Tiny margins

Ali Babrick

Hello,
Is there a method on BrickOwl to:
+ Automatically add the weight of the envelope or package to orders? For example, we could save a specific weight in the shipping method.
+ Add a systematic 4% margin for PayPal orders?
I allow very small orders, but when an order weighs 19.50g and you round it down to less than 20g, it doesn’t account for the envelope. Add PayPal fees and I might as well give the LEGO away—it would be more profitable.

Jay37

I don't think there's an automatic way of doing this - probably for the simple reason that packaging weight will differ depending on how and what you ship. I don't know how the French postal system operates so I can only use the Royal Mail as an example.

So here in the UK most of what I ship will be a Large Letter (in the first instance up to 100gm and within certain dimensions). I generally ship in bubble envelopes and my usual size weighs about 10gm. The order will need grip seal bags too, which adds a little weight. When I set my customer shipping rates this first band only allows them to purchase up to 80gm of LEGO before it switches to the next band up. This means that should the order require a larger, slightly heavier, envelope (but still within the Royal Mail dimension limits) I will still be able to stay under a 100gm.

As for PayPal this is all included in my shipping costs. You can't levy this (or 'handling fees') separately. It's 'parts' + 'shipping' only. You could charge postage at cost and raise your part price or keep part prices low but charge more for shipping, or have minimum order or minimum lot amounts.

I don't have a minimum order limit, but as you say, to make it worthwhile on the small orders my shipping rates are higher.

Brick.Galaxy

This is indeed a challenge... I've raised our shipping price on Brickowl by a dollar vs what we charge on BL, because of this.

There appears to be a viewpoint towards keeping things ultra simple for the customer here, which sounds nice in theory, but it misses that buying parts off a site like this is naturally complex and it's never going to be Amazon or Ebay.

The option to spread out the costs and account for what is what gives customers the option to make things cheaper by adjusting their orders. Flat rates require higher overall prices, it's not the benefit to the customer that it appears.

Jay37

I would argue that no system benefits all customers, and not all customers are the same. I dare say that time convenience will play a part in some approaches ("This store has the part or parts I need and I'm happy to pay a little more postage because it's more straightforward"), but other people may decide they want to shop around and buy from more than one store because the total value of parts and postage may be marginally cheaper.

As you say, it's not quite the same as eBay or Amazon, but then Brick Owl is not BrickLink either and I believe that each has unique attractions and gives customers options, and none should seek to be a clone of the other.

I dare say I lose out on orders because my postage is higher than others (but not as high as some), and equally as a buyer I am put off by stores who choose to set minimum order or lot limits, or who don't have auto checkout enabled. Personally, as a seller I'd rather not spend my time trying to calculate shipping rates for customers, as a) Brick Owl can do that for me if I've set my shipping bands correctly, and b) I can spend longer on sorting and adding stock. Just as customers come with a host of needs and wants, so too do stores. I don't think you can ever have 'one size fits all'.

adjour

you pretty much can either roll these costs into a minimum buy or raise your base shipping. Customers hate fees anyway. If they see an extra line item, they don't like it. Best to put those costs into existing
line items when possible