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| | | Author: | ToriHada  | | Posted: | Oct 17, 2010 14:01 | | Subject: | Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 337 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | | Status: | Open | | Vote: | [Yes|No] | |
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| I would like to give some(1) of my buyers the option of being invoiced and paying
immediately when submitting their orders. The way this would work is that I would
have a fixed, tiered or percentage based-shipping charge for buyers who opt into
this. Buyers who do not choose this option will be invoiced later in the usual
manner.
One hurdle for implementing this option is whether the order can still be submitted
if the buyer does not immediately pay after selecting this option, and how BrickLink
will know whether or not a buyer has paid. One solution might be for the system
to generate a seller-defined payment link upon checkout for buyers who choose
this option and for the BrickLink system to simply recognize if the buyer has
clicked on that link(2). Or, to keep it simple, if the buyer fails to pay immediately
when using this option, they will just be billed later by the seller in the normal
manner.
In the almost 8 years I have been a member of BrickLink, one of the greatest
limitations I have repeatedly heard about BrickLink is its inability to offer
immediate payment and checkout options where exact shipping is known in advance.
I understand the reasons why it is so difficult to tell buyers exactly what shipping
may be, but I would still like to give some of my buyers the option of paying
a fixed shipping amount(3).
Thor
(1) I say "some" buyers because I am not sure I would want to offer this option
right away to overseas buyers. Probably at first I would only offer this option
to domestic buyers who choose first class or priority shipping.
(2) The link would have to open in a new window so as not to have the buyer indavertantly
leave BrickLink or my store before submitting their order.
(3) Fixed shipping charges are likely to be higher than actual postage costs
which are calculated and billed later. However, I think some buyers would not
have any problem paying more than actual postage costs for the convenience of
knowing up front exactly what shipping would cost and paying immediately. This
is what happens many times when buyers order from LS@H and other online retailers.
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| | | | | Author: | atkk | | Posted: | Oct 17, 2010 16:18 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 40 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| Yes...please...I really want this.
Weight is already known, by BrickLink. You could enter various known shipping
costs according to known weights, and a spot to include packing materials weight.
Also, the shipping would have to depend on size. For example, CanadaPost allows
you to send lettermail up to 2cm. So, the system would have to know if the parts
are thicker than that...this already exists (dimensions) for most items. Additionally,
there could be a checkbox that sellers would select stating that "this item must
be shipped as a package".
A third condition would be based on the quantity of parts in the order...I accept
up to 150 parts for lettermail.
If needed, I would like to volunteer to participate in the development of this
suggestion.
Thanks for the great suggestion Foster,
Andre
In Suggestions, fosterbengoshi writes:
| | I would like to give some(1) of my buyers the option of being invoiced and paying
immediately when submitting their orders. The way this would work is that I would
have a fixed, tiered or percentage based-shipping charge for buyers who opt into
this. Buyers who do not choose this option will be invoiced later in the usual
manner.
One hurdle for implementing this option is whether the order can still be submitted
if the buyer does not immediately pay after selecting this option, and how BrickLink
will know whether or not a buyer has paid. One solution might be for the system
to generate a seller-defined payment link upon checkout for buyers who choose
this option and for the BrickLink system to simply recognize if the buyer has
clicked on that link(2). Or, to keep it simple, if the buyer fails to pay immediately
when using this option, they will just be billed later by the seller in the normal
manner.
In the almost 8 years I have been a member of BrickLink, one of the greatest
limitations I have repeatedly heard about BrickLink is its inability to offer
immediate payment and checkout options where exact shipping is known in advance.
I understand the reasons why it is so difficult to tell buyers exactly what shipping
may be, but I would still like to give some of my buyers the option of paying
a fixed shipping amount(3).
Thor
(1) I say "some" buyers because I am not sure I would want to offer this option
right away to overseas buyers. Probably at first I would only offer this option
to domestic buyers who choose first class or priority shipping.
(2) The link would have to open in a new window so as not to have the buyer indavertantly
leave BrickLink or my store before submitting their order.
(3) Fixed shipping charges are likely to be higher than actual postage costs
which are calculated and billed later. However, I think some buyers would not
have any problem paying more than actual postage costs for the convenience of
knowing up front exactly what shipping would cost and paying immediately. This
is what happens many times when buyers order from LS@H and other online retailers.
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| | | | | | | Author: | FigBits | | Posted: | Oct 17, 2010 16:37 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 29 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, atkk writes:
| | Yes...please...I really want this.
Weight is already known, by BrickLink. You could enter various known shipping
costs according to known weights, and a spot to include packing materials weight.
Also, the shipping would have to depend on size. For example, CanadaPost allows
you to send lettermail up to 2cm. So, the system would have to know if the parts
are thicker than that...this already exists (dimensions) for most items. Additionally,
there could be a checkbox that sellers would select stating that "this item must
be shipped as a package".
A third condition would be based on the quantity of parts in the order...I accept
up to 150 parts for lettermail.
|
Those are the types of tweaks that make the suggestion very difficult to implement.
I think if the suggestion is going to work, it needs to be a lot simpler than
that. As Foster described: fixed, tiered, or percentage.
So something like:
Orders up to $X ship for $a.aa
For orders above $X, shipping is b% of the total order.
--
Marc.
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| | | | | | | | | Author: | atkk | | Posted: | Oct 19, 2010 20:36 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 33 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| That is no go for us shipping with CanadaPost...it goes by weight AND dimensions
AND location.
Anything less will not work.
Andre
In Suggestions, fleury writes:
| | In Suggestions, atkk writes:
| | Yes...please...I really want this.
Weight is already known, by BrickLink. You could enter various known shipping
costs according to known weights, and a spot to include packing materials weight.
Also, the shipping would have to depend on size. For example, CanadaPost allows
you to send lettermail up to 2cm. So, the system would have to know if the parts
are thicker than that...this already exists (dimensions) for most items. Additionally,
there could be a checkbox that sellers would select stating that "this item must
be shipped as a package".
A third condition would be based on the quantity of parts in the order...I accept
up to 150 parts for lettermail.
|
Those are the types of tweaks that make the suggestion very difficult to implement.
I think if the suggestion is going to work, it needs to be a lot simpler than
that. As Foster described: fixed, tiered, or percentage.
So something like:
Orders up to $X ship for $a.aa
For orders above $X, shipping is b% of the total order.
--
Marc.
|
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| | | | | | | | | | | Author: | FigBits | | Posted: | Oct 19, 2010 21:26 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 35 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, atkk writes:
| | In Suggestions, fleury writes:
| | In Suggestions, atkk writes:
| | Yes...please...I really want this.
Weight is already known, by BrickLink. You could enter various known shipping
costs according to known weights, and a spot to include packing materials weight.
Also, the shipping would have to depend on size. For example, CanadaPost allows
you to send lettermail up to 2cm. So, the system would have to know if the parts
are thicker than that...this already exists (dimensions) for most items. Additionally,
there could be a checkbox that sellers would select stating that "this item must
be shipped as a package".
A third condition would be based on the quantity of parts in the order...I accept
up to 150 parts for lettermail.
|
Those are the types of tweaks that make the suggestion very difficult to implement.
I think if the suggestion is going to work, it needs to be a lot simpler than
that. As Foster described: fixed, tiered, or percentage.
So something like:
Orders up to $X ship for $a.aa
For orders above $X, shipping is b% of the total order.
|
That is no go for us shipping with CanadaPost...it goes by weight AND dimensions
AND location.
Anything less will not work.
|
It can work, it just won't be exact shipping. Or even approximate shipping in
some cases. It will simply be what it is.
If I were to implement this in my store, it would likely be something like:
Shipping for orders up to $30 is $11
and for orders above $30 it is $8 plus 10% of the order value.
As I wrote earlier, though, I would need a different calculation for boxed sets.
--
Marc.
|
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | JasonsBricks | | Posted: | Oct 20, 2010 03:24 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 29 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, fleury writes:
| | In Suggestions, atkk writes:
| | In Suggestions, fleury writes:
| | In Suggestions, atkk writes:
| | Yes...please...I really want this.
Weight is already known, by BrickLink. You could enter various known shipping
costs according to known weights, and a spot to include packing materials weight.
