Combined Postage not offered?

plumface

soolin wrote: »

I'm sorry you do not understand how accounts work and how a buyer perceives costs . All my expenses are accounted for when I submit my accounts to HMRC, that has absolutely nothing to do with what I change for p and p.

Each to their own though, if you have a different business model that works for you then I am very pleased. I have done a lot of work on my account and this is what works best for me.

You know EXACTLY what i am saying and i do know how to submit accounts.
You seem to think that by not being seen to add any expenses to the costs of p&p is right, proper and correct.
I think the buyer should be able to see the EXACT cost of picking, packing and posting an item to them and should pay for it.
Unfortunately when it comes to ebay, people like you perpetuate the ridiculous system of p&p star bashing if a seller dare charge for p&p.
If it costs something the buyer should pay something, a seller should not get automatic 5* because they offer 'FREE' p&p.
When i submit my accounts,the accountant wants to see EXACTLY what i have spent on everything.
If it costs me 'X' to send an item, i will charge the buyer 'X' to post it.This cost will then be submitted to the accountant.
Hiding the cost from the buyer, even if they are stupid enough to not realise that FREE p&p does not exist, should be considered a worse thing to do than have the audacity to show you actually charge for your outgoings.

techspec

montymud wrote: »

Soolin and techspec, you two always crack me up!

We are like a married couple:rotfl::rotfl:

I don't advertise a discount - but always try and offer one if asked before they pay. Its harder to include automatically now - as sometimes its dearer to post 2 items together (thanks to royal mails new prices).

Funnily enough - i don't charge extra for larger items - i cap it at £4.99 (collect plus price). Thats because i think they have paid enough already.

But £2.20 is crying out to be rounded up

Agree with others though - sellers should be able to pass on all shipping costs under p&p - and if they employ a packer - then thats included too. Just because Ebay have turned ebayer against ebayer does not mean its wrong. All they care about is the extra fees made by higher item price with lower p&p.

clumsy_cupcake

When I bid on a item, I look at the total cost of the item and postage and if I am happy will place a bid.

What does grind my teeth though when I bid on a tshirt and postage is charged at £4.75 and parcel says £1.10. I have to admit I would mark down on postage. I know I knew the price before bidding but £3.65 over the stamp price is not reasonable in my opinion.

But then again I DID know the price before bidding....

It's a tricky one
( that was just an example I gave but has happened in the past, I just chose not to leave feedback)

Talking of postage costs (private ebayer) I was charging postage at £1.99, cost me £2.20 and just added a few pence extra to the starting price. I still got knocked down by a couple of buyers for postage, all other stars were fine. Guess you can never make some buyers happy.

techspec

If i get what i paid for, at the price i agreed and in the time stated - its 5 stars all round.

I can't actually believe people have time to compare the postage stamps. Sad.

And if i want combined postage - i ask before i bid. Its called manners.

Today i had to walk over a mile in the snow to post one item - as they bid, paid, and then said they need if for tomorrow. Its Ebay - they know we can't say no without our stars getting a kicking. I would have asked BEFORE i bid. As i say - manners.

Rotor

It seems slightly contradictory that it is some of those people who state that buyers should make their purchasing decision on the total combined price are the same ones who won't provide a combined price because they want to seperate out the p&p.

It saves a few pence on fees I suppose but Ebay's feedback system is based on the buyers opinions ; sellers opinions on it , though lovely to hear, are utterly irrelevant.



Light the blue touch paper and walk away.:whistle:

cabriolean

When I sell on ebay, I reduce the cost of the postage to make my items look more attractive, meaning that if it looks like I'm charging 99p for p+p, the price of the bubble envelope (~13p) and the postage together cost closer to £2.
Maybe the postage is already eating out of their profits, so they don't want to combine as they would have to reduce the postage further.

Assuming the vests weigh the same as a t-shirt, assuming the embellishments and bubble envelope equal it out(~283 grams). To send them large letter 2nd class by royal mail, would cost £1.40, +price of the bubble envelope (13-81p).

If they send them all together in a large jiffy bag, the weight will be over the limit allowed by 2nd class packets, so they'd have to send by first class, recorded, signed for costs £6.55, but they'd need a bigger jiffy bag, I don't know the exact size, but the bigger ones can get pretty expensive: http://www.worldofenvelopes.com/acatalog/traditional-jiffy-bags.html. A 24.5cm by 38.1cm costs £1.45 on that site, and might cost more if bought in a store.

On occasion, I have found it cheaper to post separately and any discount I give tends to be a goodwill gesture more than anything else. Also posting separately means when selling to someone with little feedback, if you can provide proof of postage, it's very difficult for them to claim that all 4 packages got lost in the mail.

I had someone try to claim that all 3 packages I sent them got 'lost', if I had sent them as one, then it might have dragged on for a bit....

Kayalana99

I had this problem once. Annoying buyer that I was I paid for each item seperatly - waiting for him to send one out before I paid for the next.

Didn't trash his stars tho :-)

Kayalana99

plumface wrote: »

But you do not explain it as thus.
You make out it is almost 'illegal' to add your costs to p&p.
As a business a cost is a cost is a cost is a cost.You might sneer at a business actually putting the cost in the P&P bracket but openly admit that you put the cost somewhere else.
What is the bl00dy difference?

It IS illegal in ebays eyes - and the eyes of your buyer have you not been on ebay fourms? God help you if you charge petrol costs how those buyers complain! And if your stars go belown 4.6? Oh Ebay bans you for life for your illegal activity!!!!!!! BE WARNED OF ADDING PETROL COSTS!!!!!!

Sorry had to. :rotfl:

montymud

Received them today, in one packet £2.20 postage! Deary me! So positive, neutral or neg?

redfragglebiker

Personally I'd neg as they've made a profit from your postage by combining. I will readily admit I'm no ebay expert however so perhaps Soolin would be a better one to advise as she's given me some good ebay advice before