Buying and Selling on eBay: Tips, Tricks, Problems & Questions

[Reosymes]

looks like A2?

Yup, that's the one.

 

[thefastlife]



Yup, that's the one.

thanks. and then for bags...the priority mail bags or the flat rate bags (or does it not matter)

and do you guys ship shirts in bags or boxes?

 

[capnwes]

@ATLnoob ,

Someone had posted a good review of corijennin and they are indeed cheaper than uline and have good pub on the forum.

"1000 9 x 12" 1.5M bags with 2in fold over flap and seal. $45 delivered from corijennin and $74 from uline. Uline had $14 shipping so it was right at $60 and corijennin included the shipping. and Corijennin was cheaper than the other ebay options mentioned if I found the right one."

Unfortunately she doesn't have access to 16x20 in the lip and tape style.

 

[capnwes]

thanks. and then for bags...the priority mail bags or the flat rate bags (or does it not matter)

and do you guys ship shirts in bags or boxes?

This is discussed about every third page or so.

Everyone here does it differently. I personally will only ship in a box. That is just my personal preference.

 

[thefastlife]

thanks man ^. i'll stick with wrapping in the poly bag and shipping in the RRA box.

 

[Reosymes]

thanks. and then for bags...the priority mail bags or the flat rate bags (or does it not matter)

and do you guys ship shirts in bags or boxes?

I don't have ninja folding skills so this is what I feel most comfortable with:

Pants: Poly mailer inside Priority Legal Flat Rate Envelope
Shirts: Poly mailer inside another poly mailer. Maybe if I ever sell a high end shirt for lots of $$ I'll put the mailer in a RR A2 box, but haven't come across this situation yet in my very short experience as a seller.
Sportcoats: Regional Rate A2
Suits: not sure, haven't done that yet. Guessing RR A2 box if you're really efficient at folding, otherwise, I dunno, RR B/Flat Rate Medium?
Shoes, discussed above.

 

[ScottW]

The hardest part for me to keep straight is once I actually print a stack of labels, is which label goes on which item because the label doesn't print any identifier that was used for the item or ebay ID. I'm sure you guys have a system for that.

That's why I print a packing slip through ebay, using the link on the same screen where I print the shipping label. The packing slip ties together the item description and the buyer's name/address, so you know which shipping label goes with which item.

Two packing slips will fit on a sheet of paper. Yes, I have to manually rotate the page between items, and yes, I have to manually cut the piece of paper in half, which takes a few seconds of time. Not a big deal since I'm not selling in massive volume. I also take the opportunity to write a little thank you note on the packing slip, which some buyers appreciate.

 

[capnwes]

The hardest part for me to keep straight is once I actually print a stack of labels, is which label goes on which item because the label doesn't print any identifier that was used for the item or ebay ID. I'm sure you guys have a system for that.

I package, weight, print and stick one at a time. Only takes a minute or two each.

However, my labels all have the item number on them....don't yours?

 

[ScottW]

Suits: not sure, haven't done that yet. Guessing RR A2 box if you're really efficient at folding, otherwise, I dunno, RR B/Flat Rate Medium?

Stuff into a RRA2 if you're wes or Spoo and have thousands of feedbacks and some level of buyer trust, but I only feel comfortable with putting a suit into RRA2 if it's a small-ish, like 38 or smaller. The first thing a size 46-48 dude thinks when he sees that box on his porch is "Seller crammed my suit into THAT?!?" Even if it comes out un-rumpled, it's not the first impression that I want to convey as a new seller without a track record of thousands of satisfied buyers.

If it won't fit easily into a RRA2 then the next best option for suits IMO is the 1095 box (order them on USPS website) sent weight & distance. It's an easy fit but the box isn't so huge that the suit will be flopping around in there. Most suits are not heavy enough to save you any money by sending RRB or Medium Flat Rate. However, I recently shipped a suit to Alaska, which was far enough that a MFR box at $11.30 was about $5 cheaper than sending it in a 1095 charged by weight & distance, so I went with MFR. For the RRB to save you money versus the usual weight & distance, I think it has to be over 4 pounds which most suits are not. I haven't used a RRB yet.