Also, the shipping would have to depend on size. For example, CanadaPost allows
you to send lettermail up to 2cm. So, the system would have to know if the parts
are thicker than that...this already exists (dimensions) for most items. Additionally,
there could be a checkbox that sellers would select stating that "this item must
be shipped as a package".
A third condition would be based on the quantity of parts in the order...I accept
up to 150 parts for lettermail.
|
Those are the types of tweaks that make the suggestion very difficult to implement.
I think if the suggestion is going to work, it needs to be a lot simpler than
that. As Foster described: fixed, tiered, or percentage.
So something like:
Orders up to $X ship for $a.aa
For orders above $X, shipping is b% of the total order.
|
That is no go for us shipping with CanadaPost...it goes by weight AND dimensions
AND location.
Anything less will not work.
|
It can work, it just won't be exact shipping. Or even approximate shipping in
some cases. It will simply be what it is.
If I were to implement this in my store, it would likely be something like:
Shipping for orders up to $30 is $11
and for orders above $30 it is $8 plus 10% of the order value.
As I wrote earlier, though, I would need a different calculation for boxed sets.
--
Marc.
|
So under this system, if I wanted to buy your Luke Skywalker minifig for 6 bucks,
I would pay $11 shipping. It costs 67¢ to mail that in a bubblelope within Canada,
as I have done in the past. So the buyer pays an extra $10.33 for this transaction.
Sounds like a great system to me!
Reality is, there are too many variables when dealing with part counts, size,
weights, thickness etc. when you sell individual pieces. The customer will get
burned. How is that a better system? Sets would be the only product you could
sell with any shipping cost accuracy.
|
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | ToriHada | | Posted: | Oct 20, 2010 09:35 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 42 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, JasonLEGO77 writes:
| | In Suggestions, fleury writes:
| | In Suggestions, atkk writes:
| | In Suggestions, fleury writes:
| | In Suggestions, atkk writes:
| | Yes...please...I really want this.
Weight is already known, by BrickLink. You could enter various known shipping
costs according to known weights, and a spot to include packing materials weight.
Also, the shipping would have to depend on size. For example, CanadaPost allows
you to send lettermail up to 2cm. So, the system would have to know if the parts
are thicker than that...this already exists (dimensions) for most items. Additionally,
there could be a checkbox that sellers would select stating that "this item must
be shipped as a package".
A third condition would be based on the quantity of parts in the order...I accept
up to 150 parts for lettermail.
|
Those are the types of tweaks that make the suggestion very difficult to implement.
I think if the suggestion is going to work, it needs to be a lot simpler than
that. As Foster described: fixed, tiered, or percentage.
So something like:
Orders up to $X ship for $a.aa
For orders above $X, shipping is b% of the total order.
|
That is no go for us shipping with CanadaPost...it goes by weight AND dimensions
AND location.
Anything less will not work.
|
It can work, it just won't be exact shipping. Or even approximate shipping in
some cases. It will simply be what it is.
If I were to implement this in my store, it would likely be something like:
Shipping for orders up to $30 is $11
and for orders above $30 it is $8 plus 10% of the order value.
As I wrote earlier, though, I would need a different calculation for boxed sets.
--
Marc.
|
So under this system, if I wanted to buy your Luke Skywalker minifig for 6 bucks,
I would pay $11 shipping. It costs 67¢ to mail that in a bubblelope within Canada,
as I have done in the past. So the buyer pays an extra $10.33 for this transaction.
|
Yes. You could also order 1400 1x2 bricks for $28.00 and pay only $5.00 to ship
a package that weighs over 1.2 kg that would normally require more than $10.00
in postage.
| | Sounds like a great system to me!
Reality is, there are too many variables when dealing with part counts, size,
weights, thickness etc. when you sell individual pieces. The customer will get
burned. How is that a better system? Sets would be the only product you could
sell with any shipping cost accuracy.
|
LS@H and thousands of other online retailers and their customers don't seem to
have a problem with fixed shipping. How many times have we read here about new
buyers being afraid to place orders with BL sellers because they don't know what
shipping will be? In fact, online and mail order customers are used to paying
fixed shipping. They care about certainty more than accuracy.
BrickLink is the ONLY website I know where buyers are asked to commit to an order
before knowing what shipping will cost. I understand the reasons why the BrickLink
system is the way it is. But I don't see how giving sellers and buyers the OPTION
of immediately checking out and paying with fixed shipping is so unfair or impossible
when virtually ever other online retailer REQUIRES such. Even LS@H does this
when customers order PaB. LS@H offers over 1500 choices of parts from their online
PaB section. They have no idea of what customers might order or the weight and
size of customer orders in advance of those orders. Yet LS@H and its customers
don't seem to have any problem with fixed tiered shipping rates - nor have I
ever read about LS@H "burning" a customer because thier fixed tiered shipping
rates were more than actual postage.
Thor
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | edk | | Posted: | Oct 20, 2010 10:04 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 30 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, fosterbengoshi writes:
| | In Suggestions, JasonLEGO77 writes:
| | In Suggestions, fleury writes:
| | In Suggestions, atkk writes:
| | In Suggestions, fleury writes:
| | In Suggestions, atkk writes:
| | Yes...please...I really want this.
Weight is already known, by BrickLink. You could enter various known shipping
costs according to known weights, and a spot to include packing materials weight.
Also, the shipping would have to depend on size. For example, CanadaPost allows
you to send lettermail up to 2cm. So, the system would have to know if the parts
are thicker than that...this already exists (dimensions) for most items. Additionally,
there could be a checkbox that sellers would select stating that "this item must
be shipped as a package".
A third condition would be based on the quantity of parts in the order...I accept
up to 150 parts for lettermail.
|
Those are the types of tweaks that make the suggestion very difficult to implement.
I think if the suggestion is going to work, it needs to be a lot simpler than
that. As Foster described: fixed, tiered, or percentage.
So something like:
Orders up to $X ship for $a.aa
For orders above $X, shipping is b% of the total order.
|
That is no go for us shipping with CanadaPost...it goes by weight AND dimensions
AND location.
Anything less will not work.
|
It can work, it just won't be exact shipping. Or even approximate shipping in
some cases. It will simply be what it is.
If I were to implement this in my store, it would likely be something like:
Shipping for orders up to $30 is $11
and for orders above $30 it is $8 plus 10% of the order value.
As I wrote earlier, though, I would need a different calculation for boxed sets.
--
Marc.
|
So under this system, if I wanted to buy your Luke Skywalker minifig for 6 bucks,
I would pay $11 shipping. It costs 67¢ to mail that in a bubblelope within Canada,
as I have done in the past. So the buyer pays an extra $10.33 for this transaction.
|
Yes. You could also order 1400 1x2 bricks for $28.00 and pay only $5.00 to ship
a package that weighs over 1.2 kg that would normally require more than $10.00
in postage.
| | Sounds like a great system to me!
Reality is, there are too many variables when dealing with part counts, size,
weights, thickness etc. when you sell individual pieces. The customer will get
burned. How is that a better system? Sets would be the only product you could
sell with any shipping cost accuracy.
|
LS@H and thousands of other online retailers and their customers don't seem to
have a problem with fixed shipping. How many times have we read here about new
buyers being afraid to place orders with BL sellers because they don't know what
shipping will be? In fact, online and mail order customers are used to paying
fixed shipping. They care about certainty more than accuracy.
BrickLink is the ONLY website I know where buyers are asked to commit to an order
before knowing what shipping will cost. I understand the reasons why the BrickLink
system is the way it is. But I don't see how giving sellers and buyers the OPTION
of immediately checking out and paying with fixed shipping is so unfair or impossible
when virtually ever other online retailer REQUIRES such. Even LS@H does this
when customers order PaB. LS@H offers over 1500 choices of parts from their online
PaB section. They have no idea of what customers might order or the weight and
size of customer orders in advance of those orders. Yet LS@H and its customers
don't seem to have any problem with fixed tiered shipping rates - nor have I
ever read about LS@H "burning" a customer because thier fixed tiered shipping
rates were more than actual postage.
Thor
|
Comparing to Lego S@H is not the same as BL sellers. Lego can afford to lose
on shipping because they acquire the product at cost (less than wholesale),plus
their sales volume is huge.
