New Shipping Functionality Now Available on bidorbuy

[Andy]

bidorbuy has made a release of new shipping functionality that has been developed after consultation with a number of sellers. In a nutshell, the new shipping system enables sellers to configure their shipping charges so that the system will automatically calculate the shipping charges for buyers during the order process (rather than relying on buyers to enter the shipping charge based on a text description provided by the seller).

For more information on configuring shipping charges using the new system please see the following article:
New Shipping Functionality Now Available on bidorbuy

If you would like assistance in configuring your shipping charges using the new system post your shipping requirements on this thread and we will do our best to assist you.

[Andy]

I would like to take an example of an existing seller's shipping charges description and explain how I would go about converting it to the new shipping system. The following is the shipping description used on the old (existing) shipping system:

R25.00 Counter To Counter with track no to any place in SA. R65,00 to PO COUNTER OVERNIGHT or R130,00 Overnight to door. Shipping only on WED & SATURDAYS. Expect delivery within 5-7 working days from date of shipment. Returned items for buyers account. NO shipping outside SA! SNC FILED AFTER 3 DAYS IF NO PAYMENT unless MONTH-END/PAYDAY ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED***SORRY NO PICK UPS****

As you can see there are basically three shipping methods offered (Standard Counter to Counter, Overnight Counter to Counter and Overnight to Door). To me even this is a little confusing the way it is laid out. I would do the following:

1. Delete all product shipping classes that I no longer need.
2. Add my 3 shipping methods called something like:
   1. Counter to Counter with tracking number (expect 4 to 5 days for delivery)
   2. Counter to Counter with tracking number (overnight delivery)
   3. Courier (delivered overnight to your door)
3. Enter the shipping rates for each product class.
4. Edit the text descriptions for each remaining product class. For example I would not include non-shipping related information such as "SNC FILED AFTER 3 DAYS IF NO PAYMENT unless MONTH-END/PAYDAY ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED". This information should rather go in the payment notes. I would attempt to keep these text descriptions as concise and relevant as possible.

You will notice that I have tried to use as descriptive names as possible for my shipping methods. This should make it clearer to the buyer when they are at the point of the order where they have to make the choice of shipping method.

Note that if you set a value for insurance on a shipping method then insurance at that percentage based on the order value will always be added. If you want to give the buyer a choice of insurance you would need to set up two shipping methods e.g. Counter to Counter (with insurance at 2%) and Counter to Counter (no insurance) with the relevant insurance options set.

[Tananka]

Hi Andy

This sounds like it will make the lives of both buyers and seller easier for the majority of cases.

I'm not sure how this would work in my case though.

I sell books and ebooks. The books postage depends completely on weight and usually four books weigh up to 1 kg, but not always. I don't charge extra per extra item, but per extra kg.

In the case of ebooks, I offer the buyer two options. the download option has no extra charges for sending the download link, the buyer only pays for the ebooks itself. The buyer can also choose up to twelve ebooks on a CD for a fixed postage cost. it doesn't matter whether the buyer buys one ebook or twelve on a CD, he will pay the one postage cost. At the moment both options are on my buy now items. Would I then have to set up separate listings for each option - one for the download and one for the CD? These options are available for buy now ebooks only. My auction ebooks can only be bought on CD, there is no download option. Would I be able to specify that these listings be excluded from the universal postage options so that buyers do not assume that they can download and refuse to pay postage? I find that this happens occasionally despite my listings very clearly stating that these ebooks are on CD only - no downloads.

Also, I find that I deal with alot of buyers very new to BoB and they already find the system confusing. I find myself having to explain how the system works quite alot. Will this not cause more confusion for them?

[wayjen]

Hi Andy

This sounds like it will make the lives of both buyers and seller easier for the majority of cases.

I'm not sure how this would work in my case though.

I sell books and ebooks. The books postage depends completely on weight and usually four books weigh up to 1 kg, but not always. I don't charge extra per extra item, but per extra kg.

In the case of ebooks, I offer the buyer two options. the download option has no extra charges for sending the download link, the buyer only pays for the ebooks itself. The buyer can also choose up to twelve ebooks on a CD for a fixed postage cost. it doesn't matter whether the buyer buys one ebook or twelve on a CD, he will pay the one postage cost. At the moment both options are on my buy now items. Would I then have to set up separate listings for each option - one for the download and one for the CD? These options are available for buy now ebooks only. My auction ebooks can only be bought on CD, there is no download option. Would I be able to specify that these listings be excluded from the universal postage options so that buyers do not assume that they can download and refuse to pay postage? I find that this happens occasionally despite my listings very clearly stating that these ebooks are on CD only - no downloads.

Also, I find that I deal with alot of buyers very new to BoB and they already find the system confusing. I find myself having to explain how the system works quite alot. Will this not cause more confusion for them?

To be honest i have not read this whole thread but because my wife deals with the buyers i mentioned this new function to her and the first thing she mentioned was the weight issue as you have now mentioned Tananka.

How's about some BoB scales for us sellers hey guys? :D

[SProducts]

I love this,

One question, does it work also in terms of selecting insurance of say 2% when completing order?

Sipho

[admin]

If you want to give the buyer a choice of insurance you would need to set up two shipping methods e.g. Counter to Counter (with insurance at 2%) and Counter to Counter (no insurance) with the relevant insurance options set.

Hi Sipho,

Looks like it does. ;)

[BumbleBee]

This looks awesome, I'm gonna give it a shot :D

[voldermort]

I have bn using this for the last week or so & so far all is going well - I also usually charge R17.50 under 1 kg, but (& I hope I'm saying this right) because the BOB system isn't configured to work with kgs, I have just put instead R20.00 first item, R5.00 each additional item. So here & there a seller will score..... if a book weighes over 1kg they still would only pay R20.00 postage even though it should be R32.50, but now & again I would score.......if a book weighes under 1kg I would still pay R17.50 even though they've added R20.00 postage.
So I think it balances itself out and needless to say it looks much neater :)

[SProducts]

Hi Sipho,

Looks like it does. ;)

Thanks Admin, it really works I am using it from today.

Sipho

[Andy]

What about my buy 3 and get free postage offer

The system does not specifically cater for this scenario however what you could do is state this offer in the description text of the relevant product class(es) and because the buyer is able to edit the shipping amount, if they feel they qualify for this offer they can edit the shipping charge amount (you would however be relying on the buyer changing the shipping amount, which is editable). Note however that the system does enable you to specify free shipping for orders over a certain value, which if possible it would be best if you could incorporate your free shipping offer to fit in this structure (but would require you to change the way you handle free shipping).

[Andy]

Hi Andy
The books postage depends completely on weight and usually four books weigh up to 1 kg, but not always. I don't charge extra per extra item, but per extra kg.

Yes, the system does not specifically cater for a "per kg" rate. As most sellers are unable (or prefer not) to enter a weight for each item together with the additional complexities that would have arisen, we took a decision not to try and incorporate this aspect in the new shipping system. You would have to do as Voldermort has suggested and figure out what would make sense for you to charge given the restraints of the new system (i.e. such that overall you would not lose on shipping). For example, if your average book weighed 0.5kg and it cost you R20 to ship up to one kg and then an additional R10 per kg thereafter for the same parcel then you might set your shipping charges with a base rate of R20 for the first item and R5 per additional item.

If you are able to make this compromise it should make things a lot easier for you and your buyers i.e. no trying to figure out exactly how much the parcel is going to weigh and then doing a calculation and when it comes to the shipping costs as a seller it is a game of swings and roundabouts i.e. you may make slightly more on one shipment and slightly less on another but hopefully overall it will balance out (otherwise you need to relook at your rates).

In the case of ebooks, I offer the buyer two options. the download option has no extra charges for sending the download link, the buyer only pays for the ebooks itself. The buyer can also choose up to twelve ebooks on a CD for a fixed postage cost. it doesn't matter whether the buyer buys one ebook or twelve on a CD, he will pay the one postage cost. At the moment both options are on my buy now items. Would I then have to set up separate listings for each option - one for the download and one for the CD?

No, you would not have to create two different listings. You would use two different shipping methods and have a product class for "ebooks" (which you would assign to all your ebook items if you have not done so already). Let's say the two shipping methods are "South African Post (Registered Mail)" and "Digital Download (only applicable for ebooks)". Then you would configure the shipping rates for the "ebook" product class for the "South Afican Post (Registered Mail)" shipping method with a relevant base amount and zero for additional items. And for the "Digital Download (only applicable for ebooks)" shippimg method you would configure the base rate as well as the per additional item rate as zero. You can then also add a relevant, clear and concise explanation in the text description for the "ebooks" product class.

Note that as it stands with the scenerio described above, the "Digital Download (only applicable for ebooks)" shipping method would be shown on all your items but we are working on improving the system so that you can disable shipping methods for certain product classes, which we expect to be live within the next few weeks (with this functionality you would be able to make the "Digital Download (only applicable for ebooks)" shipping method only appliable for items of the "ebooks" product class.

Also, I find that I deal with alot of buyers very new to BoB and they already find the system confusing. I find myself having to explain how the system works quite alot. Will this not cause more confusion for them?

This was the main driver behind this development. We hope that if you can provide simple shipping rates using this new strcuture it will make it easier for buyers as if set up correctly the system will do the calculation for buyers (although granted it does make it more complex initially for sellers to set up).

[Andy]

One question, does it work also in terms of selecting insurance of say 2% when completing order?
Sipho

Yes - you set the insurance as a percentage of the order value. Note that if you set a value here insurance will always be added to a buyer's order total. If you want to give the buyer a choice as to whether they take out insurance or not then you will need to add additional shipping methods configured accordingly e.g. Courier (with insurance) and Courier (no insurance).

[PromotionsOnline]

Jippyy it is great .... I normally get people who "forgot" to pay combining fees ... and then you have to send an email ... get a snotty email back ... and like the one guy thinks that I am ripping him off as he did not say so ... with this they cannot go wrong ... THANK YOU BOB FOR HELPING THE SELLERS ...

Blessings
Tracy

[Asha Craft]

Such an awesome feature!! Works perfectly for me.
Thank you so much for this Andy and team :D



Kr,
Amanda

[GeeWiz]

Hi,
I usually offer Economail, Speedservices and Fedex on all my products.
But sometimes, when I sell expensive items like laptops, I do not offer normal mail and only offer Fedex.

Is there any way to DISABLE all the other services (besides for Fedex) when a buyer goes to check out and I use the "laptop" shipping charge.

Thanks