Discounts on free postage items

Cornucopia

Is it possible on eBay to have a listing for multiple quantities of the same item that when sold singly will have free postage and when multiple items are purchased to give an automatic discount reflecting cheaper postage costs?

I see an option to apply a flat-rate postage rule on my selling screen, but there are no profiles listed.

Flyonthewall

You can do item discounts. Not sure if you need a shop or to be selling so much stuff, but you can do offers. So buy 3 save 10% or whatever.

You won't have any discount postage options I don't think as you can't discount something that doesn't cost.

Just in case, because some sellers do mention postage discounts and offers in their descriptions, I wouldn't mention the offer being for cheaper postage when you offer free postage as you will confuse buyers.

winspiration

You can use promotions manager to set discounts which would include this, I think - don't know if you have to have a shop to access it though.

Cornucopia

Thanks, I had a feeling it might be a "shop" thing.

I just have a basic private seller account. I'm trying to list multiple quantities to economise on the 20 free listings (and my time) - I assume this works? I've had a number of people come with ridiculous best offers for multiple purchases, and I thought this might help. I will try using "auto decline".

(Do other people find that ebay buyers generally have no idea how much things cost to post?)

Flyonthewall

Having multiple items that are the same and of more than one item suggests you are a business not a private seller.

With postage I think it's that some haven't a clue and some don't care, they just want a bargain.

mrcol1000

I have just opened a shop and now have access to be able to discount multiple buys. It does increase your profit as the discount is high enough to attract multiple buys but low enough to keep the discount below the postage saving.

Cornucopia

Thanks - that confirms what I was wondering.

Cornucopia

Flyonthewall wrote: »

Having multiple items that are the same and of more than one item suggests you are a business not a private seller.

Is that part of the answer - that some features are just not made available to private sellers?

I find the whole personal/business seller thing confused and confusing. I already have a tax return for other businesses where I add an item for eBay profits. Is that the main consideration? In which case, I can see that being eBay "personal" doesn't mean you don't need a tax return, and (potentially) being eBay "business" doesn't mean you do.

Flyonthewall

Cornucopia wrote: »

Is that part of the answer - that some features are just not made available to private sellers?

I find the whole private/business seller thing confused and confusing. I already have a tax return for other businesses where I add an item for eBay profits. Is that the main consideration? In which case, I can see that being eBay "private" doesn't mean you don't need a tax return, and (potentially) being eBay "business" doesn't mean you do.

Not part of the answer, a separate point/thought. It sounds as though you're running a business, but you've claimed to be a private seller.

If you are running a business you should really have a business account. You should also be classed as self employed and declare what you're making. The laws are different for private and business sellers. If you're running a business you should be doing things properly and that includes having a business account.

Cornucopia

Flyonthewall wrote: »

Not part of the answer, a separate point/thought. It sounds as though you're running a business, but you've claimed to be a private seller.

Not really. I have a few surplus bits & pieces and in some cases I have more than one.

Given what we're talking about - eBay restricting access to certain features - I can't see any problem in them limiting personal sellers in respect of "new" items, or quantities other than 1. But they don't.

If you are running a business you should really have a business account.

If I definitely were, I definitely would.

You should also be classed as self employed and declare what you're making.

I already am considered both a Company Director and self-employed by HMRC (covering 2 other businesses), so I have ample opportunity to declare any eBay activity (and I do). I'm therefore interested in the business/personal seller issue for eBay in isolation from the tax requirements (as I already have those covered).

The laws are different for private and business sellers.

Which laws and how is it decided when they apply? It all seems a bit messy, and it would be good to know if the law has anything to say on the matter.

If you're running a business you should be doing things properly and that includes having a business account.

I'm probably near the boundary of that - I just want to understand the background to it before I decide whether to scale back or go for a business account.

Are there any hard and fast rules? Volume of listings? Volume of sales?

Flyonthewall

Cornucopia wrote: »

Not really. I have a few surplus bits & pieces and in some cases I have more than one.

If you're doing multiple quantities that means the condition has to be the same for each one, usually meaning they'd be new.

Most people don't have multiple quantities of various items to sell. I mean, for example, I have lots of DVDs and books. All the same type of item, but I couldn't do multiple listings as they're all different titles and conditions. Off the top of my head I can't think of anything I'd end up with multiple quantities of to sell like that on ebay.

You also stated you had "a number of people" offer ridiculous best offers and trying to make best use of only 20 free listings, which suggests higher volumes of items being sold and not an odd few bits laying around.

While it may happen from time to time it's far more common that it's happening because the person is actually running a business, whether or not they realise it.

Given what we're talking about - eBay restricting access to certain features - I can't see any problem in them limiting personal sellers in respect of "new" items, or quantities other than 1. But they don't.

No, but that doesn't change the fact that those running a business should be using business accounts. As I say, sometimes private sellers may have more than 1 item or be selling a new item. However, it's one thing selling off a few unneeded items, it's another buying to sell.

If I were, I would.

I already am considered both a Company Director and self-employed by HMRC, so I have ample opportunity to declare an eBay activity (and I do).

If you do then you're selling stuff as a business, therefore it should be under a business account. Unless you're buying stuff for business and mean that's what you're taking into account.

Which laws?

Laws on selling. Things like buyers have a right to change their mind and return for a refund, the business should pay return postage on items not as described and so on.

I'm probably near the boundary of that - I just want to understand the background to it.

There is no boundary, you're either running a business or you're not.