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Original poster

Postage and Packing charges

19 replies

oxcat1 · 27/02/2009 19:50

I've recently started selling a few things on ebay. Before Christmas I was sending stuff 1st class at about £1.75, but after I had to refund 3 buyers who claimed their parcels never arrived, I started sending things recorded delivery.

I'm mainly selling BNWT baby and children's clothes, and postage is now £2.50. Most of my parcels weigh 100-250g, so postage is £1.45, plus 72p for the signed for service. I therefore spend £2.17 at the post office, and the remaining 33p is to cover the mailing bags, tissue paper etc etc. I always post within 36 hours of payment being received, and email to let the buyer know that it has been despatched.

I'm really not making a profit on the postage, but I don't know how to reduce it at all? My feedback is good - 100% positive, but my rating for postage and packing charges has fallen from 4.9 when I started a few weeks ago to 4.4 now (although buyers can still only see 4.8 as I sold a lot of other stuff prior to beginning this), so a lot of my recent buyers must have been been marking me down for P&P charges. What can I do?

Incidentally, nothing has gone missing since I started getting it signed for..

I'm not sure how to reduce the costs to make the buyers more happy, without actually losing money on the postage? I don't think the post label helps - it only shows the £1.45, as the 72p signed for is not on the mailing label.

Any ideas?

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 27/02/2009 19:53

Don't worry about it. I never check the detailed ratings, I just judge whether the P&P is appropriate for what I am buying. I never bother filling in the detailed ratings when leaving feedback either.

Marne · 27/02/2009 19:55

I wouldn't worry, my postage is 4.6 and i have been offering free postage on some of my items (DS games), i charge 2.20 for an item of clothing by 1st class delivery.

Lilyloo · 27/02/2009 20:14

Maybe pop a note in to make buyers aware that it costs an extra 72p on top of label for signed for.
I didn't know this and would presume it would be on the postage label.

sixlostmonkeys · 27/02/2009 20:40

There isn't much you can do, although the note about the 72p is a good idea. Unfortunately many buyers get confused with the postage stars - if it costs a few quid to post they think crikey that's a lot and take it out on you rather than the Royal Mail. Same with free post - many give a 3 out of 5 as the postage was neither here nor there. You can't win.

I noted my stars going down and so I raised my charge. My stars then went back up - I'm not recommending anyone do this in case it backfires but..........

Made2OrderJelly · 27/02/2009 20:45

If you write on the listing something along the lines of "due to a lot of items 'going missing' that have been ordered, if you choose not to pay extra and get your item sent by recorded delivery i will not accept any resposibility for items lost. Proof of delivery is always kept and i will be able to prove i have sent it"

I have bought things with similar declarations on, as long as the buyer was warned before they bid you can say what you like.

sixlostmonkeys · 27/02/2009 20:50

Unfortunately made2orderjelly doing that is a complete waste of time. If a buyer doesn't get his item he gets a refund from paypal if the seller cannot provide online tracking. Rec del is for the seller's benefit not the buyer's

sixlostmonkeys · 27/02/2009 20:51

a seller is responsible for getting the item delivered, not just posted

Made2OrderJelly · 27/02/2009 21:17

Well i have been caught out by this before and lost out because i didn't receive my item, i chose to pick the more expensive option the next time.

It does have a few clauses in the terma and conditions which say 'unless stated otherwise on listing' sort of thing, but i wouldn't be able to tell you if that was covered.

If they chose to buy they are accepting your terms and conditions that you ave laid out on your listing

You gave them the option to go recorded and explained why.

I don't see why ebay would have a problem with it.

But of course if it is an expensive item only offer recorded.

I think some buyers also have an 'insurance' box which you can tick to pay for insurance, you could do a similar thing but with the insurance box (can you do it so you have to have insurance too?)

