eCRATER.com Forum Index

SearchSearch
ProfileProfile
  Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   
Log inLog in

USPS Shipping Calculator
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3 ... , 15, 16, 17  Next
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    eCRATER.com Forum Index -> News & System Status
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
SheilaDeesPostcards
moderator


Posts: 4613

PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 10:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

anothertimeantiques wrote:
but ..one more: if I enter a weight as 0.50 how will the matrix interpret that if it is used?
The shipping matrix always looks at the number in the weight field as a pound. Either multiple pounds or fraction of a pound. There is a chart in the FAQ section for showing how fractions of a pound should be entered. If you enter a weight as 0.50, the matrix will see it as one-half pound (or 8 ozs.)

If you sell 3 items that are shown as a weight of 0.50 the shipping matrix will combine 3 one-half pounds for a total of 1 1/2 pounds and charge the amount you have listed in the #2 column.

You can use the shipping matrix to create your own system OR you can use the USPS calculated shipping. If you start out with your own system and later decide to use calculated shipping, you'll have to edit every item if you did not use the actual weight.

This is one reason sellers have multiple stores. I have 4 stores and use a shipping matrix based on the number of items purchased for 2 of the stores. It works good for postcards and sewing patterns. However, books and glassware need to be based on weight so they are in different stores using calculated shipping.
Back to top
View seller's profile Send private message Visit seller's eCRATER store
MoonwishesStore
moderator


Posts: 17389

PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 5:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think Sheila might have meant to say that using the matrix in combination with calculated shipping, it will perceive whatever is in the weight spot on your listing as a fraction of a pound. However, if you don't use calculated shipping and only have the matrix, whatever number you put in the weight spot is related to what you have in the corresponding column in the matrix. For me and my patterns, a 1 in the weight spot is what it costs to ship one pattern, the 2 is two patterns and so on.

I think this is the major stumbling point that people have with the matrix is that you can have those columns mean anything you want to as long as you aren't combining your shipping with calculated shipping (where it will see a one and assume you mean one pound and not one item or one ounce).
Back to top
View seller's profile Send private message Visit seller's eCRATER store
zickit



Posts: 21857

PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 8:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
However, if you don't use calculated shipping and only have the matrix, whatever number you put in the weight spot is related to what you have in the corresponding column in the matrix. For me and my patterns, a 1 in the weight spot is what it costs to ship one pattern, the 2 is two patterns and so on.

By doing that ... as anothertimeantiques has been saying ... in google shoppign the item will show with a weight of 1 POUND.
This is why you really need the correct weight in the weight box.

Quote:
I think this is the major stumbling point that people have with the matrix is that you can have those columns mean anything you want to as long as you aren't combining your shipping with calculated shipping (where it will see a one and assume you mean one pound and not one item or one ounce).

Not really, since weight is a feild in the google attributes and is pulled from the weight in the listing.
A shopper sees you are charging 1 pound for a 3ounce item ... they might not like that ... even if the charges is equal to 3 ounces ... they MIGHT not see that part .. because they might not ever click to the listing.
Back to top
View seller's profile Send private message Visit seller's eCRATER store
cosmicray



Posts: 7286

PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 2:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

bigtallmensclothing wrote:
Quote:
However, if you don't use calculated shipping and only have the matrix, whatever number you put in the weight spot is related to what you have in the corresponding column in the matrix. For me and my patterns, a 1 in the weight spot is what it costs to ship one pattern, the 2 is two patterns and so on.

By doing that ... as anothertimeantiques has been saying ... in google shoppign the item will show with a weight of 1 POUND.
This is why you really need the correct weight in the weight box.

OK, where/how can I see this weight in a Google Products search result ?

I just looked at one of my items in GP, and I do not see a weight displayed anywhere. I looked at the Advanced Search page, and I see no option to display a weight. The only thing I see is the item, the item's description, image and price (both with and without shipping to my location). I don't see a weight. How are you seeing it BT ?

