Quick eBay shipping question

[Sticks33]

Does anyone know if there’s a way to start off an eBay auction with one shipping method and change to another? For example, if I list a card and expect it to get over 20$, I’d charge the USPS ground shipping. Let’s say it ends lower and it would qualify for ESE shipping, is there a way to change to that? Or vice versa?

Thanks in advance!

[Nomad]

That could be very viable, as some shippers rely on shipping prices to cover low-selling cards, but that turns some buyers off. So making a reasonable margin on that is ideal without taking a loss or throwing out the entire listing.

[JeffG1954]

Originally Posted by Sticks33

Does anyone know if there’s a way to start off an eBay auction with one shipping method and change to another? For example, if I list a card and expect it to get over 20$, I’d charge the USPS ground shipping. Let’s say it ends lower and it would qualify for ESE shipping, is there a way to change to that? Or vice versa?

Thanks in advance!

I don't think so after the fact of an auction ending, but you could put a paragraph in your listing that gives the buyer an option, and remind the winning bidder of that option after the win....let them make the choice. You should be able to send them an invoice that includes whatever option they choose.

[ThatGuyPal]

I don't think you can as unless you're hypothetically doing free shipping, buyers take shipping price into account as well which would change from ground to ESE. Obviously you could on a BIN but it would open a pretty bad can of worms if you can just change shipping price on a whim and charge insane shipping because a card didn't go high or price someone out with shipping because you want to relist.

Personally I just try and have a good grasp of comps to determine whether the card will be worth it or not, a card on auction can defy comps but usually not by that much. Either that or I do BIN.

[Nomad]

I think basically it doesn't ruffle feathers though if it's a $4.95 or 6.99 shipping cost and sells for .99 or whatever, but is actually a pretty rare rookie parallel. I see that a lot with Nesmith.

Basically at that point if you can ship it at a lower rate, with the buyer paying the same amount they signed up for, I don't see the issue. Keeps bargain buyers hunting and sellers in the game when their cards that did not cost zero to hunt for, break, and list get something at least.

[Sticks33]

Thanks for the responses. I had a card once go for $21 and I had put ESE shipping. Since it was over $20, it wouldn’t allow me to do that but the buyer was able to choose ESE regardless. It was a huge pain and she had to end up paypaling me $3.

I just wish there was an automatic option:” If this card goers over $20, it will be usps ground, if under, ESE”. Was hoping someone had discovered a work-around.

Thanks again

[Promethius88]

Originally Posted by Sticks33

Thanks for the responses. I had a card once go for $21 and I had put ESE shipping. Since it was over $20, it wouldn’t allow me to do that but the buyer was able to choose ESE regardless. It was a huge pain and she had to end up paypaling me $3.

I just wish there was an automatic option:” If this card goers over $20, it will be usps ground, if under, ESE”. Was hoping someone had discovered a work-around.

Thanks again

There was a thread about a seller charging more to a buyer after the sale went over $20. Needless to say, that did not go well for the person that posted the thread.

I'm pretty sure the consensus is that if you advertise the card at ESE shipping cost but it goes over the limit, you need to eat the extra cost. Obviously you are happy that it sold for more than you thought or you would have charged a higher rate in the first place.

[Sticks33]

Originally Posted by Promethius88

There was a thread about a seller charging more to a buyer after the sale went over $20. Needless to say, that did not go well for the person that posted the thread.

I'm pretty sure the consensus is that if you advertise the card at ESE shipping cost but it goes over the limit, you need to eat the extra cost. Obviously you are happy that it sold for more than you thought or you would have charged a higher rate in the first place.

It wasn’t about the ethics of it, more the mechanics.

As I mentioned above, eBay allowed the buyer to choose ESE shipping as an option for a sale above $20. So I had to explain that I couldn’t ship that method due to the $20 rule. Etc etc. eBay had to reset things and it was a major hassle

I wanted to know if there was a way to state ESE shipping below $20 but it switches automatically to usps ground above. The consensus was that that doesn’t exist, unfortunately

[Chrominator]

ESE or GA?

[Promethius88]

Originally Posted by Sticks33

It wasn’t about the ethics of it, more the mechanics.

As I mentioned above, eBay allowed the buyer to choose ESE shipping as an option for a sale above $20. So I had to explain that I couldn’t ship that method due to the $20 rule. Etc etc. eBay had to reset things and it was a major hassle

I wanted to know if there was a way to state ESE shipping below $20 but it switches automatically to usps ground above. The consensus was that that doesn’t exist, unfortunately

I understand what you were asking and I agree, it would be a valuable option.
Ebay did not "allow" the buyer to chose ESE shipping. It just shows that because that's what you had the shipping set at.
If you look at the order details page under shipping it will always say "Buyer selected shipping service" then to the right will have whatever shipping you had offered in the auction.

[akaus21]

You should be able to have more than 1 shipping option on your auction. I offer ground advantage and ESE for cards that I think will sell for around $20 or less. Higher $ cards, I remove the ESE option.

[Bob Ross]

Originally Posted by Sticks33

Thanks for the responses. I had a card once go for $21 and I had put ESE shipping. Since it was over $20, it wouldn’t allow me to do that but the buyer was able to choose ESE regardless. It was a huge pain and she had to end up paypaling me $3.

I just wish there was an automatic option:” If this card goers over $20, it will be usps ground, if under, ESE”. Was hoping someone had discovered a work-around.

Thanks again

Agreed. There needs to be an option where you enter in your ESE shipping price and your USPS Ground shipping price upon ad creation. Then depending on over or under $20 selling price, it auto selects the correct shipping for the buyer.

[mc1]

Originally Posted by akaus21

You should be able to have more than 1 shipping option on your auction. I offer ground advantage and ESE for cards that I think will sell for around $20 or less. Higher $ cards, I remove the ESE option.

You can offer both options but as OP posted, buyers can choose the cheaper option. Ebay will then force you to use Ground Advantage.

[Bob Ross]

Originally Posted by mc1

You can offer both options but as OP posted, buyers can choose the cheaper option. Ebay will then force you to use Ground Advantage.

Correct. It's BS.

[JeffG1954]

If a card I'm expecting to sell for $12 to $15 with ESE shipping ends up at $21, I'll happily eat that BMWT cost and make a buyer happy.

[mc1]

Originally Posted by Bob Ross

Correct. It's BS.

Its also not fair to offer cheap option when an auction starts and then try to stick the buyer with a different shipping option if it goes over a certain amount.

[Sticks33]

Originally Posted by mc1

Its also not fair to offer cheap option when an auction starts and then try to stick the buyer with a different shipping option if it goes over a certain amount.

How would it not be fair if it was stated in the description? “If this auction ends at less than $20, etc etc”. It wouldn’t be that hard. Under shipping charges, eBay could list the range: Shipping = $1.25-4.75.

[mc1]

Originally Posted by Sticks33

How would it not be fair if it was stated in the description? “If this auction ends at less than $20, etc etc”. It wouldn’t be that hard. Under shipping charges, eBay could list the range: Shipping = $1.25-4.75.

You’re making a huge assumption, you're assuming people actually read and the understand descriptions.

[Chrominator]

Originally Posted by JeffG1954

If a card I'm expecting to sell for $12 to $15 with ESE shipping ends up at $21, I'll happily eat that BMWT cost and make a buyer happy.

This is the best and only option.

/thread