Shipping cost more than I'm being paid as as seller
Amazon is currently collecting less for shipping than even the most basic postal rates for what I ship. This is costing me, and it's not an honest statement to the customers about shipping costs. Most of what I ship is via media mail. $3.99 is what Amazon charges. $4.63 is the bottom price for media shipping. $5 would be a more honest price for shipping.
Shipping cost more than I'm being paid as as seller
Amazon is currently collecting less for shipping than even the most basic postal rates for what I ship. This is costing me, and it's not an honest statement to the customers about shipping costs. Most of what I ship is via media mail. $3.99 is what Amazon charges. $4.63 is the bottom price for media shipping. $5 would be a more honest price for shipping.
24 risposte
Seller_MyXY4Myx9zVcR
If you are on the professional selling plan, you can adjust your shipping charges.
Seller_nRFmxiQg4EGrw
As noted, you can change the displayed shipping charge if you are on the Pro plan.
You can also simply raise your base price to cover the difference (this is what I do, even though I'm on the pro plan).
Additionally, if you are buying your shipping through Amazon, you can use Bound Printed Matter for books, although not CDs or DVDs. On typical books, this can save a dollar or more per book.
Seller_MyXY4Myx9zVcR
Please check the weight of the books you have for sale against how much it costs to ship them NOW, with the recently raised shipping prices.
There are many books that are quite heavy and cost a lot to ship, but don't bring decent enough prices on Amazon. You need to purge these books from your inventory, lest you lose money on shipping every one of them.
Other sellers such as Goodwill and other charities can afford to ship heavy books, with free merchandise, free labour, and highly discounted USPS shipping, but as an individual seller, you cannot afford to do this.
Bottom line: Small booksellers CANNOT compete against Amazon or charity sellers.
Seller_nRFmxiQg4EGrw
I'll take this chance to point out that the purpose of Goodwill is to provide work experience for disabled persons (whom they don't have to pay even minimum wage); they don't care if they make a profit on every item or not. Do NOT try to compete with them.
Seller_z3XfkorVSmnEY
$3.99 is your shipping CREDIT to you, not a shipping fee to the buyer. It's always been $3.99. It's never going to change. As others have noted you should evaluate the actual cost of shipping and price your items accordingly.
Seller_tA49ZfprDZiYK
I have increased my shipping and you are right 5.00 average would be correct. However you must remember that Amazon's prices are fixed. The free shipping is included in the price by increasing the price of the item by by the shipping amount.
By keeping the 3.99 price Amazon wins because that is what they actually pay while leaving the rest of us to pay the higher shipping price.
Seller_8heIxAf1mLwgp
There is always Bound Printed Matter...
Seller_dNRiCT7uhHzDh
Raise the weight of your packages. So if you have something that ships at 1 pound, charge a 2 pound rate. That should make up your costs.
Seller_5imHivbmLaCEo
I am also a book seller and absolutely agree, and have mentioned this to Amazon. Yes, I know we can adjust our shipping charges, or we can raise our book prices -- but either of these makes us less competitive in an already very difficult market.
Seller_SK3ywb8htQk9Y
As a seller of trading cards, I have the pleasure of Amazon blocking some of my listings under guise of Marketplace Fair Pricing Policy, while comparing the listing to sellers that sell items at a loss (less than postage) and hope they'll sell multiple copies at a time. I guess I'm not fair because I'd like a little something from every transaction.
