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SheilaDeesPostcards
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Posts: 4614

PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 2:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Also, I wanted to point out that when you sign in to the community forum you'll see a topic called eCRATER Sellers Only. That topic is only viewed by seller's who've signed in and it isn't picked up by the search engines. If you are discussing something you don't want aired to your future buyers, that may be a better section.
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MoonwishesStore
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Posts: 17389

PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 3:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
I don't have enough of certain items to warrant a store for each type


I used to have two stores due to one being all books and wanting the media mail prices. I finally closed it as it was nuisance and in over a year or so I only had a couple of orders, it just wasn't worth the time and trouble. I have however at this point figured out how to work the matrix for whatever I need to charge something for. Shipping is one thing a lot of sellers don't like about ecrater. Once I figured out the matrix, I've been happy ever since. It took me a couple of days and sleepless days thinking about it before my brain snapped to attention! No reason to close a store as I wanted to sell here as I couldn't find in 2008 and other venue as much like this one that I wanted to sell on, and there sure are some really bad venues out there. I don't have the time or energy to start my own stand alone website and the costs of having as much inventory up for sell on a private website would most of the sites be very cost prohibitive. I might as well go back to ebay if I was going to pay fees like that.

I do want to encourage you to hang on and relax as once you get the hang of things ecrater is so much better than many of the other venues. Even before I got satellite, their one page listing page went so fast for me as I was used to slowly loading several pages to make one listing on other sites. Finally we got to the point we could afford the satellite and did that ever make difference!
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MaggietheCatsMeows



Posts: 2853

PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 11:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Glad you are giving us another chance.

Re FREE Shipping:
You will be paying commission on shipping for all marketplace orders if you have it figured into your item prices. If you have items that are 2 pounds or more, you will find you will be losing more money than you might be comfortable with. It is just something to think about. I used to offer free shipping on lightweight items but stopped. I then had to reduce all my prices that had shipping included.
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humfreybearscloset



Posts: 35

PostPosted: Sat Jul 05, 2014 12:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

SheilaDeesPostcards wrote:
Also, I wanted to point out that when you sign in to the community forum you'll see a topic called eCRATER Sellers Only. That topic is only viewed by seller's who've signed in and it isn't picked up by the search engines. If you are discussing something you don't want aired to your future buyers, that may be a better section.


Thanks for the tip Sheila. Will definitely do that if there's something that I only want sellers only to see.

SheilaDeesPostcards wrote:
If you are from the U.S., it might work better for you to use USPS calculated and only select First Class Parcel (offered if the packed weight is 13oz or less) and Priority Mail.


Unfortunately all my items weigh different amounts. I tried USPS calculated on just one item (under 1 lb.) at priority rates & it was okay. However when I tried something over 1 lb., the priority shipping was way too high. For anything over 1 lb., I want to use standard post.
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humfreybearscloset



Posts: 35

PostPosted: Sat Jul 05, 2014 12:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

MoonwishesStore wrote:
Shipping is one thing a lot of sellers don't like about ecrater. Once I figured out the matrix, I've been happy ever since. It took me a couple of days and sleepless days thinking about it before my brain snapped to attention!


Is it possible to incorporate several different methods of shipping into the matrix - first class, media, priority & standard rates? Once I figure how to do that (if possible) I'm good to go. Smile
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humfreybearscloset



Posts: 35

PostPosted: Sat Jul 05, 2014 12:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

MaggietheCatsMeows wrote:
Glad you are giving us another chance.

Re FREE Shipping:
You will be paying commission on shipping for all marketplace orders if you have it figured into your item prices. If you have items that are 2 pounds or more, you will find you will be losing more money than you might be comfortable with. It is just something to think about. I used to offer free shipping on lightweight items but stopped. I then had to reduce all my prices that had shipping included.


I've been using free shipping on ebay for the past several months so I'm used to losing money. I used to be one of those persons that wanted to the the most I could for an item. Now my only goal is to get them out of my house so I'm happy if they sell at all. Wink
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MoonwishesStore
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 05, 2014 1:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Is it possible to incorporate several different methods of shipping into the matrix - first class, media, priority & standard rates? Once I figure how to do that (if possible) I'm good to go. Smile


Not really. When using the matrix you don’t have to pre-specify how you will be shipping their item. On my matrix, because most of what I sell is first class, I have first class rates for the average weight and shipping costs, per item, my first column is for one item, the second is for two, the third is for 3-4 items. On the forth column, the one that has a 6 on top of it, I have the rate for 1# priority rate since usually 5-6 patterns can run about that much to ship, not if they are 'skinny' patterns, but for some reason almost all my multi-item purchases are for 'fat' patterns and so their combined weight goes over 1#. At that point and I think I mentioned before, my rates don’t change. Every US buyer pays the one pound Priority rate no matter how many patterns they buy because in the long run it is actually cheaper for me and encourages buyers to stick more items in their cart. However, if I sold heavier objects, I could continue with the next columns, say by increasing each one by the amount to cover the shipping and handling costs.

