How low is too low?

[Former_Member]

Hey everybody,
I have a question about a request I recently got from a (potential) customer. She asked me if I would do a package deal on two of my cameras that I recently put on sale. The price she gave me was fair and I have no problem doing the deal at all.

What I'm nervous about is the price she asked for shipping. It is less than half what it will cost me to actually ship the cameras, and in the end I would be losing profit. I've had this happen a few times before and after replying to the customer with a higher shipping price I've lost the sale.

Does anyone have any experience with this? If so, how did you respond and did your customer still make the purchase?

Thanks!
Leah

[MidnightsMojo]

You never want to loose $ on a sale! Just explain that it's to her benefit to have it packaged appropraite to ensure safe arrival :) After all, you discounted already with a package deal on the cameras!

[GeminaeCo]

I have in the past agreed to to what you're considering and have always regretted it. That's just my personal experience. If it were me I would charge what it cost to ship and explain to the buyer that the shipping costs go to making sure the item is well packaged and will get there in a timely manner and in one piece. Make sure the cutomer knows that you make no money on shipping and that paying to ship things in a secure way it worth it to them in the end. We are in business to make money after all. If you lose money doing this what's the point?

[pillowsophi]

Is the shipping cost the customer asked for shipping the one you stated in your listing? If not, I think you should just quote the actual price and see what happens. You can always negotiate from there.

However, if you made a mistake in your listing (e.g. if you wrote $0 as the "with another item" shipping cost, so extra items ship for free), then I'd consider biting the bullet and honouring the stated price.

To me, what it comes down to is this: Where is the customer getting the shipping cost from? Unless you're *really* worried about losing the sale, there's no reason to just go along with her offer if you haven't given her any reason to think that the cameras would ship for that amount.

[Former_Member]

First, I would go with the price that you have stated in the listing.

Do you have a shipping scale? If not, go to the post office and have them weigh the item and tell you how much it will cost to ship it. Then go home and tell her.

[Former_Member]

I agree with AlmondCrafts. Find. Out the cost (make sure you ask for both first class and priority - sometimes first class is cheeper, sometimes it costs the same.) and then tell your customer that you can't change a shipping price. Shipping prices are out of our control, for the most part. It costs what it costs.

It's good to make customers happy - but this is Etsy, not Walmart. Generally, you're not selling a $100 product at 85% markup...

IMO, she should be happy she's getting a great deal on the cameras, and realize that it costs to ship things. If she doesn't, than she's trying to get something for nothing. Someone else will buy the product if she doesn't. Maybe at full price.

[Former_Member]

Thank you all so much for the advice! I double checked my shipping prices, which I had originally come up with using a postal scale, and my "with another item" prices come out almost exactly to what it would cost to ship the cameras together.

I am going to email her and let her know that I am happy to make the deal, but with an increased shipping price. I'll keep you updated!

[Former_Member]

I think that sounds like a fair solution brownandblack :)