I have a lot of time right now for listing books since we had a snowstorm Wednesday and Thursday. School was closed beginning on Wednesday, resulting in an unexpected five-day break.
I have listed quite a few books on eBay.
Jennifer's Series Books on eBay
I am in the process of listing many books on Etsy.
Jennifer's Series Books on Etsy
I really need to raise the postage I charge for a single book. I have been charging $3.95 postage since 2008. $3.95 does not cover my cost even for lighter books like a Grosset and Dunlap picture cover. I take on even more of a loss when the book is thick, since the weight ends up at over one pound.
I ought to raise the amount to $4.95, and I took the time to think about this thoroughly yesterday. The problem is that many sellers continue to charge under $4.00 for postage. I ran a search for "Nancy Drew" yesterday and looked at listings that offered a single book for sale. Many of the listings have just $3.19 as the postage charge. This is the one-pound media mail base rate that is charged by the post office. These sellers aren't even charging for their own supplies, such as tape, an envelope or box, paper for the postage label, and ink to print the label. This makes no sense! Sellers need to quit undervaluing themselves.
That's where my problem is. My supplies add over $1.00 to my postage cost. When I mail a package media mail for $3.19, my actual cost is around $4.50. However, that is not even my total cost. Whatever I charge for postage on eBay or Etsy is assessed a fee by the site. Yes, I pay a selling fee on the postage charge. This means that when I charge $3.95 postage, I'm not even getting that amount. Factoring in the site's fees, my actual cost to mail a single book is around $5.00, if the book can be mailed at the one-pound rate. Heavier books end up costing over $5.00.
Each year that the media mail rates increase, my loss on the $3.95 charge worsens. Yet I cannot raise my charge when so many sellers charge only $3.19.
Actually, I could raise my postage charge. I thought about this at length yesterday. Some sellers do charge $5.00 to $6.00 postage for a single book. A somewhat higher postage charge usually doesn't stop me from buying a book, at least not for a single book and certainly not for an expensive book.
I have decided not to purchase some bulk lots because of high charges. Some sellers will only mail via priority mail. For a heavy lot, priority mail is way too expensive. If I see a $50 shipping charge on a listing that I know could be mailed for under $20, then I tend not to make the purchase.
Even though I usually will not back out of single-book purchases where the postage is on the high end, I believe that the average buyer of an easy-to-find book might very well back out. I believe this because of how many people try to get me to take less for inexpensive books. I have had people contact me trying to get me to lower a price from $5.00 to $4.00 or something similar. Those people will balk at a $4.95 postage cost. Of course, those people probably won't purchase from me anyway.
I also often have people want me to break up a lot so that they can get one item. Here is a very recent example.
I ought to raise the amount to $4.95, and I took the time to think about this thoroughly yesterday. The problem is that many sellers continue to charge under $4.00 for postage. I ran a search for "Nancy Drew" yesterday and looked at listings that offered a single book for sale. Many of the listings have just $3.19 as the postage charge. This is the one-pound media mail base rate that is charged by the post office. These sellers aren't even charging for their own supplies, such as tape, an envelope or box, paper for the postage label, and ink to print the label. This makes no sense! Sellers need to quit undervaluing themselves.
That's where my problem is. My supplies add over $1.00 to my postage cost. When I mail a package media mail for $3.19, my actual cost is around $4.50. However, that is not even my total cost. Whatever I charge for postage on eBay or Etsy is assessed a fee by the site. Yes, I pay a selling fee on the postage charge. This means that when I charge $3.95 postage, I'm not even getting that amount. Factoring in the site's fees, my actual cost to mail a single book is around $5.00, if the book can be mailed at the one-pound rate. Heavier books end up costing over $5.00.
Each year that the media mail rates increase, my loss on the $3.95 charge worsens. Yet I cannot raise my charge when so many sellers charge only $3.19.
Actually, I could raise my postage charge. I thought about this at length yesterday. Some sellers do charge $5.00 to $6.00 postage for a single book. A somewhat higher postage charge usually doesn't stop me from buying a book, at least not for a single book and certainly not for an expensive book.
I have decided not to purchase some bulk lots because of high charges. Some sellers will only mail via priority mail. For a heavy lot, priority mail is way too expensive. If I see a $50 shipping charge on a listing that I know could be mailed for under $20, then I tend not to make the purchase.
Even though I usually will not back out of single-book purchases where the postage is on the high end, I believe that the average buyer of an easy-to-find book might very well back out. I believe this because of how many people try to get me to take less for inexpensive books. I have had people contact me trying to get me to lower a price from $5.00 to $4.00 or something similar. Those people will balk at a $4.95 postage cost. Of course, those people probably won't purchase from me anyway.
I also often have people want me to break up a lot so that they can get one item. Here is a very recent example.
A buyer contacted me wanting me to sell just the ABBA issue. I didn't respond, because I was pretty sure that I knew what they expected. They probably wanted to get the ABBA issue for one-fourth of the current price, or at least for one-fourth of the current price plus a reasonable amount for postage. From my end, that would not be logical. It would be great for the buyer.
I am giving the four issues away as it is. I may even take a loss. I just want the issues gone, since they were extras in with other purchases. I never wanted them.
I also hope that the ABBA issue sells the lot. That's why I have that issue fully visible in the photo. I know that ABBA is the most desirable of the artists featured. If I sell the ABBA issue separately, then I won't be able to sell the rest.
I am giving the four issues away as it is. I may even take a loss. I just want the issues gone, since they were extras in with other purchases. I never wanted them.
I also hope that the ABBA issue sells the lot. That's why I have that issue fully visible in the photo. I know that ABBA is the most desirable of the artists featured. If I sell the ABBA issue separately, then I won't be able to sell the rest.
Going back to postage, I finally decided not to raise my postage charge. I instead will expand upon what I have just barely started doing, which is to add one or two dollars to the item price of single books to cover the postage that way. Expect to see more and more of my $9.99 books priced at $10.99 or $11.99. I need to cover it somehow, and that is the best way.
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