New "Free Shipping" Option

[Former_Member]

Hi everyone,

Today, we added the ability for you to offer free shipping to your buyers using calculated shipping profiles!

Now, you may elect to either "Offer free domestic shipping" or "Offer free international shipping" below “Shipping services” while creating or editing your calculated profiles. See how that looks in the main calculated shipping help article here: https://www.etsy.com/help/article/6131

When you offer free shipping for an item, it will show as the default shipping method on the listing page. You may continue to offer all other shipping services, if you like. Buyers will have the opportunity to select them in the cart and will be charged accordingly.

If you choose to offer free shipping for your items, it will be up to you to determine how to ship them, as free shipping is not associated with a specific mail class. Items that have free shipping will not have their weight, size, or handling fee calculated for orders.

We look forward to hearing how free shipping works for you! Please share your feedback below.

[AuntMaymesAttic]

This is cool, because I've wanted free shipping for all my FC packages. I really like the concept, and I am going to work with it. I'm not sure yet how it's going to work out, as I have a problem with the next to the last paragraph:
"If you choose to offer free shipping for your items, it will be up to you to determine how to ship them, as free shipping is not associated with a specific mail class."

Previously, before Calculated Shipping, I offered free domestic First Class shipping, with an upgrade to Priority, using the difference between FC and Priority as the upgrade. Sometimes buyers asked about Priority because they wanted it there sooner and that was why I offered the upgrade this way.

I'm not sure how this is going to work, as most of my items are so light that my paying the FC doesn't make much difference in the cost. But if someone ordered something heavier, there might be a problem because then I'd have to offer free shipping on everything.

Any suggestions?

[Former_Member]

Hey Mike, that looks like a nifty little option for people who want it. I don't use it myself, but I do have a question in case someone asks.

If you add a s/h fee to a Free profile - won't it look like there is still a shipping fee once the customer puts an item in the cart?

If someone selects to do Free shipping for domestic but not for International will the fee only apply to International?

If someone is using package preferences and has a fee on their box won't it look like it is not really Free shipping once again?

I am just playing devil's advocate here. People might realize not to charge a fee for the item but forget it's on their boxes.

Guess that's more than one question.

[CookieGrandma60]

This is great! I have many items that ship free within the US but I also sell internationally and would have to charge for that.

Wonderful news! I hope everything is getting worked out so there are no more bugs.

Thanks Mike!

[CookieGrandma60]

Oh, those are good questions Kathy. I hadn't even considered those. I was just happy to get the free shipping option. LOL. Space Cadet here today. :)

[MissMagpiesShoppe]

Thank you, Mike!

[Former_Member]

Okay, I just re-read Mike's post and it does say Free shipping won't have the handling fee charged. And I guess the calculator isn't putting it in any box so no box fee either - so those questions are answered - just want to make sure I'm correct there?

And if I read it right - the other options would still be available in the cart drop down menu so a customer could choose an upgrade if they wanted.

The only thing it wouldn't do is what Aunt Mayme usually does which is just charge the difference between say FC and Priority for an upgrade.

Do I have that all right?

[custompetandtack]

Great for those that offer free shipping.

I personally don't offer it because we're paying etsy fees on the item price and most times I think that sellers probably add shipping to the cost of the item. (plus I think a lot of buyer's realize shipping really isn't free but added in the item cost).

If s/h cost wasn't added to the item price, sellers would lose money, especially on low cost items.

I came across a shop the other day that was selling soap, $4.50 per bar and she had free s/h.

It had to cost her at least $2 to mail 1 bar.

I don't see how she was making any money.
She also had some items for $2.50 with free shipping...and those items she had to be losing money.

[Former_Member]

I would go broke with free shipping since my stuff tends to be heavy.

Now if they can separate domestic and international for this - maybe they could separate the s/h fees for domestic and international as well like Dave and Dwayne have been asking for.

