[bonds20001]

akalepos
I guess I have the economy printer, I do not use much toner on my laser to print out the labels and the tape I buy in bulk from Costco or Staples.
Padded envelopes I get 500 at a time and last me 2 years at $ 0.09 to 0.17 each depending on size.
Gas is $4 a gal, so I think I am saving money. Not much, but a little

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(04-15-2011 03:09 PM)pyweed Wrote:  I suspect you're right. With eBay's latest fee structure changes I guess I'll have to shift from $2.50 S&H to free shipping anyway, raising my start price. It's really too bad because it removes the buyer incentive for multiple purchases from the same seller to save on shipping.

So the irony is that eBay's efforts to create more "free shipping" will actually result in multi-item buyers paying more for shipping. But as long as eBay gets its cut of shipping it's happy.

I charge $1.50 for shipping on most auctions.

My actual shipping cost is $1.41 for a card..Paypal postage with DC, add the padded envelope and the tape and printing and it is close to $1.50..no profit.

I know that if I offer free shipping, I can enter the starting price to reflect that.
However, I find that if a card is $4 LO $10 HI and I start out at $2.88 and $1.50 shipping = $4.38 TOTAL (a little over the LO value) I get a bid or a few bids 20- 40% of the time. Depends on the player.

If I start the same card for $4.44 and free shipping, I get very few bids.
Many look at the starting bid and glance at the postage and do not total the items up until they win and then complain about the postage. However, they do not bid if the starting price is over the LO book, generally.
So for this card...I get $4.38 total for a $10 HI card and make $2.88 net. I am not willing to sell for $2.88 and free shipping and make a net $1.38.

So, the starting price is higher and the sales are fewer...

Which end of the point stick do I put in my eye??

Also, the economy is going to slow down again with $4-5 gas..increase prices at the food store due to increased transportation costs and I get fewer and lower bids as it is..

This is my reality....and I still love the hobby...