Let's get 'Real' about "Postage & Packing"

Jellicle

C'mon guys,
- Let's just get real about all this P&P business...

P&P is NOT just about how much it actually costs to 'pack and post' the item, you have to consider all the 'handling' costs as well.

In addition you have to be aware that some sellers may build their 'profit' into the P&P so that they can put a low starting price. How many auctions have you seen where the start price is 1p but the P&P is so high it is obviously no problem to the sellers profit margin if it only sells for 1p...

BUYERS: - GET REAL!
- Just subtract the P&P cost from what you are prepared to pay for the item and bid accordingly. (If that's not how you bid then just remember the stated P&P is an amount to add on to what you're going to pay.)

SELLERS: - just remember high P&P will stop some people bidding, so make it a reasonable figure.
- also be aware that a lot of dodgy sellers use high P&P to avoid ebay fees and to try to scam by saying they won't refund 'postage'...

EBAY: - Do us all a service and put the P&P figure up next to the auction price so that it is transparent for bidders.

**EDITED by board guide divadee please dont lobby for thanks its not cricket!!:) **

biblejohn

I dont understand the problem?

Sure, some sellers overcharge for p&p, but what does it matter? Most bidders will workout what they are prepared to pay for an item and factor the postage into that price, so the buyer isnt being ripped off.

Froggitt

Jellicle wrote:

EBAY: - Do us all a service and put the P&P figure up next to the auction price so that it is transparent for bidders.

You can customise your ebay display to show P&P if you want to do so. I do.

pin

Froggitt wrote:

You can customise your ebay display to show P&P if you want to do so. I do.

Hi, sorry for being so thick, but how do you do this? I would find this very useful.

jaffa30

Hi Pin

When you get to the payment and postage bit when selling just leave it blank
It then says on your description please contact the seller for the P&P price
jaffa

Shugster

The other alternative for selling goods via BIN it to include the p&p in the BIN price, and then use the "FREE" p&p as an incentive for the buyer to purchase from you rather than other sellers.

pug_in_a_bed

Doing the above I find really works too. I often advertsie as freep+p when in fact I've just added the cost to the BIN; if you use the exact cost of postage and buying the packing it'll be a bit lower normally than your estimate which helps.

brantwood150

Shugster wrote:

The other alternative for selling goods via BIN it to include the p&p in the BIN price, and then use the "FREE" p&p as an incentive for the buyer to purchase from you rather than other sellers.

I have tried this but I actually have more success when I put in a postage charge.

As an example I listed some headphones for sale recently for a BIN of £2.90 with free P+P and only shifted three pairs in 7 days.

I relisted at £1.90 BIN with £1 P+P and sold the rest of them much more quickly. I was actually better off with this arrangement because I saved the eBay fees on the postage element!

highlighter

Jellicle wrote:

If you agree with the above please "Thank me" by hitting the button - (if I 'win' the prize I'll donate it to a charity - if it happens we can have a thread to vote on which one! - or a survey if that's possible?)

I thought the 'thanks' button was used when you had been helpful/informative etc not just for agreement?

Lawbag_2

I havent sold on Ebay for a while, but I am finding more people want to collect it, as opposed to it being posted by mail than when I sold stuff a year ago.

BigDunc

pin wrote:

Hi, sorry for being so thick, but how do you do this? I would find this very useful.

When you are looking at a category listing you should see a 'Customise Display' link just to the right of the 'Sort By' option. You can add the Postage and Packing column, amongst others, to your default display.