I remember when Lego S@H orders were shipped 100% free all of the time.
Even today they could afford to ship 100% free and net a higher profit margin
compared to wholesale or selling it at a Lego store.
I know that no matter where or how I acquire Lego I could not afford to lose
on shipping on a regular basis as Lego can.
Ed
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | ToriHada | | Posted: | Oct 20, 2010 10:20 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 31 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, edk writes:
| | Comparing to Lego S@H is not the same as BL sellers. Lego can afford to lose
on shipping because they acquire the product at cost (less than wholesale),plus
their sales volume is huge.
I remember when Lego S@H orders were shipped 100% free all of the time.
Even today they could afford to ship 100% free and net a higher profit margin
compared to wholesale or selling it at a Lego store.
I know that no matter where or how I acquire Lego I could not afford to lose
on shipping on a regular basis as Lego can.
Ed
|
Hi Ed. You make some good points. Except that LS@H does not always lose on shipping.
In many cases it ships for substantially more than actual costs. LS@H has no
minimum order amount and their minimum shipping rate is $4.95. I could order
a single part from PaB for $0.10 that could ship for actual postage of $1.17
and they would still charge me $4.95 shipping. Similarly, many of their sets
are shipped via private carriers who have given them a substantial volume discount.
In any event, it would be up to each seller to decide whether or not they want
to offer this OPTION. Those who do would then have to decide for themselves what
to charge. Some may choose to charge more than what LS@H charges, some less.
And, if these sellers feel they are not at least breaking even, they can always
discontinue offering this option or adjust the rates they charge.
Thor
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | edk | | Posted: | Oct 20, 2010 10:28 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 21 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, fosterbengoshi writes:
| | In Suggestions, edk writes:
| | Comparing to Lego S@H is not the same as BL sellers. Lego can afford to lose
on shipping because they acquire the product at cost (less than wholesale),plus
their sales volume is huge.
I remember when Lego S@H orders were shipped 100% free all of the time.
Even today they could afford to ship 100% free and net a higher profit margin
compared to wholesale or selling it at a Lego store.
I know that no matter where or how I acquire Lego I could not afford to lose
on shipping on a regular basis as Lego can.
Ed
|
Hi Ed. You make some good points. Except that LS@H does not always lose on shipping.
In many cases it ships for substantially more than actual costs. LS@H has no
minimum order amount and their minimum shipping rate is $4.95. I could order
a single part from PaB for $0.10 that could ship for actual postage of $1.17
and they would still charge me $4.95 shipping. Similarly, many of their sets
are shipped via private carriers who have given them a substantial volume discount.
In any event, it would be up to each seller to decide whether or not they want
to offer this OPTION. Those who do would then have to decide for themselves what
to charge. Some may choose to charge more than what LS@H charges, some less.
And, if these sellers feel they are not at least breaking even, they can always
discontinue offering this option or adjust the rates they charge.
Thor
|
Foster,
Maybe this is a good example for you. I received an order yesterday from a New
buyer (0 FB) weight of the 3 parts .06 OZ. Chose priority mail at $4.95. I am
guessing if it were automated more they would have paid instantly (as you have
mentioned).
Ed
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | ToriHada | | Posted: | Oct 20, 2010 10:36 | | Subject: | (Cancelled) | | Viewed: | 31 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| | (Cancelled) |
|
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | bje | | Posted: | Oct 20, 2010 10:41 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 34 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, fosterbengoshi writes:
| | In Suggestions, JasonLEGO77 writes:
| | In Suggestions, fleury writes:
| | In Suggestions, atkk writes:
| | In Suggestions, fleury writes:
| | In Suggestions, atkk writes:
| | Yes...please...I really want this.
Weight is already known, by BrickLink. You could enter various known shipping
costs according to known weights, and a spot to include packing materials weight.
Also, the shipping would have to depend on size. For example, CanadaPost allows
you to send lettermail up to 2cm. So, the system would have to know if the parts
are thicker than that...this already exists (dimensions) for most items. Additionally,
there could be a checkbox that sellers would select stating that "this item must
be shipped as a package".
A third condition would be based on the quantity of parts in the order...I accept
up to 150 parts for lettermail.
|
Those are the types of tweaks that make the suggestion very difficult to implement.
I think if the suggestion is going to work, it needs to be a lot simpler than
that. As Foster described: fixed, tiered, or percentage.
So something like:
Orders up to $X ship for $a.aa
For orders above $X, shipping is b% of the total order.
|
That is no go for us shipping with CanadaPost...it goes by weight AND dimensions
AND location.
Anything less will not work.
|
It can work, it just won't be exact shipping. Or even approximate shipping in
some cases. It will simply be what it is.
If I were to implement this in my store, it would likely be something like:
Shipping for orders up to $30 is $11
and for orders above $30 it is $8 plus 10% of the order value.
As I wrote earlier, though, I would need a different calculation for boxed sets.
--
Marc.
|
So under this system, if I wanted to buy your Luke Skywalker minifig for 6 bucks,
I would pay $11 shipping. It costs 67¢ to mail that in a bubblelope within Canada,
as I have done in the past. So the buyer pays an extra $10.33 for this transaction.
|
Yes. You could also order 1400 1x2 bricks for $28.00 and pay only $5.00 to ship
a package that weighs over 1.2 kg that would normally require more than $10.00
in postage.
| | Sounds like a great system to me!
Reality is, there are too many variables when dealing with part counts, size,
weights, thickness etc. when you sell individual pieces. The customer will get
burned. How is that a better system? Sets would be the only product you could
sell with any shipping cost accuracy.
|
LS@H and thousands of other online retailers and their customers don't seem to
have a problem with fixed shipping. How many times have we read here about new
buyers being afraid to place orders with BL sellers because they don't know what
shipping will be? In fact, online and mail order customers are used to paying
fixed shipping. They care about certainty more than accuracy.
|
Isn't the reason for this that major online retailers and mail order companies
have preferential rates when it comes to shipping? As an example - a major local
online retailer offers free domestic overnight shipping on all orders above $70.00,
another local online retailer can ship sets to me overnight irrespective of weight,
for a fixed fee of less than $10.00. If I were to run a BrickLink shop, this
would be impossible, even for local orders, as the actual shipping would be by
far in excess of those kind of rates. This is most probably the reason mail order
companies can offer cheaper rates than most and I personally don't think it is
because they absorb the cost in margin, they can in fact offer a fixed rate because
they themselves get a fixed rate from the carriers.
| |
BrickLink is the ONLY website I know where buyers are asked to commit to an order
before knowing what shipping will cost. I understand the reasons why the BrickLink
system is the way it is. But I don't see how giving sellers and buyers the OPTION
of immediately checking out and paying with fixed shipping is so unfair or impossible
when virtually ever other online retailer REQUIRES such. Even LS@H does this
when customers order PaB. LS@H offers over 1500 choices of parts from their online
PaB section. They have no idea of what customers might order or the weight and
size of customer orders in advance of those orders. Yet LS@H and its customers
don't seem to have any problem with fixed tiered shipping rates - nor have I
ever read about LS@H "burning" a customer because thier fixed tiered shipping
rates were more than actual postage.
Thor
|
I've been holding opinion back on this one for a reason, and its this: Its fine
to pay an estimated shipping cost on checkout as it were, but what guarantees
would be in place that this preferential payment, receives preferential attention
from the seller? If it is to be combined, purely speaking as a buyer, with a
guarantee of same day or next day shipping if the order is placed and paid after
a certain cut-off time, then it is all fair, as IMO, you could always pay a bit
more for special treatment.
Like everything in free countries - choice is what it is about. I am all for
it - if I can get the choice of paying immediatly and get the order shipped same
day or next day if it is after a certain cut-off time guaranteed, as opposed
to waiting for an invoice and then pay and then wait for packing etc etc, this
could work. I also don't think it should be such a major tweak in the system
- upon checkout simply give the buyer a choice - do you want instant checkout
or would you prefer to wait for an invoice? Instant checkout would work the
same way as all online retailers. I don't see how it would be difficult for all
retailers based in the same country to have a an add-on to the webpage with fixed
shipping tiers, both for local and international. Most German sellers I've dealt
with already mostly have this on their splash pages and its virtually the same
for every order, so I know already that a registered letter airmail from Germany
is a certain amount for a certain weight, or very close to it. Why should I actually
have to wait for an invoice in those cases?
