Comments on: eBay Aus offers 50% off FVF for free shipping

By: Savvy Paul

Savvy Paul — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 15:27:05 +0000

eBay are wasting everyone’s time with this, including buyers. It’s unworkable once you factor in all the variables (as mentioned above) and buyers know there’s no such thing as ‘free’ postage.

Buyers want a system that’s straightforward and reassuring to use (one reason why we don’t use eBay’s ever unreliable combined postage tool) with transparent pricing and specific details of the postage services offered.

The postage DSR is intended to highlight seller performance in this area, so let that do the job. That’s far more useful to buyers than hidden charges and sub-standard delivery arrangements.

If eBay can afford to lop 50% off FVFs (even on a temporary basis), doesn’t that say something about the margins they now enjoy following regular FVF increases?

By: northumbrian

northumbrian — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 11:20:11 +0000

we used to offer a basic no frills everyday cheap as chips option on postage
non trackable
if they paid by paypal it was our neck on the block ,if it went missing they could not loose, even then some insisted on special D,

not these days though its tracked or nowt now
cos you cant even leave the buggers bad feedback if their naughty and claim non delivery, you cant add a few pence to cover for missing items or they whinge

By: just john

just john — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 10:37:14 +0000

#7 could i ask what your dsr for postage is on that account???

By: Sue Bailey

Sue Bailey — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 09:20:41 +0000

#3 North, that’s not only buyers of high value items. I have one ID that only does free shipping now, and I do get a fair few buyers asking me if they can pay for an upgrade to the French equivalent of SD. Seems crazy to me to pay €5 for shipping a €15 item, but if that’s what the buyers want, who am I to say no.

By: northumbrian

northumbrian — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 08:16:41 +0000

lots of things we sell go for Â£500 or more and cost Â£4.60 special delivery

50% FVF saving on that would be like winning the lottery

By: Board_Surfer

Board_Surfer — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 07:20:31 +0000

thats ok as long as 50% of your FVF covers your shipping

Anyone know how to ship a 4 poster bed for Â£6.75?

By: Andrew Minalto`

Andrew Minalto` — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 07:02:40 +0000

Waiting for more *bonuses* to UK site as I mainly offer FREE shipping (for everything that is less than 200g)

By: northumbrian

northumbrian — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 07:00:32 +0000

also high value buyers are interested in secure and safe shipping not free !free shipping worries them, they are concerned it will not be adequate!

By: northumbrian

northumbrian — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 06:49:24 +0000

I wonder if they have thought this thru properly
50% on our FVF is quite a saving, and is that 50% on top of the powerseller Discount ?
we have tried offering free shipping a number of times , it turns into a time consuming headache,
can you discount the cost of what would have been free from the cost, and send it special delivery is a regular request, if I collect can I have the cost of postage refunded is another request have received,
how much is combined shipping when you offer free postage is another classic

By: John

John — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 22:07:44 +0000

Most of my customers get free shipping on a lot of their items already. They are very light (stamps). Therefore only pay 1 shipping charge per order for unlimited stuff.

Kinda mucks up combined shipping discounts.