Who Pays for Shipping When Selling on eBay? The most asked question I get from new sellers!
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- Опубліковано 18 жов 2024
- Who pays for shipping on eBay is the #1 question I get asked by new or potential sellers looking to start online selling. Here is the answer and a little detail on options for those that have never sold or are thinking of selling on eBay. Enjoy!
My eBay store: www.ebay.com/s...
My Amazon store: amzn.to/3O8WG2a
Things I Use (Affiliate links that I may earn a commission on at no cost to you):
ScoutIQ Trial
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For Personal Books and Travel:
Kindle Paperwhite (love this thing): amzn.to/3Ml0s80
Audio Books (hard to beat for the road): amzn.to/3MlM5Aj
Book Selling:
Box Trimmer/Reducer (great to save on packaging): amzn.to/3zrIv3G
Hi-polymer Eraser (super for erasing marks on books): amzn.to/3vf01Wz
Shipping Tape (I like the Scotch dispensers): amzn.to/3LjdrXk
Scotty Peeler Label Remover: amzn.to/37Pbjb8
Digital Scale I use: amzn.to/3KrAHkx
Boxes: here are the boxes I use the most. Prices can swing dramatically from week to week. Be sure to check out Amazon vs. Ebay for the best price. I always try to order in quantity of 100. I like to get boxes for less than 70 cents each (shipped), but it is getting harder and harder to do.
10”x10”x1” Easy Fold Box: amzn.to/3xWVKJg
12.5” x 12.5” Multi Depth Box: amzn.to/3k9BDQ2
12”x9” Multi Depth Box: ebay.us/S8G0t2
10x8x3” Corrugated box: ebay.us/TUh8uF
12x9x3” Corrugated box: ebay.us/VNQKVK
Video items:
RODE Wireless Go II Microphone System: amzn.to/3LhJCGL
Thanks for the overview. Media mail is a great deal compared to other product categories and what it costs in shipping. There's a lot of value to having a hard to find book show up to your house.
Thank you! Exactly what I was looking for. Video is great, but I was still a little lost (not your fault). After I read all your replies/comments, it cleared everything up. I hope others find your channel.
I always charge shipping on the books that I sell (flat rate) but I know many booksellers do not. I've never had anyone complain about the shipping charge. It would be interesting to do a test with two identical books - list one with shipping and one without and see which one sells first. The total price would be the same for both.
I did an experiment a few years ago with free shipping and found my sales did not increase. Maybe it is just the book market but a fair shipping price seems to be ok with buyers. That has been my experience anyway.
@@curatorofthelost That is interesting! Perhaps if I sold cheaper, mass market fiction type books, I would need to offer free shipping to compete with 2nd Sale and the other similar sellers. Thankfully, the buyers of the long-tail, non-fiction type books that I sell don't seem to mind paying for shipping!
how do you what rate to put them
Related to shipping... could you do a video on how / when to track or insure shipments? It's always seemed very easy for the buyer to simply claim they never received the package and ask for a replacement or refund.
I will put it on the list! That is definitely one reason to only ship to verified address through eBay system. If tracking says delivered you at least have a chance to avoid issue. In that case eBay should be on your side.
@@curatorofthelost I am torn between selecting economy shipping with or without tracking service, as there is big cost difference between the two.
Thank You.
Hi! I was thinking about getting into selling on EBay until I saw a video showing where Ebay took out from there sale the cost of a shipping label. I’m not understanding why I would have to pay for a shipping label when the buyer is already paying for the shipping and I’m printing the label. I don’t have to pay for a label when I sell through Facebook Marketplace because that all comes out on the buyers end. All I have to do is print out the label and send it to the buyer. I’m so confused on that part. Sorry I’m new to this. I just can’t justify that on my end. Unless I’m missing something. Could you explain this to me ? Thanks! 😊
eBay charges you for shipping but you have charged the buyer. So it is a net zero cost to you. No extra charges for the label- it is just postage. HOWEVER- eBay is taking fee off of item cost + shipping. So there is some extra fee built in. You can add a handling charge if necessary to recoup that cost.
@@curatorofthelost Got cha! Thanks you for clarifying this for me I appreciate it. 😊
@@curatorofthelosthi, I am having issues with this too. I see they charged a fee on my items ($60 + shipping cost buyer paid which is $64.68 total) and it came out to $55.11 net after all that… it then has me purchase the label which brings me down to $50.43 and that’s how much eBay is paying me.. it seems like the shipping label gets charged twice or they have my shipping cost on hold?