Lilyloo · 27/02/2009 21:21

made2order ebay will always fine in the buyers favour if they choose not to send recorded they will loose regardless of what they put in the listing etc
As SLM says it is up to the buyer to ensure item arrives.

sixlostmonkeys · 27/02/2009 22:10

some people actually search through listings that have such 'terms and conditions' with the sole purpose of proving that such 'terms and conditions' are worthless. paypal will always override these so called terms and conditions. If a seller cannot prove to paypal (with an online tracking number) that the buyer has received the item then paypal will always refund.
you should never give a buyer the option to have rec del etc. A buyer knows they can opt for standard post and still get a refund if the item doesn't arrive (so why would they choose to pay extra if they have an option?). Like I said before, rec del is for the seller's benefit so there shouldn't ever be an option.

HappyMummyOfOne · 28/02/2009 13:48

Whenever I've sent something rec del, the extra is included on the postage label/staps so I wouldn't have thought any different when receiving a parcel. Perhaps this is why your star rating is getting a little lower as other buyers think the same.

SLM is correct, those who know ebay rules will simply always choose the cheapest postal option as they will always win a dispute where no signed proof of delivery exists, regardless of what the auction states.

PuddingChops · 28/02/2009 14:00

Oxcat - As Happymum said, the 72 recorded delivery is definitely included in the amount on the postage label. If its not on, then you havent paid it!

Original poster
oxcat1 · 01/03/2009 17:59

Well certainly it isn't included in hte postage label here! The parcel is weighed, and the computer then prints a label for the correct price and the weight. The teller then sticks the additional 'signed for' label on alongside, scans it and puts the post-code into the computer, and then the two payments are added together, and I pay £2.17.

Maybe this is a newer/older system here? I don't know. Certainly the label simply reflects the postage cost, not the recorded delivery as well.

Thanks for feedback anyway. Might try putting a note it. I have been explaining on the listings, but then when you go to leave feedback you don't tend to look at hte detailed listing again so this might be a waste of time.

OP posts:
StudentMadwife · 01/03/2009 23:27

keep sending signed for IMO. I sent a parcel to new york- £35 worth. It never arrived and therefor I had to refund the £35, gutted but have always sent signed for since and never had anything go missing since.

PuddingChops · 01/03/2009 23:30

The system is the same countrywide (Horizon system). If the recorded delivery fee (72p) wasn't included in the total on the label then you would get a hell of a lot of post offices unable to balance each week!!!

PuddingChops · 01/03/2009 23:34

Meant to add that it impossible for the 72p recorded delivery fee not to be included in the price on the label if the recorded delivery slip has been scanned. The system is designed so that this just cannot happen!

Original poster
oxcat1 · 01/03/2009 23:56

Well I don't understand what's going on then. The post label definitely states only £1.45, and the computer logs that, and then logs the 72p separately. The label for the postage is weighed and printed separately and stuck on, before then the recorded delivery label is stuck one next door to it, so simply in terms of chronology it couldn't really incorporate the cost of both. I only got one receipt for the two, which says £2.17 and then has the tracking number at the bottom and the postcode. I think the Post Office doesn't have any trouble because it prints a single receipt, so that makes it easy to balance.

Anyway, things have been arriving since I started sending recorded, so it is clearly working. Just a little frustrating that the true cost really doesn't appear to be indicated on the label...certainly not in things I'm posting from here anyway.

OP posts:
hellymelly · 02/03/2009 00:04

I have been getting bothered by the amount some sellers add on to cover their "costs",not you I might add,your charges sound completely reasonable,but I have lately been charged around three or four pounds over what the label says for postage and it is ticking me off.I think a lot of sellers have started making extra cash this way and buyers are getting more bothered by the charges,which might be the cause of you getting unwarranted less than five star feedback.(One trader I queried said the extra was to cover the packing-a re-used padded envelope-the petrol to the PO and his time taken to post it.I was lost for words!)

PuddingChops · 02/03/2009 00:15

Helly - i agree. I think a lot of ebay sellers esp new ones, really have no idea of postage costs and add quite a bit extra 'just in case'.

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