to-may-to, to-mah-to ... may prove as an easier method
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On Wed, Aug 6, 2014 at 5:49 PM, David <[email protected]> wrote:
You say tomato I say tomato (which obviously doesn't always
translate well on paper in this case!) :)
But I absolutely disagree, because every company does NOT build the
cost of shipping into the items they sell - I can provide a myriad
of examples where the item price is the same between company A who
does not offer free shipping and company B who does offer free
shipping, therefore that means it is (likely) a cost to the margin
(to B) which therefore makes it a marketing strategy specially if it
is a standard every day offer - a gimmick would be Uncle Bob's
Carmart offering a free pony ride with every car purchased this
week-end. which I found out to my annoyance was not for people my
height and weight, but I digress...
Anyway, it seems to me the fact you are able to take advantage of
other website offers of allowing free ads about your
business/services etc means you just disproved your statement:
"tanstaafl" - and that is not a criticism because if you can get a
free ride in the marketing and promotion of one's business then all
power to that person/business.
Bruce Hershenson wrote on 7/08/2014 7:14 AM:
Free Shipping is a gimmick in that the cost of the shipping is built
into the cost of the item, but it tricks the buyer into thinking
they are getting something for "nothing". The buyers premiums are a
similar gimmick in that the seller pays them as part of his
commission, but they trick them into thinking they pay a lower
commission than they actually do.
You are absolutely correct we do virtually no paid advertising. We
advertise where it is free (on MoPo, Facebook, and Movie Poster
Forum). As those eventually go to a "pay" model, we will cease those
free ads.
We USED TO have a massive ad for our auctions on every eBay auction
from 1999 to 2002 or so. Then the powers that be declared an end to
that.
Free ads are better than free shipping, because they are truly
free. And remember "tanstaafl"!
On Wed, Aug 6, 2014 at 2:10 PM, David <[email protected]> wrote:
Bruce, with respect I think you mean you _pay_ for almost zero
advertising because there is no way you can claim you _do_ almost
zero advertising. On the other hand free shipping is a globally
accepted marketing strategy to encourage people to buy it is not a
gimmick, buyer's premiums are not a gimmick it's a tax.
Bruce Hershenson wrote on 6/08/2014 9:02 PM:
I have taken a different approach. To me, free shipping is a
"gimmick", just as "buyers premiums" are. I eliminate the gimmicks,
and just focus on TREATING MY BUYERS EXACTLY AS I WANT TO BE TREATED
WHEN I AM THE CUSTOMER (ACCURATE DESCRIPTIONS, GORILLA-PROOF
PACKAGING, ACTUAL COST OF SHIPPING OR UNDER, ETC).. I also do almost
zero paid advertising or printing of any kind, and I use all those
savings to treat my customers even better.
My goal is to keep my existing customers (and have them provide
great "word of mouth" that finds me lots of new customers at zero
advertising cost), so that I don't have to endlessly find new
customers to replace the old ones I lost.
It might not work for others, but it works for me.