BTW, the price with tax and shipping only appears in GP results when I select the list view, not in the grid view.
Back to top
View seller's profile Send private message Visit seller's eCRATER store
zickit



Posts: 21857

PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 2:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
OK, where/how can I see this weight in a Google Products search result ?

I don't know. I do know that sometimes I see it ... and some times I don't
I haven't figured out how or why
but then I don't use google products that much.

That would be a question for google.
Back to top
View seller's profile Send private message Visit seller's eCRATER store
cosmicray



Posts: 7286

PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 8:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

bigtallmensclothing wrote:
I haven't figured out how or why
but then I don't use google products that much.


I have a theory (and I have been unable to prove or disprove it).

There are four basic methods of calculating the shipping costs:
1. Free shipping
2. Calculated shipping (with the shipping matrix as backup)
3. Weight specified and using the shipping matrix
4. Weight specified and using a fixed shipping cost on the listing

Of those four, 1, 3 and 4 can be sent in the feed as a fixed amount for each listing. 2 could also be sent as a fixed amount (using the matrix value), but probably needs the weight in case Google Products wants to utilize the customer's preferred location to calculate the amount.

After some digging around I found a (random) listing on eCrater that utilizes Calculated Shipping [1]. I then asked eCrater for the shipping costs by clicking on the 'USPS calculated (click to check)' link. eCrater returned two values: Priority Mail at $4.95 and Express Mail at $18.30. Then I flipped over to Google Products and found the listing there. GP shows a product price of $2.75 with a total of "$5.75 with tax and shipping".

It appears that GP is using the default value from this seller's shipping matrix (presumably $3.00, as the seller does not have a sales tax set up).

So that blows my theory that GP is actively using weight and zip code to determine the shipping cost. AFICT, GP is using a fixed amount (from the matrix) even if the seller has selected Calculate Shipping. And this just might make the customer abandon the order, if they go in expecting $3.00 shipping, only to find out the lowest choice is $4.95.

If anyone else out there has seen the weight appear on a Google Products search result, please tell me how to see it.

[1] http://www.ecrater.com/p/11057368/vintage-1955-skirt-pattern-waist-26-s1345
Back to top
View seller's profile Send private message Visit seller's eCRATER store
wtcollectibles



Posts: 2728

PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 8:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am very illiterate about Google Shopping, so bear with me if everybody knows this but me. Embarassed

I just did a GS search that brought up 2 Ecrater items, one mine and one from another seller.
1. I use the matrix. My item showed $7.99 as the item price and $11.94 with tax and shipping, which includes the correct amount from my matrix (3.95).
2. The other seller's item just has a price and no reference to "with tax and shipping." That seller is using the USPS calculator. So does this mean that the other seller has no backup filled in and that's why nothing shows?
Back to top
View seller's profile Send private message Visit seller's eCRATER store
cosmicray



Posts: 7286

PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 9:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think that your items are showing up like that because GP has detected that you are in the same state as the seller. If the other seller has no sales tax indicated (on the eCrater listing) then it would hard to tell what state they are shipping from.

Once upon a time I tried changing my location (in Google Shopping search) to a town in the next state, and all my "with Shipping and Tax" went away from my search results. Just tried it and saw the same thing happen. I have no idea why it does that tho.
Back to top
View seller's profile Send private message Visit seller's eCRATER store
wtcollectibles



Posts: 2728

PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 11:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

cosmicray wrote:
I think that your items are showing up like that because GP has detected that you are in the same state as the seller. If the other seller has no sales tax indicated (on the eCrater listing) then it would hard to tell what state they are shipping from.

Once upon a time I tried changing my location (in Google Shopping search) to a town in the next state, and all my "with Shipping and Tax" went away from my search results. Just tried it and saw the same thing happen. I have no idea why it does that tho.