On the other hand, you will always have children in adult bodies - so just be
prepared for all the bitching that will occur when some people realise that the
actual shipping rate might have been lower. Maybe put a huge red banner on the
bottom that says: this might differ from actual shipping rates - read (if it
doesn't fry your brain in the process) and understand before you order!!
Jean
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | ToriHada | | Posted: | Oct 20, 2010 10:56 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 34 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, bje writes:
| | Isn't the reason for this that major online retailers and mail order companies
have preferential rates when it comes to shipping? As an example - a major local
online retailer offers free domestic overnight shipping on all orders above $70.00,
another local online retailer can ship sets to me overnight irrespective of weight,
for a fixed fee of less than $10.00. If I were to run a BrickLink shop, this
would be impossible, even for local orders, as the actual shipping would be by
far in excess of those kind of rates. This is most probably the reason mail order
companies can offer cheaper rates than most and I personally don't think it is
because they absorb the cost in margin, they can in fact offer a fixed rate because
they themselves get a fixed rate from the carriers.
|
Hi Jean. Yes, your observations are correct for many online retailers. But even
small local online retailers offer fixed shipping in virtually all cases and
they do not get a big break from the carriers. And again, keep in mind that this
will not be forced on anyone. It is suggested as an OPTION some sellers might
want to offer to some of their buyers. If you don't think it is good for you,
you won't have to opt into offering fixed shipping. But as a buyer, I am sure
you might like to have this option offered to you. 
| | I've been holding opinion back on this one for a reason, and its this: Its fine
to pay an estimated shipping cost on checkout as it were, but what guarantees
would be in place that this preferential payment, receives preferential attention
from the seller? If it is to be combined, purely speaking as a buyer, with a
guarantee of same day or next day shipping if the order is placed and paid after
a certain cut-off time, then it is all fair, as IMO, you could always pay a bit
more for special treatment.
|
Sure, a seller could offer such a guarantee. If they did not, then the only "guarantee"
that the seller would promptly ship your order after paying fixed shipping is
the same guarantee you now get when paying later - seller feedback. A seller
who unreasonably delays shipping of paid orders will have this reflected in their
feedback.
| | Like everything in free countries - choice is what it is about. I am all for
it - if I can get the choice of paying immediatly and get the order shipped same
day or next day if it is after a certain cut-off time guaranteed, as opposed
to waiting for an invoice and then pay and then wait for packing etc etc, this
could work. I also don't think it should be such a major tweak in the system
- upon checkout simply give the buyer a choice - do you want instant checkout
or would you prefer to wait for an invoice? Instant checkout would work the
same way as all online retailers. I don't see how it would be difficult for all
retailers based in the same country to have a an add-on to the webpage with fixed
shipping tiers, both for local and international. Most German sellers I've dealt
with already mostly have this on their splash pages and its virtually the same
for every order, so I know already that a registered letter airmail from Germany
is a certain amount for a certain weight, or very close to it. Why should I actually
have to wait for an invoice in those cases?
|
Yes, thank you for these comments Jean.
| | On the other hand, you will always have children in adult bodies - so just be
prepared for all the bitching that will occur when some people realise that the
actual shipping rate might have been lower. Maybe put a huge red banner on the
bottom that says: this might differ from actual shipping rates - read (if it
doesn't fry your brain in the process) and understand before you order!!
|
LOL. There will always be a few who whine about whatever you do. After all, you
can't please all the people all the time.
Thor
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | JasonsBricks | | Posted: | Oct 20, 2010 13:29 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 27 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, fosterbengoshi writes:
| | In Suggestions, JasonLEGO77 writes:
| | In Suggestions, fleury writes:
| | In Suggestions, atkk writes:
| | In Suggestions, fleury writes:
| | In Suggestions, atkk writes:
| | Yes...please...I really want this.
Weight is already known, by BrickLink. You could enter various known shipping
costs according to known weights, and a spot to include packing materials weight.
Also, the shipping would have to depend on size. For example, CanadaPost allows
you to send lettermail up to 2cm. So, the system would have to know if the parts
are thicker than that...this already exists (dimensions) for most items. Additionally,
there could be a checkbox that sellers would select stating that "this item must
be shipped as a package".
A third condition would be based on the quantity of parts in the order...I accept
up to 150 parts for lettermail.
|
Those are the types of tweaks that make the suggestion very difficult to implement.
I think if the suggestion is going to work, it needs to be a lot simpler than
that. As Foster described: fixed, tiered, or percentage.
So something like:
Orders up to $X ship for $a.aa
For orders above $X, shipping is b% of the total order.
|
That is no go for us shipping with CanadaPost...it goes by weight AND dimensions
AND location.
Anything less will not work.
|
It can work, it just won't be exact shipping. Or even approximate shipping in
some cases. It will simply be what it is.
If I were to implement this in my store, it would likely be something like:
Shipping for orders up to $30 is $11
and for orders above $30 it is $8 plus 10% of the order value.
As I wrote earlier, though, I would need a different calculation for boxed sets.
--
Marc.
|
So under this system, if I wanted to buy your Luke Skywalker minifig for 6 bucks,
I would pay $11 shipping. It costs 67¢ to mail that in a bubblelope within Canada,
as I have done in the past. So the buyer pays an extra $10.33 for this transaction.
|
Yes. You could also order 1400 1x2 bricks for $28.00 and pay only $5.00 to ship
a package that weighs over 1.2 kg that would normally require more than $10.00
in postage.
| | Sounds like a great system to me!
Reality is, there are too many variables when dealing with part counts, size,
weights, thickness etc. when you sell individual pieces. The customer will get
burned. How is that a better system? Sets would be the only product you could
sell with any shipping cost accuracy.
|
LS@H and thousands of other online retailers and their customers don't seem to
have a problem with fixed shipping. How many times have we read here about new
buyers being afraid to place orders with BL sellers because they don't know what
shipping will be? In fact, online and mail order customers are used to paying
fixed shipping. They care about certainty more than accuracy.
BrickLink is the ONLY website I know where buyers are asked to commit to an order
before knowing what shipping will cost. I understand the reasons why the BrickLink
system is the way it is. But I don't see how giving sellers and buyers the OPTION
of immediately checking out and paying with fixed shipping is so unfair or impossible
when virtually ever other online retailer REQUIRES such. Even LS@H does this
when customers order PaB. LS@H offers over 1500 choices of parts from their online
PaB section. They have no idea of what customers might order or the weight and
size of customer orders in advance of those orders. Yet LS@H and its customers
don't seem to have any problem with fixed tiered shipping rates - nor have I
ever read about LS@H "burning" a customer because thier fixed tiered shipping
rates were more than actual postage.
Thor
|
TLG is a multi-million dollar corporation that offers this as a convienience
and can absorb any shipping losses easily. Their margins are also big, because
they are the manufacturer. The average BrickLink seller has a few hundred dollars
in inventory, has small margins and sells strictly as a hobby. If you can't see
the difference, there is no arguing the point. A guy selling a few spare parts
out of his basement can't compete. You can't compare these as 'retailers'. BrickLink
is a secondary market for used parts mostly. You are not comparing apples to
apples here, but if you won't acknowledge that, there is no point replying to
any view you have on the matter.
|
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | ToriHada | | Posted: | Oct 20, 2010 13:49 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 27 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, JasonLEGO77 writes:
| | TLG is a multi-million dollar corporation that offers this as a convienience
and can absorb any shipping losses easily. Their margins are also big, because
they are the manufacturer. The average BrickLink seller has a few hundred dollars
in inventory, has small margins and sells strictly as a hobby. If you can't see
the difference, there is no arguing the point. A guy selling a few spare parts
out of his basement can't compete. You can't compare these as 'retailers'. BrickLink
is a secondary market for used parts mostly. You are not comparing apples to
apples here, but if you won't acknowledge that, there is no point replying to
any view you have on the matter.
|
Jason, you don't seem to understand that this is merely being proposed as an
option for those who might want it. If you don't want it, fine. Don't use it.
