Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Jay,
For many items, my cost is 50 cents to $2 and sell for $15 to $30. Most weigh well under 1 pound and ship first class. The shipping spread isn’t very much usually. My markup is enough that I don’t ever actually lose money on an order, but I may make more on some than others because of the relative cost of shipping. To be honest, I don’t pay any attention to profit on individual orders.
Another thing is that most of my orders are very easy to ship, most in a polybag or flat rate padded envelope. For bigger items that won’t fit in flat rate boxes, where I have enough quantity I purchased specific box sizes to keep on hand. For example, I have boxes that will fit 2 boxed shock absorbers perfectly, and another for a large performance tuneup kit I sell, etc. I can ship 20 orders an hour by myself most of the time, even less time depending on the mix. My average order value is $26 but I have some parts that go for over $200 and some I can only get $10 for. I average 70-80 orders per week.
I’m not getting rich but combined with Social Security I can live well enough to suit me and not have to dip into my retirement funds yet. The only thing I owe money on is my house and it will be paid off in 8 years making the regular payments.
Bill
I sell NOS auto parts, I suppose those are so-called commodity items. Everything I sell is “free shipping”. It’s more accurate to call this total pricing instead of free shipping, I think most buyers know shipping is just included in the price. I’m smack in the middle of the country (Missouri) which makes averaging shipping costs easier. I believe shoppers want to easily see and compare the total cost, I know I sure do when shopping online.
I haven’t always included shipping in the price. I’ve been selling on eBay for over 10 years and started doing this around year 3. I certainly was nervous about it at the time, but I saw a very definite increase in sales, and profit wasn’t impacted. I’ve shipped over 25,000 orders on eBay with I’m guessing 20,000 or more being ‘free shipping”. Another 5,000 or so on Amazon and also free shipping.
Over time I have moved to lighter weight items and items that will work with flat rate prices (love those padded flat rate priority mail envelopes).
We all have to come up with a business plan that works for each of us, this is what works best for me.
I’ve seen hinged lid butter dishes, never cylindrical like this but I’m going to guess that’s what is.
I would ask her to repay me using PayPal, perhaps with a discount reward.
The only thing that goes to the IRS for my EIN, from my end, is the partnership return Schedule K-1. I’ve always used that EIN with PayPal, Amazon, and will now for eBay also.
eBay needs the SSN for reporting 1099 income to IRS. The only option is to register a business name or LLC, etc. and apply for an EIN then use that. It’s not eBay it’s the IRS requiring this, too many sellers flying under the radar on income taxes.
I do believe that the USPS monitors the revenue of each post office, that is what my previous postmaster told me. Where is can come in to play is when closures are being considered and I’m sure any small post office is very concerned about that.
I don’t know about changing the zip in eBay shipping, but you might want to think about getting a small PO Box at the post office you ship from and use that as your business address. Not only does it make sure they get the credit it also masks your physical location from buyers.
Just to add, there is a $50 or $100 limit on the USPS insurance that is included at no charge with Priority Mail unless you bought extra insurance. https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/503.htm#ep1233501
My TRS discount for Apr was $31.47, not enough to cover the expected extra cost of returns. The hidden cost is in losing position in Best Match, that’s a fuzzy number at best.
I was just thinking, this might actually backfire on the “sellers gone bad” (lol) listings. As I understand Best Match, having a lot of views in proportion to the number of sales actually degrades the listing’s standing in Best Match. If a lot of juvenile males (not necessarily determined by age) are checking out those listing, well…
I can’t say for sure that requesting scan progress emails get a package moving, that really makes little sense, but I have seen it happen enough times the I take the few minutes to do it. Depending on the buyer’s attitude I might also send them a message about any significant progress, tens to keep them calmer I think.
Just give a polite business-like response, no accusations or such, then forget it and move on. Keep in mind that the response is really about how prospective buyers will view you and how you handle problems, not a lash-back at the idiot buyer who will probably never see it.
I think there are more anti-China purchasing decisions now, which has to be good for everyone in my opinion.
@temudgin, eBay is taking calls again now. I don’t know how long this has been so but I talked to a rep yesterday, just from using the contact button in eBay help. I chatted a bit and he said they had to do some behind the scenes work to get calls forwarded to the next available remote rep but he said it is working fine now and he hopes they will continue with it. I do have an anchor store, don’t know if that makes a difference, but if so they had to do some special programming for the help page to show it just to anchor store sellers. Maybe someone here that is not anchor can look to see if the phone option is available.
In addition to the minor issue I called about, he also took off a “demerit” I got for eBay having to step in to handle a return I had not processed on time due to being shorthanded with the coronavirus situation.
https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/prohibited-restricted-items/adult-items-policy?id=4278
“eBay defines nudity as male/female genitalia, anus, or female breasts where the areola or nipple is visible”
Such items must be listed in the Everything Else > Adult Only category
I don’t know if posting this quote from eBay is objectionable if so then my apologies.