You can make the Matrix values be anything you want, but in your case you need things to go by weights apparently, so I would suggest this. Please note that these are the actual e-postage costs without any handling costs incorporated, you would have to add yours. I am also using the numbers at the top of the default small weight matrix.

Column 1 - for anything up to 8 oz $2.59
Column 2 - for anything up to 2# $5.44
Column 4 - for anything up to 4# $7.25
Column 6 - for anything up to 6# $7.33
Column 8 - for anything up to 8# $9.79
Column 10 - for anything up to 10# $13.18
Column 12 - for anything up to 12# $15.10
Column 14 - for anything up to 14# $17.04
Column 16 - for anything up to 16# $18.97
For Column 16+ put at least $2.00 in that box


How to use the matrix:
You list a pair of children’s mittens. They weigh less than 8 oz so in the weight box you put 1. And the returned shipping cost is $2.59

You sell a book that weighs 4# which would cost $4.36 for media rate so you put 2 in the weight box (remember that you can not combine media with other items). Even though you are technically collecting a Priority mail rate for it you can still send it via media mail or even Priority depending on what comes out cheaper for you once it is packaged and weighed.

You sell a crystal vase that with adequate packing weighs 5# so you put 6 in the weight box in the listing which would cost $7.33. If you sell its twin as well to the same customer and both having the 6 in their weight box, the matrix will add the two 6’s together and come up with the shipping price of $15.10. Just so you are aware, many times the ‘standard’ rate is higher than the Priority rate and would be in this case. This matrix scenario doesn’t leave room for using the flat rate boxes, at least the medium and large ones, or shipping priority by zones, until you see where the customer is from, but I have found those large flat rate boxes always would cost me more than using my own box with Priority stickers on it.

Let’s see another example. A customer buys 4 things from you. Two have weights of one, one has a weight of 4 and one has a weight of 6. So it would figure 1+1+4+6=12 the shipping would come out to $15.10. And that should adequately cover the cost for shipping.

Don’t forget you do need to add into each of those numbers a handling charge which can be about $1 -$1.50. I round out the numbers so they don’t look weird. I have heard of some sellers using fractions with the matrix, I don’t and even though in general I am good with numbers, that can be shaving things a bit too close for comfort and my matrix has worked well for me now for about 6 years just as I have it set up.

Hope this helps turn on the light bulb for you. If a customer does buy multi-item things from you including a book, you should, depending on the total order either ship the whole purchase via priority, or pull the book out to ship separately media mail and the rest by priority. That is a decision you can only make with seeing the whole orders. Most of my customers only buy one item at a time. The multi-item buyers are wonderful though and this should set you up well to serve them. Most international locations other than Canada and Mexico have the same amounts of shipping charged based on weight, so if you go through the chart (or much nicer if you have endicia, or other e-program) and check out the different country scenarios to fill in a foreign matrix as well.
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MoonwishesStore
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Posts: 17389

PostPosted: Sat Jul 05, 2014 1:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Woops! Sorry, duplicate post.

Last edited by MoonwishesStore on Sun Jul 06, 2014 8:15 am; edited 1 time in total
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SheilaDeesPostcards
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Posts: 4614

PostPosted: Sat Jul 05, 2014 3:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

humfreybearscloset wrote:
SheilaDeesPostcards wrote:
If you are from the U.S., it might work better for you to use USPS calculated and only select First Class Parcel (offered if the packed weight is 13oz or less) and Priority Mail.

Unfortunately all my items weigh different amounts. I tried USPS calculated on just one item (under 1 lb.) at priority rates & it was okay. However when I tried something over 1 lb., the priority shipping was way too high. For anything over 1 lb., I want to use standard post.
So why don't you remove Priority Shipping and add Standard Post? You could offer First Class Parcel (only offered if weight is under 13oz.) and Standard Post as the only shipping option. (Or remove First Class Mail and just use Standard Post.) Both Priority Mail and Standard Post are zone based and the rates returned by USPS Calculated is the rate charged at the Post Office counter. If you purchase your postage online, you'll pay a slightly lower rate and the difference can help pay for the cost of shipping material.
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humfreybearscloset



Posts: 35

PostPosted: Sat Jul 05, 2014 6:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the examples. I think if I study your post more thoroughly it will help me get the desired results. I'm sure there's going to be a lot of trial & error in trying to get things just the way I want them. Is there a way that I can check to see if my figures will work especially if someone were to purchase more than one item? Also how do you factor in the different shipping zones to each part of the U.S. in order to know what to charge for shipping? That's still has me a little perplexed. I'm in Texas & there are 4 different zones that cover the state.
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humfreybearscloset



