Chapter 10

PayPal Shipping

In This Chapter

  • Figuring out shipping costs
  • Determining the weight of the item you need to ship
  • Selecting a shipping service
  • Configuring your shipping service options
  • Creating labels online
  • Shipping your package

You have two components to shipping items: First you need to figure out how much to charge a buyer; after the item is sold, you pay the shipping company to ship the item for you. You want to make sure that what you charge is pretty close to what you'll be charged. Charge the buyer too much and you risk getting negative feedback, and risk being in violation of eBay's rules. Charge too little and the buyer may be grateful, but your wallet won't be.

The cost of the shipment is calculated by how big the package is, how heavy the package is, the shipping distance, and how quickly it needs to get there. Using the shipping tools offered by eBay and PayPal, you can calculate how much it costs to ship the package, purchase and print your shipping labels online, and track the package as it makes its way to the seller.

Shipping Items Sold on eBay

If you are selling an item on eBay, figuring out shipping costs is made easier because you can use the eBay Shipping Calculator. When you list an item for auction, you can determine whether to use a flat or calculated shipping rate, which the buyer pays when paying for the item.

If you choose the flat rate, you can select a carrier (USPS or UPS) and charge a fee that is the same for all buyers, regardless of ...

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