Question for the Board?????

[habs98]

Was wondering how many of you actually charge PayPal fees when you sell, I've never done it but it's starting to bug me with the fees going up at the post office, ebay and all. Just wanted the opinion of the board.


Thanks,
Brian

[ImessedwithTexas]

Technically, you can't charge buyers to compensate for PayPal fees. When I sell, I'll build in about 1/3 - 1/2 of the fees I incur (listing, final value fee, paypal fee into the shipping/handling).

Some sellers are outrageous and actually turn a profit off the "handling" fees. A guy once charged me $5 to ship a decal...it was the only one like it. I had been looking for it for a few months and it was the only one so I bit the bullet knowing I was getting screwed on shipping. It arrived in a stamped envelope. lol.

[Death by Willy Wonka]

I usually charge an extra $1 dollar on shipping, etc. to cover SOME of the fees. But I agree with you. It's like this:

I recently sold several items on Ebay for a total of $263 dollars plus/minus some change. The TOTAL fees.......including both the Ebay listing and Final value fees, and also the Paypal fees......were a total of $32 dollars. Do the math: that's almost 13 percent that Ebay is getting on the average sale, because most of us who use Ebay also use Paypal (which Ebay now owns).

Walmart has now become the old Kmart. I hate shopping at Walmart, as funny as this sounds, the company has been lost since the death of Sam Walton who at least TRIED to keep it "hometown freindly". Now, Ebay has become the Walmart of the internet. Yeah, you can get some decent prices at times, but I really hate shopping there. Plus it's not for individuals to sell anymore. Ebay is now full of the "flea market table" crap you see at flea markets; imitation/knockoff Ipods, etc.

[Variant Dude]

Yep.Over charging for shipping is definately the way to go. That is as long as you do it w/in reason.

[ruggerx]

I sold a bunch of figs a month or so ago, and charged $8 shipping- I lost money on the shipping alone on every single one of them. It used to be that $8 would cover shipping and offset some of the fees a little, but not anymore with the postal rates going up. I don't know how much you can charge without losing bids.

[bjk311nh]

I tend to charge actual shipping, plus a "sellers handling fee". I am sure you have seen that option available when you go to sell. I add between fifty cents and two dollars, depending if it a high ticket item or not.

I charge actual shipping because if you ship to the west coast, it is 7.50 for a figure and 4.90 in state. Add in a "handling fee" to a flat rate of eight bucks and your shipping gets a little out of reach. Doing it by zip code gets me a lot more "local" buyers since my shipping would be 5.40 for a typical McFarlane figure. I remember trying to sell a 12" McFarlane and it was $8 in my region but doubled at least to California because of the "oversize" box. That is something else to remember when charging a flat rate shipping because you can severely overcharge someone close or lose out big across country.

But anyways, paypal fees are rough. However, people are lazy when shipping money orders. I knew I was, especially when it was something I regretted purchasing the next day. You also get plenty of losers who claim the money order is on the way, when in fact they didn't even send it.

[madden821]

The fees are out of controll since it doesn't cost them any more for us to list a $5 item or a $500 item but the only option you have is to not use them because it won't get any better. And I never charge a flat shipping rate.. its always by zip and then I add a $1 or so to that... seems fair.

[tmscout98]

I charge a flat rate, but what I do is in the add I say I will provide a shipping discount to folks west of the Colorado River and a greater discount to folks in the CA/NV/AZ area. Never had any problems and always get good feedback.

It's happened on a few occasions that somebody in CA has purachased and automatically paid the the flat rate. When I printed the shipping label I told them I'll refund x-amount of $$$ Several have told me not to worry about it and thanked me for the offer.

The fees are getting ridiculous and I'm waiting for the next Ebay. Guys? What are you doing today? Wanna start an on-line auction company ;)

[habs98]

Thanks for the feedback!!!!

[glove-save]

It's hard to tell a buyer that you have costs other than shipping, like the cost of boxes, packing peanuts, paypal fees...Etc.
I ask for a bit more money from a guy I do cost and shipping with to cover paypal fees

[Spawnomite]

I have never asked to cover those PP fees myself.

[brian c]

I have never asked to cover those PP fees myself.

Same I ask a flat rate, and hope it covers the average shipping fee.

But eBay & PayPal fees are just part of doing business. As a buyer I just calculate that into my bid anyway, so I assume my buyers do that also. So if I win a figure for $10 with $10 shipping, it's the same if I win one at $12 with an $8 shipping.

I have a friend who, by listing with free shipping (he sells old video games (high value ones)) feels he brings in more bidders and more bidding wars, making him more.

B.

[julio1867]

when does paypal charge you a fee. I've sold items on ebay and as long as I transfer the money to my checking account, it doesn't seem that they charge a fee.

[hcop33]

i used to post in my auction that if you will be paying through paypal, add the fees. i had a certain percentage that had to be added to the total. i was doing that for a long while until ebay caught up and started stopping my auctions. although i didnt make a big deal out of it and just stopped charging the fees.

[madden821]

when does paypal charge you a fee. I've sold items on ebay and as long as I transfer the money to my checking account, it doesn't seem that they charge a fee.


They charge you right when somebody pays... its taken out before it gets in your account.

[HoosierDaddy]

Walmart has now become the old Kmart. I hate shopping at Walmart, as funny as this sounds, the company has been lost since the death of Sam Walton who at least TRIED to keep it "hometown freindly". Now, Ebay has become the Walmart of the internet. Yeah, you can get some decent prices at times, but I really hate shopping there. Just curious what exactly this is supposed to mean? The old K Mart? What was wrong with K Mart? Prices? What's wrong with shopping at Wal Mart? Prices? The only thing that bugs me about Wal Mart anymore is selection. If you are going to go on a political rant about giant corporations etc. etc. then nevermind, I've heard all that crap before and it's........crap.;)

[HoosierDaddy]

What sucks is that Ebay onlu charges you the listing fee and a final value fee based on how much your item sold for. But when someone pays with Paypal they charge you a flat fee of the entire amount of money sent to your account so you are paying fees on the money you get paid for shipping charges! :mad:

[HoosierDaddy]

I charge a flat rate, but what I do is in the add I say I will provide a shipping discount to folks west of the Colorado River and a greater discount to folks in the CA/NV/AZ area. Never had any problems and always get good feedback.

It's happened on a few occasions that somebody in CA has purachased and automatically paid the the flat rate. When I printed the shipping label I told them I'll refund x-amount of $$$ Several have told me not to worry about it and thanked me for the offer.

The fees are getting ridiculous and I'm waiting for the next Ebay. Guys? What are you doing today? Wanna start an on-line auction company ;)I'm with you. Lets do it. The next big thing in online auctions! Free listings. The site could be advertisement supported. It would work dammit!:D