How to set and modify shipping costs on eBay: a detailed guide
As a global online trading platform, eBay provides sellers with a variety of freight setting modes to meet different needs and business strategies. This article will introduce in detail the specific steps and precautions for setting and modifying shipping costs on eBay.
Introduction to freight model
Fixed shipping cost
This is the simplest and most common shipping mode. Sellers charge the same flat shipping fee to all buyers, regardless of the quantity of items they purchase or their geographic location.
Calculate shipping costs
This model calculates actual shipping costs based on the buyer’s address. Sellers can calculate the specific shipping costs in the buyer’s area based on the rate table or calculation tool provided by the shipping company.
Shipping discount
Sellers can offer buyers discounts when purchasing multiple items or reaching a certain amount. This model can attract buyers to increase purchase quantity or order value, thereby increasing sales.
Free shipping
Offering free shipping to buyers can increase sales and customer satisfaction to a certain extent. Sellers can decide whether to provide free shipping services based on product pricing and market competition.
Steps to set and modify shipping costs
Log in to eBay account
Visit the official eBay website and log in using your seller account credentials.
Enter the “My eBay” interface
Find the “My eBay” option in the navigation bar at the top of the page and click to enter the personal seller homepage.
Enter “Account” settings
On the “My eBay” page, find and click the “Account” option to enter the account settings page.
Visit "Business Policies"
In the account settings page, find the “Business Policies” option and click to enter.
Create a new shipping policy
On the "Business Policies" page, find and click the "Create policy" button.
Select "Shipping"
In the new policy page, find and select the “Shipping” (logistics) option to enter the freight setting interface.
Set domestic shipping costs
Under “Domestic shipping”, you can choose a fixed shipping fee or set different shipping costs according to different regions.
Select applicable shipping service
In the “Services” drop-down option, you can select applicable shipping services, such as surface mail, express delivery, etc.
Set the shipping cost of the product
In the “Cost” option, set the shipping cost for the product if desired.
Exclude locations that are not shipped
In the “Exclude shipping locations” option, set and modify the countries and regions that do not support shipping.
Save settings
When you are finished setting up, click the “Save” button at the bottom of the page to save your shipping settings.
Set and modify eBay shipping discounts
Find "Combined shipping discounts"
In the shipping setting interface, find and click the “Combined shipping discounts” option.
Select shipping discount method
Choose the appropriate shipping discount method based on the number or weight of the product.
Set promotional offer rules
Click “Promotional shipping rule” to enter the interface for setting promotional offers. In this interface, you can set specific promotion rules and discount ranges.
Enter additional reduction or increase amount
If necessary, enter additional amounts to adjust shipping discounts.
Save settings
When you are finished setting up, click the “Save” button at the bottom of the page to save your shipping discount settings.
Use API call sequence and methods to modify shipping costs
eBay sellers can also use API call sequences and methods to modify shipping costs. First, use the existing getRateTables method to retrieve simple information about the freight table (including freight table ID and name, etc.). Then, use one of the obtained freight table IDs to call the getRateTable method to obtain the detailed information of the specified freight table, including name, ID, region, freight, etc. Finally, modify the shipping information by calling the updateShippingCost method.
Summary
Reasonable shipping cost settings and flexible shipping discount strategies can bring important competitive advantages to your eBay sales business. By carefully evaluating and adjusting your shipping patterns, you can provide buyers with a better shopping experience, increase sales, and build long-term customer relationships. In addition, eBay provides a wealth of functions and API interfaces to help eBay sellers effectively manage and modify shipping costs, and improve store sales performance and user experience.