I started little over a year ago reselling online, I am 69. I had never mailed a package to anyone. That was a learning experience for me. The more I ship, the easier it is. I am still learning. But thanks to you and other experienced resellers giving me the knowhow I am feeling more confident that I can do it. Thank you for your valuable videos.
Thank you for sharing your status!! I am very new, as in just trying to list n Poshmark items in my house. eBay scares me, because of all their fees and the shipping. However, your comment helps me take a breath and relax about it. Thank you ☺️
You are so informative and comforting and encouraging. You’ve taken away so much of my anxiety being new to this. By far my favorite TH-cam channel about reselling on eBay. Thank you so much!!
Thanks again. I’m on day 3 of listing an item a day. I’ve had everything ready for months. I wasn’t afraid of listing, I was afraid of “what if it sells”! 😂
I’m in the same boat as you are. I’ve been watching videos and sourcing items for months. My plan is to sell an item a day starting TODAY! I’m doing it!😊
Same here! As soon as I put 14 items up, 12 sold in 3 days. Now another just sold a few days later. The transaction fees blew me away the most. I need to get a scale if I keep doing this because I've just been overestimating the size to be safr, but then lose some profit.
I had an item listed for days, no bites. I turned on the ad promo feature and used 3%. It sold 2 hours later. I lost $4.71 to transaction fees i wasn't aware of for a $20-30 item.
Thank you SO much for your videos! I am a brand new seller, just setting up my account, taking photos, writing item descriptions and next……pricing and shipping, which is intimidating. You are a wonderful teacher and your encouragement to new sellers is beyond helpful. 😊
@TheChaChingKing Sorry to bother you, but I'm a new seller and have a couple questions. 1. I will be selling collectible skateboard memorabilia that I have accumulated over 40 years. Hundreds upon hundreds of videos, magazines, decks and stickers. Is an eBay store advisable? If so, and someone went to my store and picked out ten items they wanted how do I then calculate shipping? Per item upon listing each I would assume but then if they were buying ten items I could ship together that amount would change. 2. If I don't do a store and just sell individual items and someone still wants to pick ten items and asks me to bundle them how would shipping calculations be reconfigured? 3. When I take my items to USPS with eBay printed shipping labels I'm assuming I have to wait in line to check them in. This could actually be a deal breaker because I'm in Chicago and I could end up waiting in line for 20 minutes just to drop off one package.
You sir are awesome. You are what's right with this world and eBay is lucky to have you as a seller. You don't have to share what you know and learned the hard way but you do anyways. Thank you!
I swear, I think I get so much more from the kind comments and the people that watch the videos that I could ever give back. I feel very grateful to get to help when I can.
I use the shipping calculator daily...it makes it easy to compare and contrast shipping scenarios, and when USPS raises rates the calculator is extremely handy when reevaluating shipping policies. I generally don't put in a destination zip code but instead leave it blank and it will give me costs to NYC, Chicago and LA. Scott, I appreciate what you do for our reseller community. Your advice is sound and delivered in a clear, concise and logical way. Thanks for what you do!
I don't comment often but I had to pull my phone out (I'm watching you on tv) just to tell you that your voice and presentation is awesome. You'd be a great motivational speaker. I literally could wake up to your voice every morning and feel pumped for the day!
I was never going to start a TH-cam channel because I didn't think I had anything valuable to offer. I think there's lots of great channels out there. But, I genuinely want to help and encourage people if I can. So, you comment is incredibly encouraging to me. You have no idea.
As fellow educators finding our way into this side hustle, we really appreciate your teaching spirit. You are honest about the hurdles of starting out & you offer hope that it is possible to do this successfully with best practices. Not all resellers lead with the heart of things, so thank you for using your platform to make this experience feel just a bit more human ☺
Great video! Also in TX (DFW), spoiled for shipping costs / delivery times! I'm a fairly seasoned seller, enough to where shipping isn't something I think too much about. I wanted to provide some thoughts: 1. I'm in the calculated shipping camp and recently discovered (not sure how long it's been there) that you can pass your Ebay shipping discount on to the buyer. I've long thought that calculated was the lesser of the two evils so to speak, but have also been aware that too much shipping cost will turn some prospective buyers away. This is a nice middle ground, where I never have to give a second thought about shipping costing me too much, and can also make sure the shipping I'm offering is the minimum price the buyer should have to pay, making listings more attractive. 2. While flat rate does have some benefits, and is perfectly fine if you're seasoned enough to know what you're doing, I will say that this method and also "free" shipping have another con, which is the fluctuating price of shipping. Shipping prices are ever increasing, and with either of these methods, you will need to be more on top of things. Constantly having a pulse on pricing increases so you know when to make changes. And then you have to make those changes. it can take a lot of time (if you aren't using shipping policies) to manually update a few hundred listings. Anyway, I'm certain you're aware of these things, but hope it's helpful to a few people who may run across this comment. Keep up the good work, you're one of my new favorites to watch in this space!
Oh man...fantastic points...all of them. I really need to give the calculated and pass along the discount. I've never tried it, but should. I really appreciate the solid input!
I appreciate you Scott. I'm 3 months in to my ebay store and sold 25 items you were the first youtuber I watched your videos gave me the confidence to start. You are a OG in this game and I'm forever grateful 🙏.
@@anitasmith3063 Anita an "OG" is slang for being one of the originals, someone who is more experienced than others. Literally it stands for "Original Gangsta" (gangster). It's someone who is "Old School" and seasoned. I noticed no one answered you on that. Enjoy integrating it into your vernacular going forward. Also, I speak jive if you ever need an interpreter (on an airplane, for instance).
You are my new best friend!! I am brand new at this and haven’t actually sold one item yet. I bought 300 items that contain lithium ion batteries, and was floored when I walked into the post office and given the cost of shipping. The fear immediately set in. You have given me confidence and peace of mind that I CAN DO THIS!!! Thank you so much for your time and expertise and being the type of person that helps his fellow man! David
I vividly remember walking in to the post office to mail a bracelet we had sold. Shipping at the time was $3.15! I only charged $3 for the bracelet and had free shipping on it. I thought it would be around 50 cents. Worst part was...I had bought 1800 of the bracelets. LOL I wish I could tell you I was smart enough to have not made so many mistakes. But if I made a video about it...it probably means I made that mistake. The good news is that I make mistakes fast enough that I'll never run out of video content. :-)
You are absolutely right saying that fear of losing money due to inaccurate shipping costs keeps so many from selling on eBay.. this has caused a lot of delay on my part getting started again on selling. I buy things to resell, keep them nice and tidy, then never list! I get so annoyed at myself over this. I have watched videos on this but still don't always understand.. I know that only by jumping in does one learn, but I hate to lose money.. so I procrastinate instead!!! Even went so far as to buy a nice label maker and scale, but still worried over the shipping!! Why?? I am a retired nurse and never been too afraid of taking care of people, but this scares me!! It is RIDICULOUS! I think your video will help me so much and I am going to try again to get going.. Thank you for all your efforts to help others!! Sincerely.. from the reluctant one in TN :)
Think about it this way. Would you pay $50 to know how to ship? That would be cheap, right? The truth is, if you aren't listing big and heavy stuff, you'd have a hard time losing $50 on shipping before you figured it out on your own. You can do this.
Thanks to you, I sold my first item today! I say that because until I watched some of your videos on shipping, that is what was holding me back from listing items… it seemed too confusing and overwhelming. Your videos are very much appreciated and have given me the confidence to pursue this fun pastime😊
Thank you, I have been stuck all week trying to calculate shipping for my first listings, now I can confidently get them listed. I was so fearful of charging the wrong amount and losing my profit. Your videos have been such a help to me.
Scott,this video has so much value. Many resellers don't dive into the specifics wholeheartedly like you. Thank you for helping others. I hope they smash that like button and comment accolades.
Thanks Scott! You always have the most educational & kind content! I am reviewing your shipping videos today and attempting setting up shipping tables. I needed the “have no fear” message 😊
My husband and I started reselling part time back in August, but have really steered clear of eBay because of the shipping. Now that we are feeling more confident in our small business, we are ready to expand. Cannot thank you enough for this video!! It has helped us tremendously. We are starting with items we feel more confident in the shipping costs and will move from there. Thank you for the clear advice. New sellers need more of this type of content!
Thank you!! Shipping does scare me! The first couple of times I ended up almost on the losing side. I only made $3.00 on my first order because I messed up on my shipping. I’m still trying to learn how to ship the right way. Thanks for your videos!! I live in Idaho and of course my first few went to New York and New Jersey.!!
Don't forget, you can also add a handling charge whenever you want. You can add whatever amount you want. When I was buying boxes that cost 5 bucks before I found a cheaper supplier, I added that into the shipment page where it says handling.
