The SCF Seller's Big Problem -- Postage

Once again, I am thinking about becoming a Supporter and offering something new for sale every day, usually a list of (say) 10 items, all of which are $2 each, or $1 each, something simple like that.

I would like everybody's input/comments about how to handle postage.

If I build postage into the price of them item, and you buy 5 items, then you have (in effect) overpaid for postage.

If you buy 5 items, and I then calculate actual postage, you don't know in advance what the lot is going to cost you.

If you buy various items at various times, sent post-free, and I invoice you every time your accumulated postage reaches $10, you may feel overcharged.

What is the preference of the SCF members??

With 10 inexpensive items to choose from every day, I am assuming some of you will spend $5 to $10 per week, all for items of various sizes and weights. Very confusing and hard to find an equitable solution.

Let me hear from buyers - how to handle postage.

I will not start advertising until we come up with a workable plan that suits at least a majority of the respondents. By the way, I will ship to the U.S. and selected countries overseas, at the buyer's risk, since $11+ for Registration is out of the question. Parcels I send out will have "wonderful" stamps.

Can't you just separate the issues of buyong the stamps from that of paying the postage? Calculate postage after the sale?

Yes, that was one of the options mentioned above, but it means the buyer doesn't know the total cost of his selections until I email him back. Maybe that's not a problem.

I agree on keeping shipping costs separate from the cost of the item. If you are selling the item, once someone indicates an interest, you can use various online postal rate charts to tell them what the expected cost of shipping would be. If auctioning the item, once you know who the high bidder is, you can do the same, indicating that the auctioned item is on hold waiting on the acceptance of the bid+shipping cost. Give the winner several days to respond.

If I see that someone has various items for auction with varying auction end dates, and if I win one of the earlier items, I would consider asking the seller if I could delay shipment until end of the other auctions to combine shipping costs. If I wanted the item right away, then I would expect to be paying additional postage for not waiting. Thus it is up to the buyer if he/she wants to pay additional postage.

Doug I use to charge $1 to Canada $1.50 USA and $2.25 international.
What I did was charge auctual postage plus add on 40 - 50 cents to cover paypal and packaging.
For example postage to the USA at the time was $1.03 my shipping cost was $1.50.This left me with 47c for the pay pal fee's.
Some members will gift the money or pay the fee,s but it depends on the member. I for one will NEVER gift money on a transaction no matter how well I know the person.
I think your best bet is to have a set rate for shipping to different areas, and offer combine shipping. You might want to add say 10c for each extra lot in case postage weight goes up.

Doug,

An option would be for you to charge actual postage and let the buyers know where the item will be mailed from (i.e., your zip code) and how it will be packaged (e.g., with stiffeners requiring non-machinable surcharge). Then, buyers worldwide will be able to calculate an approximate shipping cost using the USPS.com "Calculate a Price" function (my Legends of the West auction provides an example of this method).

I'd also encourage offering to combine shipping on multiple lots purchased.

Steve

When I sold stamps on SCF I just write "postage at cost" and just charge what the post office charge me. I email total cost after I went to the post office and I always got paid afterward. I had many sales and auctions on SCF and members always paid me after I shipped. Never had a bad experience selling on SCF.

Most of us are seasoned buyers of stamps from online sources. I think it's reasonable to assume we have a good idea how much postage will cost us even when buying from across the world.

I think you should keep postage separate and charge actual cost as stated above.

I keep the costs separate, and as far as postage goes, just charge the basic rate Canada Post charges. If I have to pay extra (due to size or weight) I just eat the cost. Others here have done me good turns, it goes around.
I also combine shipping costs, as I do on ebay. I'm not in this for profit, just to feed my habit.

So far, this is excellent. I agree, for instance, that I will NOT ask for or accept the PayPal "gift" function. To cut down on the number of PayPal payments, and to zero in on the postage costs, I am thinking I will simply "send" the items, and bill you when your total reaches about $20. You would receive an item-by-item invoice, with postage noted, then you would pay by check, money order, or PayPal, as you see fit. If it takes you six months to get to $20, so be it. It is very easy to keep all this detail in Excel.