Thanks. I almost thought I was going to understand something, but I guess not! Rolling Eyes I'm not disputing your thought or disagreeing with you when I say that makes no sense, so please don't get insulted. It seems as if the shipping would be there no matter what state I'm in. I thought maybe the difference was that I used the matrix and s/he used the calculator--that's the part that almost made sense to me. Laughing Oh, well.
Back to top
View seller's profile Send private message Visit seller's eCRATER store
cosmicray



Posts: 7286

PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 11:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

wtcollectibles wrote:
It seems as if the shipping would be there no matter what state I'm in.

Oh it should, it most definitely should appear for anyone browsing from a US continental location (because the shipping description is "US Mainland"). I have no idea why they suppress it for someone browsing from a different state (or if they do it in all situations).
Back to top
View seller's profile Send private message Visit seller's eCRATER store
SheilaDeesPostcards
moderator


Posts: 4613

PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 12:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

From prior discussions here on the forum and from my own experience with Google Shopping, here's what I've learned.

1) The "total with tax and shipping" is only shown when you have selected the state where the seller collects tax. If no tax is due, Google does not show the "total with tax and shipping".

2) The shipping shown is sent to Google as a fixed amount. If you are using eCRATER's shipping matrix, free shipping or fixed price shipping, the amount sent to Google will be correct. If you are using the USPS calculated shipping, Google is sent the amount in the eCRATER shipping matrix which we have been told we need to complete as a back-up.

3) The "total with tax and shipping" is only shown in Google Shopping when you are using the list view. If a person uses the Gallery view they never see the "total with tax and shipping".
Back to top
View seller's profile Send private message Visit seller's eCRATER store
cosmicray



Posts: 7286

PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 3:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

SheilaDeesPostcards wrote:
1) The "total with tax and shipping" is only shown when you have selected the state where the seller collects tax. If no tax is due, Google does not show the "total with tax and shipping".


Which makes me think, that eCrater should be sending zero for all the states other than the one (or ones) where I am legally required to collect sales tax. I checked my sales tax admin screen, and all the states other than Florida have zero in them. Either eCrater is not sending the zero, or Google Base is ignoring it.

As an example: I did a GP search for 'lego 8099'. One of the first results is an ebay seller (actually an ebay landing page). If you follow all the way thru, you see that the seller is listing at $49.99 with $10.00 shipping. The seller is located in California, and is highly unlikely to be collecting Florida sales tax. The correct total, $59.99, shows in the GP search results as "total with tax and shipping". So it is possible. This feels like eCrater isn't communicating something in the Google Base feed. I wish there was some way to see what is actually being sent in the feed.
Back to top
View seller's profile Send private message Visit seller's eCRATER store
ladyknightsjewelry



Posts: 289

PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 3:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you use the competitor tool located here, you can see your listing.
http://dev.tomthedeveloper.com/googlebase/ca/

You listing is the second one in the list when I searched for lego 8099


LKJ
Back to top
View seller's profile Send private message Visit seller's eCRATER store
SUPERPLUSHNSTUFF



Posts: 1542

PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 6:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The tax shows according to what state you are selling in and which state the buyer is buying from.
Example: I collect sales tax in Mn. If I sign in to google as a buyer from Mn it shows the sales tax with the total. If I sign in to google as a buyer from Texas no sales tax shows.
Back to top
View seller's profile Send private message Visit seller's eCRATER store
cosmicray



Posts: 7286

PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 6:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ladyknightsjewelry wrote:
You listing is the second one in the list when I searched for lego 8099

OK, but the one I wanted to see (for comparison) was the eBay seller. It isn't in those 5 pages for some reason. Also noticed that my eCrater listing is the only one I saw with a sales tax rate specified.
Back to top
View seller's profile Send private message Visit seller's eCRATER store
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    eCRATER.com Forum Index -> News & System Status
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3 ... , 15, 16, 17  Next
Page 16 of 17

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum