Ebay Shipping is killing me

I have a 100% score on eBay and there's two things I do on shipping so I don't lose money.

1. Use eBay's flat-rate shipping boxes. I crammed 70 cds in the large flat-rate box, duct tape that puppy together and paid only the large flat-rate shipping for a very heavy, heavy box.

2. If I cannot use flat-rate shipping I put a shipping fee on the item and then on my description I write:

I will calculate the shipping by going to the post office and give you the "exact" amount it will cost me to ship the item. It will take me a day to get the item boxed and over the post office. I do not in any way want to make money off of you the buyer on shipping. Please have patience.

Yes, it is an "extra" trip for me on having to go the post office, get it weighed, then contact the buyer with the exact amount. But why do you think I have that 100% score? I don't inflate the shipping cost. When people discover I'm going to go through this extra trouble, they BID on my items. I have sold almost everything I've put up on eBay, but I also ship world-wide and yes, that's an extra trip to the post office to check on the price of that international shipping cost.

I don't care. I want to sell. So if an extra trip to the post office will get me a profit, I'm there.

Yes, it is an "extra" trip for me on having to go the post office, get it weighed,

You can buy a postal scale for about $20, weight them at home and also print out a label to attach to the box. Then you just bring them to the PO or arrange for a free pick-up. For the cost of the scale you'll more than make up in fuel costs and time spent. As to your 100% feedback, don't get too cocky over it just yet. Because all that means is that you haven't run into that occasional buyer that is never happy with anything or that you haven't sold long enough on eBay.

I've been a member on eBay since 2004 and in both Santa Monica and Santa Cruz the post office was just a hop, jump, skip away. "Extra" trip was just a few blocks for me. Not trying to be cocky, trying to state a fact as to "why" my ranking is at 100%.

I did have a guy in England who attempted to give me a bad rating through Paypal, etc., but I worked it out with him. Guy wouldn't give me his exact address so I knew it was shady from the start, but he had won the item.

I knew a guy who had a 100% rating on 5000 items sold. That's just crazy good seller. I have sold less than 100 items and bought over 100 items off eBay. The items I've sold quite a variety. From original fencing T-shirts, camera gear, film equipment, to books, and at that time I did ship world wide. My Nikon camera body went to one part of the world and the lens at another.

Because I'm a writer I know how to market the item. My eBay description very detailed on every dent, scratch or imperfection down to the letter. No surprises. On most items I offer 100% back return, but not all. It's a combination of my shipping offer, truthful descriptions and quick turn around communication that I've not had problems on eBay. Those are just facts.

I no longer sell on eBay because I don't have large inventory. I'm back to Craigs or smaller forums to get a little bit more for my money now.

I've been a member on eBay since 2004 and in both Santa Monica and Santa Cruz the post office was just a hop, jump, skip away. "Extra" trip was just a few blocks for me.

No doubt about it, shipping on eBay is something that has to be watched carefully since buyer's most common "ding" to sellers is "shipping and handling charges". You can have "5" ratings on everything else and get a "4.8" on shipping.
Doesn't matter all that much in the long run as long as you don't acutally get negative feedback...that's what hurts the most.

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On another note...to a fellow Californian....I saw in an earlier post you made that you are in the Mojave. How did you make the transition from the ocean areas to the desert ? !   Quite a change.  I was just over at Half Moon Bay (south of Santa Cruz) on Easter Sunday...the ocean is beautiful this time of year.

Movie Man - you're right on the shipping.

I know exactly where you are, having lived in Santa Cruz for almost seven years. October we called our "summer." We left the hotel business in Santa Cruz and hopped over to Santa Monica for three years. Then hopped to the desert, seriously not by choice, but because it was cheap. Let's just say life's circumstance derailed my Hollywood plans for the time being.

I sure do miss the ocean though. You are one lucky dude, Movie Man. Send me a pm and tell me why you're called "Movie Man" if you don't mind.

yeah make sure you take into account your getting hit with fees on shipping which can really add up on more expensive shipping items. ebay prices are pretty low so chances are if you can't unload an item on craigslist there's not gonna be much interest on ebay, especially taking into consideration a hefty shipping cost

chances are if you can't unload an item on craigslist there's not gonna be much interest on ebay,

I'm not sure where you draw that conclusion from. But in my experience CL might reach thousands, but eBay reaches millions.