Former_Member
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Discount shipping charge on multiple items sold?

I am new to Etsy and signed up for Calculated Shipping. I have searched google and Etsy for answer to this question.

How do I offer discount shipping if purchaser buys multiple items?
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Former_Member
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Re: Discount shipping charge on multiple items sold?

Hello Virginia and welcome! You don't have to do anything to offer a discount for multiple items purchased, that is built into calculated shipping.

When you put the dimensions of your item (item with packing material around it but NOT the shipping box) into your item listings, the calculator figures out how to fit your items into boxes so combined shipping is automatic.

For the weight of your item - you weight it in the shipping box - all ready to ship. You need this so if someone only buys one item, they will get charged enough for you to ship it. Yes, this weight gets added to each item purchased, but usually, with a little tweaking sometimes, this works out great.

Most important is to list your boxes in Package Preferences. If you use flat rate or regional rate boxes - you list them here. Also list any other size boxes you use like 6x4x4, 7x7x6, 12x12x8. Most of us only use our own package preferences and uncheck the box to use Etsy common sizes.

This way, when I customer buys something, the calculator will figure out for you how to give the best shipping price. Sometimes it is a flat rate box, and other times it is a regular box - depending on zip code.

But it always figures the cheapest price for the customer.

I sell multiple items all the time. Since getting all of my figures just right, I have not overcharged or undercharged a customer in the last few month. It figures out how to give my buyers the best shipping price whether they buy one item or 6 items.

Start with setting up a shipping profile and be sure if you use First Class, to also include Priority or Parcel Select so if someone buys enough items and it goes past the First Class weight limit - there is another shipping class to jump to. (Don't include Media Mail in a profile unless you sell printed material or books)

Try it will a few items to see how it works. Test by signing out of your Etsy account and going back as a shopper - put multiple items in your cart to see this.

Or go look at my shop now if you want, and put things into your cart (you just delete them later) - but try something like a votive candle set - see how it looks. Add a few and see how the price will level off at certain stages as the calculator uses the best box.
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Former_Member
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Re: Discount shipping charge on multiple items sold?

It looks like you already have it set up for what you have listed. The price increases gradually. Do you have package preferences listed?

I should have looked at your shop first because you seem to already have tried it.

Am I missing something from your question?
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Former_Member
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Re: Discount shipping charge on multiple items sold?

Hi Kathy,
Thank you for your help. Yes i signed up for Calculated shipping, but I still had the question. Thanks for clarifying it for me. I don't know where "Package Preferences" is. Can you tell me? AlsoI will be shipping vintage crochet magazines and I don't know what to ship them in, so I don't know how to weigh them. I put down 6 oz for wt, but I don't know what each would weigh in a package. Should I run over to the post office and look for some sturdy package?
Also I don't see Flat Rate listed in my calculated shipping profile.
Gosh, am I ever a Newby.
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Former_Member
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Re: Discount shipping charge on multiple items sold?

I forgot to mention Kathy,
I wanted to tell me friends and relatives to go to Etsy and search for my store, but when I went to search, there were no results. I just joined yesterday.
Thanks again, much appreciated!!
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Former_Member
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Re: Discount shipping charge on multiple items sold?

lol Newby is fine, best to learn and best to ask questions.

First, if you go to your shipping profile page, scroll below your profiles and you will se Package Preferences there. First there is Etsy common sizes and a question mark and if you click on that you will see the boxes Etsy uses.

Below that you can select flat rate packing from the drop down menu or list your own sizes.

If you select an envelope you must put in your own height. And you should put nothing less than 1 inch. If you can fit say 3 magazines in an envelope then put 4 inches for the height in package preferences. Then in your listing put 1 inch for the height of the item. That way the calculator can fit 4 magazines in an envelope.

Do you have a scale? A scale is very important for doing shipping. You can get them for about $20 on Amazon or ebay and it's the most valuable piece of equipment you can have. That way you can get an accurate shipping price.

For Priority flat rate envelopes - sometimes they have them at the PO but often you just have to order them online at the USPS site. They are free and they deliver them to your home for free. But if you want to offer First Class as well, you need to buy your own envelopes.

If you want the calculator to only select what you want to use as packages, then you need to list your package sizes in package preferences and uncheck the box for etsy common sizes. That usually works the best.

I'm sure envelopes are your best bet for your magazines. USPS has a number of different ones and they will be the best price for Priority - a flat rate.

Are you using retail prices or etsy prices? If you have a scale, and can weigh your packages after someone purchases - you can print postage right from Etsy and it's much cheaper than post office prices.

Let me know if you have further questions.
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Former_Member
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Re: Discount shipping charge on multiple items sold?

Virginia, I believe it can take a little while to have your shop show up.