My ads will probably contain (for instance) 10 items priced at $1 each, or 10 items priced at $3, etc., plenty of choices. If someone accumulates $20 worth of stamps and no covers, I may not charge them postage at all, since it will be only 46c.

My mistake back in July was offering items that were too expensive, although at good prices. There are MANY $1 items I can offer, both stamps and covers, that should attract the folks here.

I also think the way to turn our hundreds of "lurkers" into MEMBERS is to loosen up the "sales" function so that, if they live far from a stamp store or stamp club, and don't like the risks of ebay, this site will help meet their needs of acquiring new items. In time, some of you may email me privately and ask for a selection at (say) $5 each, perhaps from a narrower perspective, like Scandinavia only, etc. That I will gladly do. Some of you, through other sites, have already dealt with me many times, and I know pretty much what you want and why. Everyone will benefit.

The volume and prevalence of sales has nothing to do with the HELP and philatelic knowledge spun off to members. I still anticipate answering a LOT of questions and passing along the benefit of 60 years of collecting to the newbies.

Now, keep the POSTAGE and PAYMENT commentary coming..., please.

One more note - overusing the PayPal "gift" function is going to backfire one of these days, for both buyers and sellers. PayPal, never an outfit eager to help or support its users, will find a way to screw the "gifters," wait and see. I would not be at all surprised to see them go into your bank account LIKE THEY CAN DO NOW and reclaim all the "lost" fees back to Day 1, and NOTHING you can do about it.

Not knowing exactly how much isn't a problem at all. Post an auction "plus exact postage". Most people can figure out for themselves approximately how much postage will be.

I prefer to pay as I go rather than maintain a lingering debt.

Doug2222 - Can we assume that you will also mail to Canada, and just forgot to mention it in "the U.S. and selected countries overseas"?

Doug the rules for the buy sell trade section are set in stone.
The admins have had nothing but trouble with the section, they often get emails about I never received my stamps or I haven't been paid for them Blah blah . I can understand for them not wanting to change the rules on the bst section.
Best thing is to follow the rules and not rock the boat by trying to get them to change.
Just giving you a heads up

For postage keep it to approximately the actual cost, if payment is by paypal then the buyer pays the fee,s, Allow members to mail payment and send also a stamped address envelope, this will save you the time of writing the address and fixing postage, This Probably only work with USA residents But many members from overseas have mint USA stamps and dollar bills from selling stamps etc.

I think you will do well I always find scf a good place to sell .
You should also offer world wide sales, We are a global forum and many members live out side the states, this will also increase your sales

Yes, Canada and worldwide; probably not to Nigeria and Kazakhstan, and 100 other iffy destinations.

Lingering debt. If you buy five $1 stamps, and I mail them individually, you have paid $2.30 for postage; if I wait and consolidate them, you pay 46 cents postage. If you use PayPal 5 separate times, I am nicked $1.75 -- PayPal once, only 35 cents (+ commission). So I will consolidate both shipments and payments, sorry.

"...the rules for the buy sell trade section are set in stone." I haven't asked for any changes, and don't plan to. I probably should have said "expand" instead of "loosen."

No SASE's. Part of the process is to use up MY discount postage. That will take, at present usage, about 14 years. Besides, I will be using cardboard mailers for covers, not plain envelopes.

Doubt that I will ever have any auctions, just fixed sales.

I will never contact the Mods with a problem. I will just write it off, but that person will never buy from me again. If I get a bad check, I will offer it for sale on ebay, with name, address, and account number easily readable.

Yes, I have experience. Present ebay Feedback +2026, 100% positive, about 2,800 transactions over the past 11 years. Plus bidStart, plus Delcampe, plus CoinTalk. Plus rudimentary skills in 5 languages, one of them English.

Life Member of the APS, first joined in 1972.