 

[Snoogz]

This is discussed about every third page or so.

Everyone here does it differently. I personally will only ship in a box. That is just my personal preference.

+1 everyone is different. I personally cannot afford to ship shirts in a box like RRA. Living in Cali, majority of my purchases are cross country. Shirts will go into a bag then into a bag. Unless the shirt is over 13oz, then I use either flat rate envelope, or padded envelope. Never had a complaint. Ties will go into a small flat rate, then into a poly for First Class...unless seller wants expedited, then for 6$ ill ship it in just the small flat rate.

 

[ScottW]

However, my labels all have the item number on them....don't yours?

No! Hot damn, I need to find that option.

 

[SeaJen]

No! Hot damn, I need to find that option.

Nor mine

 

[Snoogz]

Stuff into a RRA2 if you're wes or Spoo and have thousands of feedbacks and some level of buyer trust, but I only feel comfortable with putting a suit into RRA2 if it's a small-ish, like 38 or smaller. The first thing a size 46-48 dude thinks when he sees that box on his porch is "Seller crammed my suit into THAT?!?" Even if it comes out un-rumpled, it's not the first impression that I want to convey as a new seller without a track record of thousands of satisfied buyers.

If it won't fit easily into a RRA2 then the next best option for suits IMO is the 1095 box (order them on USPS website) sent weight & distance. It's an easy fit but the box isn't so huge that the suit will be flopping around in there. Most suits are not heavy enough to save you any money by sending RRB or Medium Flat Rate. However, I recently shipped a suit to Alaska, which was far enough that a MFR box at $11.30 was about $5 cheaper than sending it in a 1095 charged by weight & distance, so I went with MFR. For the RRB to save you money versus the usual weight & distance, I think it has to be over 4 pounds which most suits are not. I haven't used a RRB yet.

RRA2 is what 80-90% of all my suits go into. Yes there is some bulging @ times...but damn I consistently get compliments on the packaging from buyers, which just validates my process for me. Granted a 3pc tweed or something of similar thickness certainly will go into a Medium (unless distance is close, than RRB).

The key is how you fold you items, and how they will be presented to the buyer when pulled out of the box...that is everything in terms of expectation to reality. Figure that part out, and a slight bulge from a RRA will not cross your mind twice again.

I package, weight, print and stick one at a time. Only takes a minute or two each.

+1. 1 @ a time, never an issue, and always efficient enough for me. But I'm the type of person who does not like starting another task before fully completing the one at hand. So, this method works naturally.

 

[Tweets]

No! Hot damn, I need to find that option.

It's on the print screen when you go to print the label, once you check it, it will stay checked. Really good for those buyers that are agents for overseas buyers and want the item number on the box.

 

[ScottW]

Ties will go into a small flat rate, then into a poly for First Class...unless seller wants expedited, then for 6$ ill ship it in just the small flat rate.

I roll up ties and use a 4x4x4 box, with the tie wrapped in a sheet of tissue paper. I think BPore posted that method. Buyers seem to like it a lot. The majority of ties come in under 4 oz and First Class costs $1.86 with the ebay discount. The post office I use is also the regional sorting facility, which might explain why First Class goes just as fast as Priority for me. They both get delivered in two days to anywhere in CONUS. No need to pop for Priority unless the tie is valuable enough to warrant the insurance.

The key is how you fold you items, and how they will be presented to the buyer when pulled out of the box...that is everything in terms of expectation to reality. Figure that part out, and a slight bulge from a RRA will not cross your mind twice again.

I'm not yet a Top Rated Seller. 100% positive with 5.0 DSRs across the board, but only 70-ish sales transactions so far. I'm just paranoid about one or two pissed-off buyers derailing my train, but I guess I just need to man the F up and do the RRA.