I am directing this article for those just starting their eBay sales Venture. Whether you are selling books, DVDs, CDs, collectibles and clothing, all things (except e-books and services) should be sent. And postage, handling fees and shipping seems to cause much anxiety among new sellers.

You’ve heard the advice – Do not overload for shipment. It’s very good advice, indeed, that nothing turns off potential buyers, and sellers who gouge you on shipping costs. It is also a practice that can build up a bad evaluation.  However, I’ll play devil’s advocate here and suggest you do not go too far and give as a break on the transport you’re chipping away at profits. It is good to remember the “hidden costs” of the expedition: to secure your fragile bubble, tape, shipping envelopes, boxes, etc. Then there’s the gas you put in your car and take all those trips the post office.

You might think I’m down, but if you add all your eBay fees for the year (as some have done their taxes later), you might be shocked to see how all packaging materials and gas for your car added and took a small piece of your eBay profits. And believe me, they do add up.  Some people are even more surprised to find they underestimated the weight of their packaging, the source of their profits to decline further.  How can you be fair to you and your buyers?

• Buy a scale. This may sound simple, but buying a ladder can save you a bundle in shipping. If you’re just looking at the weight of the package, you can often guess at times too low, and to be quite a shock when you go to the post office and see the package will cost twice what you thought the ship.
• Know the dimensions of your package before listing the item. Some packages cost more to ship because of their size. Knowing the weight alone is not enough.
• Buyer’s offer a variety of shipping methods. Some prefer the speed of delivery with mailing Express, while some prefer to save money with the parcels, even if the wait is longer. It’s always a good idea when using parcel post or other slower ground shipping to the buyer alerts by e-mail that may last from 8 to 10 days.
• Save money on your own whenever possible using boxes that have been used. Most stores are more than happy to let you rummage through their old boxes and take some home. But remember to choose the boxes that are presentable, safe and strong enough for your items. And if you have fragile items, do not skimp on the bubble.
• Give yourself small handling fee which will cover your expenses. Some sellers add an additional $ 1 or $ 2 for shipping costs of their handling (depending on the cost of the item and how much packaging you use). I really advocate doing this because your expenses add up if you do a lot of selling on eBay. Sure to be honest with your buyers that you have a small handling fee can not complain later.

To be fair to you and your buyer you keep both happy, and keep more of your profits in your pocket.