Montag, 26. Oktober 2015

Shipping tips

This post may not apply to your countries post system. But maybe some of the information does help you to improve your online sales.
Sometimes, shipping can be very expensive, especially when you want to ship with insurance to another continent. Some potential buyers withdraw from a purchase when they see the shipping costs. Here are some tips that may (!) help to reduce the shipping costs.
I write about the system here in Germany, so maybe there isn't anything similar in your country but here are some small tricks that can help to save money.

Compare the providers
Here in Germany we have the German Post/DHL which is the main business who puts the mean invoices in your letterbox. But there are also Hermes, DPD, GLS. It depends on what you want to send but sometimes, the price is less when you send it with another provider.
For smaller items, you can use the XS-package from Hermes, for example, which is only 3,89€! (insurance up to 50€ within Germany)

Check online offers
DHL, for example, has an online-only offer which includes a 2kg (a dress doesn't weigh more than that) package with insurance within Germany. You can't get it at your local post office. There, the minimum is 6,99€ for a 5kg package with insurance. BUT the very same package (5kg, insurance, within Germany) is even 1€ cheaper if you register online and buy it from here. It's a very simple system and you can pay via Paypal.
Hermes has the same system: 4,69€ for a package size "S" when you label it online (pay later at the shop) and 5,49€ when you label it by hand.
Another example from DPD: They also have an online-only offer for packages size "XS" but you also pay less when you pay online directly. Size S package online: 4,20€ and with payment in the shop 4,50€ (okay, it's not that much cheaper but for bigger packages, the difference can be up to 2€!)

prices may not be up to date!


Registered airmail
An international package with insurance can be very expensive (like 35-45€) but some items can be send as "Wertbrief international" You can use the shipping calculator for this. Choose "Versandtasche" and "Einschreiben" (registered airmail). Then, you can choose insurance up to whatever the value of your item is. Every 100€ insurance costs 2€. So for 200€ it's 4€ more.
Example:
1kg bubble-wrap envelope to the USA - 7€
+ insurance up to 300€ - 6€
+ registered airmail - 2,15€
= 13,15€ in total

A 5kg package with insurance up to 500€ to the US
= 35,99€ (minimum price)
Sometimes items are too heavy or too bulky for registered airmail but for some dresses, blouses and accessory, it's a great deal!

Please keep in mind to send everything with insurance. I lost some stuff over the years because I didn't want to pay the extra money for insurance. It's also important for your Paypal seller's protection!! There are many scammers out there who want your stuff and your money!!

Hope this was little bit helpful for some of you :)

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