Power Sellers Unite

wjchiefs · Joined: 04 Aug 2009 Posts: 14

I am new to this. I selling sports photos and other items on my site. I Charge 3.50. But if somone buys 10 of my photos i dont want them to pay 3.5 for each photo i want them to pay a flat rate of say $5.00 Is there a way i can do this?

CloudNine · Joined: 18 Jun 2009 Posts: 14

Use the shipping matrix, don't use flat shipping.
1 lb = $1
2 lb = $1.25 (or whatever you charge)

Make your items weigh this amount.... this is the only way that it has worked for me. Maybe someone else knows a better way.

DaLizardsLair · Joined: 15 Feb 2009 Posts: 4780

10 sport photos cost $5 to ship?

They must be heavy photos then.

wjchiefs · Joined: 04 Aug 2009 Posts: 14

im just using an example why go you got to be rude about it

missprintsvintage · Joined: 18 Aug 2006 Posts: 914

$3.50 is fair for one photo: unless the seller folds it/them in-half into an envelope. I assume here at least a 5 X 8 photo. There's cardboard and brown wrapping paper OR an orange envelope to be purchased + cardboard.

Not everyone buys those shipping supplies in quantity. I sure don't. I buy postage at the post office so add $.75 for a delivery confirm which can be attached if the then parcel exceeds a certain dimension...3/4'' (?)of an inch.

The matrix is the answer or State you will adjust the shipping on their invoice for multiple purchases + that you refund any overcollected postage(whatever discount you offer) + handling charge (Boo) if any.

Stating a refund does make an extra step for the seller but you do end up with satisfied customers.

lindajean · Joined: 23 Feb 2005 Posts: 444

Thank you for that information. I asked on the ecrater board but no one would explain it like that.

Am I understanding this right?

Let's say I ship postcards first class, records media and lobby cards priority mail.

So, I could set up postcards as 1 pound each and make 1# = 1.00 2#=1.00 and 3# = $1.00

So, if someone buys three the weight wills how as 3# and they will only be charged $1.00

Right?

Then, I could put the lobby cards as 10 pounds for each and set up:

10 pounds = $5.00
20 pounds = $5.00
30 pounds = $5.00

So, if they bought 3 of those they would only be charged $5.00.

Would I have to enter 10 pounds, 11 pounds, 12 pounds etc?

And, would that work? I kind of gave up on ecrater because I couldn't figure a way to handle multiple purchases with different mailing types.

I am finally through with ebay so I have to figure these other sites out now. And, I'm thinking ecrater has the most potential for everything except my postcards. I'll put a few of them there but most will be on another specialty site and everything else will be moved to ecrater if I can figure out the shipping.

fatseal · Joined: 02 Nov 2008 Posts: 555

I couldn't figure out the shipping matrix at all, so I went to free shipping on the light items and manually input the amount for heavy ones.

I had given up on ecrater for the same reason, I don't know why they have it that way.

missprintsvintage · Joined: 18 Aug 2006 Posts: 914

If you are selling items of such different weights(using your example: a postcard, a record, or a lobby card): whew? The mind boggles.

Assuming those three items are your inventory I'd add to my selling template: seller combines shipping. (1)For additional purchases Add: $?? for one postcard; $?? Media rate(records) ; $?? for one lobby card. For each postcard add $?? . In all cases please contact seller for an accurate ACTUAL shipping quote.

While that extra email slows down the process, if your goods are desirable (the are: a buyer is asking)no buyer is going to ''walk'' you. They probably are not impulse buyers.

Note: I am not a volume seller so my experience probably won't be yours. All I do know is once you have a reader's attention to convert them to a buyer you need to make the conclusion of your sale as easy on their mind as possible. Someone comes along and falls in love with your lobby cards and/or a batch of postcards...Yay! Charge for one and cover the postage on the batch.

A buyer wants 10 or 50 postcards....do you really care about the small additional postage out of pocket? Doubtful. I am more than a bit familiar with what bulk purchases of post cards cost wholesale(using them as this example)~ your basis is probably low and your sales price will make you happy.

I was briefly on ecrater but it was so long ago I recall nothing of its machinations. I rsponded to your recent post only because I had answered earlier and it would have been rude for me to boogey without responding again.

GL

MPV

lindajean · Joined: 23 Feb 2005 Posts: 444

I don't charge extra for additional purchases. I just can't figure a way to show that in my shipping matrix.

Maybe I made it too hard?

I want the same charge for any number of similar items purchased but if they buy a postcard and a lobby card I want the heaviest item charged.

Maybe I should just sell one type item in each store?

But, I hate to try and deal with 3 different stores and I was afraid they would start charging per store at some time and with thousands of items I didn't want to have to move them then.

Maybe I'll just try the matrix like I showed above. If I can enter the same shipping price for several different weights then it should work for me.

missprintsvintage · Joined: 18 Aug 2006 Posts: 914

And add : Seller will refund any overcollected shipping~

Selling on alternate sites is hard work so don't scare away your customers(with thousands of cards you will build a good business).

And Good Luck!

Selling online ain't for sissies.

lindajean · Joined: 23 Feb 2005 Posts: 444

missprintsvintage wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")
Selling online ain't for sissies.

That is so very true. I was on ebay for 10 years and it is hard to get used to other sites.

But, with the rate of growth ecrater is experiencing it looked like the place to go.

Good luck to you too :D

DaLizardsLair · Joined: 15 Feb 2009 Posts: 4780

Linda,

The way you want to set up the shipping matrix will work fine, as long as the buyer only purchases one type of item.

The problem becomes obvious, when a customer wants to purchase an album, a couple of photos and a lobby card.

I haven't spent any time on eCrater, so I don't know if you can just set type of item as XXX for the first item and YYY for each additional. Some sites work that way.

Another possibility would be the use of flat rate priority boxes, if they come in a size that will work for you.

But one thing is for certain. You do want shipping to be added automatically. While some buyers might email you to get an exact shipping quote, others will just proceed through to checkout and pay you. If there is no shipping added, they won't pay for shipping. Then you will have to either bill them for the added shipping, or refund their payment and send tham an invoice and hope they pay.

I've always just let the buyer know, that the shipping shown is the MAXIMUM that it would be. Anything left would be refunded. I never had a buyer get upset because they got money back.

It ain't easy...is it?

lindajean · Joined: 23 Feb 2005 Posts: 444

I will be sure to add that any excess shipping will be refunded.

lindajean · Joined: 23 Feb 2005 Posts: 444

Well, didn't take long to see that won't work.

It only allows me 9 weights. :(

So, back to the drawing board.

I may have no choice but to seperate out the stores into three with one for first class items, one for priority mail items and one for media.

I'll have to think about it some more.

I just assumed the matrix would allow entries up to 50 pounds. That would have worked fine. So, back to the drawing board.

missprintsvintage · Joined: 18 Aug 2006 Posts: 914

In your experience with the goods you mentioned: is it common for someone who purchases a record to also buy ''paper''(cards or lobby cards?)

I'd think those buyers split into two types.

Based on your own experience selling~and if new make your best guess: you can always change later. Who will be your most likely buyer?

I'd guess you have two types for your three mentioned items: paper buyers and record buyers.

If so you're all set. And if someone shows up and wants bunches of items: how lovely to have such a problem.

Try not to throw up too many obstacles in front. Be intelligent, of course, but don't make your own course so filled with obstacles that you never take that first jump or worse yet fail to even throw a saddle on your proverbial horse.

You can do this!