But I think many sellers here would find this useful - and several others have
already posted that THEY would, in fact, use this.
I know very well that TLG is much bigger than any BL seller. But that does not
mean this option is impossible or that every small seller who uses it will always
lose money on it. A great many online retailers much more local and smaller than
TLG already do this. Very often the partial loss on shipping is priced into what
they are selling. Other times they actually make a profit on shipping. And if
a seller later finds out this is not working for them, they can then decline
to offer it as an option or just increase their fixed shipping rates.
BTW, I have less than $2,000 in inventory and less than $1,000 in sales every
month. But I would most definitely try this if it were made available, at least
for newer buyers.
Thor
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | FigBits | | Posted: | Oct 20, 2010 11:58 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 21 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, JasonLEGO77 writes:
| | In Suggestions, fleury writes:
| | In Suggestions, atkk writes:
| | In Suggestions, fleury writes:
| | In Suggestions, atkk writes:
| | Yes...please...I really want this.
Weight is already known, by BrickLink. You could enter various known shipping
costs according to known weights, and a spot to include packing materials weight.
Also, the shipping would have to depend on size. For example, CanadaPost allows
you to send lettermail up to 2cm. So, the system would have to know if the parts
are thicker than that...this already exists (dimensions) for most items. Additionally,
there could be a checkbox that sellers would select stating that "this item must
be shipped as a package".
A third condition would be based on the quantity of parts in the order...I accept
up to 150 parts for lettermail.
|
Those are the types of tweaks that make the suggestion very difficult to implement.
I think if the suggestion is going to work, it needs to be a lot simpler than
that. As Foster described: fixed, tiered, or percentage.
So something like:
Orders up to $X ship for $a.aa
For orders above $X, shipping is b% of the total order.
|
That is no go for us shipping with CanadaPost...it goes by weight AND dimensions
AND location.
Anything less will not work.
|
It can work, it just won't be exact shipping. Or even approximate shipping in
some cases. It will simply be what it is.
If I were to implement this in my store, it would likely be something like:
Shipping for orders up to $30 is $11
and for orders above $30 it is $8 plus 10% of the order value.
As I wrote earlier, though, I would need a different calculation for boxed sets.
|
So under this system, if I wanted to buy your Luke Skywalker minifig for 6 bucks,
I would pay $11 shipping. It costs 67¢ to mail that in a bubblelope within Canada,
as I have done in the past. So the buyer pays an extra $10.33 for this transaction.
Sounds like a great system to me!
|
That would be a very bad choice on the part of the buyer. They should rather
wait for an invoice for exact shipping.
If I buy one small book from Amazon.ca, I pay around $8 shipping (I'm estimating)
regardless if the book is less than 2 cm or not. That's not at all a good deal,
which is why I wouldn't do it. Personally, I would bulk up my order to over $25,
so that I can get free shipping. Some people, though, would be fine with the
inflated shipping cost, and they'd go ahead and order the book.
Or, to use a more relevant example: If I order one single part from PAB S@H,
I will be charged $7.95 shipping.
We're imagining something even more flexible here: buyers could choose either
an instant invoice, which would be based on very simple criteria (such as the
value of the order), or they can wait to get a real invoice using the store's
normal shipping terms.
| | Reality is, there are too many variables when dealing with part counts, size,
weights, thickness etc. when you sell individual pieces. The customer will get
burned. How is that a better system? Sets would be the only product you could
sell with any shipping cost accuracy.
|
It's a better system because it give the customer the choice -- either accept
the fixed rate shipping (and accept that the shipping cost will probably have
nothing to do with the true postage cost) or wait for an invoice.
--
Marc.
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| | | | | | | Author: | TorontoLego | | Posted: | Oct 20, 2010 11:30 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 24 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, atkk writes:
| | Yes...please...I really want this.
Weight is already known, by BrickLink. You could enter various known shipping
costs according to known weights, and a spot to include packing materials weight.
Also, the shipping would have to depend on size. For example, CanadaPost allows
you to send lettermail up to 2cm. So, the system would have to know if the parts
are thicker than that...this already exists (dimensions) for most items. Additionally,
there could be a checkbox that sellers would select stating that "this item must
be shipped as a package".
|
| | A third condition would be based on the quantity of parts in the order...I accept
up to 150 parts for lettermail.
|
How do you do this? What if some of the parts are "thicker" than the allowable
limit? Burps, Lurps etc.?
Just curious.
| |
If needed, I would like to volunteer to participate in the development of this
suggestion.
Thanks for the great suggestion Foster,
Andre
In Suggestions, fosterbengoshi writes:
| | I would like to give some(1) of my buyers the option of being invoiced and paying
immediately when submitting their orders. The way this would work is that I would
have a fixed, tiered or percentage based-shipping charge for buyers who opt into
this. Buyers who do not choose this option will be invoiced later in the usual
manner.
One hurdle for implementing this option is whether the order can still be submitted
if the buyer does not immediately pay after selecting this option, and how BrickLink
will know whether or not a buyer has paid. One solution might be for the system
to generate a seller-defined payment link upon checkout for buyers who choose
this option and for the BrickLink system to simply recognize if the buyer has
clicked on that link(2). Or, to keep it simple, if the buyer fails to pay immediately
when using this option, they will just be billed later by the seller in the normal
manner.
In the almost 8 years I have been a member of BrickLink, one of the greatest
limitations I have repeatedly heard about BrickLink is its inability to offer
immediate payment and checkout options where exact shipping is known in advance.
I understand the reasons why it is so difficult to tell buyers exactly what shipping
may be, but I would still like to give some of my buyers the option of paying
a fixed shipping amount(3).
Thor
(1) I say "some" buyers because I am not sure I would want to offer this option
right away to overseas buyers. Probably at first I would only offer this option
to domestic buyers who choose first class or priority shipping.
(2) The link would have to open in a new window so as not to have the buyer indavertantly
leave BrickLink or my store before submitting their order.
(3) Fixed shipping charges are likely to be higher than actual postage costs
which are calculated and billed later. However, I think some buyers would not
have any problem paying more than actual postage costs for the convenience of
knowing up front exactly what shipping would cost and paying immediately. This
is what happens many times when buyers order from LS@H and other online retailers.
|
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| | | | | Author: | BUC | | Posted: | Oct 17, 2010 18:02 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 30 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| I think this idea is great in theory but I have not idea how it could possibly
be implemented. There are just too many variables to consider when calculating
shipping charges.
a. location to and from
b. type of item
c. weight
d. dimensions
e. packing materials
f. type of postal service
the list goes on and on...
|
|
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Author: | ToriHada | | Posted: | Oct 17, 2010 18:06 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 29 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, BUC writes:
| | I think this idea is great in theory but I have not idea how it could possibly
be implemented. There are just too many variables to consider when calculating
shipping charges.
a. location to and from
b. type of item
c. weight
d. dimensions
e. packing materials
f. type of postal service
the list goes on and on...
|
That is why I mentioned doing this only with FIXED, TIERED or PERCENTAGE based
shipping. Thus, you would not have to worry about location, type of item, weight,
dimensions, packing materials, shipping service, etc., etc. And this would just
be an option offered by some sellers. You would not have to use it yourself.
Also, if buyers think they can get a better deal on shipping by waiting for the
invoice, they do not have to opt into using this instant checkout/invoicing/payment
system. Personally, this seems like a win-win situation for everyone.
Thor
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | Author: | FigBits | | Posted: | Oct 17, 2010 18:26 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 30 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, fosterbengoshi writes:
| | In Suggestions, BUC writes:
| | I think this idea is great in theory but I have not idea how it could possibly
be implemented. There are just too many variables to consider when calculating
shipping charges.
a. location to and from
b. type of item
c. weight
d. dimensions
e. packing materials
f. type of postal service
the list goes on and on...
|
That is why I mentioned doing this only with FIXED, TIERED or PERCENTAGE based
shipping. Thus, you would not have to worry about location, type of item, weight,
dimensions, packing materials, shipping service, etc., etc. And this would just
be an option offered by some sellers. You would not have to use it yourself.
