $5.90 through E-bay, depends on which level you are.
I ship several saws a year and was kinda flabbergasted by the shipping raise the post office just instituted. I checked the price of a common saw (MS290) from my city to the west coast states and it had two options, one $56 and the other $63. I would have to add that to the price of the saw or take a loss on the sale and I'm not gonna do that. I, like others don't live near a Fedex place and I think the UPS place moved out recently so the Post Office is it. I'm going to use the calculator for shipping and not ship anything expensive for awhile. Someone on ebay told me I can't exclude the western states from my sales so I guess when the calculator puts in $63 they'll probably exclude themselves if they're smart.
ChoppyChoppy
Tree Freak
Nice for me? I was letting folks know how to get a discount, no need to be rude. Use Paypal or pay the higher fee and quit complaining!
fearofpavement
Trying them all
Didn't intend to be rude. Sorry if it came across that way.
I think what it boils down to for me is fewer sales than before, who wants to pay up to $63 extra for a chainsaw? I don't sell many saws locally because of the competition around here so usually just sell online and up until this year postage wasn't all that bad.
I too was shocked. I have since changed to using UPS Ground which is almost half the price. It is not nearly as convenient since I have to travel extra to get to a depot.
It's about 15 miles for me, one way to UPS pick up spot, have no idea where Fedex is but think it's about an hour or more away. Funny thing is, I see UPS and Fedex employees in the Post Office all the time and learned they are all in it together, they use each other's service.
Definitive Dave
wanna-be saw racer, saw hoarder, parts whore
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buyers : vote with your dollars, bid on total cost, the bare minimum cost a seller ( who ships less than 600 packages per day) can pay to ship even one ounce on Ebay is 2.54 because tracking is required
sellers: know what your real costs are for everything involved in your item and just list buy it now with free shipping, also get a commercial shipping account if it makes sense volume-wise.
I use a service that integrates commercial pricing from the post office and our accounts with ups and fed ex to show the best price on any package to anywhere.
I don't want to advertise for a non-sponsor but we have been very happy with the company and I will answer PMs from interested parties.
259 items to ship today
Dave
sellers: know what your real costs are for everything involved in your item and just list buy it now with free shipping, also get a commercial shipping account if it makes sense volume-wise.
I use a service that integrates commercial pricing from the post office and our accounts with ups and fed ex to show the best price on any package to anywhere.
I don't want to advertise for a non-sponsor but we have been very happy with the company and I will answer PMs from interested parties.
259 items to ship today
Dave
Mostly right, Dave but I can't afford to send a Wild Thing to California with free shipping because the cost of shipping is more than the saw would sell for. I would have to ask way over $100 for the WT or eat the loss. Plus, what if they hit me with a return and ebay wants me to pay the shipping back to me?
logeeland
ArboristSite Operative
I have found that getting the exact cost of shipping and then adding $10 is the best way to go. I also have 2 issues. I am an hour away from a hub so they add cost when shipping to me as well as most of the people I ship to have the same issue. So my average cost coming to me and shipping out is $30. $20 for a box of parts and $42 for a big heavy saw. That is not unreasonable in my opinion.
logeeland
ArboristSite Operative
On ebay I post a flat charge of $35 to ship. If it is less great! Many people hide the extra costs in the shipping.
If you sell several saws a year you can probably charge $35 for shipping and come out pretty good. I sell most of my saws in the middle part of the country and an occasional one to Texas or California. No big deal losing a little money on shipping once in a while..
logeeland
ArboristSite Operative
I make $5 or break even off of shipping I am happy. After the 5th saw sold and shipped I learned to ship without the bar.
I've been told that by several members not to ship the bar, would probably save me a bunch of money to do it that way. So far I've always sold saws with bar except parts saws.
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If it is an auction, the bidding doesn't go as high when it is without a bar/chain......
I've always liked the idea of it being complete but I guess some new saws are sold without them.
logeeland
ArboristSite Operative
Most people like there own brand of bar. Plus it keeps the box smaller for reduced shipping costs.
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I have just found that the saw doesn't get bidded up as high.
It's true about the smaller box but depending on the kind of saw you're selling,the owners may want a bar and chain. An example would be a small homeowner's saw, a person buying one of them probably doesn't have a favorite brand of bar.