[Former_Member]

Aunt Mayme from AuntMaymesAttic says:

This is cool, because I've wanted free shipping for all my FC packages. I really like the concept, and I am going to work with it. I'm not sure yet how it's going to work out, as I have a problem with the next to the last paragraph:
"If you choose to offer free shipping for your items, it will be up to you to determine how to ship them, as free shipping is not associated with a specific mail class."

Previously, before Calculated Shipping, I offered free domestic First Class shipping, with an upgrade to Priority, using the difference between FC and Priority as the upgrade. Sometimes buyers asked about Priority because they wanted it there sooner and that was why I offered the upgrade this way.

I'm not sure how this is going to work, as most of my items are so light that my paying the FC doesn't make much difference in the cost. But if someone ordered something heavier, there might be a problem because then I'd have to offer free shipping on everything.

Any suggestions?

****

Hi there,

Since free shipping is not associated with any specific mail class, it is up to you to determine how you will ship those items. If you offer First Class as a shipping method in addition to free shipping, First Class will be treated as a shipping upgrade and charged as usual, if selected.

For the scenario you described, I suggest creating a separate calculated profile without free shipping enabled for heavier items.

[Former_Member]

Kathy from WoodcraftsandCandles says:

Okay, I just re-read Mike's post and it does say Free shipping won't have the handling fee charged. And I guess the calculator isn't putting it in any box so no box fee either - so those questions are answered - just want to make sure I'm correct there?

And if I read it right - the other options would still be available in the cart drop down menu so a customer could choose an upgrade if they wanted.

The only thing it wouldn't do is what Aunt Mayme usually does which is just charge the difference between say FC and Priority for an upgrade.

Do I have that all right?

****

Hi Kathy,

You are correct on all counts. :)

[Former_Member]

Thank you Mike! Just want to be straight on the facts. It is a great option for folks who use that.

[CookieGrandma60]

I've just switched over 30+ of my listings that offer free US shipping and it's working like a charm. So far, correct pricing internationally too.
This is a wonderful feature.
I don't have many large items that ship free so I've left them with no shipping profile for now.

Thanks for all the hard work everyone!

[Former_Member]

Happy to hear it, Connie!

[Former_Member]

Oh Connie, I just went and looked at one of your Free listings and it looked great! I even switched to Canada to see that.

CS is a wonderful thing when it does what it's supposed to do!
Congrats

[CookieGrandma60]

Thanks Mike and Kathy! Yes, it's wonderful when it works as it should! ;) I just checked my 2 perfume atomizers too (as a buyer) and shipping comes up correct for Canada. Happy as a clam. LOL.

Thanks everyone. ♥

[CookieGrandma60]

I just tried 2 free US shipping items, one that will only ship to the US and one that will ship free within the US & internationally (for a shipping fee).

The calculator did exactly what I had hoped it would, not allowing the "US only" item to be shipped to Canada.

Keeping my hopes up that things will continue to work as they should. Thanks everyone! ;)

[AuntMaymesAttic]

I like your suggestion about the separate calculated profile, Mike and will do that for my heavier items. My idea would be to have an option for free FC shipping, because here's a common scenario:

I have many buyers who buy more than one item. Let's say I set all my soft goods (lighter) items for free shipping, (free shipping is not associated with any specific mail class and won't let me distinguish between FC and Priority), then I have a buyer who wants to purchase a group of items. Individually the items would mail FC but combined they would be over the FC rate. So this means their Priority package would ship free, right?

What if a heavier item was included in the package? Would that also ship free, because of the other items and their profiles? (Maybe I have this part backwards. )

I'd feel better if there was a way they knew I don't mind providing up to FC and that anything over would mean they would have to pay. Then I could refund the difference on my own. Creating a Free FC Shipping option would work best for me.

By the way, I had a recent buyer who bought a number of items and I must say, the calculator worked perfectly!

[Former_Member]

Aunt Mayme - I just put two of my very small items on Domestic Free shipping. I went to test in my other browser. It worked fine. Says Free and in the cart the Free option is first in the drop down menu.

I then added another item without Free shipping and it only showed the price for shipping that item - it is light weight and there was still a FC option.

