A step-by-step guide on how to combine shipping on eBay before and after payment. learn you and your customers can benefit from eBay’s combined shipping feature
When you’re running an online business you face all sorts of challenges. And as a seller, you will agree the most annoying one of them all is shipping. There is very little room for error because it can result in unexpected expenses and damage your brand name.
Additionally, There is no denying the shipping process is a hassle for your buyers as well. Especially when you’re not offering free shipping, about 48% of online shoppers abandon carts because the extra cost such as shipping was high. Furthermore, the delays in delivery can really prevent them from ordering from you again.
Luckily you can offer combined shipping on eBay to overcome this hurdle.
The article will cover how to combine shipping on eBay to reduce your expenses and increase customer satisfaction with your services. But first, let’s start with what combined shipping is on eBay.
What is combined shipping and its benefits?
Before we combine shipping on eBay let’s recap how shipping costs are managed on the platform. When you sell a product or an item you can either include the shipping expense in the product price itself or you charge your customer for it.
Calculating the shipping costs of individual deliveries is straightforward. However, it gets complicated when the same customer orders multiple products. This is where eBay’s combined shipping feature comes in handy. If a customer purchases many items from your eBay store and adds them all to their shopping cart at the same time, the combined shipping feature enables you to ship all of their purchases in a single box.
This makes things easier for both you and the person who is buying from you. You can easily package the order and save yourself time and resources. As well as lower your shipping expenses(if you’re offering free shipping) otherwise if you charge customers, they can save a lot of money. Either way, you’re making the shipping process efficient and cost-effective for yourself and the customer.
Furthermore, you can reduce the delivery time of your products which is one of the biggest main reasons behind cart abandonment. Also, it will help you and the customer calculate the total cost of the items.
So how does this combined shipping feature work? Some sellers configure their eBay accounts in such a way that the discount is applied immediately when the customer adds an item to their shopping cart and enters shipping details. Some people accomplish this by manually generating a new invoice that includes the total amount that was spent on shipping, and then emailing it to the customer.
In the event that your eBay account does not automatically display combined shipping rates, customers can request a combined estimate from sellers by selecting the option to “Request total from seller” while shopping. They also have the option of sending a direct message to a seller in order to ask for an updated price quote.
How to do combine shipping on eBay?
This brings us to our next section, how to combine shipping on eBay or enable this feature for your store. You can find instructions for manually merging numerous eBay orders in your account’s dashboard. You can begin your eBay shopping experience by enabling checkout from your account page. Customers are given the option to pay for multiple order shipments all at once.
Most users will have this option activated by default. If it isn’t, enabling that functionality is a breeze. Customers pay for their eBay purchases after placing an order.
If this option is selected, a single invoice will be sent to the customer for the total cost of their order within a specified time frame. Despite the seeming simplicity of this in theory, there have been numerous instances in which buyers paid without first receiving the final invoice.
The shipping costs have been paid in advance as they bundle shipments. This can lead to dissatisfied customers who go on the internet to complain about your company. A few strategies can help you overcome this disadvantage, though.
The customer may be eligible for an appropriate refund. However, as is common knowledge, PayPal adheres to a strict policy of fixed fees that cannot be altered under any circumstances. The complex web of customer satisfaction and refund policies can ensnare even the most diligent business owners.
Either provide free shipping or offer reduced shipping costs for all of your products. Your customers must believe that they are getting a good deal and can put their trust in your company and its products.
How to offer combined shipping on eBay on purchase
According to Statista, eBay has 138 million active buyers worldwide. So naturally, setting up automatically combined shipping on eBay is a great way to attract more potential customers and boost your total sales.
Furthermore, Once it’s up and running, you and your customers will save time and money. It might also lessen the likelihood of customers leaving bad reviews or abandoning their carts in your shop. Another tip to increase your feedback rating is by learning how to block bidders on eBay, this will prevent shady buyers from ruining the shopping experience of your loyal customers.
Here’s how to offer combined shipping on eBay automatically when the customer place the order:
- Go to the Shipping Preferences page to customize your shipping options.
- Click on the “Edit” button next to Allow combined payments and shipping to customize the settings.
- Choose the time period during which you’re willing to combine payment for purchased items and select Save.
And that’s it, you’ve enabled eBay combined shipping invoice.
How to combine shipping on eBay after payment?
The process of combining delivery costs on eBay becomes more complicated after payment has been made. On the other hand, it’s not completely out of the question either. As a seller, you can view your completed sales through eBay’s website.
After scrolling to the bottom of the sold items list, you can click the print shipping option. You’ll be asked to confirm on the website whether you wish to use combined shipping.
Once the order is verified, you and the buyer(s) will be given a tracking number to follow its progress. However, mistakes and negative feedback are still possible, and the additional wait time may be off-putting to some customers.
Guide on combining invoices on eBay
So far we’ve learned how to enable the option to offer combined shipping services to your customers. Now let’s look at how to combine invoices on your end.
There are a couple of ways to issue a combined invoice to your buyer.
To do this from My eBay:
- Go to the Sold section.
- Select the items you want to combine into a single invoice.
- Then customize and add the new shipping charges.
- To finish the process simply select “Send Invoice” from the Actions menu.
Alternatively, you can issue a combined invoice from Seller Hub:
- Simply go to the Orders section on your Seller hub.
- Confirm which orders want to be combined by checking the box next to them.
- Then select “Send Invoice” for any of the combined orders.
Additional benefits of combined shipping on eBay
If you’re an eBay seller, you might want to know why it’s a good idea to let customers pay for multiple items at once.
It’s an economical option.
For starters, it can reduce the cost of packaging and shipping for both you and the customer. It can add up if you have several items to ship and each one requires its own packaging and postage. Especially when you’re delivering goods to other regions where the shipping cost can increase drastically.
By simply bundling the products into a single package, you can save money on shipping by sending it less frequently.
More importantly, It helps cut down on trash from unwanted packaging, which is essential for the environment and your wallet.
Positive feedback from customers is a direct result.
There are a number of ways you can increase feedback rating such as listing items with accurate product identifiers. If you don’t know What is MPN on eBay, check out the guide to boost your seller’s rating. Similarly, combined shipping is another effective way to please your customers. Buyers may be enticed to place multiple orders at once. They will value the combined shipping discounts as well.
A successful eBay business relies on positive feedback and repeats purchases from satisfied customers, both of which can be increased by facilitating a single payment for multiple items purchased.
It simplifies the shipping process through eBay’s marketplace.
Shipping services can be made more efficient by offering combined shipping and a combined shipping rate. When orders are combined, the packaging is streamlined and there is no need to keep track of multiple shipments that are all going to the same buyer.
The shopper’s life is simplified as a result.
Did you know around 22% online shoppers abandon carts because of slow delivery? Combining shipments is more convenient for the buyer as well. They don’t have to wait around for multiple packages to arrive, and the delivery process is simplified because of combined shipping.
More customers will be interested in making a purchase from you, and their overall shopping experience will benefit if you offer combined shipping.
Summing up eBay’s combined shipping
Combined shipping on eBay is a blessing in disguise for both you and your valued customers. Both can save money as well as precious amounts of time. Additionally, eBay’s option to combine delivery and payment is an excellent alternative if you can’t afford to provide them with free shipping. They’re useful to eBay buyers and will ultimately lead to more sales for you. Combined shipping on eBay is just one way to increase your profit margins, you can learn more ways to boost your online business from Best sellings items on eBay.
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