Estimating Shipping Costs
One of the required pieces of information that must be included with each Zibbet listing is the cost of shipping. Several variables need to be considered when estimating shipping costs. Those variables include:
The size of the package.
The weight of the package.
The type of packaging used.
The package’s destination.
For US sellers, the US Postal Service offers an online Postage Price Calculator that you can use to estimate shipping costs. You’ll need to enter the types of information listed above to use this tool. Regarding selecting a zip code for a US destination, I suggest that you try several different zip codes for locations the farthest from you. That way you will be sure to list a shipping cost sufficient to cover the actual cost to any US destination. Note that you can also select international destinations. If you’re willing to ship internationally you should get estimates for the places you agree to ship to.
Shipping Easy also offers a tool on their homepage for estimating shipping costs. To use this tool, you’ll need the same information required to use the USPS Postage Price Calculator.
A third way to estimate shipping costs is to package one or more of your items and take a field trip to your local post office. The package can be weighed and postage determined for shipment to several different destinations. If you choose this option, go prepared with a form to write down your estimates in an orderly manner. Decide in advance the destinations that you want estimates for. Avoid busy times so that your inquiry visit doesn’t cause service to be delayed for other customers.
When estimating shipping costs, it’s a good idea to take into consideration the cost of shipping materials. You’ll need to decide if you want to add some to your shipping estimate to cover these expenses or incorporate this into the cost for the item itself. You also need to decide how much you’ll charge for additional items purchased and shipped together.
After collecting all the information you need, I recommend that you set up Zibbet shipping profiles to apply to your listings. For more information on creating and using shipping profiles, please refer to Shipping Profiles.
Best wishes for much success on Zibbet!
Vicki is committed to assisting her fellow Zibbeters improve their shops for successful online selling. She is the owner of five Zibbet shops: LOC Design Studio, Denim and Pearls, A Stitch and a Prayer, Black Creek Crossing and Think Like a Fish. You can follow Vicki on Twitter and through her LOC Design Studio blog.
Tags: Estimating Shipping Cossts, shipping, shipping profiles, Success on Zibbet
Thank you! After absorbing some unexpected shipping costs, I changed my shipping rates based on estimates. Using your info will allow me to come much closer to a real price for customers.
http://www.zibbet.com/WhiteCrossDesigns
I’ve always dreaded the shipping portion of selling! Your advice is perfect! I have to learn to keep track when they have a postal increase so I can adjust before going to the post office and find out I just lost money!!!
Maybe it’s different from the UK, but I don’t estimate shipping costs, I calculate them by weighing my packages and finding the price from the Royal Mail website http://www.royalmail.com/price-finder
I’d love to encourage all sellers to ship internationally, it’s such fun to think of my creations being scattered around the world!
Shipping is a shorthand way of describing the entire order fulfillment process.
For US shipments PayPal offers a shipping tool which is built right into the transaction summary page. You need weight and package size information as noted above. The fees appear right on your monthly transaction log so it’s easy to summarize costs. The system prints labels right on your printer making it easy to assemble the package ready for the mail drop. For transactions that did not process through PayPal you have the option of using the multi-order shipping tool and manually entering the ship-to address, weight and size.
For International shipments the PayPal costs are very high. First class mail service is for some reason not an option on PayPal and a visit to the post office is required to obtain the First Class rates which are reasonable. (for example $3.78 for a 2 oz package to England)
One other thing to think about is how returned/exchanged items are handled. My shipping rates include a small set-aside for shipping exchanged items which are infrequent but can take a bite out of your profits.
I buy lightweight bubble mailing envelopes in 250 unit cartons which saves a lot of cost over buying smaller quantities at office supply stores. I also buy pressure sensitive labels in bulk which keeps the unit prices low.
Ink and paper for the printer is another hidden cost for processing orders.