If you go to your shop front and click on the http box at the top left corner and copy - that will give you the actual url for your shop and you can send that to friends and family to find your shop.
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Former_Member
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Re: Discount shipping charge on multiple items sold?

https://www.etsy.com/shop/VirgysNeedlework

That is your URL - if you click on it you will go to your shop - but in order for that to be a clickable link for your family, you have to copy it yourself and paste it into an email for them.
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Former_Member
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Re: Discount shipping charge on multiple items sold?

Great. I un-clicked Etsy package sizes and put in USPS. Then I selected USPS Padded envelope 12.5 X9.5. That should do it. I will order them tonight. Now do I have to weigh the magazine in the padded envelope and change my calculated shipping?
How can I print postage from Etsy?
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Former_Member
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Re: Discount shipping charge on multiple items sold?

Yes, you will need to weigh in the envelope. Remember, you must add a height to that envelope you selected.

Also, that is for Priority Mail Flat Rate only - if you want to offer First Class you will need your own envelopes.

When you go to print a shipping label, there are separate selections for flat rate envelopes, but you must have and use those particular envelopes if you choose that shipping method.

Here is a link to using Etsy Shipping labels
https://www.etsy.com/help/article/3156?ref=help_search_result
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Former_Member
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Re: Discount shipping charge on multiple items sold?

I typed in 12.5 x9.5x1
I ordered the Priority Mail Flat Rate padded envelopes. If someone wants First Class, I will to to P.O. and get one. I can't see anyone wanting First Class, though. Thanks for the link!! and all your helpfulness.
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Former_Member
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Re: Discount shipping charge on multiple items sold?

Virginia, when you get the envelopes, you will probably see that you can fit more than one magazine into the envelope. If you can fit 4 of them in, then change that height to 4 - with only 1 one the height, only 1 magazine will fit into it (even if you measure them and they are below one inch in height - the calculator does not recognize anything below 1 inch.

You will want customers to get a discount on shipping by buying more. If you have 1 as the height - if someone buys 2 magazines - they will get charged double because the calculator will put them into separate envelopes.

I'm off for the night. Good luck!
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Re: Discount shipping charge on multiple items sold?

Virgina, the envelopes at the post office are high.....you'd be better off going to Wal-Mart, Staples, Office Max and buying a bulk pack of 10, 25 or more.
I order a lot lf my vinyl and bubble mailer envelopes from Uline.com.

For a magazine, I'd probably get a bubble type mailer or if you want to use a poly vinyl, you can sandwich the magazine inbetween 2 pieces of cardboard so it won't get messed up during shipping.

You really need to get a scale, Wal-Mart, Office Max, all sells postal scales.

WIthout a scale, you won't have an accurate weight and without accurate weight you might end up losing a lot of money on shipping or either over-charging the buyer.

Like Kathy mentioned, you need the TOTAL weight of your item with the envelope/mailer to put in your listing.

Remember if a magazine weighs over 13 oz (usps retail rates) or 16 oz (etsyl rates) it will have to be mailed Priority.

A side note:
You can not mail magazines via Media mail because most have advertisements. Media mail is for books/cd's/bound printed matter, no advertisements.

I don't know if Kathy mentioned this but on your shipping profiles if you're going to be able to use first class or Priority, you need BOTH methods on one profile.

That way if someone buys several items and the weight goes over 13 or 16 oz, CS will bump up the shipping to Priority only.

If you only have first class, then CS will figure shipping on multiple packages.

Hope this helps.!
Same with me Kathy! off for tonight.
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Re: Discount shipping charge on multiple items sold?

One more thing you can logout of your account or use another browser to "shop" to see how your items are doing and if they are caluclating correctly.

You can see what comes up and also check on usps.com the rates.

Please see Kathy's post about height above.

You need MORE than 1" in your height for the mailer.
I'd put 1" for the height in the listing that way CS can fit more in the mailer when you have it's height at 4".

With only 1", CS will only put 1 item in that and your buyer will be charged double/triple and will figure mailing in separate packages.
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Former_Member
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Re: Discount shipping charge on multiple items sold?

Thanks Pat for jumping in. I think we can both help Virginia.

Virginia a couple of things I noticed about your shop.

1. You have it set up so that you will ship to all countries. I would suggest that you get familiar with shipping within the US before you tackle worldwide shipping.

If you go to your shipping profile - edit - there is a box you have checked that says All Countries - if you click to uncheck that box, it will revert to only shipping within the US.

2. You have no policies listed. It's a good idea to fill this in. Take a look at other shops for an idea of what they put. You will see them when you click on the Shipping and Policies tab in a listing.

To fill yours in Click on Your Shop at the top of the Page. Then Shop Settings and then Info and Appearance. There is a tab there for Policies. Don't forget to hit Save at the bottom when you fill them in.

