CHARGING ACCURATE POSTAGE RATES : eBay Guides

AS MOST SELLERS AND BUYERS KNOW, CHARGING A COMPETITIVE POSTAGE RATE FOR AN ITEM CAN BE AN IMPORTANT FACTOR WHEN SELLING YOUR ITEM. HOWEVER, SOME PEOPLE WILL CHARGE EXCESSIVE POSTAGE RATES IN ORDER TO MAKE A GREATER PROFIT  FROM THEIR SALES.

IF THERE ARE SIMILAR OR IDENTICAL ITEMS TO YOURS FOR SALE ON EBAY, FOR AROUND THE SAME PRICE, THE ONES WITH LOWER POSTAGE RATES WILL BE MORE APPEALING TO BUYERS.

OBVIOUSLY, THE POSTAGE RATES CHARGED NEED TO COVER POSTAGE AS WELL AS ANY PACKAGING FEES, BUT THE PACKAGING FEES ARE USUALLY ONLY A FEW PENCE PER ITEM.

A DETAILED ROYAL MAIL PRICE LIST ENTITLED 'PRICING MADE EASY' IS AVAILABLE FREE OF CHARGE FROM ANY POST OFFICE BRANCH. IT CONTAINS DETAILS OF ALL UK AND INTERNATIONAL SERVICES AVAILABLE AND EXACT PRICES FOR DIFFERENT ITEM WEIGHTS.

PRICES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE ON THE ROYAL MAIL WEBSITE.

HERE ARE A FEW TIPS TO CHARGING FAIR POSTAGE:

1. GET A ROYAL MAIL PRICE LIST
2. PACK THE ITEM BEFORE LISTING (OBVIOUSLY PHOTOGRAPH FIRST) AND WEIGH IT USING ORDINARY HOUSEHOLD SCALES.
3. CHECK THE WEIGHT, AND USING THE PRICE LIST, FIND THE SERVICE YOU WILL USE AND THE DESTINATION, AND ADD A FEW PENCE FOR PACKAGING FEES.
4. REMEMBER, ITEMS HEAVIER THAN 700GRAMS CAN'T BE SENT SECOND CLASS.
5. IT IS USAULLY CHEAPER TO SEND HEAVIER ITEMS VIA STANDARD PARCELS THAN 1ST CLASS.
6. JUST BECAUSE AN ITEM IS BIG OR BULKY, BUT REASONABLY LIGHT, DON'T CHARGE MORE, SIZE IS NOT A FACTOR (MAXIMUM SIZE IS 3METRES)
7. YOU SHOULDN'T USE POSTAGE RATES AS A WAY TO MAKE EXTRA PROFIT, AS IT MAY RESULT IN YOUR ITEMS NOT SELLING AT ALL, ALSO I HAVE SEEN A FEW CUSTOMERS, THRILLED WITH THEIR ITEM, LEAVING NEUTRAL OR NEGATIVE FEEDBACK DUE TO HIGH POSTAGE COSTS.
8. PEOPLE DON'T APPRECIATE PAYING £5 FOR SOMETHING THAT COST £1 TO SEND, REMEMBER, THE PRICE IS SHOWN ON THE STAMPS.
9. IF YOU ARE UNSURE OF HOW MUCH AN ITEM WILL COST TO POST, DON'T JUST GUESS, WEIGH IT AS ACCURATELY AS POSSIBLE AND CHECK BEFORE LISTING.

HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF POSTAGE PRICES FROM ROYAL MAIL:

• WEIGHT 700g (PAIR OF JEANS) - £2.69   - FIRST CLASS TO UK
• WEIGHT 150g (DVD) - £0.68 - FIRST CLASS TO UK
• WEIGHT 4kg - £7.70 - STANDARD PARCELS TO UK
• WEIGHT 200g (T-SHIRT) - £2.48 - AIRMAIL TO WORLD ZONE 1 & 2 (US, AUS)
• WEIGHT 200g (T-SHIRT) - £1.69- AIRMAIL TO EUROPE

 THESE ARE JUST A FEW EXAMPLES, MORE DETAILED PRICES ARE AVAILABLE ON THE PRICE LIST.

THERE ARE ALSO VARIOUS LEVELS OF COMPENSATION AVAILABLE FROM ROYAL MAIL STARTING AT JUST £1.

ITEMS HEAVIER THAN 20kg, FOR EXAMPLE WIDESCREEN TELEVISIONS, CAN'T BE SENT BY ROYAL MAIL, AND WILL HAVE TO BE SENT BY ANOTHER COURIER SERVICE, FOR EXAMPLE PARCEL FORCE.

PARCEL FORCE ALSO OFFER SERVICES FOR LIGHTER ITEMS, AND ARE USUALLY MORE EXPENSIVE THAN ROYAL MAIL, THEY DO HOWEVER OFFER A PICK-UP SERVICE, AND NEXT DAY DELIVERY. IT WOULD BE WISE TO REMEMBER THAT SIZE CAN BE A FACTOR WHEN SENDING VIA COURIER.

A DETAILED GUIDE TO PARCEL FORCE'S SERVICES AND PRICES IS ALSO AVAILABLE FROM ANY POST OFFICE BRANCH.