when i shop on line i found it off putting to put something for say £7 in a cart and then it mysteriously changes to £11 at the checkout - so when i started my site, and ebay site, i always post for free, for larger orders that customers are buying direct from me, i add on fixed postage to the trade prices, or for reasonable orders i pay the postage on those too. if local people want to collect, and its convenient, i always take those costs off for them - as that seems fair
[CENTER][h=5]A dictionary is the only place where success comes before work[/h]Laura www.fatmaggot.com
[/CENTER]
The biggest problem with adding the postage onto the item price and offering free postage is when customers purchase several items. It works out very expensive for them then. For example say a phone case costs £2 to post if they order five that ends up being an extra £10, where as the postage would only be around £4 for them all.
Our postage is done on weight and will charge whatever is the cheaper between royal mail and the courier. We have tried various ways and have ours set this way now with free postage on all UK orders over £200.
we charge postage at cost, our products are pretty much just a variation on 5 or 6 base products so calculating weights isn't difficult.
we also offer options for our customers, (1st, 2nd, recorded, special) so they can pick what's convenient for them with things like non-recorded services not being available when the price of the order is more than I would be comfortable sending without tracking.
This works out cheapest for our customers, although it's tougher for us to explain..
there's a lot of sites which offer flat rate or free and these options although easier to advertise to the customer, end up costing them more in the long run.
we charge postage as it is ,but I do like PArcel2go where a single mug in polystyrene postal box can be sent for 95p.Yes you have to drop at a local collection shop,but go on and see where yours is.Every little discount the customer can see, even on postage costs as we all moan when buying on line for delivery charges is good for my business image .
i sell all my t-shirts at the same price which includes free delivery, normally if someone is purchasing in multiples then i would deal via phone/email and give a discount to the amount they buy.
UPs Shop2Shop service with Parcel2Go is 75p ex VAT, but not only do you have to take the package to a UPS drop off point, the end customer then has to go and collect it from designated UPS point, which isn't very convenient. Also limited to 10 per customer, although not clear if that is per day, or ever.
if a customer orders multiple items on the website, and the postage costs work out much cheaper - which with hoodies and t shirts it isn't always - then i will send them a voucher against next order, with a note thanking them for their large order, i don't say its regarding a postage refund - after all the postage is "free" this has always worked and given me some good 2nd/3rd orders, and the voucher can be passed onto a friend, and is valid for 6months
[CENTER][h=5]A dictionary is the only place where success comes before work[/h]Laura www.fatmaggot.com
[/CENTER]