Buyer paid for shipping, then I paid for shipping also, but their shipping was taken off my sub total - so we both paid for shipping. Has anyone got any clue what to do?
Same with me
I’m trying to figure that out
I am against the grain here!! Free shipping over at Mike's old crusty book shop. Books may include cat hair or hairballs!! Everything must go LMAO. I do agree with rising shipping cost definitely has me willing to sit down and think about a change going forward!!
Mike’s book shop- home of the modern day rebel!!!
30 dollars item 45 shipping ?
As always thanks for video and your advice. Is it worth having/opening an ebay store and do you get discounts in shipping costs and supplies by having one?
If you are listing over 200 books the discounts swing in favor of a store. I think I did a video last year that broke down the costs. The base break even point is around 220-240 books based on list fees and the mid level store. 1000 free fixed price and I think about $29/month now. Then you get a quarterly supply coupon for $25. I also see shipping discount on non media mail postage.
@@curatorofthelost excellent thanks! I'm going to go look for that video
So I have a question cause I'm so lost. Just started selling a month ago, sold 4 things already, 2 I did free shipping and 2 buyer pays calculated ship. So the last 2 items I sold buyer pays I still had to pay for the shipping and label, which came out of my payout. I'm so lost so I still technically paid for shipping no ????
I'm in the same situation. Have you figured it out?
@@chasen432 If you do calculated shipping, then that cost is added to the sell price of your item and the buyer pays all of that to you. You pay for shipping, but you have effectively been pre-paid by the buyer for the shipping.
Example. Sell item for $10. Calculated shipping is $5. Buyer pays $15 to you. Ebay takes their fees off of the total (bummer here, wasn't like that 20 years ago). Now you box item and buy shipping through the ebay checkout. Shipping total is $4.50. That is less than the $5 you charged, so that is good. You pay the $4.50 but it is not a double pay, as you have been paid by the buyer minus ebay fees for the shipping.
Contrast this to free shipping. There you don't sell your item for $10, you price and sell it at $15 to begin with, knowing you will have to pay $4.50 for shipping as well as ebay fees.
The key on calculated shipping is to make your weight and method of shipping accurate so it gives a good price. Then add 50-75 cents to cover to the handling part of calculated shipping to cover your materials and maybe offset some of the ebay fee. Alternatively, you can just bump the weight estimate by a pound.
Otherwise, do flat shipping. Same as above, flat fee $x will be paid to you by the buyer and then you just purchase shipping.
Make sense? Check your payment from the buyer- it should be the sold price + the shipping charge - ebay fees.
I thought ebay takes the shipping out of the total ebay collected from buyer, but why do I see the shipping was taking from my bank and it doesn't look that I was reimbursed for ebay shipping
If you look at it this way in reality eBay is till going to make you pay for shipping even if you use the buyer pays or shipping free. It’s annoying tbh 😅
Okay I've been on eBay for 14 years. And I'm trying to figure out why am I purchasing a shipping label when the customer already paid for the shipping cost?
The customer pays you. This payment covers actual shipping charges and any handling fee you have included in your charge to that customer. You package and buy the label (for which you have been paid).
I can see that you still get questions and answer, so I have one. I'm new to eBay. I'm about to sell my first item. Do I wait for the buyer to pay before I ship so the funds are there or do I have to have extra $ in my account to cover shipping until I'm paid by eBay?
Absolutely wait until you get paid to ship. Mainly to ensure the buyer does pay. You are correct as well that once paid the shipping can come from this balance and not require extra funds.
That said, I set my payments with eBay shipping so that ship costs go to my rewards credit card. That way i get the points for cash back or travel credit and can pay off with my eBay bank transfers. Same difference but I get a little bonus. Also this effectively gives you a 30-45 day credit float.
@@curatorofthelost could i piggyback off that question with another simple one? im in the same boat. so when the buyer pays, is there an option to just print a label at that point?
Yes. Once they pay it should show ready to ship. You can buy the postage through the eBay system then.
@@curatorofthelost thanks man i appreciate it. im sure ill be watching a lot more of your videos in the near future :)
Hi there! Thank you for your video. I have been selling books on Amazon for almost a decade but would like to get your opinion about selling on eBay vs. Amazon. As Amazon has continued to raise their "share" of my sale, I have become increasingly distressed. What are your thoughts on this? Thank you.