Thank You for your help with shipping. Sold 10k items on ebay and just changed up how I do shipping. Listing are 99% posted with a flat rate. Believe it's attracted more customers and I'm not overcharging as in the past. Planning to watch/listen to all your tutorials to learn something new to improve my selling. A heart felt thank you. Good Luck selling! Best Regards, Cliff crhcadillac
I don't understand why eBay doesn't just get into the shipping business. They could open a series of eBay shipping facilities all over the country and basically charge rates similar to FedEx or UPS for non-eBay sellers, but ship for eBay sellers at COST. It would be a profitable model AND drive interest in selling on eBay WAY up. The reason nobody wants to sell on eBay these days is they can't make enough money on a damn sale anymore, and most of that issue is _shipping._ Come on, eBay, you can figure this out.
Scott, your videos have been my greatest influence. I kept putting it off and procrastination had taken over. The one video you posted about "Do it now" don't wait til the new year or next month. Get started and throw your hat in the ring. I started on August 3rd and I just hit $17K. Your videos are a tremendous influence. Thank you so much and God bless. Todd M.
Thank you for taking the time to make this video. I've watched several already and yours, by far, was the most simple, yet informative and easy to understand. I haven't quite stepped on the eBay platform yet because of shipping. Your video makes it way less intimidating. Thanks again!
Because of the items I sell, I always use calculated shipping. I weigh everything as I'm listing and add 1 pound to most things to cover box and packing materials (so a 1 pound item ends up with a 2 pound shipping weight in the listing). If an item is over 3 pounds, i may add 2 pounds to the shipping weight. I try to figure out the dimensions of the box I'll probably use, but in fact any dimensions less than 12x12x12 will result in the same shipping price. This works for most of my items but it's important to be aware of USPS rules. If I sold clothes, I'd use flat rate like you do. This was a great tutorial for newbies and I learned about the shipping calculator for the first time! Thanks!
Like you, if I were shipping anything very heavy, I'd be really hesitant to use a flat rate shipping. When I do, I found up the weight exactly the same as you do. After fees and packing materials, it comes out about right.
Awesome video Scot! This video couldn't have come at a better time for me, I am finally getting ready to start listing my items, I had no idea that I would need to know what size box I would be using to ship each item & then add those dimensions into my listings in order for eBay to calculate shipping for each item! You really saved me a lot of time, money & headaches with this video, it certainly wouldn't have been a good way to start out without it! Great information regarding eBay's website, what a handy tool that is to have as a resource, along with this video, which I will be using repeatedly until I become more relaxed & familiar with shipping! And lastly, thanks again for your encouraging words, I really needed that as well! Love your positive outlook, keep up the wonderful work that you do with videos designed to help others succeed!
@@TheChaChingKing You most definitely have achieved your goal with every video that I have watched, Well Done!! Your topics & content are definitely a helpful resource for me & for many others as well, but it's not only your topics & content, it's also your honesty & integrity that comes across, it is obvious to all who watch your videos, that you truly care about others & want to help others succeed. So again, thank you Sir & keep those videos rolling!
This is BY FAR the most helpful shipping video on TH-cam. Thank you, Chaching King. You're such a good teacher - this is so clear. Thank you times a zillion !!!
Sold and shipped my first couple items this morning it was a little scary but I did what I had to do and handled it thanks for the videos its amazing that people like you are willing to share with others your tips and tricks I seriously appreciate it.
GOOD FOR YOU! But, truly, all the thanks should be directed back to you. YOU did this. YOU made the choice to get started. YOU made the listings. YOU made the sales. :-) Pat yourself on the back for me.
@@TheChaChingKing Ran into another speed bump this mornin Ebay didn't send me a QR email which made this process alot for aggravating when trying to find it again but it was a learning experience for me I found that screen shots are perfect backup 👌🏾. You ever run into this issue ?
I charge $8.99 flat rate but for large sweater’s I use calculated. I have even been gaining a few dollars with my shipping charges I don’t offer free shipping I learned my lesson from that huge mistake first month of my reselling journey. I was losing so much money because I was clueless when it came to shipping. I quickly learned and changed my shipping cost. My business is still thriving with my shipping prices and I’m not losing money. At the end of the day if your sourcing good sought after items for cheap a buyer will pay whatever the shipping price is and your still making a profit. You would be surprised what you can fit n the USPS flat rate envelope I wish you would have made this video 3 months ago when I first started it would have saved me so much money. 😂
LOL...I wish I could have seen a video like this when I started. Ask me about the time I used free shipping in a listing to sell some 8 foot long mesquite boards and a buyer in Alaska snapped them up. Oops.
Hey! appreciate all your videos, question is there any restrictions or anything on things we can or cant sell on ebay? or if you have a video pls let me know so i can watch it! thanks
Thank you for explaining everything so clearly. You never wander into the north pasture, grazing along until finally coming back to what you were talking about. "Just the facts"....Dragnet .
Hi Cha Ching! Thanks for the great tutorials!! … one important question/ comment….. if we charge 6.99 shipping on an item eBay takes it commission on the the price of the item AND the shipping we charge. So if a buyer gives us 6.99 shipping…and the commission on the item is 15%, then eBay gets 1.35 of that 6.99 and we really only have 5.64 going towards our shipping cost. So I like to have my shipping priced at 15% higher than actual cost so that I can come close to the buyer paying for all but my packing materials. Ed S.
No doubt. My math comes out a little different than yours, but you are exactly right. You're going to pay eBay fees on top of the charge for shipping. For me, I have a high enough average sales price and a high enough ROI that I'm just trying to get close.
I’m just about to watch this and thank you so much!!! Almost a newbie but this part has been clear as mud to me! 😂 You have a way with teaching so I have all the faith in you to clarify this intimidating part of being a reseller. 🙏 😊
It is very helpful, Scott. You’ve broken down the basics of the 3 choices a reseller has to ship. Pros and Cons are always helpful, as well. Now, to decide. Thank you! 😊 Off topic, but I’ve yet to see a tutorial on the listing limits eBay puts on a new reseller and how best to increase those as quickly as possible. There must be sage advice in this area. Especially helpful for someone like myself who has lots of stuff at home they could be listing. 😊
Thank you for your clear and concise videos. You are an awesome teacher and I've learned so much from you. I've only started selling part time and from stuff around my house. It's fun and there"s the added benefit of a clean garage and attic.
Thanks a lot my good sir, I've just open my ebay store and bought a small amount of inventory (some trading cards boxes and stuff) and the shipping aspect is the scariest thing like you said, and especially for me that I live in Puerto Rico, so thanks for the advice, love your videos take care!!
Thank you again. I would love to see a video that goes step by step taking an object, packaging it and choosing what to ship it in and what method. I'm sure others have done videos. Really appreciate you taking the time to help.
I have another question. I was told at the post office that a poly bag is cheaper to mail than a box, but i don't see an option to put in that you are using a poly bag. How does the calculated shipping know?
It doesn't know if it's a poly bag or a box. Poly bags weigh less. That may be what they are referring to. And remember, the people at the post office are generally referring to retail prices. When you buy your label through eBay, you get a commercial rate. It' almost always much cheaper.
Thank you for this video. Shipping and the potential for scams have made me wary of selling on ebay. I have been reluctant to start back on ebay, preferring Poshmark, to return to after a long absence from reselling. I have inventory that I should be cross-listing, but the whole ebay process is just so daunting and a little scaring. Your videos go a long way in clarify things!
Hey there, ChaChing! Love your channel, and you have helped me, and encouraged me a lot as I build my very small presence on Ebay. I have some heavy objects that I would like to list as local pick-up only -- do you every have trouble with someone buying an item for LP-U only and having the buyer back out, or say stuff like "I thought you were gonna ship it,' or anything like that? I know you get lots of questions, so if you already answered this somewhere else, I will keep looking - TY for everything! J in Chicago
Good morning! I have had some people back out of LPU sales. I live in such a rural area that, more often than not, the drive isn't worth enough for either party to mess with. I've personally had the most luck with that when the item I'm offering is hard enough to find that people will make the drive. People won't typically drive 2 hours to pick up a sweater. But, when I had 4 vintage, rare library ladders...easily worth the drive. So, in my limited experience, it needs to be something worth the hassle and desirable enough that it draws more than impulse shoppers. 😀
@@TheChaChingKing You are so nice to reply so fast! I'm in a big city, near the CTA, so maybe it could work out . . . I'll give it a whirl. Again, sooooo many good thank you;s to both of you -- you have helped me enormously!
