I Have a Problem Selling Magazines on eBay! (one thing can easily destroy my profit!)

[@jackallen6261]

As a clerk for the USPS, I would like top add one point to this video. If you are shipping (like i am) blank media, like brand new still wrapped cassette tapes. That is also NOT media mail (by the rules of the USPS) Blank tapes, blank paper, Blank vinyl albums NOT media mail...Having said that because of understaffing and the volume of packages being shipped at any given point in time It will probably never be checked...but it could. Just sayin!!

[@parastoonasr6328]

Good to know 😇

[@dechinta]

Back in the late 1980's, I sent two magazines to Japan. The postage was $36. For two women's magazines. TWO. It doesn't make sense with vintage magazines where they have ads for some toy for 29¢. If the toy no longer exists and it surely wouldn't sell for 29¢, it should be allowed to go media mail. But nobody asks my opinion on it. I wish you would do a video about buyers sending offers. I've gotten several offers here lately on books that are sooooo low ball offers. Like if I have a $19.99 book, I've had a buyer send me a $1 offer. Dude has, what, four chances to offer on the book? So I declined it. Dude then sent me an offer of $2, then $3, then $4. I just kept declining the offers. I am soooo easy to get along with and I do accept REASONABLE offers, but $1 on a $19.99 book? Not hardly. I miss the "ME" section on Ebay where you could put something about yourself for the buyers to kind of get to know you. I would so love to have a place where I could put "I do accept offers, but not insults." That is my rant for the day.

[@joemechanicc]

When I get low ball offers I make it a game. If I have something listed for $19 and get a $3 offer I counter with $18.99. I've done this enough that it's automatic. I had one particular buyer offer me $5 on a $45 item.. I countered with $40 thinking they want it but want to see how low I would go. He countered with $4 I wait till last hour before his offer expired. I then offered $44.99. He instantly countered with $1. I Just let it expire. I'm sure the buyer was more upset than I was. I try not to let it get to me. But it is no doubt a pain in the neck.

[@curatorofthelost]

I love the offers but not insults! Brilliant!

[@dechinta]

@@joemechanicc I almost, in this last offer/insult, sent him a message, "This is not a game to me. I am a disabled senior and I need money for my meds. And without my meds, I certainly can't deal with YOU!" But they'd only report me to EBay and I'd get in trouble, but I thought about it anyway. They do seem to think it's a game and think it's hilarious to send ridiculous offers. I had a $1 offer on a $19.99 book one time and dude sent me an email stating, "Since it says "Best Offer", if you don't get a better offer, then you're required by law to sell me this book for $1, right?" Wrong Buddy. Completely WRONG.

[@jimlloyd7459]

I only sell magazines that fit in Priority flat rate padded mailers ...

[@tobiesmom]

Shane, that was so sweet of you to give your buyer such a GREAT deal on shipping! ;-) I recently sold a large lot of books that I had listed a couple of years ago and didn't properly account for the packing materials. I didn't have to cover as much of the shipping cost as you did but those extra dollars do add up!

[@ohlookbooks]

I recently discovered that magazines can be shipped Bound Printed Matter. However, you need a special permit. Amazon offers BPM which I started using for books after this latest Media Mail price hike. I wish eBay would offer this option for its magazine sellers.

[@curatorofthelost]

That would be so nice.

[@stablechaos5433]

I would be careful with bound printed matter. If the customer rejects the item or if the address is not correct, the post office will automatically trash the item because it can’t be sent back to the sender like media mail.

[@donnarichard-u1i]

USPS ground advantage can be over a pound and is often cheaper than priority. I ship magazines all the time that way.

[@curatorofthelost]

I just shipped one today on pirate ship with ground advantage cubic and it save $4!

[@johnathin0061892]

Ground Advantage (parcel select/parcel post/whatever) is now usually cheaper than all Priority options, even with the commercial discount on Priority eBay gives us. In the past, only under very limited circumstances was PS cheaper than priority with the commercial rate discount, but it is no longer the case.

[@stevedavenport1202]

I have noticed this issue on Ebay for a while. Have see unscrupulous competitors charge Media Mail rates for shipping.

[@maryt8184]

Agreed. I have started doing calculated shipping on everything over 1 pound.

[@maureenfitzgerald1895]

Same problem has bitten me - trying to be ahead of this issue

[@derekelliott6098]

Pirate Ship UPS Saver, and as you said, Cubic. Cubic also is priced per cubic inch, any 2 sides that are over 12" will increase costs.

[@castlemoyle]

Pirate Ship is wonderful! Their discounts on Ground Advantage and the speed.

[@stephanieh7967]

Same 😂

[@HopeCottage_Sarah]

I was interested to hear what struggle you were having because my magazines have gone nuts this month! I think one key is to find magazines that are hard to find... people will be fine paying that shipping if they are collecting. I found a bunch of Victoria magazines from the 90s for 10 cents a piece at my library bookshop and just sold them for $49.99 + 9.99 shipping. Some others that have sold well for me lately are papercrafting, scrapbooking, vintage homemaking and homeschooling, and Victoria!

[@curatorofthelost]

Nice! I will have to look for those. The right mags can be very profitable!

[@parastoonasr6328]

Oooh Victoria magazines. I remember working with an art director in nyc in the early 90s. She turned me on to those. Really good content.

[@HopeCottage_Sarah]

@@parastoonasr6328 I know! I love them too. So pretty!

[@hdood]

I sometimes sell comic books that also can’t go media mail. If they are narrow enough they will fit in a flat rate envelope (or the padded version). With a little maneuvering you can get quite a bit in those and with the eBay shipping discount they are like $7.50 I think. That’s been my strategy on this type of thing.

[@franceslassiter2136]

If you use calculated shipping for Ground Advantage, plug in dimensions and weight, Ebay calculates the correct shipping to whatever address the magazines go to. Keeps me out of troublr.

[@curatorofthelost]

Definitely have to go that route. Just hate the total cost required to ship magazines

[@oldnndway4641]

Makes common magazines not so much fun. Can't help buying them when I come across something really neat though. I was a periodical junkie in a previous life.

[@curatorofthelost]

Agreed on the common mags. Has to be worth the ship. I do like finding cool mags though!

[@jasoncoomer1226]

8 magazine lots. Mailed in padded flat rate. Under $8 to ship.

[@Rebecca-le9hn]

Today you can purchase items from China that come in large orange bags and the shipping is free.

[@curatorofthelost]

Blows my mind how that works….

[@Mindfulthrifter]

​@curatorofthelost sponsored by the government to try to stimulate a tanking economy

[@parastoonasr6328]

😮

[@wlnorris75]

If you really sell lots of magazines, why don't you have your FREE Bound Printed Material permit from the USPS and then ship them for prices LESS than media mail? Amateurs...