There are a number of advantages for including postage & handling costs in your item listing:
- Increase sales – listings that include calculated postage costs are more likely to end in a sale
- Improve efficiency – no need to manually research and calculate postage costs
- Save time – emails from buyers about postage costs will be reduced
- Speed up checkout – pre-filled postage details make it easy and quick for buyers to checkout
- Build customer loyalty – up-front, accurate postage costs enhance the buyer’s experience, building trust and the chance of repeat purchases
To find out more about postage & handling costs, click on the links below to jump to that section of the page.
How does 'postage cost' work with Best Match?
Best Match, eBay.com.au's new (from 10 September 2009) default sort order for search results, looks at average postage costs (both flat and calculated) for listings from the same category and promotes listings that offer average or below average postage costs for the category.
As long as sellers offer reasonable postage costs according to their category or similar items, their listings will do well in Best Match. And if you offer free postage (see below), your item will get a boost in search results. If you charge excessive or unjustified postage, your listing will appear lower in search results.
If your item is heavy, an unusual shape or requiring special attention for delivery, you might want to consider whether to specify postage or not. Not specifying postage cost will neither promote nor demote your listing’s rank in search results. However, specifying postage helps set buyer expectations upfront. If you are not sure of the postage cost, the Postage Calculator will help you automatically and accurately adjust postage prices to your buyer’s location. You can also use combined postage to offer additional value to buyers (see below).
How do I offer 'free postage' on my listings?
You can attract more buyers to your listings and get a boost in search results by offering free postage. To offer free postage on your item:
- In “Sell your item,” select Flat: Same cost to all buyers
- Select a postage service from the drop-down menu
- Select the “Free Postage” option
In the listing and search results page, your item will show “Free” in the postage column.
All new sellers after 3 November 2008 are required to specify their postage cost. When sellers specify the postage price and service in the Postage Details section of their listing (not just in the listing description) this information appears to buyers in key places during the purchasing process - on the Search Results page, at the top of the Item page, and in the Postage Details section at the bottom of the listing.
- Go to My eBay.
- Click the Account tab, and then click the Site Preferences link in the left navigation.
- In the Selling Preferences section, scroll to Postage preferences, and then click the Show link.
- Click Exclude postage locations from your listings.
- Select one or more continents to exclude all countries on those continents. Or select Show all countries and check the specific countries you don't want to post to.
- All excluded countries you selected will appear on the lower section of the page.
- You can select to apply these exclusions to all current live listings on a global level.
- Click the Apply button to save your requirements.
The requirements you select will be applied to your current and future listings and can be disabled at any time.
Can I combine multiple purchases into a single order?
Yes. When a buyer purchases more than one item from you, but has not yet paid for the items, you can combine the items into a single order. Processing as a single order saves you postage costs and you can pass on these cost savings to the buyer (see postage discounts below).
To combine multiple items:
- From the Sold View, click the sales record for one of the items
- Selling Manager and Selling Manager Pro automatically determine if there are other items that qualify to be combined into a single order and provide you with the option to combine the items
Should I offer postage discounts to buyers who purchase multiple items?
It’s a good idea − offering a postage discount may encourage buyers to purchase additional items from you.
To set up postage discounts:
- In My eBay, click the Preferences link
- Click the Show link to the right of the Combined Payments and Postage Discounts section
- Click the Edit link
- Make any changes for postage discounts
You can specify the following for postage discounts on combined purchases:
Flat postage rules
You can choose from four options to create a flat postage rule. This rule will apply to all listings for which you specify flat postage costs and combined postage discounts. Select one rule, and then apply profiles to the rule.
- Charge the buyers the postage price for the item with the highest postage cost and then either:
- Add an additional cost for each item they purchase from you
- Post any additional items they purchase from you for free
- Subtract a postage cost for each additional item they purchase from you
- Subtract a percentage for each additional item they purchase from you
Calculated postage rules
You can choose from three options to create a calculated postage rule. This rule will apply to all listings for which you specify calculated postage and combined postage discounts.
- Calculate the postage price by the individual weight of each item. This rule assumes you are posting all items separately
- Calculate the postage price by the combined weight of each item. This rule assumes you are posting the items in a single package
- Calculate the postage price by the weight of each item and then subtract a specified number of ounces for each additional item a buyer purchases from you
Handling costs
If you specify a handling cost, it’s added to the calculated postage cost.
The options for handling costs are:
- Charge a handling cost for the entire order. This will add one handling cost for a package of combined items
- Change the full handling cost for each item. This adds a handling cost to each item in a package
Promotional postage rules
You can choose from three options to create a promotional postage rule. This rule will apply to all listings with postage discounts.
- Spend a specified amount on two or more items and postage is free or discounted
- Buy a specified number of items and postage is free or discounted
- Charge a maximum postage amount for a single order
How do I manage combined postage discounts?
Profiles are a way for you to manage your combined postage discount rules. You select the profile name in the Sell Your Item form when you add postage discounts to your listing.
To create a combined postage discount rule with a profile name:
- Go to the My eBay and click on Preferences under My Account
- Click the Show link in the Shipping preferences section
- Click the Edit link
- Click the Create link under the Combined postage discounts section
- Select a rule that you want to use for your combined postage discounts
- Specify an amount you want each additional item to post for
- If you want to add profiles to your rule, click the Create profiles link
- Name your profile something easy for you to remember
- After you complete the onscreen instructions, click the Finish button
To apply postage discounts in the Sell Your Item form:
- In the Sell Your Item form, go to the Postage section
- Select the “Apply my postage and insurance discount rules to this listing” check box
- If you have profile names, select the profile that you want to apply to the listing
Postage & handling charge limits
Limits on postage & handling charges apply to some categories. Flat-rate postage and handling costs apply to books, CDs and DVDs.
View our list of third party postage providers.
Sending hazardous materials
When sending hazardous or dangerous goods, certain rules apply to packing and postage.
Such items must be properly packed, marked and labelled as well as:
There are heavy financial penalties, and even possible prison terms, for endangering the safety of civil aviation.
For more details go to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and read our Hazardous materials policy.
Postage costs are typically much higher for international destinations and can vary greatly based on a number of factors.
eBay offers a free Postage Calculator which quotes real-time postage costs to your buyer. This calculation is based on the buyer's destination. To use the calculator add one or more calculated postage services to your listing using the Sell Your Item form.
Read more about International selling.