Excellent video as always! You are right, we do not fear shipping costs. YES, we made mistakes when we started. Mistakes provide experience. Experience prevents mistakes. Our experience: *Be sure to add eBay FEES in your shipping cost.* eBay charges YOU, the seller, a "final value fee" on the shipping costs also. It is equal to the final value % fee charged on the sale price of the item. Don't forget to include that. We are not doing this to LOSE money. We have found that customers like to have a KNOWN fee for shipping. Calculated shipping is not favored by BUYERS, even though it may actually be cheaper for them.🤷♂ We use *fixed rate shipping* for virtually all items. Calculate the cost to the *farthest shipping location,* add the % for eBay fees, your costs for materials (YOU pay for those boxes, tape, packing paper) and quote that as your shipping cost OR ADD your shipping cost (and fees) to your selling price and offer "free" shipping. We use "free" shipping on very few items...usually on high profit, low shipping cost items. (jewelry, for example) If we are making $150-$200 on an item, I'm not going to worry about $3.41 shipping cost. Be SURE, when using the shipping calculator, to round UP to the next pound in weight. Example, if you estimate your packaged item will weigh 2 lbs. 3 oz., calculate using "3 pounds". Then you are covered up to 3 lbs. in weight. Once you get over 1 pound in weight, the fees increase by "pound", not by ounces. The shipping cost for an item weighing 2 lbs., 8 oz. will be the same as an item weighing 2 lbs., 15 oz. ALWAYS use the eBay shipping system and calculator. I use the calculator for every item. It gives you great discounts, tracks all your packages and sends notices to the customer, automatically. It also protects you from scammers. For our listings, my wife does the item descriptions and the photos. She puts those into "drafts" and then I finish the draft and list the item by adding the shipping cost.
@@almostpronto2286 It's a big help when one can concentrate on making descriptions and photos and the other can focus on shipping costs and completing the listing.
You are 100% ready to do my shipping for me. We are on the exact same page. Especially with how you round the weights off. I wish I had mentioned that in the video.
Great topic and video. I do remember a few times when the eBay calculator produced a result that did not match the actual eBay shipping charge when it came time to buy the label. It was way off on certain things (not everything), particularly very lightweight items of large dimensions. So I'd compare it with USPS and other shippers. But that was a few years ago, so maybe they've tuned up their calculator by now.
OMG Thank you. I am new to selling, 10 days only. Sold few things, and all lost in shipping. I was so frustrated. But... you live and you learn. I made peace with my loss, and now try to educate myself. After watching this video, it is STILL a mystery, so I go ahead and watch this video again. And then, probably, again. Who knew shipping would be such a headache? Geez. I used to sell some clothes (household, kids,,, not as an income), in early 2000, for couple of years, and shipping was a piece of cake. The smallest tyny priority box was only $4.99!!!!! Today I went to get those tiny priority boxes and learned that tey are now 14.99!!!! I am in shock. I have to ship a jacket tomorrow, I can only imaging. I charged flat rate 12.99, and hold my fingers crossed it will cover. Anyways, Thank you thank you again.
LOOK AT YOU GO! You are started and that's a huge plus. You'll make mistakes and that's OK. It's a learning process and you'll improve with every package.
Whenever I see a map of Texas, compared to the other states, I can't get over how big it is. It really is like a whole different country. I always add an extra $2 to my actual shipping charge to help cover the added expense for the materials, and get some compensation for my time.
Nice video, great info....when i sold on eBay years ago, flat rate was 75% of my method. Some items were simply too big and too heavy. Calculated never worked for me cause ebay gave pricing on items that usps, ups, or FedEx never honored.... maybe i did something wrong!! Sooooo i went 100% free ship on gourmet coffees tea's and all related goodies. Pretty much on everything I sold, i also sold commercial cleaning equipment....i factored in my shipping expense into selling price...worked out well for me! I'm checking things out cause I'm gonna get selling again😊
I came to the conclusion to determine the cost of shipping anywhere USA to be determined the furthest place to for shipping built into the (IN MY CASE an original 4 color Sci Fi poster, signed) purchase price. It's the poster Image that sells the poster. It's So Incredible, you have to own that poster, cause there is nothing like it anywhere. Thanks Scott. As Linda stated in her comment, 'Just in time for this'. Cheers Linda!
Thank you!!! Kinda new to selling on Ebay and we recently sold 4 items at once using "calculated shipping". We ended up losing like $40 on the shipping because I didn't realize the calculated shipping cost only cares about "package size" and does not take multiple quantities into account at all. Going to use flat rate from now on.
I'm new to your channel and thinking of selling my art. What is intimidating to me is understanding the shipping. I do not have a printer to print out Ebay labels either.
You can always send a QR code to your phone and the post office can print out your label. But, if you do decide to sell, a printer really is a must. It makes the process SO much easier.
Thanks for your response and linking this video! Very informative and I will watch a few times. How can I find your store and others I've seen on TH-cam? I can't figure out why eBay makes it very difficult to "follow" sellers and their stores. Would love to follow and have a notification when the seller add something in a particular category of interest!! I've not listed my first item; and trying to figure out why it doesn't work better!😂😂🤣
I think some of the TH-camrs keep their stores private to keep from having issues with trolls. I haven't had any issues, but I understand the concern. Mine isn't hidden. It's just that the account isn't tied to my TH-cam at all. I started eBay in 99 and didn't start TH-cam until more than 20 years later. :-) See if you can find "OldSchoolWear" when you search for members on eBay.
Fantastic Video!!! Can't thank you enough for answering some questions that have been on my mind. I got serious about eBay (main platform) reselling about 13 months ago. I'm small, but have done well and learned lots. The main thing this video helped me with today is simply clarifying more detail in plain speak on the various shipping methods. I do still have some questions though; First, how do I decide upon the flat rate (if I begin to use this method, but haven't in the past - only calculated so far) shipping amount I'm promising the buyer in the listing if, for example, my future buyer ends up being in Hawaii or Alaska or Washington state (for some reason, I've noticed some very high shipping labels going from lower Michigan to Washington state)??? In other words, I do not know who'll be purchasing my item. It's clear to me that the distance the package travels greatly affects the rate paid for the shipping label and I believe this is true across all carriers. Any advice???
This is a great question. I wouldn't move to a flat rate shipping method until you feel comfortable getting to the right price. Where you are located make a big difference. I'm in central Texas, so, all of the contiguous US isn't too bad. Alaska, Puerto Rico and Hawaii being the most expensive outside the contiguous US. But, for t-shirts and things, I know it won't vary but by a few dollars at worst. So, I usually put those at $6.99 and I'm close enough. BUT, if I were shipping a computer and wanted to use a flat rate, I'd probably go in and exclude those places that would clobber me. I hope that helps!
Thank you Scot for those excellent videos. I am a beginner in this business, and your videos are very helpful for me to start with. I procured some items from Yard sale and Flea market where I did not get any invoice for the items purchased. Do you have any videos on following topics (1) How to keep inventory? (2) How to go with Sales Tax issues? (3) When we get the items from Yard Sales or flee market, we don't get any invoice for our purchase. In such cases how to calculate our base price and profit when we file IRS and State Tax Returns? Best wishes for your efforts to teach beginners.
NotYourDadsCpa has a lot of videos about the tax aspects of reselling. I've never considered myself qualified enough to direct others how to do this. So, always check with a tax professional. I do a cash accounting method. So, I keep track of how much I've spent. I create my own records as best as I can.
You can on use Priority shipping supplies to ship with Priority mail. Priority mail is usually more expensive than Ground Advantage. If you use a poly bag you have the option of shipping Ground Advantage
Your videos are among the very best on TH-cam: a lot of useful in a short period of time. Thank you. Question: the eBay shipping cost calculator URL you posted no longer works. Do you have an updated URL?
Thank you so much! The link is still working for me. Let me try to paste it for you here. BUT, you do have to be logged into your eBay account on the browser you're trying to use. www.ebay.com/shp/Calculator
Thank you this was informative and ,I mayhave to use the Ebay link when Shipping my Art work, Don't think any of the other shipping will be good for most of my Vintage appraised Art,Glad I found you found you,Thanks again you Videos are sohelpful but shipping does scare me😅
I SO appreciate u. I’m glad I clicked on urs… the other video I saw was over an hr so I didn’t click on. I am one of the new very scared ones. I posted ab 10 items within the past few days and just stopped bc I still have no clue as to shipping. So I was told to open a Facebook marketplace acct. Anyway, I used to sell on eBay around 2017 + very much enjoyed my own shipping + P.O. packaging. I now crazily wish I hadn’t posted anything on eBay at all bc I’m learning from u but I am still lost. 🥺
That’s so encouraging. Tho I already had the description fitting all the letter spaces available… I just spent quite a bit of time going over each item’s info, aft enjoying what I’m learning from ur videos. Now I’ll subscribe + go to sleep aft 3AM lol. Thx much :)
I don't know how to be a gate-keeper. I want others to succeed. I have never believed that I would fall behind by helping others to get ahead.@@valeriesantos8178
Thank you as I enjoyed how you explain I understand you easily. I would like you help me how can I set up USPS in eBay account. From where I start to end.