I’m predominantly an eBay seller that has been dipping my toe into Amazon. For Amazon I do FBA. I like the fact they handle shipping, they have such huge buyer volume, and I like the prices I can sell for- hate the fees. I still more comfortable on eBay but that is where I come from. The bigger hassle on eBay for me is of course shipping and having to stay engaged with their system to keep listings better promoted. Depending on the book volume the storage space can be an issue too. I’ve noticed though that for books that are long sitters, I’m just better leaving on eBay given the new store and inventory limits. If you don’t sell on eBay I would say just start listing some there and gauge your time and profit as compared to Amazon.
hi thanks for the info! I just made me first sale on ebay. How does the buyer pay shipping? Does ebay charge them then pass $ on to me?
It will be determined by you listing. If you selected free shipping then it will not charge buyer extra. If you put it flat rate or calculated rate by weight then eBay will add that to the sales price minus their fee and that comes to you. So your total income on the selling item is item price + shipping - total fees. Then you purchase shipping and pay for that. Hopefully what you charged covers it all. Hope that helps.
@@curatorofthelostthis is exactly what I have been searching for an answer to. Thanks! 👍👍
why does my shipping page not look like that? theres no option to have buyer pay or even see how much it is
If I add free for buyer and I want to purchase label in pirate ship.EBay would not take label out of how much I make on my purchase only fee they charge right??
When you buy from pirate ship they will charge your account for the shipping. There should not be any shipping charge from eBay. Pirate ship should upload tracking backed to the eBay system- assuming you are linked and imported to begin with.
I know the buyer is supposed to pay for shipping in the transaction details on my end it shows Ebay charge the buyer but it also I pay tru PayPal for shipping do you know why and why I don't get that money back and why it doesn't show what I pay in the final transaction details
how is the shipping fee calculated? my first listing is a 5 piece drum set with 4 cymbals and stands, high hat and stand, and throne. it is going to sell in a week or so. the listing states; shipping US $37.65, the other day it was $29.something. i DID NOT put those numbers in there and it's probably not getting to the next town for either of those prices. what happens when the buyer is across the country and the cost to ship there is 10 times that or more? who pays for the shippng supplies like boxes, tape and bubble wrap?
If listing says those prices- that is all the buyer pays. If more- you are responsible.
I would make sure of cost or you could get hosed.
@@curatorofthelostif you are correct i am getting hosed, no doubt! how did those numbers get in there? i didn't put them in there, so why do i have to charge that amount? my first time may be my last
Check your listing- probably is calculated and has a default size and weight. I would figure out how I prefer to ship an calculate a rate across the country- then use that to set a fixed price.
thank you SO much, i appreciate your experience and information.
I have a question if I charge a shipping cost does that money for shipping the buyer pays go to my bank account or is there a way I just hand it over to the post office and they already know the buyer paid them for shipping
Shipping goes to you and your account. You buy the postage through eBay or at the post office. If on eBay you print out a label for the item it will automatically upload tracking to the buyer. If you purchase postage at the PO then you need to type in the tracking for the item on eBay so the system can record it and send to the buyer. If you don’t upload tracking then your selling account get a ding. Keeps you from getting top rated status.
Make sense?
@@curatorofthelost I just an item on Ebay and the buyee paid $18 for shipping. When I go to print out the label it's asking to take out shipping cost out of my item cost, but it said buyer paid $18 for shipping. I'm confused and don't want to have to pay that if I chose calculated shipping.
@@chasen432 Hi, you have to pay for shipping- regardless if you specified flat rate or calculated. If your buyer paid $18 for shipping, that is on top of the cost of the item. You will purchase postage through the ebay system or at the PO and pay whatever it is (hopefully it is less than the $18 paid by the buyer). Check your payment account the $18 the buyer paid on shipping is sent to you minus ebay fees, so it is not like the buyer paid ebay or the PO and you have to double pay. It comes to you and you buy postage- assuming your postage was priced right, it is a wash or slightly in your favor. Make sense?
I have a question. If someone messages me what the price would be if mailing out of state would be is that a scam? Or how would I answer the question. Lol I’m so confused
That is a weird question. I assume the question is just about shipping. Does the buyer have any or good feedback? If not I would just ignore it. If so I would just respond with whatever shipping terms are in your listing- flat rate price or if calculated that the total can be found on the list page. In no way communicate outside of the eBay message system or agree to unverified shipping.
Like why is Ebates taken that amount out of my funds instead of charging the customer initially
Look at your payment details- amount paid to you will be price of item + shipping (that you set with the listing) - fees.