Shipping items using Ebay

L31mr0d

I really don't know where else to post this, but this place seems the most applicable.

I'm looking to get into selling things over ebay or adverts.ie. I've been buying off the net for ages but the one thing that stops me selling is sorting out the shipping from Ireland

Is there a way of working out how to set the shipping costs for certain items from Ireland to other countries around the world, I mean can I look up somewhere how much it will cost to send an item of X weight to location Y. Do dimensions factor?

Also, where can I pick up boxes of varying sizes and packing materials like foam balls and bubble wrap.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

spurious

An Post have a postage guide at http://postage.anpost.ie/

Eason's do packaging stuff, though depending on the amount you'll be needing you might be better with an office stationery supplier such as Codex.
http://www.codexltd.com/

Ruu_Old

I think the ebay shipping central has all you need to know about dimensions what you need to be charging (they have a shipping calculator that will give you an idea). DHL have shipping supplies I believe and also Viking Direct might be useful if you are thinking of buying in bulk.

edit:link for Irish sellers

L31mr0d

ok see this is the thing, what if I just want one standard small box to ship. Its weird because when I was over in the states you can just walk into a post office with your item and they give you everything you need there, the box, the bubble wrap, weigh it and price it. It would make things so much simpler if the post office here did that.

Where do yous get your boxes and packing supplies from? What are we talking about here when we say "bulk", also is Easons the only place I can walk into and look for boxes (do they even sell boxes?)

Ruu_Old

I'm not sure of other walk in places to try. I meant if you buy in bulk (from Viking Direct, like 10+ boxes) its costs less.

myjugsarehuge

Padded jiffy bags are good for a lot of smaller items. For bigger items try using boxes you might otherwise recycle. Dishwasher tablet/washing powder boxes are very sturdy you can pack them out with newspaper or bubblewrap. Also wine boxes, you know the 3L variety.

Weigh the parcel and measure the dimensions yourself and work out from An Post leaflet whether it will be packet or parcel post, there is a weight limit for packet. Charge accordingly. Don't guess and leave it till after the auction as you might have misjudged it and will end up out of pocket.

Ask you local supermarket, they often have small boxes they throw out. You might need to wrap them in brown paper and use strong brown packing tape not sellotape but its cheaper than buying them.

I sell loads of stuff on Ebay and am always keeping "useful" boxes, drives my b/friend mad when he is trying to find his drill or something and its hidden under tons of empty boxes. I have to send a retro glass fish I've sold to the UK next week, that will need v good packaging.

eachtrannach

Just one thought - if you are selling any goods with a weight over 2 kgs you will have to use parcel post, if your selling to international bidders this will kill your auction ... a 19.5 kgs parcel to Germany will cost just below € 100. In this category you'd be far better off with a private parcel service, like GLS, they are expensive at low weight, a real bargain later ...