See if this will help. I created this video to help set the shipping preferences. th-cam.com/video/wFFghNtUDN0/w-d-xo.html And this video is how to set your shipping policies. th-cam.com/video/EODgaSNx0Ew/w-d-xo.html
i have a question when using the ebay calculator you say to type in the city or zip code of the buyer to find out the costs! but my question is how are you supposed to know before hand where the buyers are located/what city or zip code to use? im confused as i cant type in a city if someone hasnt purchased an item yet as i wont have any idea where its going to be shipped to until the buyer makes a purchase? any help would be amazing and thank you for the video ;) i am new to ebay incase you may be wondering lol
You're exactly right. You can't know where the buyer will be. So, I usually enter a location that is far from me. That way, if I miss, I won't lose a bunch of money. 😀 You can do this!
My customer has ordered a product on my ebay store with shipping and now the rates are changed overnight here in my country making it impossible for me to deliver in that price. What should i do now.? Should i ask the customer to pay extra for that product? Please help
For me, I wouldn't ever ask the customer to pay more after the sale. I would ship it out and take the loss on that sale. If it's actually cost-prohibitive, I would probably reach out to the customer and let them know and then cancel the sale.
Is it legal to sell used fragrances on eBay? I learned that the new policy has some restriction... would it be okay to show up on UPS front desk with fragrances to ship? I'm talking ground shipping for sure.
eBay doesn't allow you to sell used fragrances. It's not just a shipping issue. They lumped it in with things like cosmetics and you can no longer sell the used stuff. So, I don't mess with them at all.
@@abualia922 I have seen some people sell "empty" cologne bottles, which is permissible. But, they show pictures that make it clear they are not empty. But, for me, skirting the rules just isn't worth my time or trouble. You can sell it on Mercari if you get a special hazard license of some kind. But, I don't sell on Mercari, so I'm not much help. It's not allowed on Poshmark unless it's new and unopened, too.
I really need help. Please, help me. I live in Norway and want to sell something internationally, for example to the USA or Europe. Which shipping service should I choose? There are very limited shipping services here in Kongsberg, Norway; for instance, we don’t have FedEx or USPS Ground Advantage, etc. What do you suggest? thank You 👍👌
I think the real key is to find another reseller in Norway who's doing what you want to do. You could reach out to eBay on Facebook and see if they can offer you some direction. But, if there are other sellers there, they would be your best resource. Perhaps look on your Facebook and ask another sellers if they are able to ship to an address in the UK or US. See if they can tell you how they ship. Since I've never had to ship from anywhere outside of the USA, I just don't know how you'd go about it.
Thanks for all of the great info! Just started on EBay this year, shipping is my biggest challenge, this was very helpful! Also, is the custom sku option only for those who have an EBay store? I have looked on my computer, phone, and I-pad, it is not anywhere! I looked at videos about where it should be, mine is not there! Thanks Scott!
Thank you for another awesome video. Wondering if you can give advice on if you get an offer on a free shipping offer and can’t accept it because of the free shipping. That’s why I hate using free shipping because I always find I’ll get an offer and then stuck on what to do. Thank you again ❤
I sell on multiple platforms I sold on eBay for 17 years and the other platforms are different. Poshmark is probably the easiest because they just use priority Mail and it's one money for up to 5 lbs. I've been doing this long enough I can look at an item and tell you how much it's going to weigh and with the dimensions are and I'm pretty darn close. I don't box them up before I go I know what packing material weighs and the mentions of boxes I have laying around. FYI I don't just have purchase boxes I also use recycle boxes a lot of them. I have started buying boxes and that has helped with some smaller items because I know it'll fit in there and how much packing material it will take to ship an item. You are right on when you say what it cost to ship a t-shirt because most of them are pretty much the same weight. I do sell larger t-shirts and they are much heavier and vintage ones are also a little bit heavier too. I sell really heavy stuff and I do calculated shipping every time too difficult to do flat rate on those as if it's going to California you'll lose your t-shirt on that sale. Thanks for the video is very well done. I shared it to a friend of mine who is just starting out in this business and he goes to the post office to ship his items. He's losing money and I keep telling that so I sent him this link.
I can tell from your response that you know exactly what you're doing. I agree that Poshmark is the easiest platform to ship from. It's not a good deal if someone buys a scarf, but it's a great deal for a Carhartt jacket. LOL I truly appreciate the kind words.
![SAFEPLANET - ดาวเคราะห์ [ THE PLANET ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/4X1XL3I_k3c/mqdefault.jpg)
I started little over a year ago reselling online, I am 69. I had never mailed a package to anyone. That was a learning experience for me. The more I ship, the easier it is. I am still learning. But thanks to you and other experienced resellers giving me the knowhow I am feeling more confident that I can do it. Thank you for your valuable videos.
That is awesome! I truly appreciate you sharing that. :-)
Glad I'm not alone on this.
You're definitely not.@@glenniscoghill5761
Thank you for sharing your status!! I am very new, as in just trying to list n Poshmark items in my house. eBay scares me, because of all their fees and the shipping. However, your comment helps me take a breath and relax about it. Thank you ☺️
You are so informative and comforting and encouraging. You’ve taken away so much of my anxiety being new to this. By far my favorite TH-cam channel about reselling on eBay. Thank you so much!!
Thanks again. I’m on day 3 of listing an item a day. I’ve had everything ready for months. I wasn’t afraid of listing, I was afraid of “what if it sells”! 😂
Amen! There's as much fear with that first sale as there is excitement.
I’m in the same boat as you are. I’ve been watching videos and sourcing items for months. My plan is to sell an item a day starting TODAY! I’m doing it!😊
@@karenbutcher5921have you started?? How’s it going? I’ve been selling for maybe six months!
Same here! As soon as I put 14 items up, 12 sold in 3 days. Now another just sold a few days later. The transaction fees blew me away the most. I need to get a scale if I keep doing this because I've just been overestimating the size to be safr, but then lose some profit.
I had an item listed for days, no bites. I turned on the ad promo feature and used 3%. It sold 2 hours later. I lost $4.71 to transaction fees i wasn't aware of for a $20-30 item.
Thank you SO much for your videos! I am a brand new seller, just setting up my account, taking photos, writing item descriptions and next……pricing and shipping, which is intimidating. You are a wonderful teacher and your encouragement to new sellers is beyond helpful. 😊
Thank you so much for taking the time to watch and comment. I really do hope that my videos are helpful and encouraging to people.
@TheChaChingKing Sorry to bother you, but I'm a new seller and have a couple questions.
1. I will be selling collectible skateboard memorabilia that I have accumulated over 40 years. Hundreds upon hundreds of videos, magazines, decks and stickers. Is an eBay store advisable? If so, and someone went to my store and picked out ten items they wanted how do I then calculate shipping? Per item upon listing each I would assume but then if they were buying ten items I could ship together that amount would change.
2. If I don't do a store and just sell individual items and someone still wants to pick ten items and asks me to bundle them how would shipping calculations be reconfigured?
3. When I take my items to USPS with eBay printed shipping labels I'm assuming I have to wait in line to check them in. This could actually be a deal breaker because I'm in Chicago and I could end up waiting in line for 20 minutes just to drop off one package.
You sir are awesome. You are what's right with this world and eBay is lucky to have you as a seller. You don't have to share what you know and learned the hard way but you do anyways. Thank you!
I swear, I think I get so much more from the kind comments and the people that watch the videos that I could ever give back. I feel very grateful to get to help when I can.
I use the shipping calculator daily...it makes it easy to compare and contrast shipping scenarios, and when USPS raises rates the calculator is extremely handy when reevaluating shipping policies. I generally don't put in a destination zip code but instead leave it blank and it will give me costs to NYC, Chicago and LA. Scott, I appreciate what you do for our reseller community. Your advice is sound and delivered in a clear, concise and logical way. Thanks for what you do!
I appreciate you very much. It's so incredibly encouraging to hear that these videos might actually be of use to people. Thank you
I don't comment often but I had to pull my phone out (I'm watching you on tv) just to tell you that your voice and presentation is awesome. You'd be a great motivational speaker. I literally could wake up to your voice every morning and feel pumped for the day!
I was never going to start a TH-cam channel because I didn't think I had anything valuable to offer. I think there's lots of great channels out there. But, I genuinely want to help and encourage people if I can. So, you comment is incredibly encouraging to me. You have no idea.
