I'm trying to decide what to do about my postage policy on my website, I'm about to set up and Etsy shop so it seemed like a good time to get it sorted.
At the moment I charge £1 per item, and send out smaller orders 1st class signed for which is costing me £2.17 ( i used to get away with a bit less until my postmaster changed and the new one said that packages have to drop through the slot not be pushed. Bigger orders, over £36 I send Special Delivery which costs over £5.
I can't decide whether to just charge £2 an order so that I am covering the cost on smaller orders and then cover the extra cost myself on bigger orders or just put up the price of beads a bit and offer free postage however much people order. I feel that £2 could put people off ordering a mini set or focal unless they wanted something else too.
I was just reading through Emma's post about claiming from Royal Mail which seemed to say the ordinary 1st class is just as good as signed for ie covers you up to £36 if you have a certificate of postage. Does any one else use signed for or do you all just go with ordinary 1st class.
I have never had anything I sent out go missing. I did get a phone call today saying that a focal I had posted had arrived broken, the box was rather bashed apparently!
Any comments or insight gratefully recieved.
Hi Josephine
I personally (as a shopper) hate add on charges, I like to tot up as I go what I am spending but like VAT postage always seems like more money and nothing to show for it. Consequently I absorb the postage costs in the cost of my beads etc.
Ebay is a bit different in my opinion. I look at the postage before buying especially if its a multibuy.
Thanks Pam, I think that is the way I will probably go. Anything that puts people off buying is a minus and though we all know costs are absorbed somewhere along the line we all like to think we are getting a bargain don't we.
As you've already said, compensation is the same whether you choose ordinary post with proof or signed for - and a lot of people aren't always home to sign for packages so the obligatory trek to the sorting office can be a real nuisance when its not exactly worth anything anyway.
I don't charge for p&p, but I do keep my costs as low as possible. I wrap beads in recycled tissue and bubble wrap (thank you Tuffnells!) and only use signed for or special delivery on really valuable packages.
I haven't lost any beads yet!
I find by using the term, " postage and packing" when invoicing gives a more accuate picture of what has to be done before sending glass. I always use plain 1st class, surface or air mail as directed by customer wishes and in 19 years had about 2 - 3 items broken and maybe 2 lost. Post about three items a month, not alot granted but some large things take a while to pack using polychips, bubblewarp and tissue. Min charge is about £5 P and P
Ian
I have noticed that many beadmakers include P&P costs within the price of their beads, and this has encouraged me when buying beads!
But, what if there is a problem that is the buyer's fault - for example, they decide that they don't want the beads after all and return them for a refund...it may be difficult for a seller to deduct the cost of P&P in the refund, without mentioning such a clause in their selling/postage policy.
I charge p&p. I used not to, but I think it is clearer all round - the costs are there, and I do have a flat rate so in effect any extra p&p gets absorbed on higher purchases.
I have to say that recorded is really just for peace of mind. It doesn't add extra security, tracking, speed or compensation as far as I can see. All it does is mean that you can tell that the beads have got there. I do use it, but I'm not honestly sure why. Ever since I found a recorded envelope bunged in between several posting bags in our account mailbag pile from the RM (it had been there a good month, from the date on the label :o) , I've not really thought much of it as a service.
I'd rather pay the P&P - that's clearly defined rather than pay more for the beads - if the buyer is buying more beads then they could be paying over the odds for extra you've included!! But I do expect to only pay a reasonable amount. (I dislike Ebay sellers who don't offer a multi buy discount - espeacially if you pay on 1 consolidated invoice!)
I include P&P in my bead prices (which hopefully customers find quite reasonable anyway :-\). I send beads out in pink boxes from the Tiny Box Company. If customers buy one set or one focal, I am out of pocket on the deal. If they buy two or three it usually works out about right. If they buy more than 3, I would tend to throw in a couple of extra beads to compensate, even though I have not explicitly taken any postage charge from them. I really find P&P offputting. If I want to buy just one bead and the P&P is £1.50 or higher, I tend not to buy it (how mean can you get ???). I hate it on ebay when sellers charge an extra 20p per item, when the items you are buying may only be a pound or two because as a % of the item cost, it is a lot! I don't send signed for unless it is over £35. I have had 2 lots of beads go missing - one I refunded and it turned up 3 months later - the customer let me know and so I told her to keep them for her honesty. The other set, the customer said she was prepared to wait to see if they turned up and they did - 10 weeks later!!!
Kaz
When buying beads I don't mind which way you do the P&P just as long as it's clear from the outset - I don't like nasty surprises. ;D
I'm mulling this over at the moment. I'm going to use Special Delivery for items over £36, but not sure whether to bump up the price or charge £4-£5 P&P.
I think if you use something like Special Delivery but explain why (insurance and traceability) people will understand and not think you're trying to squeeze a bit extra out of them - I hope so anyway. :)
I think the problem is that from a customer perspective, why should you pay up to £5.00 because the British postal system may be unreliable? My view is that the onus is on the seller (and I am one!) to ensure that the goods get to you and you should not have to pay over the odds for this "privilege"! If someone asked me to pay £4-5 for postage on an item that was tiny but cost marginally over £36, I simply would not buy!
Kazx
I charge p&p, i charge £2 upto £50 worth of order which goes signed for and the postage usually works out at over £2. For orders over £50 I send special delivery unless the customer requests otherwise and charge what it costs me. I do try to make sure that i have really nice packaging for orders and keep a plentiful supply of coordinated ribbons & tissue paper and nice boxes ;D
I charge p+p, and then refund any excess they may have paid. I have been thinking about whether to bother with signed for or not..
Quote from: Kaz on March 02, 2009, 06:16:33 PM
I think the problem is that from a customer perspective, why should you pay up to £5.00 because the British postal system may be unreliable? My view is that the onus is on the seller (and I am one!) to ensure that the goods get to you and you should not have to pay over the odds for this "privilege"! If someone asked me to pay £4-5 for postage on an item that was tiny but cost marginally over £36, I simply would not buy!
Kazx
Yes, I can see how it won't work for items marginally over, but for £50+ of jewellery I think it's worth it. You're also getting next day delivery so you can tailor it to a customer's needs.
Big companies charge heavily for postage and we pay up, but with handmade items the impression seems to be that you're not a "proper" business, so you're up for haggling. It is, after all, a legitimate part of your costs - just as much as buying raw materials.
Kaz, do you really think that separate P&P is more off-putting than bumping your prices up? I thought it seemed more honest. :-\
I have to say, I think its more honest too - or at least, clearer. I do think its a legitimate cost - and don't forget that you've also had to pay Paypal fees before p&p, so in theory those need factoring in too... :-\
I've just been sitting thinking about this, though - and it has made me realise just how little faith I have in Royal Mail recorded. I know it is a bit dim (that's me!! :D) but it has just dawned on me that it costs an extra 70p!!! Thats a lot for something I have no faith in, and probably for the percentage of missing packets, it is far too much. Personally, I'm tempted to reduce p&p and remove that.... :(
Paypal fees?! I didn't know about those!
Quote from: lesley on March 02, 2009, 06:38:47 PM
Quote from: Kaz on March 02, 2009, 06:16:33 PM
I think the problem is that from a customer perspective, why should you pay up to £5.00 because the British postal system may be unreliable? My view is that the onus is on the seller (and I am one!) to ensure that the goods get to you and you should not have to pay over the odds for this "privilege"! If someone asked me to pay £4-5 for postage on an item that was tiny but cost marginally over £36, I simply would not buy!
Kazx
Yes, I can see how it won't work for items marginally over, but for £50+ of jewellery I think it's worth it. You're also getting next day delivery so you can tailor it to a customer's needs.
Big companies charge heavily for postage and we pay up, but with handmade items the impression seems to be that you're not a "proper" business, so you're up for haggling. It is, after all, a legitimate part of your costs - just as much as buying raw materials.
Kaz, do you really think that separate P&P is more off-putting than bumping your prices up? I thought it seemed more honest. :-\
I am sitting here smarting at being accused of somehow being dishonest :(
I sold a set of 3 lentils today at £10.50 - just one set which took me about 1/2 an hour to make (not including cleaning, stringing, photographing and listing!)
The paypal fees on this sale are £0.56. The cost of postage I would estimate to be £1.17. I put the beads in a box that cost £0.43. I also included an organza bag which cost me about £0.15 (admittedly I didn't have to include this but I know some customers like them as they can be re-used - as can the boxes). So that leaves me with the grand total of £8.19 from which of course I have to deduct the cost of the glass, running the torch and the kiln and the specialist stringer from Jo that I used.
So, I really must be profiteering on this postage if customers buy more than one set :-\
My customers seem quite happy ??? and often buy one set of beads one week and one the next and so on - I guess it helps them to budget?
Kazx
This is the trouble with the written word.
It never crossed my mind that you'd think I was calling you dishonest! :( I'm truly sorry. Please don't be upset and angry, I really didn't mean it that way.
I think Emma put it better when she said clearer.
I don't think it's at all dishonest to absorb P&P in prices. I'm trying to speak as a potential seller and as a customer - it really does seem to be a matter of personal preference.
As I said earlier, as a bead buyer I'm not bothered, just as long as it's clear.
Don't hate me. :-*
No worries :-* :) - I just wanted to be absolutely clear as a lot of my customers are actually from the forum!
If someone bought £50+ of jewellery from me, I'd probably go and deliver it personally ;)
Kazx
Thank goodness for that, thought I had started one of 'those' threads for a moment.
I'm still not 100% sure which way to go but think probably the postage included in price option. I will definitely start doing the certificate of postage rather than signed for on smaller orders, they hardly ever seem to put the tracking on the website for signed for anyway. For big orders I will carry on using Special Delivery.
Quote from: Kaz on March 02, 2009, 07:39:03 PM
No worries :-* :) - I just wanted to be absolutely clear as a lot of my customers are actually from the forum!
If someone bought £50+ of jewellery from me, I'd probably go and deliver it personally ;)
Kazx
With royal mail charging what they do, it can be cheaper to deliver in person, if it's not too far away.
In my little car, I can do about 60 miles on £5 of fuel. I think, hang on, let me work that out: £33 to fill a tank, I got 425 out of the last tank, means about 8p per mile? So, in theory, I could do 62.5 miles for a fiver. I'm rubbish at maths, me.
And you might have a nice day out, somewhere. Just a thought.
Kirsty
My signed for parcels either get left on top of the external mail box, posted through the cat flap or dropped over the gate ???
Quote from: Kaz on March 02, 2009, 07:49:38 PM
My signed for parcels either get left on top of the external mail box, posted through the cat flap or dropped over the gate ???
That would make an interesting entry on the track and trace website. 'This parcel was posted through the cat flap at 9.17am on2/3/09.' ;D
Quote from: Kaz on March 02, 2009, 07:49:38 PM
My signed for parcels either get left on top of the external mail box, posted through the cat flap or dropped over the gate ???
I generally (tho' not always) have to sign for my UK parcels, but anything "foreign" seems to flummox my postie.
I'm undecided now whether to charge separately or not. I can't drive so the personal service is out. :)
Quote from: Josephine on March 02, 2009, 07:46:03 PM
Thank goodness for that, thought I had started one of 'those' threads for a moment.
Sorry, Josephine I didn't mean to "start" anything or upset anyone.
I don't charge for postage either, as I only post first class large letter and factor this and the cost of the packaging etc in with the cost of the beads. I have seen folks on ebay charging postage costs to include their mileage to the post office :o put me off buying from them that did :D
I send larger valuable orders special delivery and swallow the cost of that and international postage. I do think before I send special delivery can I replace it? If I can easily replace and it's not much over the £36 then it goes standard first class :D If I'm selling on ebay then I always post recorded just so I have proof that i'ts been received (doesn't always show up I know, but as the customer's paying..) There seems to be a lot of misunderstanding in general about recorded delivery ( I do get asked why I don't use it!) It offer's no extra insurance and is not tracked until the point of delivery, so for my money I don't think it's worth it.
Hope this helps :D
Jaq, I have been asked why i use it also... frequently by our postmaster, he says he never uses it given that it offers no more than 1st class with proof of postage and it flags to anyone who might be interested that it might have something in it worth nicking.
Quote from: astringofbeads on March 02, 2009, 08:27:59 PM
I do think before I send special delivery can I replace it? If I can easily replace and it's not much over the £36 then it goes standard first class
Yep, that's how I think too - unless the customer has chosen to pay for SD.
That's right Becky, my postie says the same. It's a bit outdated really in these days of being able to track most things.
Thats just why I'm going to ditch the signed-for bit with my handmade beads. With ebay and website orders over about £30, for regular beads/findings, I always post recorded because I then know if they've got there, if needed. With my handmade beads, many of my customers are repeat, and I'd trust 'em all anyway, so I'm thinking - whats the point in lining the RM's pocket (or spare mailbags... ;))
Quote from: lesley on March 02, 2009, 08:14:45 PM
Quote from: Josephine on March 02, 2009, 07:46:03 PM
Thank goodness for that, thought I had started one of 'those' threads for a moment.
Sorry, Josephine I didn't mean to "start" anything or upset anyone.
Don't worry Lesley, I didn't think you were accusing anyone of anything underhand. Its as you said, writing on a forum things can be open to misinterpretation.
I thought the signed for part was just useful in case the recipient wanted to deny receiving the parcel.. but if posties are posting them without getting the signature, and they don't carry any better insurance than first class (is that really true?! I admit, I didn't know that!) there doesn't seem much point.
