At What Point Will Shipping Costs Kill Your Online Sales?

[Scheradon]

I just had to charge some poor sap $23 to ship a box 1 pound and 1 ounce to the UK. I felt guilty giving him the total and I'm not making a penny off shipping.

 

A FF OmniBus to Australia was something like $34.

 

I always tried to ship international because it was good marketing -- why limit your potential bidders? That said, I think the USPS did just that. If this doesn't kill international shipping, it will put it on life support.

 

I agree. I cringe when I have to answer shipping cost requests to foriegn countries anymore. The bad thing is, now if you're just over or just under your estimated weight, you're either screwing the customer or yourself big time.

[richnerd]

Is this thread leading to the old "Comic Crash theory" ?

[AussieRuss]

I have really noticed the shipping price hike with things like Mylars & other supplies.

 

It normally would cost me about $60 in shipping to have 20 packs of mylars shipped to me in Australia. Now the shipping cost is about$130

 

It doesn't really affect me that much on things that I would normally have shipped via Airmail but heavy items like mylars or backing boards that would have been sent via surface now need to travel via airmail and the pricing has got completely out of control.

 

I think that some things will become a much better option to have manufactured locally. It will be interesting to see what happens to certain forms of export in the future.

 

Russ...

[Scheradon]

Current shipping costs make selling 'cheapie books' completely unfeasible now. Time to start selling $1 books out on my driveway.....

 

I did just that and it worked rather well. No feeBay charges, Payoutyourasspal charges...just instant cash.

[FlyingDonut]

I don't think it has that much of an affect. The hike in the US rates still isn't that high, and since I ship everything USPS priority, it hasn't really made that much of a difference. The two big jumps in price are to Canada and to non-Flat Rate postage overseas. If you're shipping overseas, you simply have to use Flat Rate pricing now, or you're going to be screwed. Same with Canada, but there are ways to get around it.

 

Flat Rate pricing to overseas is pretty much the only option now. I sell very few slabs, so that might have something to do with my ennui about shipping costs, but given the dramatic dollar slide, you're cutting your nose off if you don't sell overseas now.

[Mac Man]

There's another thread running that seems in some ways to counterpoint this how the internet is the next step in this business, threatening the livelihood of the brick and mortar shops. Yet, for all the evolutionary steps on one side, there are others that counterbalance them. I think that while this shipping hike IS difficult for online sellers, it does work in favor of the stores. When the online discount is getting chewed up by shipping costs, isn't just as easier (and quicker) to go to the store? (This is assuming you have a well-stocked store of course)

[piper]

I don't think it has that much of an affect. The hike in the US rates still isn't that high, and since I ship everything USPS priority, it hasn't really made that much of a difference. The two big jumps in price are to Canada and to non-Flat Rate postage overseas. If you're shipping overseas, you simply have to use Flat Rate pricing now, or you're going to be screwed. Same with Canada, but there are ways to get around it.

 

Flat Rate pricing to overseas is pretty much the only option now. I sell very few slabs, so that might have something to do with my ennui about shipping costs, but given the dramatic dollar slide, you're cutting your nose off if you don't sell overseas now.

 

As a Canadian Buyer, I would definitely be interested in how you get around it.

 

I don't think the higher shipping costs will have much effect yet. The issue is availability. I do not live in a big back issue comic market like NYC. In Edmonton, I can pick up over priced G/VG SA & BA books at the local comic shops. Aside from the Internet, my only other avenue to pick up quality back issues would be to go to the bigger con such as San Diego, which would be a much more costly venture.

[Sid]

Domestic is still 'OK' but international is going to hell. I got into an argument recently on eBay with a gentleman from Canada who insisted there was a flat rate box that would fit close to 5 lbs of books and was only $9. We decided on $15 for the shipping price since he couldn't back it up with anything else except quoting me the envelope price. The final shipping cost was $22 and I had to eat about how much the stupid books sold for anyways.

[rjpb]

The other shocker was when I had to charge $30 shipping to a buyer in Singapore for a box of 25 comics that he won for $20. I only hope he had calculated that into his bid (still less than cover price).

 

Interesting...was it a guy named Joe, perchance? If so, then I sold him a large lot a few months ago, and he paid the $20 shipping with no problem. (Can't imagine there are that many guys in Singapore buying bulk lots of comics...)

 

His name is Andrew. I sold some books to a guy in Singapore a couple years back, the street is the same, but different buyer. The speed that the previous shipment got there was amazing. I shipped the package GP on a Sat. afternoon in L.A., and had positive feedback from the buyer by Monday evening.

