Free Shipping One Size Does Not Fit All

As Ebay sellers we have all been encouraged to offer free shipping on our merchandise.  It is very tempting to fall into line and do what the masses are doing on the site.  We want to be good little soldiers and do what our buyers want, right?


However we all know that there is no such thing as a free lunch in our logical minds.  So there is really no such thing as "free shipping".  The concept means shipping is included in the price and you do not have to add the two amounts in your head to figure up what shipping would cost you as a buyer.

Sellers normally add a certain amount to their merchandise total so they can safely ship the item to the customer and still make a profit on said merchandise. The amount varies from seller to seller. It may depend on the sellers geographical location. It is less expensive for some sellers to ship if they are located in the middle of the country for example to any area than if they are located on one coast or the other.   The seller still has to make enough profit on the item however after shipping costs for it to be worth their while.

This can be good and bad for sellers.  Sellers who are on one coast may have to add enough shipping in to cover the costs to the other coast.  This may increase the price so that a buyer who is geographically close to them is not happy because pricing is more than they want to pay.   This can decrease the buyer pool for a lot of sellers who use this practice. 

The positive part is that some buyers don't want to have to add shipping and handling costs to their purchase. They want a simple and easy transaction. They are the ones that seek out free shipping.

My experience with free shipping is that it can work on some items.  Small items that do not weigh a lot are good candidates for free shipping in my book.  Items under 13 ounces are good candidates as well unless they are items that people tend to purchase multiples of.

People who want to buy multiple items tend to want shipping discounts.  A lot of them do not like the free shipping concept as they know they are paying for it after all is said and done.  They would rather deal with paying shipping and get a discount for multiple purchases.

So free shipping is not a one size fits all concept in my humble opinion.  Sellers need to figure out what works for them in their business. 

Paying My Dues

Wow I cannot believe how long it has been since I have written here. This has been a crazy year for my family and myself.  Some years are better than others I guess.

2013 turned out to be a topsy turvy year for me.  My father who had been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer passed away in June.  The first half of the year was spent trying to keep up with my business, traveling to see him when I could and learning how to let him go. I lost my Mom in 2002 so this was a very hard thing for me to process.

After losing my father I found out I needed 2 different surgeries so I spent the last half of the year taking care of my own health needs.  My family ended up taking care of me. This was even harder than me taking care of everyone else!
I am a very independant lady and am not used to letting go of the reins to let anyone take care of anything.

We are just getting back to normal if there is such a thing.  Ebay has made so many changes in the last year it has made my head spin.  Many sellers are grumbling and griping about the new changes and wondering if they will survive them honestly. 

As a smaller volume seller, I have concerns as well. I do know one thing at this point in my life.  Change is ever constant.  Without change we die.  I am still kicking, breathing, and moving forward.  The new changes may be challenging and some may not be pleasant. 

I will learn to deal with them as I have learned to deal with every other thing in my life.  I will keep paying my dues.