As fellow educators finding our way into this side hustle, we really appreciate your teaching spirit. You are honest about the hurdles of starting out & you offer hope that it is possible to do this successfully with best practices. Not all resellers lead with the heart of things, so thank you for using your platform to make this experience feel just a bit more human ☺
I truly appreciate the encouragement. :-)
Great video! Also in TX (DFW), spoiled for shipping costs / delivery times!
I'm a fairly seasoned seller, enough to where shipping isn't something I think too much about. I wanted to provide some thoughts:
1. I'm in the calculated shipping camp and recently discovered (not sure how long it's been there) that you can pass your Ebay shipping discount on to the buyer. I've long thought that calculated was the lesser of the two evils so to speak, but have also been aware that too much shipping cost will turn some prospective buyers away. This is a nice middle ground, where I never have to give a second thought about shipping costing me too much, and can also make sure the shipping I'm offering is the minimum price the buyer should have to pay, making listings more attractive.
2. While flat rate does have some benefits, and is perfectly fine if you're seasoned enough to know what you're doing, I will say that this method and also "free" shipping have another con, which is the fluctuating price of shipping. Shipping prices are ever increasing, and with either of these methods, you will need to be more on top of things. Constantly having a pulse on pricing increases so you know when to make changes. And then you have to make those changes. it can take a lot of time (if you aren't using shipping policies) to manually update a few hundred listings.
Anyway, I'm certain you're aware of these things, but hope it's helpful to a few people who may run across this comment. Keep up the good work, you're one of my new favorites to watch in this space!
Oh man...fantastic points...all of them.
I really need to give the calculated and pass along the discount. I've never tried it, but should.
I really appreciate the solid input!
I appreciate you Scott. I'm 3 months in to my ebay store and sold 25 items you were the first youtuber I watched your videos gave me the confidence to start. You are a OG in this game and I'm forever grateful 🙏.
Your praise is far too high! But, I appreciate it just the same. It sounds like you've got this!
and what is an OG?
Original Gangster
@@anitasmith3063
@@anitasmith3063 Anita an "OG" is slang for being one of the originals, someone who is more experienced than others. Literally it stands for "Original Gangsta" (gangster). It's someone who is "Old School" and seasoned. I noticed no one answered you on that. Enjoy integrating it into your vernacular going forward. Also, I speak jive if you ever need an interpreter (on an airplane, for instance).
You are my new best friend!!
I am brand new at this and haven’t actually sold one item yet. I bought 300 items that contain lithium ion batteries, and was floored when I walked into the post office and given the cost of shipping. The fear immediately set in.
You have given me confidence and peace of mind that I CAN DO THIS!!!
Thank you so much for your time and expertise and being the type of person that helps his fellow man!
David
I vividly remember walking in to the post office to mail a bracelet we had sold. Shipping at the time was $3.15! I only charged $3 for the bracelet and had free shipping on it. I thought it would be around 50 cents. Worst part was...I had bought 1800 of the bracelets. LOL
I wish I could tell you I was smart enough to have not made so many mistakes. But if I made a video about it...it probably means I made that mistake. The good news is that I make mistakes fast enough that I'll never run out of video content. :-)
Thank you for taking the time to respond. I greatly appreciate you and your wife for your time and expertise. @@TheChaChingKing
You are absolutely right saying that fear of losing money due to inaccurate shipping costs keeps so many from selling on eBay.. this has caused a lot of delay on my part getting started again on selling. I buy things to resell, keep them nice and tidy, then never list! I get so annoyed at myself over this. I have watched videos on this but still don't always understand.. I know that only by jumping in does one learn, but I hate to lose money.. so I procrastinate instead!!! Even went so far as to buy a nice label maker and scale, but still worried over the shipping!! Why?? I am a retired nurse and never been too afraid of taking care of people, but this scares me!! It is RIDICULOUS! I think your video will help me so much and I am going to try again to get going.. Thank you for all your efforts to help others!! Sincerely.. from the reluctant one in TN :)
Think about it this way. Would you pay $50 to know how to ship? That would be cheap, right? The truth is, if you aren't listing big and heavy stuff, you'd have a hard time losing $50 on shipping before you figured it out on your own. You can do this.
This could have been me writing that. I too am finding myself scared of the shipping and scams.
Thanks to you, I sold my first item today! I say that because until I watched some of your videos on shipping, that is what was holding me back from listing items… it seemed too confusing and overwhelming. Your videos are very much appreciated and have given me the confidence to pursue this fun pastime😊
Thank you, I have been stuck all week trying to calculate shipping for my first listings, now I can confidently get them listed. I was so fearful of charging the wrong amount and losing my profit. Your videos have been such a help to me.
Thank you so much for the kind words. They are really encouraging to me.
Scott,this video has so much value. Many resellers don't dive into the specifics wholeheartedly like you. Thank you for helping others. I hope they smash that like button and comment accolades.
I appreciate that. I'm never convinced that I have anything of value to offer the community. So, your comment is truly encouraging.
Thank you so much! Shipping is my nemesis. It’s what keeps a lot of my stuff in my death pile, but I will CONQUER!! 😊👍🏻
You've got this!
Thanks Scott! You always have the most educational & kind content! I am reviewing your shipping videos today and attempting setting up shipping tables. I needed the “have no fear” message 😊
You can do it!
My husband and I started reselling part time back in August, but have really steered clear of eBay because of the shipping. Now that we are feeling more confident in our small business, we are ready to expand. Cannot thank you enough for this video!! It has helped us tremendously. We are starting with items we feel more confident in the shipping costs and will move from there. Thank you for the clear advice. New sellers need more of this type of content!
Awesome! I hope you continue to find some of the videos helpful. That's truly the whole goal.
Thank you!! Shipping does scare me! The first couple of times I ended up almost on the losing side. I only made $3.00 on my first order because I messed up on my shipping. I’m still trying to learn how to ship the right way. Thanks for your videos!! I live in Idaho and of course my first few went to New York and New Jersey.!!
You probably learned more from those shipping experiences that you could a hundred of my videos. You've got this!
Don't forget, you can also add a handling charge whenever you want. You can add whatever amount you want. When I was buying boxes that cost 5 bucks before I found a cheaper supplier, I added that into the shipment page where it says handling.
Thank You for your help with shipping. Sold 10k items on ebay and just changed up how I do shipping. Listing are 99% posted with a flat rate. Believe it's attracted more customers and I'm not overcharging as in the past. Planning to watch/listen to all your tutorials to learn something new to improve my selling. A heart felt thank you. Good Luck selling! Best Regards, Cliff crhcadillac
10K! You could be teaching the class. :-)
I don't know why I watch these shipping videos. Being in Canada, it just makes me grind my teeth to hear all the advantages American sellers have.
Yeah, it's definitely not a level playing field. I can honestly say that I truly wish the USA & Canada had better mail services between us.
I don't understand why eBay doesn't just get into the shipping business. They could open a series of eBay shipping facilities all over the country and basically charge rates similar to FedEx or UPS for non-eBay sellers, but ship for eBay sellers at COST. It would be a profitable model AND drive interest in selling on eBay WAY up. The reason nobody wants to sell on eBay these days is they can't make enough money on a damn sale anymore, and most of that issue is _shipping._ Come on, eBay, you can figure this out.
I would be really interested in seeing some of that. After all, Amazon did it.
i dont think you know what you are talking about. people make sales and money on ebay still
@kidrobot. Oh OK, cool story.
@@jesse_cole yeah it is cool, can't say the same about yours
@kidrobot. Oh snap. Watch the edge on that quip, you're gonna hurt somebody!
Scott, your videos have been my greatest influence. I kept putting it off and procrastination had taken over. The one video you posted about "Do it now" don't wait til the new year or next month. Get started and throw your hat in the ring. I started on August 3rd and I just hit $17K. Your videos are a tremendous influence. Thank you so much and God bless. Todd M.
OH MY GOODNESS! You are straight up killing it! Sounds like I should be watching your videos! :-)
Thank you for taking the time to make this video. I've watched several already and yours, by far, was the most simple, yet informative and easy to understand. I haven't quite stepped on the eBay platform yet because of shipping. Your video makes it way less intimidating. Thanks again!
It gets easier after the first package. It really does. You can do this.
Thank you!@@TheChaChingKing
I’m a new seller, just started to set up shop and shipping is very intimidating. Thank you so much for this video and for your encouragement.
You got this!