Posts: 35

PostPosted: Sat Jul 05, 2014 6:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

SheilaDeesPostcards wrote:

So why don't you remove Priority Shipping and add Standard Post? You could offer First Class Parcel (only offered if weight is under 13oz.) and Standard Post as the only shipping option. (Or remove First Class Mail and just use Standard Post.) Both Priority Mail and Standard Post are zone based and the rates returned by USPS Calculated is the rate charged at the Post Office counter. If you purchase your postage online, you'll pay a slightly lower rate and the difference can help pay for the cost of shipping material.


I crunched some numbers & anything under 1 lb. is cheaper with Priority Mail considering I'm going to try selling my Cherished Teddies figurines to start out with. Since I also get insurance up to $50 plus free tracking included that's the best method. If I were to use Standard Post tracking would still be free, but insurance would be extra. The Cherished Teddies figurines I plan on selling need to have insurance since they are breakable. Some do weigh (once packaged) a little less than 1 lb, but some do weigh close to 2 or 3 lbs. Once I get to the 2+ lbs. it is cheaper to send them SP with insurance added than it would be if I sent them PM. I do pack everything very carefully, but you never know how the package is going to be treated once it leaves my hands. Sad

I know it's cheaper if I print online postage & just schedule a pick-up, but there's only one carrier that I trust here, but she doesn't run the route I'm on every day.


Last edited by humfreybearscloset on Sun Jul 06, 2014 6:54 am; edited 1 time in total
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cosmicray



Posts: 7286

PostPosted: Sat Jul 05, 2014 7:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

MoonwishesStore wrote:
Column 1 - for anything up to 8 oz $2.59
Column 2 - for anything up to 2# $5.44
Column 4 - for anything up to 4# $7.25
Column 6 - for anything up to 6# $7.33 <-- s/b $7.55
Column 8 - for anything up to 8# $9.79
Column 10 - for anything up to 10# $13.18
Column 12 - for anything up to 12# $15.10
Column 14 - for anything up to 14# $17.04
Column 16 - for anything up to 16# $18.97
For Column 16+ put at least $2.00 in that box

Those are the electronic postage PM rates for zone 3. Hope you don't get too many going to zone 8.

Down here in the right-bottom corner, I see lots to zone 5 and zone 8, and not so much to zone 3.
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MoonwishesStore
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 06, 2014 8:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

cosmic, That was meant as an example of the numbers that come up. When I have had to ship via Priority, I've never really run into big trouble with the different zones. I don't think the original poster has e-postage yet, but hopefully can 'see' things better with the example. I don't have my matrix broken down like that since the highest I charge for any shipping is 1# priority. I just wanted to help him see how to set up a Matrix. I forgot I had a fairly close by address showing up on my Dazzle account when running the numbers. However this is where the deciding if a flat rate box as opposed to a zoned priority charge comes out better. In an example I just did for my old address on the other side of the country. A Medium flat rate box would be $11.20, a large one $15.80 while a 7# package would be $24.27, and parcel post is $17.71. Going from PA to CA.

When listing, if something isn't going to fit into a medium flat rate box, then you will have to figure out whether you chould put down the weight on the listing, one that will cover the cost of a large flat rate box, or if it is just a large but lightweight item, will you send it by a different way? This is all something that needs to be thought out on the back end when listing. And you will never know ahead of time which zone you have to prepare for.

No matter how you set up your Matrix, or even flat rate shipping you will have trouble if a buyer is too far away. But as long as you don't tell the buyer ahead of time which mail stream you will be using (1st class, priority,small, medium or large flat rate or zoned boxes, parcel) you can go with the one that comes up closest to your weight charge simply because we can never know ahead who will buy our goods. But since you need a back up Matrix in case the calculated shipping times out, this is the way to set it up, only with your numbers that work the best for the seller depending on where they are selling from, east coast, west coast, heartland, etc. Like I have said before, I have never had trouble with the matrix adding up combined purchases, that is the easiest and best part of it. But for the OP he might just be better off with calculated shipping (and readjusting them every year or so depending on how high the PO increases rates) and ONLY Priority (which of course takes away the parcel post option) as the way to ship and the matrix as the back up. Doesn't the calculated take into account the area where you are shipping to? I don't use it so I'm not that familiar with it.

I know shipping is one of the biggest problems peple have here. I'm glad that isn't my problem, but did want to give an example of how to set up a matrix so he and others could figure it out easier and of course they will have to include their own numbers.
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