Also, if buyers think they can get a better deal on shipping by waiting for the
invoice, they do not have to opt into using this instant checkout/invoicing/payment
system. Personally, this seems like a win-win situation for everyone.
|
I agree. In fact, I often offer something similar to my buyers in my invoice
anyway -- for buyers in North America, I will quote the actual shipping cost,
and then I will let them know that they can add as many more parts as they want,
and I will not increase the shipping cost to them. If I could just automate that
process by quoting that price from the start (admittedly with a bit of padding
to cover the times when the quote would actually be less than real postage),
it would save both me and the buyer a lot of time.
If I could add just one tweak to the idea, I would like to be able to have sellers
set two different groups of prices -- one for orders that include boxed sets,
and one for orders that that don't.
--
Marc.
|
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| | | | | Author: | melbourne_josh | | Posted: | Oct 20, 2010 10:00 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 24 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| If this were based on weight, and allowed various fudge factors (for example,
packaging is 100g on top of order weight, plus 15% of the order weight) and the
arbitrary weight breaks (per my postal service), plus supported pricing segmentation
by postal code (nearby locations have a different pricing structure to further
away ones), and naturally allowed segmenting international orders by country,
this would be viable for my store. Even then, I'd fudge on the upside so to
avoid under-quoting.
That sounds like implementing a generic shipping calculator that works for any
country in the world. On the upside, you'd only need to populate the data for
it once for each country. On the downside, there's a lot of countries and I'm
not sure who would keep it up to date. Perhaps the pricing tables could be publicly
published, and a store could just pick whichever one they liked, and they could
chance between them on a whim. One could dump a pricing table set that isn't
being kept up to date and adopt a new one.
|
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| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Author: | ToriHada | | Posted: | Oct 20, 2010 10:13 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 26 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, melbourne_josh writes:
| | If this were based on weight, and allowed various fudge factors (for example,
packaging is 100g on top of order weight, plus 15% of the order weight) and the
arbitrary weight breaks (per my postal service), plus supported pricing segmentation
by postal code (nearby locations have a different pricing structure to further
away ones), and naturally allowed segmenting international orders by country,
this would be viable for my store. Even then, I'd fudge on the upside so to
avoid under-quoting.
That sounds like implementing a generic shipping calculator that works for any
country in the world. On the upside, you'd only need to populate the data for
it once for each country. On the downside, there's a lot of countries and I'm
not sure who would keep it up to date. Perhaps the pricing tables could be publicly
published, and a store could just pick whichever one they liked, and they could
chance between them on a whim. One could dump a pricing table set that isn't
being kept up to date and adopt a new one.
|
Josh, it is even simpler than you think. If I wanted to offer this option to
my buyers, I would just chose one flat shipping rate for all domestic orders.
Or I would use fixed tiered shipping just like LS@H - e.g. $3 for orders up to
$25, $4 for orders between $25 and $50, $5 for orders between $50 and $75, $6
for orders between $75 and $100, etc. Or I could just say shipping will be 10%
of your order amount. So, for example, a buyer who placed a $45 order would pay
$4.50 shipping. There would be no need for fancy shipping calculators and no
need to take into account the weight or dimensions of the order.
Thor
|
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|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | Author: | melbourne_josh | | Posted: | Oct 20, 2010 10:29 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 22 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, fosterbengoshi writes:
| | Josh, it is even simpler than you think. If I wanted to offer this option to
my buyers, I would just chose one flat shipping rate for all domestic orders.
Or I would use fixed tiered shipping just like LS@H - e.g. $3 for orders up to
$25, $4 for orders between $25 and $50, $5 for orders between $50 and $75, $6
for orders between $75 and $100, etc. Or I could just say shipping will be 10%
of your order amount. So, for example, a buyer who placed a $45 order would pay
$4.50 shipping. There would be no need for fancy shipping calculators and no
need to take into account the weight or dimensions of the order.
|
My difficulty with this method is that it's using the wrong variable to calculate
the answer. New Lego sets do have a loose price/weight relationship, but parts
can show a complete disconnect, and it's weight that the post office charges
by.
I would have no use whatsoever for an automated checkout that guessed postage
based on the price of the goods ordered.
|
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| | | | | | | | | | | Author: | ToriHada | | Posted: | Oct 20, 2010 10:39 | | Subject: | (Cancelled) | | Viewed: | 30 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| | (Cancelled) |
|
| | | | | |
| | | | | Author: | BrickBuy | | Posted: | Oct 20, 2010 10:33 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 33 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| I would certainly support this. For those that do not know, for a 5 year period
I had free shipping, so it would be easier for newbies to buy while knowing how
much their total would be. I had to do away with it, because in order to offer
free shipping, I had to raise prices above stores that do not offer free shipping.
In many instances, with free shipping I was significantly cheaper than others,
but because my store was much lower in the rankings, I in the end decided to
lower prices, and made buyers pay for shipping.
I would love the following system, as an OPTION:
Upon checkout, offer the buyer to pay either my "standard shipping fee", or else
elect to wait for an invoice to be send within 3 days that will reflect actual
postage.
If they select "standard shipping fee", I would charge them something like $2
plus 10% of order domestic and $4 per oder plus 20% for international.
This way, buyers can know upfront what the charges are and pay instantly, which
would be great for newbies.
Moreover, option 1 could be executed without signing up for a BL account, whereas
option 2 (invoiced) would only be for registered members.
Paul
ps. this is a coarse idea, and can use fine-tuning.
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| | | | | | | Author: | ToriHada | | Posted: | Oct 20, 2010 10:47 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 29 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, BrickBuy writes:
| | I would certainly support this. For those that do not know, for a 5 year period
I had free shipping, so it would be easier for newbies to buy while knowing how
much their total would be. I had to do away with it, because in order to offer
free shipping, I had to raise prices above stores that do not offer free shipping.
In many instances, with free shipping I was significantly cheaper than others,
but because my store was much lower in the rankings, I in the end decided to
lower prices, and made buyers pay for shipping.
I would love the following system, as an OPTION:
Upon checkout, offer the buyer to pay either my "standard shipping fee", or else
elect to wait for an invoice to be send within 3 days that will reflect actual
postage.
If they select "standard shipping fee", I would charge them something like $2
plus 10% of order domestic and $4 per oder plus 20% for international.
This way, buyers can know upfront what the charges are and pay instantly, which
would be great for newbies.
Moreover, option 1 could be executed without signing up for a BL account, whereas
option 2 (invoiced) would only be for registered members.
Paul
ps. this is a coarse idea, and can use fine-tuning.
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Paul, this is exactly what I had in mind. Sellers would opt into letting buyers
choose whether to pay now or later. If they opt to pay now, they pay fixed shipping.
If they opt to pay later, they pay actual shipping. I would also probably use
the exact same shipping charges you gave as an example. Furthermore, I agree
that the option for instant payment would not require buyers to join BL as members.
In fact, I made a separate suggestion for this:
http://www.bricklink.com/message.asp?ID=483566
The only tweak I might make to this would be to limit the fixed shipping instant
payment and checkout option to new buyers with 5 or less feedback. But that's
just me. Others who want this could opt to make it available to all buyers.
Thor
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| | | | | | | Author: | .bob | | Posted: | Oct 20, 2010 12:03 | | Subject: | (Cancelled) | | Viewed: | 32 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| | (Cancelled) |
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| | | | | Author: | Rob_and_Shelagh | | Posted: | Oct 20, 2010 10:50 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 26 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, fosterbengoshi writes:
| | I would like to give some(1) of my buyers the option of being invoiced and paying
immediately when submitting their orders. The way this would work is that I would
have a fixed, tiered or percentage based-shipping charge for buyers who opt into
this. Buyers who do not choose this option will be invoiced later in the usual
manner.
One hurdle for implementing this option is whether the order can still be submitted
if the buyer does not immediately pay after selecting this option, and how BrickLink
will know whether or not a buyer has paid. One solution might be for the system
to generate a seller-defined payment link upon checkout for buyers who choose
this option and for the BrickLink system to simply recognize if the buyer has
clicked on that link(2). Or, to keep it simple, if the buyer fails to pay immediately
when using this option, they will just be billed later by the seller in the normal
manner.
In the almost 8 years I have been a member of BrickLink, one of the greatest
limitations I have repeatedly heard about BrickLink is its inability to offer
immediate payment and checkout options where exact shipping is known in advance.
