Marketing Research Can You Help Please?

[Retrochic]

Hi. I'm doing a bit of market Research for my Ebay shop. I went on a course recently and was advised that offering 'free' shipping was an advantage but I'm not so sure, as most people surely know the shipping is not free but just added to the product cost. So, Initial reaction please, two sellers, two identical products one advertised as £15 + £2.80 p&p one advertised at £17. 80 free shipping. I need immediate opinion without thinking -Which, if any attracts you more? -and reason? Thank you for your help it will really be appreciated.

[DTCwordfan]

what's your risk of having things returned or product failure....if a significant part of your existing business go with the £15+p&p, if it's very low then all inc as it reads better and offers 'convenience'

One of the things I find is that folk never go after the shippers for lower prices. You could gang up with local mates and one of you becomes a Fedex point......I've done this with a local company and their nearby villagers and we got the overall shipping prices down by a further 10 percent for us and much lower prices for the small businesses/individuals.....'every little bit helps' as they say.

[EcclesCake]

Perhaps more ABers are familiar with a bra than they are EBay?

[tonyav]

I like front fasteners best !.

[Retrochic]

DTC Wordfan, my products are retro and vintage items and returns extremely rare, I think one in the last year and that was a 'try on' as the buyer wanted a partial refund and I insisted they send the item back for a full refund. I tend to use My Hermes for larger items and Royal Mail for anything that will go 2nd class small or medium parcels. Think from the feedback so far on here I will stick with 'free' postage, but will state in the listing that the postage is included in the price. Its hypothetical anyway as under the new rules I would have to refund the full price including any postage should the item be returned.

[Retrochic]

Eccles, thank you for your reply. I think the question could be applied not only to eBay but many other online shopping sites, which I am sure most people on here have experience of, even if its just buying their Bras's.

[DTCwordfan]

The cut point economically we found was 1 kilo, i,e

[tonyav]

Retrochic, what sort of retro things do you sell ?.

[Retrochic]

Tonyav I sell all sorts of things. At the moment I have everything from vinyl records -pinky and perky from the '60's to Melaware for the kitchen, Taunton Vales stuff from the '70's and g plan furniture which is sold in the retail unit.

[tonyav]

Right I see, all things retro then.

[tonyav]

Ohhh, just had a thought, if you get any Northern soul vinyl singles let me know please.

[Retrochic]

will do tony, I'll put you in my little book xx

[tonyav]

Thanks.

[rsvp]

wouldn't have been swayed either way with that advertising - my choice would have been made re:the seller's selling record.

[DTCwordfan]

sorry - lost everything there for some bizarre reason - the cut point between the Royal Mail and Fedex was 1kg weight-wise- the latter charging a flat £5-25 for any parcel up to 20kg, the Snail Mail cheaper under the kilo.

[Pragmatist]

Long past your sell by date on your question. But shall share my thoughts with you anyway. Your cHoice to read or not! I have ebayed since 2006 and they have put me through every form of *** they can throw at me! I'm now fighting to get my appropriate reputation back.... Postage or free...... Well let's face it eBay takes their share no matter how we display it..... I choose to separate, why? ..... Because if a buyer/customer sees me as being honest about what their package has turned up to show that I have paid what I have charged and on occasion made a (small) loss on postage ..... I am a far better seller than someone who makes a profit from postal charges! Yes occasionally I loose but more often I have kept my postage stars at 4.9 and that's well worth ..... I don't think buyers are idiots .... If they can't or don't know how to use the filters thy can still count. Just my experience .... And don't let my current numbers confuse you as to my experience!