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OT Ebay shippig charges- way too cheap?

Larry Dickman

Titanium
Joined
Jan 30, 2014
Location
Temecula, Ca
I had a few odds and ends I thought I'd put on Ebay and get rid of. I'm looking at their shipping calculator, and it seems the ups and usps pricing are sky high. So I'm looking through some listings;
There was a recent thread from a guy who bought a surface grinder and had questions about this chuck;

6" x 18" Fine Pole Magnetic Chuck Workholding Permanent with Accessories 754610400469 | eBay

Now, a 6x18 mag chucks got to weigh close to a hundred pounds, How do they offer free shipping?

I just bought a part for my tractor on ebay, I paid $55 for it, and it shipped UPS from Michigan with free shipping. How is this possible? I checked the shipping calculator, and just the shipping should have been $60.

What's going on here? Special rates for special people?
 
If you have a UPS account, and depending on volume, you get better rates than an individual will find online. With USPS, if it fits in a flat rate box (up to 70 lbs on med/large boxes), it ships for a low flat fee anywhere in USA, including Alaska/Hawaii/ PR and APO's.
 
Watching this thread with interest. I attempt to sell electric motors, some of the people on ebay offer free shipping. I can't compete with that.
Sometimes the shipping is more than the motor, if it is going far.
 
Another trick I used in the past was to use my employer's shipping department. That employer allowed employees to do that and only charged them the actual cost of the shipment. This benefited both as their shipping volume was greater so they got better discounts and I and the others who worked there got the lower rates.

Win, WIN!

Unfortunately I can not do that any longer. But I have found that E-Bay also gets a discount on the shipping rates so if you use their shipping service, you get those better rates. As an individual (very small company) I know I will get the absolute highest shipping rate on my own.

Another way to save is by going directly to some of the freight companies. If you (the seller) takes the package to their facility, they can often provide a lower rate than UPS, FedEX, or the USPS.
 
UPS and Fedex offer volume discounts. I switched all of my shipping from Fedex to UPS late last year after a UPS rep called and offered a lower rate to do just that, and that's as a one man show. Furthermore, you can get discounts on specific types of charges (oversize fee, etc), if you have a lot of volume of a specific type or size of item. It's all negotiable, if you have the volume to back it up.

Interestingly, Fedex has been calling a couple times to see what they can do to get the business back - so it's possible a lower rate still is available. For me, though, the later pickup time for UPS is worth more than a lower rate.

Want to see what large companies get as volume discounts? Look at your Mcmaster Carr invoice, and then see what you can ship that same size box for.
 
I have wondered this myself

usually there is a price markup on the part with free shipping

sometimes not but as long as it works out I wonder less

Perhaps the sellers make it all work out in the end, everything is 5 bucks too expensive etc.
 
I have a customer who has me ship via their account.

The regular charge for Overnight! to Singapore are around $100

Actual cost is well under $10

So, BIG companies can get a Big discount.
 
As online purchacing becoming the norm the competition is getting stiff. Better for buyers. It's still high for individuals to ship.
 
thanks for all the responses. I realize a volume shipper is going to get a better rate than me, but still it seems way out of wack. I'm in the same boat as Bob-j-h mentioned above. Say I have an item I could sell for $30, and the shipping calculator says it'll be $20 for shipping. How do I compete with others selling similar items for $32 with free shipping?
I don't get it.
 
Say I have an item I could sell for $30, and the shipping calculator says it'll be $20 for shipping. How do I compete with others selling similar items for $32 with free shipping?
I don't get it.

You can't, or you sell at a loss. I've been in sales a long time, the past 5 years I've done my best to clear out the inventory of heavy hard to ship not too expensive stuff. If it does not fit in a flat rate box, it has to be worth significant $$ to add to inventory today.
 








 
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