I understand the reasons why it is so difficult to tell buyers exactly what shipping
may be, but I would still like to give some of my buyers the option of paying
a fixed shipping amount(3).
Thor
(1) I say "some" buyers because I am not sure I would want to offer this option
right away to overseas buyers. Probably at first I would only offer this option
to domestic buyers who choose first class or priority shipping.
(2) The link would have to open in a new window so as not to have the buyer indavertantly
leave BrickLink or my store before submitting their order.
(3) Fixed shipping charges are likely to be higher than actual postage costs
which are calculated and billed later. However, I think some buyers would not
have any problem paying more than actual postage costs for the convenience of
knowing up front exactly what shipping would cost and paying immediately. This
is what happens many times when buyers order from LS@H and other online retailers.
|
I like the idea of automated billing at checkout... A LOT! This would be a major
breakthrough here.
I do not like the idea of shipping linked to order value. I think this would
be a great way to encourage small orders and discourage larger ones. I hear the
optional bit again but, if anything, I would like to develop the idea of automated
billing based on weight rather than value which has little impact on shipping
cost. Yes, I know shipping cost is also based on dimensions, volumetric weight,
etc., etc., (not order value though)
I really do think this is a big thing for BL to work on but it needs some more
work, not implementation that only works for a few stores.
Robert
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| | | | | | | Author: | FigBits | | Posted: | Oct 20, 2010 12:32 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 21 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, Rob_and_Shelagh writes:
| | I like the idea of automated billing at checkout... A LOT! This would be a major
breakthrough here.
I do not like the idea of shipping linked to order value. I think this would
be a great way to encourage small orders and discourage larger ones.
|
It depends how the shipping is calculated. For the examples that I'm thinking
of, I don't think I agree -- buyers would probably tend to maximize their order
within the fixed range that they want.
So, if the seller has one shipping rate for orders up to (say) $40, many buyers
would push their order toward that value. Yes, buyers who are slightly over the
value would likely lower their order.
For the system that I would want to use in my store, the shipping would essentially
be a fixed cost $x for the first orders up to $Z, then a flat percentage for
anything above that, where the percentage is LOWER than the ratio of x to Z.
(I hope that made sense!) This would mean that making the order larger always
guarantees that you are paying a lower shipping rate in proportion to the order
size. (In other words, the shipping cost structure encourages larger orders.)
--
Marc.
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| | | | | | | | | Author: | Rob_and_Shelagh | | Posted: | Oct 20, 2010 12:52 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 26 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, fleury writes:
| | In Suggestions, Rob_and_Shelagh writes:
| | I like the idea of automated billing at checkout... A LOT! This would be a major
breakthrough here.
I do not like the idea of shipping linked to order value. I think this would
be a great way to encourage small orders and discourage larger ones.
|
It depends how the shipping is calculated. For the examples that I'm thinking
of, I don't think I agree -- buyers would probably tend to maximize their order
within the fixed range that they want.
So, if the seller has one shipping rate for orders up to (say) $40, many buyers
would push their order toward that value. Yes, buyers who are slightly over the
value would likely lower their order.
For the system that I would want to use in my store, the shipping would essentially
be a fixed cost $x for the first orders up to $Z, then a flat percentage for
anything above that, where the percentage is LOWER than the ratio of x to Z.
(I hope that made sense!) This would mean that making the order larger always
guarantees that you are paying a lower shipping rate in proportion to the order
size. (In other words, the shipping cost structure encourages larger orders.)
--
Marc.
|
Hmm, good thinking. This is going to vary by country depending on how weight
sensitive shipping rates are. The other problem (maybe not problem, more of a
risk to sellers) is the low value order for all the heavy parts in your store.
Imagine a $10 order for boat weights priced cheaply because they are knocked
about.
I still think this is a worthwhile area to explore but needs much more work and
input from more stores in different countries with different shipping cost variables.
Robert
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| | | | | Author: | BLUSER_17024 | | Posted: | Oct 20, 2010 11:01 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 24 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| YES!!!! Bricklink MUST, MUST, MUST have it. I always have flat shipping cost
on based on total of order just like to L@S.
And also, another MAIN REASON that Bricklink is NOT my primary store online and
decide to sell on both own store online website and Amazon to earn more money
because of THIS BRICKLINK HAS NO REAL CHECKOUT.
I tell you truth what sad to see that my report show that products sold: Bricklink
- 5%, Own Shopping Cart - 20% and Amazon - 75%,
If Bricklink has added real checkout with invoice, payment immediately, then
it will be HUGE improve. Even Bricklink make more profit as well.
Christopher Layton
BRICK Marketplace
In Suggestions, fosterbengoshi writes:
| | I would like to give some(1) of my buyers the option of being invoiced and paying
immediately when submitting their orders. The way this would work is that I would
have a fixed, tiered or percentage based-shipping charge for buyers who opt into
this. Buyers who do not choose this option will be invoiced later in the usual
manner.
One hurdle for implementing this option is whether the order can still be submitted
if the buyer does not immediately pay after selecting this option, and how BrickLink
will know whether or not a buyer has paid. One solution might be for the system
to generate a seller-defined payment link upon checkout for buyers who choose
this option and for the BrickLink system to simply recognize if the buyer has
clicked on that link(2). Or, to keep it simple, if the buyer fails to pay immediately
when using this option, they will just be billed later by the seller in the normal
manner.
In the almost 8 years I have been a member of BrickLink, one of the greatest
limitations I have repeatedly heard about BrickLink is its inability to offer
immediate payment and checkout options where exact shipping is known in advance.
I understand the reasons why it is so difficult to tell buyers exactly what shipping
may be, but I would still like to give some of my buyers the option of paying
a fixed shipping amount(3).
Thor
(1) I say "some" buyers because I am not sure I would want to offer this option
right away to overseas buyers. Probably at first I would only offer this option
to domestic buyers who choose first class or priority shipping.
(2) The link would have to open in a new window so as not to have the buyer indavertantly
leave BrickLink or my store before submitting their order.
(3) Fixed shipping charges are likely to be higher than actual postage costs
which are calculated and billed later. However, I think some buyers would not
have any problem paying more than actual postage costs for the convenience of
knowing up front exactly what shipping would cost and paying immediately. This
is what happens many times when buyers order from LS@H and other online retailers.
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| | | | | Author: | TorontoLego | | Posted: | Oct 20, 2010 13:40 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 21 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| Why can't you offer that? It just won't be "automated" as you suggest.
Make a simple chart --
US
US
Include the table in your checkout info and allow people to the option pay without
Invoicing.
Of course there are downsides to these simplistic solutions -- but in the short
run, it may allow you to see if people choose to pay from a table instead of
waiting for an invoice.
OR -- as an option, include FREE Shipping and increase your prices accordingly.
Simply inform people in their Checkout to pay the total as purchased.
I tried that for a while -- over 40 or so orders, no one paid before invoicing.
Mike.
In Suggestions, fosterbengoshi writes:
| | I would like to give some(1) of my buyers the option of being invoiced and paying
immediately when submitting their orders. The way this would work is that I would
have a fixed, tiered or percentage based-shipping charge for buyers who opt into
this. Buyers who do not choose this option will be invoiced later in the usual
manner.
One hurdle for implementing this option is whether the order can still be submitted
if the buyer does not immediately pay after selecting this option, and how BrickLink
will know whether or not a buyer has paid. One solution might be for the system
to generate a seller-defined payment link upon checkout for buyers who choose
this option and for the BrickLink system to simply recognize if the buyer has
clicked on that link(2). Or, to keep it simple, if the buyer fails to pay immediately
when using this option, they will just be billed later by the seller in the normal
manner.
In the almost 8 years I have been a member of BrickLink, one of the greatest
limitations I have repeatedly heard about BrickLink is its inability to offer
immediate payment and checkout options where exact shipping is known in advance.
I understand the reasons why it is so difficult to tell buyers exactly what shipping
may be, but I would still like to give some of my buyers the option of paying
a fixed shipping amount(3).
Thor
(1) I say "some" buyers because I am not sure I would want to offer this option
right away to overseas buyers. Probably at first I would only offer this option
to domestic buyers who choose first class or priority shipping.
