Use Own Postage Stamps Or Ebay's Discounted Shipping Rates?

For those of you who sell general merchandise on eBay that's taking up space in your home (clothes, household goods, etc..), do you use a pre-paid label you purchase from eBay or your own modern postage that you may have obtained at 70% of FV?

I sell stamps on eBay and use discounted FV postage I acquire at shows. Consider though that on average 99% of the time I'm sending first class envelopes, .60$. If you're sending clothes and heavier things, you, first of all, might need to use more postage than your clerks might allow you to (some are very persnickety. If I try to use more than 3 stamps they refuse to accept), or, second of all, you might not actually have enough SPACE to actually apply stamps. Dealers aren't selling $1 and up stamps at 70% of FV, so you might find yourself needing to pay 5$ postage with 30c stamps. Tricky

oldboldandbrash: You are right about the space, especially for most boxes. If you were to sell a lightweight but bulky 2lb jacket though that you shipped in a 16" long box by 12" wide box and there was hypothetically enough room for entire 29c Elvis sheet, would you use that sheet or buy eBay's postage?

My wife sells 200-300 items a year on ebay. -Definately- use the ebay labels which also provide tracking. If you do not send your items with tracking some people will just declare they did not receive the item and demand a refund. Ebay will side with the customer and you will be out the item and the shipping. Take the label and the tracking.

That's true on the tracking. I have a dealer friend who sells on eBay and for some reason even though I basically never have tracking I'm rated as above standard and he's consistently below standard supposedly because he doesn't provide tracking enough. If you get marked below standard you get charged an additional 6 or so percent on top of ebay's already hefty fees

Gibby01: I'm just starting to sell clothes and household items I'm tired of looking at that are taking up space. Have hardly had any sales. I know there are tons of clothes and household listings, but do you have any tips on how to get items sold? My items get watchers, but no sales. I even have them at "best offer."

They don't have a choice.

Ask them to show you in the DMM (Domestic Mail Manual) where there is a 3 stamp limit on a cover/package.

Spoiler alert - it doesn't exist. This also assumes the discussion is in the US.

I have smiled many a post office into submission with that simple request. They are mostly surprised you even know what the DMM is...and I promise it is usually enough to take the wind out of their sails.

After all, it is their bible whether they follow it or not...

Torin, If you got watchers send them an offer, see if they bite on a sale price. Obviously name brand items sell better as do discontinued personal hygiene items. People get used to having their brand and look for it long after it's off the market. Anything worth less than 5-8 bucks should go to the garage sale, not worth the effort. My wife sells a lot of antiques such as glassware and other smalls but she also does well on hair care/skin products and kitchenware items.
Good pictures, only do buy it now only, maybe roll your shipping cost into the overall price so you can offer free shipping.

Hi,

I only buy on eBay (I do not sell).

80% of the sellers (dealers?) send me my stamp purchases with interesting and voluminous postage stamps on the shipping envelope including plateblocks, souvenir sheets, se-tenant blocks, etc.

That always gets my attention, especially when they combine postage for multiple items. I thus am swayed to show loyalty, by checking out their offerings first. Many times, I've purchased a large envelope or small box of kiloware, and it will be smothered with low denomination or otherwise unique stamps.

Good marketing and discount postage works.

A believer.

If you need U.S.Postage ,you can get it thru Jerry at Stamps "n" Stuff in Des Moines Iowa ,I got $800.00 worth for $400.00 on my credit card at the CHICAGOPEX stamp show and he let me put it on a credit card . Nice thing I was not paying a auction house 20% extra . Got to Florida with it and a friend got upset that I didn't buy it for him . So he took most of mine ..I settled with $100.00 worth or $200.00 face ,then my wife took that for Christmas cards and mail ......so maybe I will call too .

StateRevs easier said than done. You try telling your only neighborhood clerk to eat their words and see how nice they'll be to you the next time they see you. I'm sure the next packages you bring to the desk might not make it to their destination --https://youtube.com/watch?v=GCTiWQXDYaA ever seen Seinfeld?

There are two rules to being successful on EBAY as a seller .

1] Sell it cheaper than others

2] sell something nobody else is selling

I dislike having older postage on my incoming parcels. I find it tends to make the parcel 'stand out', can make it slower to arrive, and the older stamps are often applied with 'glue stick' making them not worth removing. But I understand that sellers will use them because they are cheaper.
Don

Your choice...

I didn't state to go in and insult 6 generations of their heritage. Ask politely and see how that helps.

I received a letter in the mail today with 12 stamps to plus up postage on an old U586, where they cleverly covered the 15 cent surcharge marking with a plate block, gaining 1 cent in postage

If you aren't familiar with U586, it was a 16 cent envelope that was surcharged to make it a 15 cent envelope, but the marking is to the left by a half inch, allowing the shenanigans I received today.

I am dropping a letter in the mail tomorrow with 9 stamps to pay postage.

There is no such thing as a 3 stamp limit. If you accept it, that is on you...

It's polite to use current "commemoratives" when mailing stamps to fellow collectors. Save the discount postage from 1976 for the gas company.

My 2d.

I have 5 stars on all my eBay things, speed accuracy and whatnot. I have 4.9 stars on shipping price. I charge 1.50$ domestic. Arguably that's rock bottom otherwise I'd be losing money on every shipment. If these buyers want modern commemoratives they better cough up some dough otherwise 70% FV 29c'ers it's gonna have to be