ebaY Shipping. It's Not As Hard As You Think..(Part 1) Calculating eBay fees

Now more than ever before, Shipping on ebaY is vital to your ebaY Success. With the concerns of buyers leaving a negative feedback and with the DSR (Detailed Seller Ratings) affecting possible PowerSeller discounts you have to be on the top of your game. In my eBay Business (Auctions, Shipping, and Packaging LLC) shipping is probably the most important thing. I mean if I were to sell someone's item and then mess up on the shipping, how would I explain that to my customer after they trusted me with there merchandise. Shipping seems like a hassle to many eBayers, but it isn't that bad and a lot easier than you may think.

OK Let's Begin
Part 1: Calculating eBay Shipping Fees.

***Buy A Digital Scale*** This is the most important piece of equipment you will ever use in shipping your ebaY items. I use a Ultraship 55 Lb Electronic Digital Shipping Postal Kitchen Scale (which you can purchase in the ad to the right on my webpage from Amazon.com) and I have never had a single problem with it.

Here's how I calculate shipping for my auctions.

I always use the calculated shipping option, unless it is a small heavy item that you can fit into a USPS Flat Rate Box.

• I always have different size boxes ready nearby with the tops open. Get them free from the USPS website or use a company like ULINE who ships them overnight if you order by 6p.m. After I take a picture of the item I will put the item in a box and weigh it on the digital scale. Use the lb:oz ratio feature on the scale.

1. Items weighing 10 oz or less: Offer first class mail as a shipping option for items that sell for under $50.00 and weigh in at 10oz or less. This cheaper service will attract more buyers with the low shipping cost. Offer Priority Mail for those who want it faster and USPS First Class International for overseas. Between 10oz and 13oz (the first class mail limit) I would only offer Priority mail within the U.S. Chances are after you pack everything it will increase the weight of the box to over 13oz.
2. Items weighing over 10 oz: Always round up to the next pound; for example -- the actual weight is 1 lb 5 oz round it up to 2 lbs. This increase will cover the cost of your shipping supplies (boxes if not Priority Mail boxes which are free, bubble wrap, tissue paper, address printing labels, etc.) Think about offering UPS as a shipping service for heavier items weighing more than 4 lbs and larger items bigger than 12x12x12. It is a lot cheaper to ship using UPS cross country for heavier items and for larger items.
3. Very Fragile Items: I would round up 2 lbs on Very Fragile Items. You should always double box fragile items, and make sure the item is not moving one inch in the first box.

This should take care of worrying how much you should charge to ship an item. Stay tuned for more posts on shipping in the upcoming weeks including:

• Domestic & International Shipping
• How to Pack Items
• Shipping Insurance
• Where to Purchase Shipping Supplies
• How To Print Your Own Postage and Never Have to Wait In Line at The Post Office
• and more....