Postage discounts only if checkout outwith ebay?Is this correct?

wishuponastar

ArmitageShanks wrote: »

apart from anything you're very lucky to get any shipping discount at all with international purchases, for the simple fact they are charged per/gram or ounce.

I know that when mailing in the UK it is sometimes much cheaper to mail several items together than individually so i would always ask the seller first if postal discounts are offered. I wasnt sure how it worked with overseas posting and their discounts so that is why i asked. The seller says they did offer discounts but not to use ebay checkout so that was why i was confused how else to purchase as i wasnt sure what other checkout to use. All clear now.

wishuponastar

Thanks to all, i realise the seller meant to use a request total from seller and not to do it outwith ebay.

StaffsSW

If the seller uses a third party inventory control system like ChannelWorks or Vendio, then they have more flexibility with discounts and automated shipping labels, picking lists etc.

With the current eBay checkout system a seller can not offer discounts based on weights or destinations, not can they offer discounts on multiple purchases with "free" P&P.

3rd party checkouts will have the weights of each item pre-programmed, and will be able to work out accurate postage rates, as well monitor the stock levels and perform all sorts of back-end label printing and accounting.

They also give the opportunity to drive traffic to the sellers own websites, as the checkout pages are hosted away from ebay, and it is all allowed within the eBay T&C's

wishuponastar

stevew8975 wrote: »

If the seller uses a third party inventory control system like ChannelWorks or Vendio, then they have more flexibility with discounts and automated shipping labels, picking lists etc.

With the current eBay checkout system a seller can not offer discounts based on weights or destinations, not can they offer discounts on multiple purchases with "free" P&P.

3rd party checkouts will have the weights of each item pre-programmed, and will be able to work out accurate postage rates, as well monitor the stock levels and perform all sorts of back-end label printing and accounting.

They also give the opportunity to drive traffic to the sellers own websites, as the checkout pages are hosted away from ebay, and it is all allowed within the eBay T&C's

Ok thanks, do you know if you use the third party check out does it still give you the protection that ebay/paypal offer you should the seller non perform or the item not turn up, just for future reference.

wishuponastar

ArmitageShanks wrote: »

apart from anything you're very lucky to get any shipping discount at all with international purchases, for the simple fact they are charged per/gram or ounce.

Forgot to mention that after conversion from dollars to pounds the postage rate charged was three times the actual amount paid by the seller so even taking into account packing costs (which was a small jiffy) postal costs are still reduced for international purchases when sending more than 1 item together even with the extra weight.

worbikeman

All that's happened is that the seller is offering a more complicated discount scale than is represented by ebay's simple automated discount system. Ebay allows sellers to offer either "free" shipping for additional items, or "£x discount" on additional items and that's it. Your seller wants to discount your shipping as much as he can for further additional items but has to do it himself manually. Therefore, you buy the items and when all done you ask for an invoice rather than just pay straight away (you could pay straight away if you know the exact full price, by inputting the amount yourself, but it's better to request the invoice). He then applies his discounting method (as stated in the item description) and you benefit from it for being a good customer. You then pay in the normal way and are fully protected as normal. That's it!

Premier_2

ArmitageShanks wrote: »

apart from anything you're very lucky to get any shipping discount at all with international purchases, for the simple fact they are charged per/gram or ounce.

I recently bought some items of a US seller. I asked beforehand what the s&h cost to the uk would be, both for one item and for additional items they were offering on the multiple item listing.

They came back with a price for one item that was about half the s&h that other ebayers in the states were quoting for the same item (single item listing)
The seller also said if I bought more than one, the extra items could be included for no additional s&h.

I bought the lot off him.

I was even more pleasantly surprised when a few days later I got a partial refund and an apology from the seller saying the partial refund was because the cost he had quoted in good faith for postage was in reality less and so he had refunded the difference.

Proof, if proof were needed, that there are still some honest ebayers out there! :T

StaffsSW

wishuponastar wrote: »

Ok thanks, do you know if you use the third party check out does it still give you the protection that ebay/paypal offer you should the seller non perform or the item not turn up, just for future reference.

Yes it does - you are still buying via ebay and paypal, it's just that there is an extra screen inbetween the two that helps the seller manage their business.