Still loving Half.com

**poundwise** · 01-06-2009, 10:14 AM

Nice going. That's definitely a nice way to work it.

**gamecock43** · 01-06-2009, 10:41 AM

Steve- I just started listing on half.com yesterday and have had 2 sales! But the site requests you to build shipping costs into the price of the books...shipping each book through parcel post today was almost $7.00 each. When half.com suggests a book is currently selling for $2 or $3- how are the sellers recouping their shipping costs? I have about 10 books I'd love to unload and make a dollar or two profit from (that's $10-20!), but cant understand why half.com wants me to list a book for $2 and then it will cost me $5 to ship it.

**gamecock43** · 01-06-2009, 10:45 AM

wait. make that 16 books all suggested I sell for under $3 a piece. How to get rid of them without losing money?

**disneysteve** · 01-06-2009, 11:58 AM

You shouldn't be shipping by Parcel Post but by Media Mail.

Here's how it worked for the book I just sold:

Sale price: $18.99
Shipping reimbursement: $2.64
Commission: $2.85
Net payment: $18.78

Media Mail shipping with confirmation will be $2.76, so I'll net $16.02 in the end on an $18.99 sale.

Let's say I sold the same book for $3.00:

Sale: $3.00
Shipping: $2.64
Commission: $.45
Net payment: $5.19
Actual shipping: $2.76
Final net: $2.43

**gamecock43** · 01-06-2009, 12:33 PM

ok thanks. I am not familiar with media mail but wouldn't you know! just had another sale. I will ask the post office about it tomorrow when I go in. Do I need special shipping boxes?

**disneysteve** · 01-06-2009, 12:36 PM

Originally posted by gamecock43 View Post

ok thanks. I am not familiar with media mail but wouldn't you know! just had another sale. I will ask the post office about it tomorrow when I go in. Do I need special shipping boxes?

Media mail is simple. No special supplies needed. Just put the book in an envelope, print your postage and off it goes. Media mail is for books and magazines and is very cheap.

**Cassandra** · 01-06-2009, 04:03 PM

Before I ship any books, I weigh the item and then go to usps.com and calculate how much it would cost to ship it Media Mail vs. Parcel vs. Priority, etc. You will need the zip code of where it is being sent to get an estimate of how much it costs but if you want to know about how much shipping will be before listing the item you can pick a random zip code far away.

You can also see how much it would cost to add delivery confirmation or insurance.

**cptacek** · 01-06-2009, 06:39 PM

Oh and for Media Mail, if the book is over 13 oz, you need to take it to the post office. Also, you can just wrap them in paper and use packing tape if you don't have envelopes. The Post Office will stamp it media mail.

**disneysteve** · 01-07-2009, 04:42 AM

Originally posted by cptacek View Post

Oh and for Media Mail, if the book is over 13 oz, you need to take it to the post office.

That is not true. I print all of my postage at home through PayPal and the mailman picks up the packages with the rest of the mail from my office. I never take anything to the post office. Actually, the only thing I usually take is international shipments because I'm never sure that I'm doing them correctly.

**poundwise** · 01-07-2009, 05:32 AM

USPS: The 13-ounce mail rule

As you can see, if you are printing postage through an approved service, then there is no issue. However, if you are mailing the item using affixed stamps, then you must take anything more than 13 ounces to a Post Office counter.

This is not specific to media mail.

**disneysteve** · 01-07-2009, 05:40 AM

Thanks for clearing that up, poundwise. My advice to everyone is to print your postage at home. It is free and easy.

**poundwise** · 01-07-2009, 05:44 AM

A separate comment on Media Mail. It is for CDs, DVDs, videotapes, software, and the like as well as books. LINK

Also, for light items, such as a single DVD and case or a small paperback, it is actually less expensive to use First Class Mail as opposed to Media Mail. For larger or heavier items, or groups of items, Media Mail is consistently the least expensive method.

Lastly, when you sell through third-parties such as Amazon or half.com, there is typically an option that allows the buyer to request expedited shipping. In such a case, you receive more funds for postage from the buyer/service and then ship via First Class or Priority Mail instead of Media Mail.

**gamecock43** · 01-07-2009, 07:16 AM

I was able to use media mail!
I am wondering why the post office has such drastically separate charges between media mail and parcel post. The same item going to the same place is $2.50 through media mail, or $6.00 through parcel post? Why such a big discrepency when there is no change of service?

**waijai** · 01-07-2009, 07:41 AM

Ouch...i offered expedited shipping on a book and ended up spending $8.90 for priority mail, when the reimbursment was only $5.something. I am now not offering expedited shipping. I should have thrown the book into a Priority Mail flat rate box.

Still loving Half.com