Thank you!@@TheChaChingKing
Because of the items I sell, I always use calculated shipping. I weigh everything as I'm listing and add 1 pound to most things to cover box and packing materials (so a 1 pound item ends up with a 2 pound shipping weight in the listing). If an item is over 3 pounds, i may add 2 pounds to the shipping weight. I try to figure out the dimensions of the box I'll probably use, but in fact any dimensions less than 12x12x12 will result in the same shipping price. This works for most of my items but it's important to be aware of USPS rules. If I sold clothes, I'd use flat rate like you do. This was a great tutorial for newbies and I learned about the shipping calculator for the first time! Thanks!
Like you, if I were shipping anything very heavy, I'd be really hesitant to use a flat rate shipping. When I do, I found up the weight exactly the same as you do. After fees and packing materials, it comes out about right.
Thanks for the informational video. I'm a new seller as well on eBay and your tips will help me out a lot......I'm also in Texas 😃
I hope it proves helpful. 😀
Awesome video Scot! This video couldn't have come at a better time for me, I am finally getting ready to start listing my items, I had no idea that I would need to know what size box I would be using to ship each item & then add those dimensions into my listings in order for eBay to calculate shipping for each item! You really saved me a lot of time, money & headaches with this video, it certainly wouldn't have been a good way to start out without it! Great information regarding eBay's website, what a handy tool that is to have as a resource, along with this video, which I will be using repeatedly until I become more relaxed & familiar with shipping! And lastly, thanks again for your encouraging words, I really needed that as well! Love your positive outlook, keep up the wonderful work that you do with videos designed to help others succeed!
I love messages like this. I honestly want these videos to be a helpful resource to people. Thank you so much.
@@TheChaChingKing You most definitely have achieved your goal with every video that I have watched, Well Done!! Your topics & content are definitely a helpful resource for me & for many others as well, but it's not only your topics & content, it's also your honesty & integrity that comes across, it is obvious to all who watch your videos, that you truly care about others & want to help others succeed. So again, thank you Sir & keep those videos rolling!
A scale, tape measure, and thermal printer is key and it saves time and money
100%! I actually had some of that information in the video. But, it was already getting to be too long.
This is BY FAR the most helpful shipping video on TH-cam. Thank you, Chaching King. You're such a good teacher - this is so clear. Thank you times a zillion !!!
I really appreciate you. Thank you for the encouragement
Sold and shipped my first couple items this morning it was a little scary but I did what I had to do and handled it thanks for the videos its amazing that people like you are willing to share with others your tips and tricks I seriously appreciate it.
GOOD FOR YOU! But, truly, all the thanks should be directed back to you. YOU did this. YOU made the choice to get started. YOU made the listings. YOU made the sales. :-) Pat yourself on the back for me.
@@TheChaChingKing Ran into another speed bump this mornin Ebay didn't send me a QR email which made this process alot for aggravating when trying to find it again but it was a learning experience for me I found that screen shots are perfect backup 👌🏾. You ever run into this issue ?
That last point is so encouraging! It's only scary because we haven't done it. Thanks! Great video
You've got this!
I charge $8.99 flat rate but for large sweater’s I use calculated. I have even been gaining a few dollars with my shipping charges I don’t offer free shipping I learned my lesson from that huge mistake first month of my reselling journey. I was losing so much money because I was clueless when it came to shipping. I quickly learned and changed my shipping cost. My business is still thriving with my shipping prices and I’m not losing money. At the end of the day if your sourcing good sought after items for cheap a buyer will pay whatever the shipping price is and your still making a profit.
You would be surprised what you can fit n the USPS flat rate envelope
I wish you would have made this video 3 months ago when I first started it would have saved me so much money. 😂
LOL...I wish I could have seen a video like this when I started. Ask me about the time I used free shipping in a listing to sell some 8 foot long mesquite boards and a buyer in Alaska snapped them up. Oops.
I love watching your videos. You give such great tips, information, and advice and in such a nice, nurturing tone. :)
I appreciate that. Thank you
You did an excellent job in explaining the shipping process & its pros & cons. Thank you for sharing your knowledge & expertise with us.
You are so welcome! Thank you.
Hey! appreciate all your videos, question is there any restrictions or anything on things we can or cant sell on ebay? or if you have a video pls let me know so i can watch it! thanks
I don't have a video specifically for that. But it's a good idea. There are definitely things you can't sell on eBay
I shipped to RI and it was absolutely insane.
I bet.
As always, the information you’ve provided is extremely helpful. Thanks a million!
Thank you so much
Thank you for explaining everything so clearly.
You never wander into the north pasture, grazing along until finally coming back to what you were talking about.
"Just the facts"....Dragnet
.
Glad it was helpful!
I just added the eBay shipping calculator to my phone's main screen. Now, I'm a click away to figure my shipping cost. Very handy. Thank you.
You've got this!
where is that at?
Hi Cha Ching! Thanks for the great tutorials!! … one important question/ comment….. if we charge 6.99 shipping on an item eBay takes it commission on the the price of the item AND the shipping we charge. So if a buyer gives us 6.99 shipping…and the commission on the item is 15%, then eBay gets 1.35 of that 6.99 and we really only have 5.64 going towards our shipping cost. So I like to have my shipping priced at 15% higher than actual cost so that I can come close to the buyer paying for all but my packing materials. Ed S.
No doubt. My math comes out a little different than yours, but you are exactly right. You're going to pay eBay fees on top of the charge for shipping. For me, I have a high enough average sales price and a high enough ROI that I'm just trying to get close.
Fantastic information. Thank you, great update and thank you for the link to the eBay shipping Calculator.
Glad it was helpful!
I’m just about to watch this and thank you so much!!! Almost a newbie but this part has been clear as mud to me! 😂 You have
a way with teaching so I have all
the faith in you to clarify this
intimidating part of being a reseller. 🙏 😊
I hope it's helpful!
It is very helpful, Scott.
You’ve broken down the basics of the 3 choices a reseller has to ship. Pros and Cons are always helpful, as well. Now, to decide. Thank you! 😊
Off topic, but I’ve yet to see a tutorial on the listing limits eBay
puts on a new reseller and how
best to increase those as quickly
as possible. There must be sage advice in this area. Especially helpful for someone like myself who has lots of stuff at home they could be listing. 😊
Love this guy. Honest and direct. Thanks for the knowledge.
Thanks for that!
Thank you for your clear and concise videos. You are an awesome teacher and I've learned so much from you. I've only started selling part time and from stuff around my house. It's fun and there"s the added benefit of a clean garage and attic.
I really appreciate that. Thank you.
Thanks a lot my good sir, I've just open my ebay store and bought a small amount of inventory (some trading cards boxes and stuff) and the shipping aspect is the scariest thing like you said, and especially for me that I live in Puerto Rico, so thanks for the advice, love your videos take care!!
Congrats on getting started!
Thank you again. I would love to see a video that goes step by step taking an object, packaging it and choosing what to ship it in and what method. I'm sure others have done videos. Really appreciate you taking the time to help.
I'll see about doing that!
@@TheChaChingKing Please, please, please!
Thanks, I just inherited boxes and boxes of comics, trading cards, and beanie babies! This was really informative and encouraging!
Sounds like you've got a lot of work to do.
Hi Scot & Melody,
The videos are always heart-lifting which goes beyond the the excellent educational content. Thank you.🕊
I really appreciate that. Thank you.
Dude your shipping calculator link was clutch! That was a great share!!
That's awesome! I appreciate the encouragement
I have another question. I was told at the post office that a poly bag is cheaper to mail than a box, but i don't see an option to put in that you are using a poly bag. How does the calculated shipping know?
It doesn't know if it's a poly bag or a box. Poly bags weigh less. That may be what they are referring to. And remember, the people at the post office are generally referring to retail prices. When you buy your label through eBay, you get a commercial rate. It' almost always much cheaper.
Your videos are so helpful showing step by step how to do things on EBAY. Thank you for what you do.
You are so welcome!
Thank you for this video. Shipping and the potential for scams have made me wary of selling on ebay. I have been reluctant to start back on ebay, preferring Poshmark, to return to after a long absence from reselling. I have inventory that I should be cross-listing, but the whole ebay process is just so daunting and a little scaring. Your videos go a long way in clarify things!
We sell on Poshmark, too. Crosslisting for us has been great.
Thanks for the kind words!
Thanks again for a great informative video. Glad to know about the calculator will definitely make a difference.
Hey there, ChaChing!
Love your channel, and you have helped me, and encouraged me a lot as I build my very small presence on Ebay.
I have some heavy objects that I would like to list as local pick-up only -- do you every have trouble with someone buying an item for LP-U only and having the buyer back out, or say stuff like "I thought you were gonna ship it,' or anything like that?
I know you get lots of questions, so if you already answered this somewhere else, I will keep looking - TY for everything!
