How to compute shipping costs when selling clothes on eBay

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jacob
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How to compute shipping costs when selling clothes on eBay

Post by jacob »

This should be simple but my duckduckgo-fu is failing me.

The question is how to calculate/list shipping rates for selling clothes on eBay. I've previously sold a bunch of hardware using flatrate boxes. After the item sells, it's possible (standard) to print a shipping label at a 9% discount insofar the weight and dimensions are filled in correctly and just drop the box off at the post office.

The best/cheapest way to ship clothes seems to be in one of those grey plastic/poly bags. I can weigh it ... but the proper dimensions elude me since it's essentially a soft "bag". It's thicker than 3/4" so not a letter, therefore a package?

I could of course just list a reasonable amount or do free shipping and roll the shipping cost into the price, but I'd prefer to print my own shipping labels if possible.

What's the easiest way to go about this? (I prefer USPS)

Stahlmann
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Re: How to compute shipping costs when selling clothes on eBay

Post by Stahlmann »

Mr Derailer is taking your topic!

Is it even profitable to resell clothes in consumer capital of the world? Especially after ERE experience ;p ?
You have printer... What happened?
The Revolution watches you!

In terms of tips:
Use this help from ebay with auto label creator. I would reuse smallest letter size from home collection (yep, it will be a pain in the neck if you have more stuff to sell) (in my country they ban usage of non-letter covers). Voila!

bluepearl
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Re: How to compute shipping costs when selling clothes on eBay

Post by bluepearl »

For items less than 1 pound (i.e. 16 oz) you just select USPS first class and envelope size does not matter.

For items more than 1 pound there are a couple popular choices and rates as of today at least for me:
USPS - padded flat rate envelope - yes I know not environmentally friendly (original $7.2, discounted $6.5)
USPS - paper legal flat rate envelope (original $6.95, discounted $6.25)
USPS - paper letter sized flat rate envelope (original $6.65, discounted $5.95)

the flat rate works great if you can stuff the item in those specific envelopes.

for things that cannot be stuffed in the above choices, you are backed to USPS parcel post, or fedex smart post. Both just required dimensions (the charge just goes up if one measure is oversized, think odd shape items and there are specific rules that a phd can decipher on their websites : )

For clothing you typically won't be hitting that oversized rate. I would just put in the estimated size of the envelope you will ship in (e.g. 14*11* appropriate height like 1 or 2 or 3 inches)

So I just estimate height and normally no problem with picking 1, 2 or 3 or 4 inches whatever seem the most appropriate for that item.

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Ego
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Re: How to compute shipping costs when selling clothes on eBay

Post by Ego »

+1 bluepearl.

Note: Ebay was having problems with people selling stuff for 1 cent then charging $25 for shipping to avoid paying final value fees, so they began charging final value fees on shipping fees as well. So you might as well just offer free shipping and figure it into the cost of the item. If it's over 16 ounces you can use one of the flat-rate envelopes. It's amazing what you can squeeze into them. I've squashed down jackets into them and covered them with tape. If it fits it ships.

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Chris
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Re: How to compute shipping costs when selling clothes on eBay

Post by Chris »

jacob wrote:
Sat Sep 09, 2017 11:22 am
The best/cheapest way to ship clothes seems to be in one of those grey plastic/poly bags. I can weigh it ... but the proper dimensions elude me since it's essentially a soft "bag". It's thicker than 3/4" so not a letter, therefore a package?
Yes, it's a package.

Dimensions only matter if the package is oversize. I would estimate the size flat-rate box that the packed poly bag would fit into, and use those dimensions when creating your label.

If shipping via Priority Mail, the Tyvek mailers are free at the post office.

jacob
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Re: How to compute shipping costs when selling clothes on eBay

Post by jacob »

@Stahlmann - I'm cleaning out my closet (but in other news, reselling is profitable .. see Ego's posts). Even though I strongly discourage personal ownership of those infernal devices, I currently own a printer thanks to Toska2 who donated his old laser printer to me. In case anyone with a 34" inseam desires a black hakama, some khaki dress pants, and some roller hockey pants, LMK and we can save some ebay fees :-P

@others - Excellent! I didn't even consider the flat rate envelopes because my mind was stuck on the 3/4 thickness limit not imagining that one could stuff a football in there as long as it is flat rate and not first class.

In other news, I found this: https://pe.usps.com/cpim/ftp/manuals/dm ... ice123.pdf

(If you prefer reading a 73 page document once and for all, which I do, rather than dealing with a stupid web-based app.)

Stahlmann
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Re: How to compute shipping costs when selling clothes on eBay

Post by Stahlmann »

Heh, I rather upgraded my "Heterosexual Men's Fashion" wardrobe to something more stylish using bidding sites and thrift stores. After some consideration, I don't need some of it and it's difficult to get rid of some. And it's more connected that I'm not so advanced in ERE, so it's better I'd be more productive in diffrent parts of life :P (or you just got more pricey stuff to sell).

Now I'm trying to sell in bulk, just to save time instead of earning 5$.

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