Question... combined P&P on websites sales?

[woodtattoos]

I've just started tinkering with the initial stages of my online website shop through Mr Site. I've seen that you can offer reduced P&P if a customer buys more than one of the same item... but how can you offer reduced P&P if they buy several different items? When I went to try it out, it seemed to just add the maximum amount for each item. I want to try and offer the best service possible so don't want the prices to be unreasonable to the customer, and combining items does normally work out cheaper.

Can anyone assist me? Is it something I can do through Mr Site or perhaps through PayPal itself?

Thanks in advance,

Si.

[auntynet]

Thats a tricky one for you Si cos some of your items can be quite big and/or heavy.

I think the best way to do it is to tell customers to request a combined postage total so that you can pack up the items, weigh them then check to postage rates before you tell them.

[woodtattoos]

Thats a tricky one for you Si cos some of your items can be quite big and/or heavy.

I think the best way to do it is to tell customers to request a combined postage total so that you can pack up the items, weigh them then check to postage rates before you tell them.

It is a bit difficult as I work from items as small as keyrings all the way up to plates/house signs etc. I had hoped to come up with some easy way to organise the store online so that I could at least get it working for the more standard items that I stock.

So it's either (a) post a message requesting the buyer makes contact for a P&P quote before purchasing or (b) a new option off the top of my head... do I offer some sort of refund through PayPal or another method?

So much to think about, I think my brain will melt...

Si.

[Tip Top]

The only way you can do it through a Mr Site website is to do it via paypal. Paypal sets tiered limits for postage costs and you just add in what you want to charge. Obviously it goes off cost of item and not weight which could be tricky.

You will need to sign in Paypal and then go through the options. Incy Wincy did a thread on it a while ago which helped me no end!!

Good luck!

[woodtattoos]

The only way you can do it through a Mr Site website is to do it via paypal. Paypal sets tiered limits for postage costs and you just add in what you want to charge. Obviously it goes off cost of item and not weight which could be tricky.

You will need to sign in Paypal and then go through the options. Incy Wincy did a thread on it a while ago which helped me no end!!

Good luck!

I will look into that as it still might actually work better for me in the long run.

If anyone gets the chance to post the details of that previous thread on here so I can have a look, I'd be very grateful!

Si.

[Seahorse]

I dont know if this will help or even make sense but here goes.

I have 1 size envelope but 2 size boxes.
2 smaller boxes will fit in 1 envelope.
1 big box will fit in 1 envelope.

If someone bought 2 small box items and I could put them in 1 envelope it would mean they had paid 2 times P+P because thats how my sites set up.
So, if this ever happened I would put 2 small boxed items in 1 envelope then pay them back the 1 extra p+p in coins(packaged up so they dont jingle) in the envelope, just to make life easier than having to deal with paypal or whatever.

Dont know if that helped, probably not...I shal go away now.

[janetdc]

Wow Seahorse I have just read your post and I have a headache just trying to think that one through!! Glad I don't have these problems it's so hard to work all this stuff out.

[Seahorse]

Wow Seahorse I have just read your post and I have a headache just trying to think that one through!! Glad I don't have these problems it's so hard to work all this stuff out.

Sorry, I tried my best.
Basically if I can fit loads of items into 1 package, the postage should be the same for 1 item so I reimburse the person in real money rather than deal with any paypal type arrangement.
I bet that confused you even more didnt it?Even Im confused now.

[woodtattoos]

The only other option I can think of is to make sure my P&P prices are as low as absolutely possible so that it would be impossible to realistically offer them at a combined lower price...

Si.

[Kiamyka]

Si I don't use Mr Site so can't help but can tell you that Zencart which is an ecommerce open source package allows you to set postage by weight. (my site is built on it) However, it is not for the faint hearted as you need lots of coding experience to set it up.

[Valmade]

What I have seen many people do is just refund through paypal the amount overpaid.

That way they pay the full amount to start with, and once you post it you will have an accurate idea of how much to give back.

The paypal refund option on a transaction is fairly straight forward as long as you have money sitting in your paypal account.

[woodtattoos]

What I have seen many people do is just refund through paypal the amount overpaid.

That way they pay the full amount to start with, and once you post it you will have an accurate idea of how much to give back.

The paypal refund option on a transaction is fairly straight forward as long as you have money sitting in your paypal account.

Yeah, I've refunded partial P&P amounts when selling on eBay before so I've experienced how straight-forward it is. To be honest, I think it's probably the easiest option so I may just have to explain the procedure on my site somewhere for information of any customers.

All this worrying of course, and I actually need to HAVE some customers in the first place!!

Si.

[manda]

I think the simplest way to do it is add the postage cost by weight to each items selling price so weight it and find the postage cost on Royal mail then for the P&P on the site just charge your pakage cost for your smallest box and bubble wrap etc, this way people will only pay a small amount and any thing over on multiple buys will cover the larger box needed.

Manda

[JBJB]

This is the very reason I offer free shipping on my website.
I know how you do it in paypal, but it works on value of item(s), which is no good for me because a bunting is much lighter than a doorstop even though they cost the same.
I've worked in a small allowance for postage on the end price, sometimes I end up losing out, sometimes not, but it's only ever a negligible amount either way.
I know that's probably not much help to you, but it might give you something to think about.

[woodtattoos]

This is the very reason I offer free shipping on my website.
I know how you do it in paypal, but it works on value of item(s), which is no good for me because a bunting is much lighter than a doorstop even though they cost the same.
I've worked in a small allowance for postage on the end price, sometimes I end up losing out, sometimes not, but it's only ever a negligible amount either way.
I know that's probably not much help to you, but it might give you something to think about.

Hmm, yes, plenty to think about! The only problem for me is that my items start from anything about £2-£3 and go upwards from there to pretty much anything... so I have to try and come up with a system that works across the board.
Anyways, JBJB, I've just added your site to my Links page too.

Si.