J in Chicago
Good morning! I have had some people back out of LPU sales. I live in such a rural area that, more often than not, the drive isn't worth enough for either party to mess with. I've personally had the most luck with that when the item I'm offering is hard enough to find that people will make the drive. People won't typically drive 2 hours to pick up a sweater. But, when I had 4 vintage, rare library ladders...easily worth the drive. So, in my limited experience, it needs to be something worth the hassle and desirable enough that it draws more than impulse shoppers. 😀
@@TheChaChingKing You are so nice to reply so fast! I'm in a big city, near the CTA, so maybe it could work out . . . I'll give it a whirl. Again, sooooo many good thank you;s to both of you -- you have helped me enormously!
Excellent video as always! You are right, we do not fear shipping costs. YES, we made mistakes when we started. Mistakes provide experience. Experience prevents mistakes.
Our experience:
*Be sure to add eBay FEES in your shipping cost.*
eBay charges YOU, the seller, a "final value fee" on the shipping costs also. It is equal to the final value % fee charged on the sale price of the item. Don't forget to include that. We are not doing this to LOSE money.
We have found that customers like to have a KNOWN fee for shipping. Calculated shipping is not favored by BUYERS, even though it may actually be cheaper for them.🤷♂
We use *fixed rate shipping* for virtually all items. Calculate the cost to the *farthest shipping location,* add the % for eBay fees, your costs for materials (YOU pay for those boxes, tape, packing paper) and quote that as your shipping cost
OR
ADD your shipping cost (and fees) to your selling price and offer "free" shipping. We use "free" shipping on very few items...usually on high profit, low shipping cost items. (jewelry, for example) If we are making $150-$200 on an item, I'm not going to worry about $3.41 shipping cost.
Be SURE, when using the shipping calculator, to round UP to the next pound in weight. Example, if you estimate your packaged item will weigh 2 lbs. 3 oz., calculate using "3 pounds". Then you are covered up to 3 lbs. in weight. Once you get over 1 pound in weight, the fees increase by "pound", not by ounces. The shipping cost for an item weighing 2 lbs., 8 oz. will be the same as an item weighing 2 lbs., 15 oz.
ALWAYS use the eBay shipping system and calculator. I use the calculator for every item. It gives you great discounts, tracks all your packages and sends notices to the customer, automatically. It also protects you from scammers.
For our listings, my wife does the item descriptions and the photos. She puts those into "drafts" and then I finish the draft and list the item by adding the shipping cost.
So that’s what I’m missing in my EBay process… a Wife! 😅😂
God Bless you both 🕊
@@almostpronto2286 It's a big help when one can concentrate on making descriptions and photos and the other can focus on shipping costs and completing the listing.
You are 100% ready to do my shipping for me. We are on the exact same page. Especially with how you round the weights off. I wish I had mentioned that in the video.
@@TheChaChingKing I take that as a great compliment. Your videos are great!
Thanks so much for this video! Its literally my first time doing this and the first video ive watched! So thanks again and God bless
I hope it was helpful. 😀
Great topic and video. I do remember a few times when the eBay calculator produced a result that did not match the actual eBay shipping charge when it came time to buy the label. It was way off on certain things (not everything), particularly very lightweight items of large dimensions. So I'd compare it with USPS and other shippers. But that was a few years ago, so maybe they've tuned up their calculator by now.
I don't think any system is perfect. But I know they are constantly working to improve.
OMG Thank you. I am new to selling, 10 days only. Sold few things, and all lost in shipping. I was so frustrated. But... you live and you learn. I made peace with my loss, and now try to educate myself. After watching this video, it is STILL a mystery, so I go ahead and watch this video again. And then, probably, again. Who knew shipping would be such a headache? Geez. I used to sell some clothes (household, kids,,, not as an income), in early 2000, for couple of years, and shipping was a piece of cake. The smallest tyny priority box was only $4.99!!!!! Today I went to get those tiny priority boxes and learned that tey are now 14.99!!!! I am in shock. I have to ship a jacket tomorrow, I can only imaging. I charged flat rate 12.99, and hold my fingers crossed it will cover. Anyways, Thank you thank you again.
LOOK AT YOU GO! You are started and that's a huge plus. You'll make mistakes and that's OK. It's a learning process and you'll improve with every package.
Whenever I see a map of Texas, compared to the other states, I can't get over how big it is. It really is like a whole different country.
I always add an extra $2 to my actual shipping charge to help cover the added expense for the materials, and get some compensation for my time.
Texas is massive. It really is. $2 is more than a fair handling/packing charge.
THIS IS A GREAT CHANNEL AND YOU AND YOUR WIFE ARE GREAT TEACHER'S!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! 😊😊😊😊😊
Thanks so much!
Just in time for this 😊
I hope it's helpful. 😀
Thank you for this video. I've been wanting to sell on eBay for years but the shipping process has always stopped me. This helps alot!
I really hope you find some of this helpful.
Nice video, great info....when i sold on eBay years ago, flat rate was 75% of my method. Some items were simply too big and too heavy. Calculated never worked for me cause ebay gave pricing on items that usps, ups, or FedEx never honored.... maybe i did something wrong!! Sooooo i went 100% free ship on gourmet coffees tea's and all related goodies. Pretty much on everything I sold, i also sold commercial cleaning equipment....i factored in my shipping expense into selling price...worked out well for me! I'm checking things out cause I'm gonna get selling again😊
The key to any of them is to just make sure it works for you. If you've done this before, you'll adjust QUICK
I came to the conclusion to determine the cost of shipping anywhere USA to be determined the furthest place to for shipping built into the (IN MY CASE an original 4 color Sci Fi poster, signed) purchase price. It's the poster Image that sells the poster. It's So Incredible, you have to own that poster, cause there is nothing like it anywhere. Thanks Scott. As Linda stated in her comment, 'Just in time for this'. Cheers Linda!
If you aren't prepared, it'll have to ship to the furthest place possible. Lol, thanks for the kind words
Thank you!!! Kinda new to selling on Ebay and we recently sold 4 items at once using "calculated shipping". We ended up losing like $40 on the shipping because I didn't realize the calculated shipping cost only cares about "package size" and does not take multiple quantities into account at all. Going to use flat rate from now on.
You are 100% correct. I really need to make a video soon about Dimensional Rates and how they impact calculated shipping costs.
I'm new to your channel and thinking of selling my art. What is intimidating to me is understanding the shipping. I do not have a printer to print out Ebay labels either.
You can always send a QR code to your phone and the post office can print out your label. But, if you do decide to sell, a printer really is a must. It makes the process SO much easier.
Thanks for your response and linking this video! Very informative and I will watch a few times. How can I find your store and others I've seen on TH-cam? I can't figure out why eBay makes it very difficult to "follow" sellers and their stores. Would love to follow and have a notification when the seller add something in a particular category of interest!! I've not listed my first item; and trying to figure out why it doesn't work better!😂😂🤣
I think some of the TH-camrs keep their stores private to keep from having issues with trolls. I haven't had any issues, but I understand the concern. Mine isn't hidden. It's just that the account isn't tied to my TH-cam at all. I started eBay in 99 and didn't start TH-cam until more than 20 years later. :-) See if you can find "OldSchoolWear" when you search for members on eBay.
Love this thank you! Very valuable info!
You are so welcome!
I generally use calculated shipping, but I have used flat rate and free shipping on occasion. Thanks for the video.
I think that's the key. Choose what works best for you and your customers.
Thank you so much for taking the time to create these videos. Your hard work and encouraging nature is so appreciated!!!
I truly appreciate the kind comment. :-)
Thank you so much for the va😢information and the encouragement. Priceless!!!
You are so welcome
Fantastic Video!!! Can't thank you enough for answering some questions that have been on my mind. I got serious about eBay (main platform) reselling about 13 months ago. I'm small, but have done well and learned lots. The main thing this video helped me with today is simply clarifying more detail in plain speak on the various shipping methods.
I do still have some questions though; First, how do I decide upon the flat rate (if I begin to use this method, but haven't in the past - only calculated so far) shipping amount I'm promising the buyer in the listing if, for example, my future buyer ends up being in Hawaii or Alaska or Washington state (for some reason, I've noticed some very high shipping labels going from lower Michigan to Washington state)???
In other words, I do not know who'll be purchasing my item. It's clear to me that the distance the package travels greatly affects the rate paid for the shipping label and I believe this is true across all carriers.
Any advice???
This is a great question. I wouldn't move to a flat rate shipping method until you feel comfortable getting to the right price. Where you are located make a big difference. I'm in central Texas, so, all of the contiguous US isn't too bad. Alaska, Puerto Rico and Hawaii being the most expensive outside the contiguous US. But, for t-shirts and things, I know it won't vary but by a few dollars at worst. So, I usually put those at $6.99 and I'm close enough. BUT, if I were shipping a computer and wanted to use a flat rate, I'd probably go in and exclude those places that would clobber me. I hope that helps!