[Fazybones]

I recently sold a collection to a board member in the UK of 132 issues and Canada Post via Airmail with 1,000.00 $ insurance was 215.30 $ and I thought it only fair to split those costs with the buyer. I must say Canada Post really surprised us both and it arrived undamaged in five days over a weekend.

 

Of course it was expertly packaged.

[FlyingDonut]

Domestic is still 'OK' but international is going to hell. I got into an argument recently on eBay with a gentleman from Canada who insisted there was a flat rate box that would fit close to 5 lbs of books and was only $9. We decided on $15 for the shipping price since he couldn't back it up with anything else except quoting me the envelope price. The final shipping cost was $22 and I had to eat about how much the stupid books sold for anyways.

 

Well, there isn't. Your best bet at this point to Canada is UPS.

[skypinkblu]

I've shipped a few things to Canada first class, boxed, before if I wanted to use a box, the cost was prohibitive...and I got to use my Super hero stamps, too:) but no insurance..*sigh*

 

I usually sell lower grade/cheaper things...I tried ONE week of priority shipping, half my stuff went for 1/2 of what I expected...so, I learned my lesson, I just bought 1,000 more media boxes...I gave up:)

[FlyingDonut]

I get a great deal of "do you combine shipping" requests, to which my response is always "of course." That way I have lots of repeat buyers, which makes me happy.

[Ze-man]

I get a great deal of "do you combine shipping" requests, to which my response is always "of course." That way I have lots of repeat buyers, which makes me happy.

 

I thought Donuts made you happy.

 

 

But you are right about combining shipping, being able to spread that out over time too so one might add things to their pile never hurts either.

 

Nick is way to lenient with me in this manner, Except I forget what I bid on many times. Let alone what I owe him.

 

 

 

Ze-

[comicAL]

Hi, joe_collector and All

 

With a Priority Mail in a Flat Rate Box I can place up to six CGC graded comics very well packaged for the new rate of USPS $8.95 to anywhere in the USA.

 

The new First Class Interenational cost is at the limit most International customers will pay. Although there are persons who really want the comics and will pay what ever the cost of shipping is going to be for that package.

 

I have been selling comics on eBay for over 9 years and I try to send Priority Mail by exact weight, no handling charges!

 

AAJ

[Ze-man]

There's another thread running that seems in some ways to counterpoint this how the internet is the next step in this business, threatening the livelihood of the brick and mortar shops. Yet, for all the evolutionary steps on one side, there are others that counterbalance them. I think that while this shipping hike IS difficult for online sellers, it does work in favor of the stores. When the online discount is getting chewed up by shipping costs, isn't just as easier (and quicker) to go to the store? (This is assuming you have a well-stocked store of course)

 

 

I thought the same thing after reading Josephs thread and then this one. In the end we just have to juggle how much we want a particular book with if it is cost effective enough to have it "now" and pay for shipping, instead of perhaps waiting and finding it later at a Con, or locally.

 

Depending on the book , sometimes shipping cost is not even an issue when buying. You want it, you buy it and pay to have it shipped to you.

 

 

Ze-

[divad]

Domestic is still 'OK' but international is going to hell. I got into an argument recently on eBay with a gentleman from Canada who insisted there was a flat rate box that would fit close to 5 lbs of books and was only $9. We decided on $15 for the shipping price since he couldn't back it up with anything else except quoting me the envelope price. The final shipping cost was $22 and I had to eat about how much the stupid books sold for anyways.

 

Well, there isn't. Your best bet at this point to Canada is UPS.

 

Nope, there is a flat rate international box now - just received them. Haven't figured out what the rate is yet though . . .

 

New from the USPS today - when shipping International Priority you must use the pouch customs form - can no longer use the little green customs form.

[divad]

This is not a self-promoting plug thread.

[Ze-man]

This is not a self-promoting plug thread.

 

Too late David, you should be banned any second now. I hit the insta-ban button.

 

Sorry

 

 

Ze-

[sckao]

Hi, joe_collector and All

 

With a Priority Mail in a Flat Rate Box I can place up to six CGC graded comics very well packaged for the new rate of USPS $8.95 to anywhere in the USA.

 

The new First Class Interenational cost is at the limit most International customers will pay. Although there are persons who really want the comics and will pay what ever the cost of shipping is going to be for that package.

 

I have been selling comics on eBay for over 9 years and I try to send Priority Mail by exact weight, no handling charges!

 

AAJ

 

SIX SLABS?

 

I can do no more than 4 actually... and I feel comfortable with 3 usually.

 

How do you package them?