However, once I added a heavier item that alone can ship FC, but combined with the smaller Free shipping item goes over 1 pound - I got only a Priority shipping price for the two items combined.

It did not consider the Free shipping item as Free anymore, it added the weight in as a usual combined item.

So it seams like the Free shipping will only apply through FC then there is no discount at all.

[AuntMaymesAttic]

Thanks, Kathy, for the info. I understand what you're saying and I'll try this out as well. While away from here, I set up a test profile for two items in my shop--one that weighs 12 oz and one that weighs 8 oz. Each go FC individually, but combined they go over the 15 oz. And I found something interesting.

In the drop down box, the words "Free Shipping" show. Then beneath that, the Priority Mail charges show--regular Priority and Express. Even though I also have these set up for International, they don't show because I'm in the US--which is good!

But my concern is the Free Shipping part. Isn't this a choice, because it shows? To me, it's confusing and shouldn't show at all--just the Priority. And on the individual listings, under the Shipping and Policies tab, it also shows "Free Shipping!", which, on the surface, I like but might be misleading and I might lose a customer because when they go to combine their order, they are going to be under the assumption that they will receive free shipping on their order. Maybe something like "Free Standard Shipping" might work, because Priority is a little "above standard". But maybe I'm being too picky?

[Former_Member]

Aunt Mayme - on your Shipping Profile page - do you have Retail prices or Etsy prices checked?

For Etsy online shipping FC goes to 16 ounces. Retail (also PayPal, USPS, and others) FC goes to 13 ounces.

You seemed to be saying you were confused because a combined 15 ounces was still showing the FC Free shipping. If that is the case then you must have Etsy prices checked.

And no, International options will not show unless someone is not US based.

By the way you can check out your things by either signing out of your Etsy account and then going back without signing in - then you can change zip codes or even countries and put things in your cart and see how things are calculating.

You can also do this by opening another browser and going to your shop without signing in. I use IE here, but I have Chrome for checking out my stuff.

[Former_Member]

Let me add - in case I misread your question, which might be the same as mine. An individual item with Free shipping will show that in the listing - however, when it combines with something else which sends it over the limit for FC it then looses the Free shipping ability all together.

I do think this is a bit misleading to customers.

As I said in my example - I have my keyrings on Free shipping. But add that to a set of votive candles and the shipping calculates for both of them. There is no discount given at all for shipping.

[Former_Member]

Mike, let me throw this out there with these two listings. I'm using zip codes from 02816 to 94610 for my test

https://www.etsy.com/listing/165773794/keychain-ambrosia-maple-and-cherry-wood?ref=shop_home_active_...

https://www.etsy.com/listing/45757626/maple-wood-bowl-dyed-dark-brown-hand?ref=shop_home_active_1

The Key Ring has Free Shipping

The bowl is 1 pound

I have a 50 cent box s/h fee

The bowl shipping alone Priority is $7.01, The key ring alone is Free

Put them both in the cart and the shipping is $10.47 which is Box A with 50 cent box charge.

So the key ring is no longer shipping for Free - The calculator is combining the items as usual.

[CookieGrandma60]

Kathy,
Thanks for checking into that. So is CS adding the *weight* of the free shipped key ring when it's combined with the bowl? If so, I'll have to re-check my listings with free shipping too. :(

When I had those items on the old free shipping profile it didn't add shipping fees when shipped with another item.
Thanks.

[Former_Member]

Connie yes - going by the price increase (I haven't sold any) the bowl alone ships at Priority $7.01 - with the key ring added the price goes up to $10.47.

The fee added is only a box fee - I have no item fees - and the box fee is attached to the Priority bowl item. But it is adding the weight of the key ring to the box and thus increasing the price from 1 lb. Priority to a 1 lb. + Priority rate.

Alone the key ring is fine shipping for Free. If I add it to something like a Pen that is light - I only get the FC pen shipping price - key ring still ships for Free. But once the combine item weight goes over a pound, it seems to revert back to just regular calculated combined shipping.