Thank you ! Now I'm off to sell my hot wheels collection and I'm not as nervous about the shipping price.
Hot Wheels won't be bad at all individually. I love selling vintage Hot Wheels
Thank you Scot for those excellent videos. I am a beginner in this business, and your videos are very helpful for me to start with. I procured some items from Yard sale and Flea market where I did not get any invoice for the items purchased. Do you have any videos on following topics (1) How to keep inventory? (2) How to go with Sales Tax issues? (3) When we get the items from Yard Sales or flee market, we don't get any invoice for our purchase. In such cases how to calculate our base price and profit when we file IRS and State Tax Returns? Best wishes for your efforts to teach beginners.
NotYourDadsCpa has a lot of videos about the tax aspects of reselling. I've never considered myself qualified enough to direct others how to do this. So, always check with a tax professional.
I do a cash accounting method. So, I keep track of how much I've spent. I create my own records as best as I can.
Whats the difference between using a poly bag and a priority envelope? Whats the difference if they are the same size?
You can on use Priority shipping supplies to ship with Priority mail. Priority mail is usually more expensive than Ground Advantage. If you use a poly bag you have the option of shipping Ground Advantage
Thank you so much for such informative video!
Great information. Thank you.
Your videos are among the very best on TH-cam: a lot of useful in a short period of time. Thank you.
Question: the eBay shipping cost calculator URL you posted no longer works. Do you have an updated URL?
Thank you so much!
The link is still working for me. Let me try to paste it for you here. BUT, you do have to be logged into your eBay account on the browser you're trying to use.
www.ebay.com/shp/Calculator
Another great video! Thank you! I've been burned on shipping a few times and no longer offer free shipping.
For us, free shipping didn't really bring in any additional sales. It just wasn't worth it.
Thank you this was informative and ,I mayhave to use the Ebay link when Shipping my Art work, Don't think any of the other shipping will be good for most of my Vintage appraised Art,Glad I found you found you,Thanks again you Videos are sohelpful but shipping does scare me😅
Shipping really is scary when you're starting. I promise it isn't just you. But I also know that fear goes away with every sale you complete.
Thanks for understanding and teaching us newbies!
I was a newbie at one point, too. :-)
I SO appreciate u. I’m glad I clicked on urs… the other video I saw was over an hr so I didn’t click on. I am one of the new very scared ones. I posted ab 10 items within the past few days and just stopped bc I still have no clue as to shipping. So I was told to open a Facebook marketplace acct. Anyway, I used to sell on eBay around 2017 + very much enjoyed my own shipping + P.O. packaging. I now crazily wish I hadn’t posted anything on eBay at all bc I’m learning from u but I am still lost. 🥺
You will learn SO much more because you have listed something. Even if you make a few mistakes, those are just tremendous learning experiences.
That’s so encouraging. Tho I already had the description fitting all the letter spaces available… I just spent quite a bit of time going over each item’s info, aft enjoying what I’m learning from ur videos.
Now I’ll subscribe + go to sleep aft 3AM lol. Thx much :)
Btw, I would have subscribed anyway, but was hoping for a response first. It’s nice that u aren’t an extreme gate- keeper.
I don't know how to be a gate-keeper. I want others to succeed. I have never believed that I would fall behind by helping others to get ahead.@@valeriesantos8178
Thanks a lot sir! 😁👍
Thank you for this video!!😊
Thank you as I enjoyed how you explain I understand you easily. I would like you help me how can I set up USPS in eBay account. From where I start to end.
See if this will help. I created this video to help set the shipping preferences. th-cam.com/video/wFFghNtUDN0/w-d-xo.html
And this video is how to set your shipping policies.
th-cam.com/video/EODgaSNx0Ew/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for your infos it helped me a lot
i have a question when using the ebay calculator you say to type in the city or zip code of the buyer to find out the costs! but my question is how are you supposed to know before hand where the buyers are located/what city or zip code to use? im confused as i cant type in a city if someone hasnt purchased an item yet as i wont have any idea where its going to be shipped to until the buyer makes a purchase? any help would be amazing and thank you for the video ;) i am new to ebay incase you may be wondering lol
You're exactly right. You can't know where the buyer will be. So, I usually enter a location that is far from me. That way, if I miss, I won't lose a bunch of money. 😀 You can do this!
@@TheChaChingKing thank you ;)
My customer has ordered a product on my ebay store with shipping and now the rates are changed overnight here in my country making it impossible for me to deliver in that price. What should i do now.? Should i ask the customer to pay extra for that product? Please help
For me, I wouldn't ever ask the customer to pay more after the sale. I would ship it out and take the loss on that sale. If it's actually cost-prohibitive, I would probably reach out to the customer and let them know and then cancel the sale.
Thank you for your help with explaining every time as easy as piece of cake, one last thing where’s the thermo printer 😊
The thermal printer? Did I forget something?
Another awesome video!!! thank you for sharing!!!
😀
thanks, Scott!
Excellent information.
Thank you!
Is it legal to sell used fragrances on eBay? I learned that the new policy has some restriction... would it be okay to show up on UPS front desk with fragrances to ship?
I'm talking ground shipping for sure.
eBay doesn't allow you to sell used fragrances. It's not just a shipping issue. They lumped it in with things like cosmetics and you can no longer sell the used stuff. So, I don't mess with them at all.
@@TheChaChingKing I see. Thanks for reply man. You're awesome!
Any suggestions for alternatives?
@@abualia922 I have seen some people sell "empty" cologne bottles, which is permissible. But, they show pictures that make it clear they are not empty. But, for me, skirting the rules just isn't worth my time or trouble. You can sell it on Mercari if you get a special hazard license of some kind. But, I don't sell on Mercari, so I'm not much help. It's not allowed on Poshmark unless it's new and unopened, too.
Is it new rule? I sold used parfume 3 years ago no problem.
@@oleneo yes I think the new rules prohibit selling fragrances on ebay
I really need help. Please, help me. I live in Norway and want to sell something internationally, for example to the USA or Europe. Which shipping service should I choose? There are very limited shipping services here in Kongsberg, Norway; for instance, we don’t have FedEx or USPS Ground Advantage, etc. What do you suggest? thank You 👍👌
I think the real key is to find another reseller in Norway who's doing what you want to do. You could reach out to eBay on Facebook and see if they can offer you some direction. But, if there are other sellers there, they would be your best resource. Perhaps look on your Facebook and ask another sellers if they are able to ship to an address in the UK or US. See if they can tell you how they ship. Since I've never had to ship from anywhere outside of the USA, I just don't know how you'd go about it.
Love the free game thank you sir!
Thanks for all of the great info! Just started on EBay this year, shipping is my biggest challenge, this was very helpful! Also, is the custom sku option only for those who have an EBay store? I have looked on my computer, phone, and I-pad, it is not anywhere! I looked at videos about where it should be, mine is not there! Thanks Scott!
No, you don't have to have a store. It's there... hiding... somewhere.
Subscribed! Valuable video for me!
Awesome, thank you!
Thank you for doing this video!
You are so welcome!
Thank you for another awesome video. Wondering if you can give advice on if you get an offer on a free shipping offer and can’t accept it because of the free shipping. That’s why I hate using free shipping because I always find I’ll get an offer and then stuck on what to do. Thank you again ❤
What you've described is one of the main reasons I don't like free shipping.
I sell on multiple platforms I sold on eBay for 17 years and the other platforms are different. Poshmark is probably the easiest because they just use priority Mail and it's one money for up to 5 lbs. I've been doing this long enough I can look at an item and tell you how much it's going to weigh and with the dimensions are and I'm pretty darn close. I don't box them up before I go I know what packing material weighs and the mentions of boxes I have laying around. FYI I don't just have purchase boxes I also use recycle boxes a lot of them. I have started buying boxes and that has helped with some smaller items because I know it'll fit in there and how much packing material it will take to ship an item. You are right on when you say what it cost to ship a t-shirt because most of them are pretty much the same weight. I do sell larger t-shirts and they are much heavier and vintage ones are also a little bit heavier too. I sell really heavy stuff and I do calculated shipping every time too difficult to do flat rate on those as if it's going to California you'll lose your t-shirt on that sale. Thanks for the video is very well done. I shared it to a friend of mine who is just starting out in this business and he goes to the post office to ship his items. He's losing money and I keep telling that so I sent him this link.
I can tell from your response that you know exactly what you're doing. I agree that Poshmark is the easiest platform to ship from. It's not a good deal if someone buys a scarf, but it's a great deal for a Carhartt jacket. LOL
I truly appreciate the kind words.