On Wed, Aug 6, 2014 at 2:14 AM, Tom Martin
<[email protected]> wrote:
i am not sure what you just where speaking about.... Ive had a
memorabilia business , both bick and morter , mail order ,
wholessale, retail and manufacturing since 1977 when I started there
was no internet we advertied
in collector magazine like ffilm collectosr world, stalog. classic
Image sthe Big Reel..and many more My ad budget was sometimes 100K a
year but then I had larger costs likeoverhead, employees and we also
adverstised n Local papers Radio and TV a spot on local NBC Carson
was 200.00 for a 30 sec spot... we also printed catalogs and mailed
them my largest mailing was 10,000 but we charged 1-2.00 for them //
then the internet and ebay came.. I think we 1st went on in 1999
well I also manufactured items and I did Huge tradeshows,at the
javitts center in NYC and at the Mcormic place in chicago average
cost was 4,000 and hotel tavel etc.. after a series of things like
defending a rademark close to 40K and paying off a 100k in chap13
reorganiazation , paying off my house and then a divorce I found the
indutsry had collapsed esp Comics as there was just to much gred and
False collectable... those made with percieved scarsity but where
just cranked out crap... then I saw a shaleout as several of my huge
customers went down.. I supplyed suncoat picture, media lay and a
few others that stopped paying vendors ..Musicland sam Goody owned
them...Luckily they paid me 30,000.00 they owed me before folding as
most BIg companys pay on 30 days net terms.. Universal paid me by
letter of credit as that compant eats small vendors for appiizers
and I refused to givethem terms a average order was 80,000.00 so
letter of credit means you present the docs to bank when the truck
picks up and they release the funds,, its the only way I felt they
would honor the deals... Bi companys have BIG turnover and its hard
to fnd peopel inside that honor deals... Berie swartz aka Frank
Ludlow who made commercail stills asked me once wht do you del with
these big guy as they can take you down witha few bad invoices.. it
was true I saw lots of guys go down... why?? greed... he said stay
with MOM and pops they pay prompt and you spread the risk around..so
true I tell nebies this as everyone wantsthe big deal ,expansion and
all but when things get slow the big cost are still there... Better
to sya effcient and small you can always expand,, the idea is how to
survive thru evevry kind of blow... all these get rich quicl schemes
that bilk investors are because very few like the long haul... and
building a company.. they all want to cash in and get out... I like
the old school way... lke Mary see pies in san farn.. they uses good
materials and have integrity in service and ingreiaents,, I think
free shipping is fine If I am paying he shiping it is Free shipping
But its a ploy ebay uses as it makes peopel buy more impulse..fact
is your paying for it its just included with the cost of the item..
sounds better then 500 item and 500 shipping..10,00 postpaid free
shipping...its still 500 shipping now if someoen can sell a 5000
item with shipping for 500 then Ill be impressed.. But it a person
sells a 5.00 poster and it costs 5.00 to ship there is no way he
can sell it at all unless he gives it away free and supplies all the
materials to ship and no cost.. society has played with peopel minds
with decption tricks on home loans , car loand and all they think
its marjeting ,,ITd not its swindling and while peopel get bait and
switch.. I try to deleiever more then they ask for as a way to build
customers sure some peope you will never please as they get a idea
in there mind what they want..thats not realistic..but I know whay I
was able to be here this long was because Of my customers that I
look at like family and frieds and they have returned so much love,
help and understanding whenIve fallen and had nothing and was
disorganized and sick..so what i would tell eveyone is just ne
yourself and the ones that understand will also be fair and treat
you right..Mel blanc told me ... there are some good guys and some
not so good guys,,try to network with the good guys and all will be
well... and he was dead on...Godnite Kids.. Ill be 58 next week I
cant believe im still here thank You God !
On 2014-08-06 01:05, David wrote:
I think using eBay as the benchmark for doing business is not good
analogy. When you choose to do business inside someone else's
business
then of course they will charge you for that privilege and yes that
is
going to have to be passed on; it is no different to shopping mall
owners charging the shop owners rent, and taking a percentage of
your
take and another fee for promotional activity and so on - they
bring
the customers to you, they want you to pay for that and frankly
that
seems fair to me.
Let me ask this (general) question: How much money do you (the eBay
seller) spend on advertising and other promotional activity? I'd
venture to suggest almost all who exclusively run their business on
eBay spend NOTHING on advertising and marketing. If you built your
own
online shop (not a home made one) and then spent roughly each month
what you used to give up in fees to eBay on a proper advertising
and
marketing campaign there is a high probability you would generate
sales and get to keep that customer as a permanent client to do
future
marketing to (for free).
Of course there is no free ride, yes someone has to pay - but the
consumer doesn't really care if it's you who pays, he just knows if
feels he has saved a dollar or two on the way to spending a dollar
or
two with you then it's a good shopping experience and he is happy.
The quote you use and variations of it: "Sales is vanity, profit is
sanity, cash is reality” comes from 1989, before the internet
changed
the way business is done. Indeed profit is the key but ask
yourself:
was the bricks and mortar shop keeper from the 80s who had to do
his
own marketing, his own advertising, pay his rent, his staff, his
utilities, packaging, deposit the takings at the bank, pay
clearance
fees etc more or less profitable than the eBay seller of today who
has
little or no overheads in comparison but may have to take less
margin
in order to compete with every other seller?
