Posting a DVD

malkyh

Hi all,

I've recently started selling on EBay again and have a couple of DVD boxsets I am selling. I want to send them tracked delivery but the postage limit is £2.25. How do you all package these and can it be packaged safely and sent tracked for only £2.25?

It's a three disc set.

soolin

malkyh wrote: »

Hi all,

I've recently started selling on EBay again and have a couple of DVD boxsets I am selling. I want to send them tracked delivery but the postage limit is £2.25. How do you all package these and can it be packaged safely and sent tracked for only £2.25?

It's a three disc set.

The simple answer is it can't. Standard 2nd class packet or £2.20 and if you want to spend another 95p on sending it recorded or nearer £6 if you want it tracked you will have to add that extra to the start price.

However you will be competing with most other sellers who wil be using the standard 2 nod class and not bothering with recorded or tracked.

malkyh

Thanks for that.

It's a bit ridiculous that Ebay have limited postage costs so that you are unable to cover yourself.

In the past I sent a few things standard mail but too many of them were getting 'lost'.

If I was to send standard mail but get a proof of postage, would I be able to claim RM if it went astray?

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

The limit in DVDs is actually generous and I think too high, eBay are allowing a little give to cover box sets but it can be too much for normal DVDs with some sellers charging the full 2.25 and not combining to save on fees.

Basically you have to build the rest in to your start/BIN price, but measure the width of the DVD and if packaged will go thinner than 26mm it can be sent as a large letter.

If you were to sell on Amazon they'd take more fees (15% plus VAT), plus a sales fee (or you pay £25 plus VAT a month), only give 1.26 postage and take a cut of this. eBay are very fair in comparison.

malkyh wrote: »

If I was to send standard mail but get a proof of postage, would I be able to claim RM if it went astray?

Yeap.

malkyh

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head wrote: »

The limit in DVDs is actually generous and I think too high, eBay are allowing a little give to cover box sets but it can be too much for normal DVDs with some sellers charging the full 2.25 and not combining to save on fees.

Basically you have to build the rest in to your start/BIN price, but measure the width of the DVD and if packaged will go thinner than 26mm it can be sent as a large letter.

If you were to sell on Amazon they'd take more fees (15% plus VAT), plus a sales fee (or you pay £25 plus VAT a month), only give 1.26 postage and take a cut of this. eBay are very fair in comparison.



Yeap.

Thanks for your reply. A couple of the DVD's are 3 disc box sets so no way they are going to go as a large letter.

Problem with adding the extra into the start price is that A) it costs more to list and in my opinion if it's not a 99p start then it puts people off.

In the past I have listed something at a £10 start and no bids. Relisted as a 99p start and it fetched £25. Strange but true.

Mindless_Clone

malkyh wrote: »

Thanks for that.

It's a bit ridiculous that Ebay have limited postage costs so that you are unable to cover yourself.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head wrote: »

The limit in DVDs is actually generous and I think too high, eBay are allowing a little give to cover box sets but it can be too much for normal DVDs with some sellers charging the full 2.25 and not combining to save on fees.

The limit is too generous for a single DVD, yes (I sent one last week - single sized case but 2 discs - for £1.10 - probably 10p for the packaging, which I didn't charge for as recycled) but for box sets that cannot go as a large letter it's not enough. I have a 7 disc set here I want to sell but the maximum P&P costs I can charge + likely sale price (based on completed listings) - ebay and paypal cut, means I'll probably be out of pocket. I don't want to make a fortune, I'm not a business, I just want a fair price for something that someone else might want to buy. Ebay ultimately lose out because I'll either freecycle it or take it to the charity shop and they will lose their commission.
It's particularly relevant with computer games, because some come with big boxes and manuals and just don't fit the standard sizes/weights.

And yet elsewhere on ebay sellers are still bumping up P&P costs; it's blatantly and absolutely rife in children's clothing; someone selling a second hand hoody for a 5 year old and charging £3.50 P&P? Yes, ok! :rotfl: Needless to say nobody's bidded.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Ideally the P&P cap would be increased for listings with the "box set" item specific selected but unfortunately this would just be abused.

Mindless_Clone

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head wrote: »

Ideally the P&P cap would be increased for listings with the "box set" item specific selected but unfortunately this would just be abused.

Yes, I sort of thought"why don't ebay..." and then realised it would be abused.
But then that's easy to manage by having it stated clearly that it's a box set and that's why the P&P cost is allowed to be higher. And maybe putting in T&Cs that it should not be abused. Allow buyers to report people who do. After all, ebay rely on buyers to report members for other types of policy/listing violations.

malkyh

It's the seller that is suffering by not being able to charge the actual cost of sending. Either send at a loss to ensure tracked delivery or list as a higher price costing you more in listing fees and risking no bids on your item.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Mindless_Clone wrote: »

Yes, I sort of thought"why don't ebay..." and then realised it would be abused.
But then that's easy to manage by having it stated clearly that it's a box set and that's why the P&P cost is allowed to be higher. And maybe putting in T&Cs that it should not be abused. Allow buyers to report people who do. After all, ebay rely on buyers to report members for other types of policy/listing violations.

Sadly eBay don't enforce rules far more important than the little bits like this and you'd end up with unhappy buyers going elsewhere, the DVD market on eBay is already on it's knees through years of abusing sellers in one way or another.

malkyh wrote: »

It's the seller that is suffering by not being able to charge the actual cost of sending. Either send at a loss to ensure tracked delivery or list as a higher price costing you more in listing fees and risking no bids on your item.

The other side some auctions might go for more than expected which covers the losses on others, you have to look at the averages and go with what's best.