Ask:
do you weigh it at home?
take it to the post office for a "quote" ?
charge a flat fee?
charge actual shipping + a few bucks for your effort?
im having a hard time determining how best to charge for shipping - im selling clothes.
how do you do it?
Answer:
I have a very cheap scale I bought off ebay that goes to 5 lb. So I weigh at home and do actual plus any supplies. I do not do for my time but do supplies such as ty-vek packages and such. Another board that I used to frequent people who did set amount said it pretty well evened out over time. I also compare what I'm selling to similar auctions for non-clothes items.
With clothes I weigh a couple of items so I have a ballpark weight and use the shipping calculator on ebay. That way if I'm doing multiple clothing items I can ballpark them all. If I'm off by more than $1 I put the difference in the package with the item.
Answer:
I have a scale also, but I usually charge a flat rate. I have it down to an art and usually end up with a $1 or $2 for my time and supplies. I do get burned though, but in the end it all evens out.
Answer:
Me, too...as far as it evening out most of the time. I try weighing most things...but occasionally it works against me..and then once in a while for me. If I am way off to their advantage, I will refund them through paypal (that is all I take). Paypal lets you refund for free, any amount, partial or full.
Answer:
Its MUCH easier to determine a flat rate depending on what you sell. Foir clothes, you can keep it pretty low, say $5 and that should be ample. If you are short, it will even out because you will be over on someone else.
For other items I would wiegh them out first and go to USPS, to determine a shipping price and state it in your auction so there is NO question about shipping charges.
I don't think it would be a bad thing to over charge slightly for your effort, but keep it reasonalbe, some people charge crazy amonts for shipping in the name of making up what they didn't make on the auction.
Answer:
I have a scale at home so I weigh the item and then use the shipping calculator in my auction so that the buyer is always paying actual shipping. I only ship priorty mail so I don't have any supplies expense.
Answer:
The best way for me has been to weigh the items at home and ship via paypal shipping. You can get free delivery confirmation for Priority Mail and reduced rate on it for other forms of delivery. Also you can just print out the labels and the mailman will pick it up at your house. I have had zero problems with the US Postal system this way.
Answer:
I weigh my items on a scale that I bought off Ebay.
Answer:
I use a weight scale that you would use to weigh yourself..Somewhat accurate.
I am looking forward to getting my free scale from USPS. Found the link for it on the "Freebies and Samples" board..
Free package weigh scale from USPS :
54
Answer:
i use a scale and then go to canada post website and calculate it through there. its usually pretty even. i don't really charge fro supplies unless i have to buy a box especially for the product i am shipping.