Remember being a poster seller on eBay is like being a fast food
outlet on a 50m street of 100 fast food outlets - all with the same
store front, remind me what your point of difference is again?
So, for Alan he may not have the advertising might of eBay, but by
offering freight free (on say minimum order size) perhaps free
insurance or whatever that might give him the edge he needs, I
certainly don't think it deceives the customer at all, it gives the
customer what they need - a positive shopping experience.
David Rew
Tom Martin wrote on 6/08/2014 2:13 PM:
free shiooing?? there is NO free shipping as some has to pay...
eitherYOU or the buyer all ebay has done is deceive sellers and
buyers as either the seller gets less... or the shipping is Rolled
into ( amortized) into the sale.. what a JOKE... ebay make out as
they take a fee for the shipping charges... which to me should be
illlegal..
so when You sell your poster... If you want 10 and it costs 30%
with paypal, listing and endof sale fees thats 3.00 if its 8.00 to
ship you are a a give away the poster... you needto pay your costs
to put tape on a TUBE and time to wrap and foam and padding costs,,,
so you need to make the sale either higher so the shipping can be
part of the sale as a cost,,, and if is a 300 poster you can figure
you giving away 10% or 30.00 in profit and netting 270 - cost of
poster say 100 so you have a net profit of 70.00 on a 300 gross sale
after costs.. now consider this a grocerystore make 3% after costs
but they do 20 million gross a month whats 3% of 20 million More
then I can think of at moment but heft profit margin..." Volume is
vanity , Profit is sanity"
On 2014-08-05 19:17, Alan Adler wrote:
I always have charged insurance in the past.
but the shipping costs, rules and country limits are all over the
place these days and changing.
Makes me just want to give free shipping and insurance and sort it
out
without bothering the buyer.
I know it will cost me something - but on my new website, the
toughest
thing to get programmed is a shopping cart plug in that actually
and
correctly handles all the options.
Alan
On Aug 5, 2014, at 2:57 PM, Susan <[email protected]> wrote:
For you dealers out there shipping posters, do you require a
customers to take insurance on the poster they have bought from
you?
Sue
www.hollywoodposterframes.com [1] [1]
Date: Wed, 6 Aug 2014 07:32:30 +1000
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [MOPO] Free Shipping?
To: [email protected]
Why not offer free shipping?
Postage is often a consideration when a buying is contemplating a
purchase. Remember it is entirely possible/likely the buyer is
pricing
similar/same products elsewhere, free shipping can make the
decision
very easy.
I offer free shipping as standard on all purchases over $399, as
standard.
David
Alan Adler wrote on 6/08/2014 6:51 AM:
Howdy all.
Am considering Free Shipping and Insurance for all sales on my
upcoming website. US and Intl. I will also be selling objects. Art.
Toys in boxes. Props. Wardrobe. So not all flats and tubes. Much of
the business is also foreign.
Any of you ecommerce mavins who use or have tried the free
option care to log in on your thoughts about it? Or buyers who have
ideas on the matter. Love to hear what you have to say.
Thanks in advance for your time.
Alan Adler
Museum of Mom and Pop Culture
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P.O. Box 874
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Phone: 417-256-9616 [6] (hours: Mon-Fri 9 to 5 except from 12 to 1
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urgent problems
Also, please read the following three pages of in-depth CUSTOMER
REVIEWS of our company - PAGE 1 [11], PAGE 2 [12], PAGE 3 [13], which
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and our auctions so very different from all others!
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P.O. Box 874
West Plains, MO 65775
Phone: 417-256-9616 (hours: Mon-Fri 9 to 5 except from 12 to 1 when
we take lunch)
our site [7]
our auctions [8]
COMPLETE BUYER PROTECTION [9] - No time limit on our guarantees & NO
buyer beware
HERSHENSON HELP HOTLINE [10] - Direct line to Bruce (our owner!) for
urgent problems
Also, please read the following three pages of in-depth CUSTOMER
REVIEWS of our company - PAGE 1 [11], PAGE 2 [12], PAGE 3 [13], which
shows you in our customers' own words exactly what makes our company
and our auctions so very different from all others!
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