(2) The link would have to open in a new window so as not to have the buyer indavertantly
leave BrickLink or my store before submitting their order.
(3) Fixed shipping charges are likely to be higher than actual postage costs
which are calculated and billed later. However, I think some buyers would not
have any problem paying more than actual postage costs for the convenience of
knowing up front exactly what shipping would cost and paying immediately. This
is what happens many times when buyers order from LS@H and other online retailers.
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| | | | | Author: | Black_Armor | | Posted: | Feb 17, 2011 09:35 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 43 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| Its an interesting suggestion but how does it applies to international shipping?
If this feature only benefits a certain sellers(eg. US domestic), then how about
the rest of Bricklink sellers on the international level?
A useful feature should benefit the whole Bricklink community, not only a certain
group.
Erwin
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| | | | | Author: | eileenkeeney | | Posted: | Feb 17, 2011 10:17 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 55 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| I fall into your category (3), would rather know upfront cost (even if it is
slightly more) before having to commit to a purchase.
On eBay they do this, and it does make their shipping cost slightly higher.
The listings often note that non same-country buyers need to email for postage
costs.
Then there is the option of refunding the excess postage
I just want to know a maximum. I do not even mind paying the extra 30 cents
to have the excess shipping refunded.
I think shipping cost would be a fun algorithm to write and code.
Just using weight, is one way, maybe the only way the system currently has the
data to calculate. Measurements by length, width, height would make it possible
to calculate a maximum volume. For basic bricks and plates this could come out
pretty close.
If I were a seller, I would want payment before putting labor into packing.
So I would have my own shipping calculations if not offered by the system.
Some stores do this. They estimate shipping to send out the invoice, and then
refund if they estimated too high.
In Suggestions, fosterbengoshi writes:
| | I would like to give some(1) of my buyers the option of being invoiced and paying
immediately when submitting their orders. The way this would work is that I would
have a fixed, tiered or percentage based-shipping charge for buyers who opt into
this. Buyers who do not choose this option will be invoiced later in the usual
manner.
One hurdle for implementing this option is whether the order can still be submitted
if the buyer does not immediately pay after selecting this option, and how BrickLink
will know whether or not a buyer has paid. One solution might be for the system
to generate a seller-defined payment link upon checkout for buyers who choose
this option and for the BrickLink system to simply recognize if the buyer has
clicked on that link(2). Or, to keep it simple, if the buyer fails to pay immediately
when using this option, they will just be billed later by the seller in the normal
manner.
In the almost 8 years I have been a member of BrickLink, one of the greatest
limitations I have repeatedly heard about BrickLink is its inability to offer
immediate payment and checkout options where exact shipping is known in advance.
I understand the reasons why it is so difficult to tell buyers exactly what shipping
may be, but I would still like to give some of my buyers the option of paying
a fixed shipping amount(3).
Thor
(1) I say "some" buyers because I am not sure I would want to offer this option
right away to overseas buyers. Probably at first I would only offer this option
to domestic buyers who choose first class or priority shipping.
(2) The link would have to open in a new window so as not to have the buyer indavertantly
leave BrickLink or my store before submitting their order.
(3) Fixed shipping charges are likely to be higher than actual postage costs
which are calculated and billed later. However, I think some buyers would not
have any problem paying more than actual postage costs for the convenience of
knowing up front exactly what shipping would cost and paying immediately. This
is what happens many times when buyers order from LS@H and other online retailers.
|
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| | | | | | | Author: | brickmover | | Posted: | Feb 17, 2011 16:58 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 55 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, eileenkeeney writes:
| | ...I think shipping cost would be a fun algorithm to write and code.
Just using weight, is one way, maybe the only way the system currently has the
data to calculate. Measurements by length, width, height would make it possible
to calculate a maximum volume. For basic bricks and plates this could come out
pretty close...
|
This can already be done, probably a million different ways. The main issue is
that each seller with their own unique shipping policies and prices (not to mention
operating via different postal systems entirely) are all going to code their
calculators a different way. And for all but the simplest policies, it is not
practical. So unless sometime in the future BL offers a site-wide "form" of sorts
where sellers can custom fill various criteria for estimating a shipping price,
it's not likely to happen. Without BL support for some "feature" it's not impossible,
but just less worth the effort of wading through.
I can already use R (an open source statistics software package) to calculate
my shipping costs for orders, as well as estimate volume and predict bubble mailer/box
size with a fairly high degree of accuracy. I can input estimated shopping cart
weight, number of unique lots, number of parts, order value, destination- all
things that, if not alone at least in combination, can be highly useful at estimating
the size and weight of a package. Pair that up with a list of my shipping rates
based on weight, destination, and shipping method, and I can predict shipping
pretty well.
However, it is completely impractical for me at this stage because I have to
manually extract that information from my orders online which makes it totally
a waste of time. I can even using a "learning" algorithm so that my shipping
calculator becomes "smarter" over time as I feed it more data from sales and
error decreases. But that involves continually adding the info from new sales,
which means I have to keep wasting my time pulling it from the website.
Also these kinds of algorithms usually require a lot of data in order to have
low error, so it would not be worthwhile for most people unless they have very
simple shipping policies. But in that case they may not need a shipping calculator
at all. Even with my policies I can look at an order form and guess most of the
time what it will cost to ship exactly.
In the end, I think it would be easiest for most sellers who are interested in
estimating shipping up front to provide a customizable form on BL where sellers
can select from various criteria and set limits so that certain shipping prices
can be automatically assigned to an order based on the kind of criteria you mentioned.
I think it's a great idea and hope someday some feature will be provided at least
for sellers who want to use one.
Matt
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| | | | | Author: | ToriHada | | Posted: | Mar 4, 2011 23:47 | | Subject: | (Cancelled) | | Viewed: | 40 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| | (Cancelled) |
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| | | | | | | Author: | gkistemaker | | Posted: | Mar 5, 2011 01:36 | | Subject: | Re: Automated Immediate Invoicing on Check-Out | | Viewed: | 35 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| What might be a useful and fairly simple extension would be to give the seller
the ability to exclude certain lots from automatic invoicing. I would exclude
parts that require to be mailed as a parcel (since shipping costs could be 6
times higher than estimated) but other sellers might exclude baseplates or sets
that are more expensive to ship.
Gerrit
In Suggestions, fosterbengoshi writes:
| | bumped for timeliness...
In Suggestions, fosterbengoshi writes:
| | I would like to give some(1) of my buyers the option of being invoiced and paying
immediately when submitting their orders. The way this would work is that I would
have a fixed, tiered or percentage based-shipping charge for buyers who opt into
this. Buyers who do not choose this option will be invoiced later in the usual
manner.
One hurdle for implementing this option is whether the order can still be submitted
if the buyer does not immediately pay after selecting this option, and how BrickLink
will know whether or not a buyer has paid. One solution might be for the system
to generate a seller-defined payment link upon checkout for buyers who choose
this option and for the BrickLink system to simply recognize if the buyer has
clicked on that link(2). Or, to keep it simple, if the buyer fails to pay immediately
when using this option, they will just be billed later by the seller in the normal
manner.
In the almost 8 years I have been a member of BrickLink, one of the greatest
limitations I have repeatedly heard about BrickLink is its inability to offer
immediate payment and checkout options where exact shipping is known in advance.
I understand the reasons why it is so difficult to tell buyers exactly what shipping
may be, but I would still like to give some of my buyers the option of paying
a fixed shipping amount(3).
Thor
(1) I say "some" buyers because I am not sure I would want to offer this option
right away to overseas buyers. Probably at first I would only offer this option
to domestic buyers who choose first class or priority shipping.
(2) The link would have to open in a new window so as not to have the buyer indavertantly
leave BrickLink or my store before submitting their order.
(3) Fixed shipping charges are likely to be higher than actual postage costs
which are calculated and billed later. However, I think some buyers would not
have any problem paying more than actual postage costs for the convenience of
knowing up front exactly what shipping would cost and paying immediately. This
is what happens many times when buyers order from LS@H and other online retailers.
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USA, North Carolina
Canada, Ontario
South Africa, Western Cape
Australia, Victoria
United Kingdom, England
Singapore
