Best way to handle shipping on selling multiple curriculum items?

[Tap]

I have about 100+ items to sell.  I have most of them posted on Craigslist right now and they are starting to move, but I am considering selling some on here too.  

I have sold a few items over the years online, but they were always $100+ items.I added $10 shipping to the cost and I paid to ship it USPS so I had tracking info  and a signature.  What is the best way to handle it, when the shipping could vary greatly?    I have some things like Omnibus with literature, that will weigh quite a bit.....but also some CDs that shipping would be a few dollars for. 

 

I would also like to offer combined shipping, so is it best to just make one list for smaller things? 

 

Also, how do you reduce the risk of someone fraudulently buying and saying they didn't get it?  

 

Is Paypal still the easiest way to accept payment? or is there something better? 

 

I am trying to decide if I want to risk online selling or not.  

Edited May 30, 2016 by Tap

[Lanny]

As a Buyer, I (and apparently many others) prefer listings that say "Free Shipping".  However, as a Seller, that probably would increase the fees you pay, if you list your items on a site like eBay.  Although I prefer listings with "Free Shipping" (which isn't really free, but is bundled into the total price), as a Seller, that would probably increase, slightly, the fees you pay to eBay or another listing service where you need to pay fees/commission.  

 

That said, I want to win another Dell Latitude Laptop, from the same eBay Seller in PA that we bought 2 from during 2015.  They always show $24.00 for shipping, within the USA, and I take that into account, when I place my maximum bids in their auctions.   Because of my faith/experience with that Seller, I don't need "Free Shipping" on items I purchase from them.

 

If I were buying from you, I would pay you with PayPal.  Based on the quantity of items you have for sale, I suggest that you look on the PayPal web site, to look at the different types of accounts they have for Sellers.  

 

Shipping carrier may vary depending on the item, weight and value.  I think you should set a maximum amount that you are willing to absorb, if something goes wrong, and that everything above that dollar amount should be sent with a Tracking Number and with Insurance. Add that into the Shipping Cost. Probably everything you ship should have a Tracking Number.

 

GL with selling your items!

Edited May 30, 2016 by Lanny

[TammyS]

I've sold lots of curriculum online and I've never had anyone cheat me.  I know it can happen, but it hasn't yet. 

 

I always list my items with shipping included, and I try to bundle items together in ways that make sense and reduce the number of individual sales.  I generally figure a regular sized book costs about $3 to media mail.  A big Saxon text about $6.  I just roll that into the price.  That way I don't get 6 emails asking about how much to ship to my location, then I figure it out, then they say "no".  People just seem to respond better to a bottom line price,because to them it's the total cost that matters.  If you're shipping stuff that is fairly valuable, you can always include insurance (and then include that in your price).

[goldberry]

  I generally figure a regular sized book costs about $3 to media mail.  A big Saxon text about $6.  I just roll that into the price.  

 

Thanks for sharing that.  You don't worry about not getting tracking with media mail?

[TammyS]

Thanks for sharing that.  You don't worry about not getting tracking with media mail?

 

Media mail includes tracking now.

 

But no, I never worried about it before and I never had a problem.

[Lanny]

Thanks for sharing that.  You don't worry about not getting tracking with media mail?

 

I have purchased a bunch of Textbooks for DD during the past 4 years that were shipped (within the USA) via Media Mail. I am pretty sure, but not positive, that all of them had a USPS Tracking Number.