Postage Costs - Best Options

[holidayhutch 10]

We are in the process of opening an online shop and have noticed other companies being able to post items out relatively cheaply given the weight of an item e.g a 15kg sack of dog food for £4.99 P+P and I just wondered how they manage to post it so cheaply.

 

Does anyone know of any good guides for working out postage (other than the Royal Mail Website) or managing to obtain it so cheaply?

[kula 10]

Hi Holiday Hutch

 

If you don't get a satisfactory reply, why not contact the companies and ask what method they use?

Be honest and tell them you are also a new online trader looking to post larger items in the most cost effective way. Most people are happy to help and you don't need to mention that you are a competitor!

One of my suppliers has told me that he subsidizes (non-wholesale) postage by raising the cost of the item so that the postage looks low, the cheeky B!

Hope you get the info soon and good luck with the business!

[Lurch 10]

One of my suppliers has told me that he subsidizes (non-wholesale) postage by raising the cost of the item so that the postage looks low

 

That was my first thought. I tend to swerve online shops that make delivery charges difficult to find as well or only calculate them at the end of the checkout process. If you subsidise your postage you can state a fixed P&P price and then alter the item price to make up any differences either way. It's what I tend to do when selling stuff through eBay, either make it up or put it as free postage, either way the buyer pays for it somewhere.

[gaiaroo 10]

what about a franking machine for smaller items? for bags of dog food etc i have no idea... do they send 2nd class??? or includes some of the postage in the price e.g. bag of dog food is actually 12.99 but adds another 2.00 into price to make P&P only 4.99...