The SCF Seller's Big Problem -- Postage

You do ok if you allow the sales to run up a couple of weeks that's fine I totally agree with only be hit with one paypal fee as to many. I use discount postage so agree with you not wanting SASE's. I buy stamps at approximately 30% face and make a big profit margin with shipping by using discount postage. When I sold on scf I would often just have free shipping saved all the trouble as the postage really only cost very little.

I also use the discount postage program . However I highly doubt anyone will have a problem if you set the shipping 50-75cents above actual cost to cover paypal, staionary, and if theres 5 cents left for your time so be it. If a person buys 5 or more and you feel hes paid fairly then shoot an email saying free shipping. 99% of transactions on here usually go well and short of high dollar deals just have fun and enjoy the community.

There's a certain amount of pride involved in saying "actual postage," not to mention the fact that they will be old commems in considerable quantity.

I am young at SCF and Philatelic Material. My First internet purchase was here at SCF. So will have one more trusted buisenesman to buy from. never before I purchased my collection material from other than Authoritive Postage Stamps. Was wondering I read all post on this thread were regarding Buisness Rule. Did not see buyer's purspective. Anyway dough list it PLEASE.

Am young byer of Philatelic material for my enjoyment. Have simple rule for myself if a buisenesman doe not trust me I do not buy. TRUST is Illusive in this Century.

Once upon a time my buiseness was by WORD OF MOUTH buying , Selling or Payment from small town of Country to Distant Countries still have it. In this country my education change me to other Profession.

I believe you misunderstood my comment.

I didn't want to pay for each item purchased separately, and have them mailed separately, thus incurring multiple postage charges for me and fees for you -- that would really be foolish of me (or anyone for that matter).

Combining shipment of purchases and their payment is the only way to go.

The debt that I didn't want to have linger was the postage due "tab" that you indicated you would maintain for all of your buyers, settling with them when the amount owed to you reached some pre-determine amount.

Whether I purchase one or multiple items, I want to pay for them in full.

"Whether I purchase one or multiple items, I want to pay for them in full."

But here's the problem. On Monday you buy a $2 item and the postage is 66 cents. On Thursday you buy a $3 item and the postage is 46 cents. But sent together, the postage is still only 66 cents. On Monday, I don't know what else you might buy. But as soon as you buy something else, especially if it's loose stamps, you have "probably" been overcharged on postage. But if I wait until your balance is $10 to $20, I can quickly see that the total postage is, say, $1.39 total, and that's what you pay.

Is this explanation clear? Additional purchases do not necessarily mean ANY additional postage.

Attention Owner or Mods, etc.

I just sent $5 via PayPal for a month's trial. But I did not see anything "add special instructions" -- the payment is for ME, doug2222.

Interesting thread Doug.
I am with Steve (Tomisek) I'd rather be billed the postage
on multiple lots, either if you sent them once a week or
whatever. I think lingering debt will be a hassle for you.
There maybe a set charge for weight (+ handling)

Shipping is a very pertinent subject for stamps right now,
the USPS rate goes up 3.5% in 2013, and parcels a whopping 21%

I have had 2 shocks in the past week, a great snap at an Canadian Auction
was dulled by a shipping fee of $25 (non trackable)
Canada is bringing out a trackable box, which works out
a CDRom posted that way to Aust $37

I won an auction and missed the vendor does not use paypal,
I am now obliged to pay $6 for a money order on a $11 stamp.

Now it is clear as mud...but maybe that is because I'm tired.

If you go back to my first reply to this thread you'll see that I encouraged your offering of combined shipping -- that is a good thing for both the buyer and the seller.

Where I'm now confused is exactly when you propose sending me the items that I've purchased. Do you intend to hold all of my purchases until I cross a threshold amount ("...if I wait until your balance is $10 to $20...") and then send them all to me at that time in a single mailing?

If I buy an item on Monday and know that I also want to buy an item on Thursday then I'd ask you if I could delay payment until I complete the Thursday purchase. At that point, if I have no immediate plans to make any further purchases, I would want to settle with you for my purchases (paying in full both the combined purchase price and the mailing cost) so that you could send my items.

I hope that I'm making myself clear -- if I buy $3 worth of items and don't intend to make additional purchases in the near term then I'd like to settle and have the items sent to me. I don't want to purchase $3 worth of items and have you hold them until I've purchased $7 or $17 more before I'm able to settle my debt and the items are sent to me. If that isn't your intent then I apologize for not being sharp enough to understand where your heading with this.

Let me sleep on it and I'll re-read the entire thread in the morning.

I have bought and sold here and the people are considerate to a fault..i try to be as fair as possible..after all I have to live here and I recall no one charging unfair postage..this is not ebay where someone charges a $1.75 to mail you a an item and then puts a 45 cent stamp on the envelope !

A brief email that you're done for the time being, and your invoice comes immediately, including postage, and it's sent. I think all this will work out fine. I didn't get a perfect Feedback (+2026) on ebay by causing my buyers problems. I'm searching for an equitable way to avoid being nickled and dimed by PayPal, and to avoid lots of small packages. It WILL work out.

I just sent in 5 bucks, so I'm waiting for "supporter" to pop up alongside my name.

I have been selling here for a long time and most often with multiple sales in a post. Many like it that way and I have had lots of nice comments from our members for which I am very grateful.

Postage has never been a problem, indeed I have never given it a second thought. I just let each buyer know the postage [at cost] and sort it that way. I even try to make it cheaper by using 'gluestick' postage but I never charge for that. If I feel registered is required I will sometimes use it for this purpose.

But postage has never been an issue.

Londonbus1

The "problem" was only that I was looking for the best way to minimize postage costs on a group of low-priced items, and, avoid sending them individually. I have enough input to solve the problem now.

Ad ready to go as soon as "Supporter" pops up.

Interesting you say that, I am getting investigated by ebay
this morning, my account is shut Bang!
I need to resolve the investigation on a transaction that they have yet to advise upon, so I cannot pay my current accounts.

Fortunately I have always paid against an invoice,
in fact have had the occaisional argument with vendors
who requested "gifting" which I have refused to do.

It probably will be a minor irritation, possibly because I
have recently bought stamps from Cuba?

Anyone else had to resolve an issue, wondering how long it takes?

Depends on whether you or they can provide evidence or information consistant with ebay polivy. After that 7 days maybe. New Years would cause delays.