3. You really need to weigh one of your magazines in a bubble envelope to get an accurate weight for your item. I've weighed a thick magazine I have here in a bubble mailer and it came to 1 pound. You have First Class enabled as an option in your profile and the price coming up for me is $2.76 for FC. That will not cover shipping for you. Maybe your magazines are lighter than that, but you need to know for sure or you are going to loose money. Plus you are going to have to buy envelopes to mail first class - another expense.

Those are my thoughts this morning. I think before you list more items, you should get this shipping stuff figured out first. We don't want you to get a sale and then have all your profits lost because of this.
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Re: Discount shipping charge on multiple items sold?

I wanted to add to a few things I noticed.

#1: you need to use all 13 of your tags in order to get found on etsy.
There are a lot of teams that can help with SEO. Tags and title need to match.

You're selling magazines but do not have magazines in your title or tags.
No one will find these without this. I'd also put back issues in both.

#2. I noticed you'd put info about yourselft in your description, I would put this personal info on your "about me" page and not on the item listing.

# 3: I noticed you only have Direct checkout for buyers.
A lot of buyer's will only use Paypal so it's best to have both options for your shop.

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Former_Member
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Re: Discount shipping charge on multiple items sold?

Pat, I will copy and Paste here as I am confused, On my Listing, should I put 4 in height or 1 inch height?
Thanks, Virginia

You need MORE than 1" in your height for the mailer.
I'd put 1" for the height in the listing that way CS can fit more in the mailer when you have it's height at 4".

With only 1", CS will only put 1 item in that and your buyer will be charged double/triple and will figure mailing in separate packages.
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Former_Member
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Re: Discount shipping charge on multiple items sold?

Kathy and Pat,

You gals are so great!!!! I have a lot of studying to do over your threads. Kathy, when you signed off last night, I did too. I didn't read pats thread till a few minutes ago. I have some homework to do. I have almost finished my last listing and then I will stop till I get this figured out, especially the shipping. My mags are only 82 pages and on my kitchen scale they weigh 6 oz, with a bubble wrap mailer, they weigh 8 oz. Should I put more?
How do I know If I've had a reply on the Team. Do I just check often?
Thanks for all the advice!!
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Former_Member
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Re: Discount shipping charge on multiple items sold?

Virginia, you just have to check the team from time to time to see responses. You don't get any notices about it.

Now, Put 1 inch for the height of your magazine in the listing.
Put 4 inches for the height of the envelope in your package preference list.

If you weighed the magazine in a bubble mailer and it was 8 ounces, then put 8 ounces in the listing.

Just keep plugging away and ask questions here when you need to. Pat and I usually check here often, as well as some others.

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Former_Member
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Re: Discount shipping charge on multiple items sold?

One last thing Virginia and this is important because of your weight of 8 ounces. Have you selected to use Retail prices or Etsy prices. Are you planning to print your postage through Etsy, or are you going to take it to the PO?

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Re: Discount shipping charge on multiple items sold?

Thanks Kathy for letting Virginia know to put 1" for her item height and 4" for her mailer height.....I was away from the computer for a while

On postage, you will save a lot of money and time printing your labels with Etsy labels or on Paypal if you enable Paypal payments on your shop..

For first class if you print labels from etsy tracking is free, if you mail at the PO it costs extra for tracking.

You need to have tracking on your packages to prove delivery if needed.

Also by printing through etsy, your tracking information is sent to your buyer automatically.
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Former_Member
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Re: Discount shipping charge on multiple items sold?

Kathy, I just got finished editing all my items. I put in 4 in height and 1 lb weight. (Should I change it?) In my package preferences I believe I have 5 inches. I am having Etsy print my labels, is that what you mean? If Etsy prints my postage, don't I still have to take it to the PO?
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Former_Member
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Re: Discount shipping charge on multiple items sold?

Your items should have a 1 inch height
and you said the weight is 8 ounces

That is what should be in your listing.

The 4 inches should be the height of the envelope you are using in the package preferences you have listed. That does not go in your listing.

And yes, you still have to take your items to the PO. You print your postage through Etsy (Etsy doesn't do it) and then you take it to the PO.

Hope that clears it up
Dinner time
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Former_Member
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Re: Discount shipping charge on multiple items sold?

I will go back and change my items. The closest USPS had on Bubble mailer was 5 inches, so I chose that one.
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Former_Member
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Re: Discount shipping charge on multiple items sold?

Under Payment methods you accept it doesn't have PayPal.
When I clicked on Other Payment Methods, PayPal was listed.
When I clicked on it, it wanted my PayPal account number.
I think Other Payment Methods, it means my payments to Etsy.
Etsy already has my bank info.
How can I get my customers to have choice of PayPal?
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