I send beads for free but have to charge for frit. With beads, nearly all ofthem will fit in a large letter and are under 100g so only cost 52p to post - obviously there is Paypal fees etc, but strictly looking at postage charges it is only 52p or if its bulky then its £1.09.
Frit on the other hand is a pain in the bum! It took me ages to work out a fair system - £2.50 on purchases under £20 and £5.00 on purchases over £20. CZ's free of charge no matter how much you spend, simply because they are so lightweight and small. Frit is heavy, especially when it is in a jar, and the bigger orders tend to be heavy - postage is sometimes close to £10 to me though I only charge £5 I think its worth taking a hit on the postage occasionally for the sake of goodwill, and customers can see how much the parcel has cost to post and make up their own mind what they think. I often have people offering extra postage when they see how much the heavy jars cost to actually send - obviously I say no. Sometimes people buy things that weigh very little, like 1 30g refill bag of frit - well thats only going to cost me 52p to send so I usually refund at least half of the postage charge of £2.50 otherwise I just feel like I am taking advantage.
As for signed for postal services, well I do have that option available, but to be honest I don't think its worth it. Your package goes in with normal mail and is often signed for by your posty anyway! I often get letters through that should be signed for that still have both bar codes on - they should peel one off to go with the record of the signature.
My 'signed for' parcel was put through my neighbour's door while a card telling me it was next door was put through mine :o No-one signed, goodness knows what he thought he was doing, but at least I got my delivery of silver ::)
Quote from: Kaz on March 02, 2009, 05:44:45 PM
I send beads out in pink boxes from the Tiny Box Company. !!!
Kaz
Hi Kaz - I was looking for a box that would be suitable for hollow beads - not huge ones, would the ones you use be suitable?
Thanks
Trudi x
Hi Trudi
I send out my big b*ggers in the little boxes - I split the white stuff inside in two and put one under and one over. I think they are about an inch deep so they may be just OK for a hollow that wasn't too big?
Kazx
I currently charge £1.50 p&p per order which is intended to cover the 1st class postage with signed for status and the padded envelope. As i sell jewellery rather than beads this doesn't give me any insurance and I foolishly thought initially it would guarantee delivery and help reduce lost items.
However as virtually every recorded and signed for delivery I get is simply posted through the letter box without a signature then paying for this service seems a joke. I'm intending reducing my postage to cover the actual basic costs.
Re paypal fees I factor that into the price of the item before adding it to the website.
Re including postage in the cost of the item or charging extra - as a buyer I don't mind how someone chooses to do it as long as I'm happy with the price I'm paying. If I think the p&p is too high I won't buy. I feel p&p should reflect the actual cost and not be used to get a bit of extra profit.
Quote from: Kaz on March 03, 2009, 10:14:35 PM
Hi Trudi
I send out my big b*ggers in the little boxes - I split the white stuff inside in two and put one under and one over. I think they are about an inch deep so they may be just OK for a hollow that wasn't too big?
Kazx
Cool thanks for that Kaz - I take it's the kraft collection you're using? They look fab - my hollows aren't huge, but I was a bit concerned about getting the right packaging!!
Trudi :)
Quote from: beadifferent on March 03, 2009, 10:54:50 PM
If I think the p&p is too high I won't buy. I feel p&p should reflect the actual cost and not be used to get a bit of extra profit.
i guess this is the challenge. Apologies if this has been discussed I have not gone through the whole thread yet!!! I charge £1.50 for P&P I do worry that if the package only cost 52p to send I am making £1 profit but once you factor in organza bag, bubble wrap, apaer for receipt and ink to print, box if I use one, envelope then i think £1.50 is completely fine. I kept it seperate as people can choose what method of postage they want. For big orders i can make a loss but for small orders it works out about right!
nice to see everyones different rational. I am gonna think about this a bit more ;)
QuoteMy signed for parcels either get left on top of the external mail box, posted through the cat flap or dropped over the gate
That would make an interesting entry on the track and trace website. 'This parcel was posted through the cat flap at 9.17am on2/3/09.'
'Signed for by Mr Tiddles' or would he just make a paw print!?! ;D :D
I orginally put on postage cost, but recently took them off when I started putting stuff on my site and folksy as a way of trying to boost interest/beat credit crunch thing etc. Seems to help so far as finally got a couple of sales out of blue this weekend on Folksy. I guess I am loosing out, but I only send 1st class (worth writing '1st class' in bold in top left corner I was told by a postman years ago, and does seem to speed them up a little). I used to post out plants many years ago and I ONLY used 1st class post, never recorded, and I only had one parcel that turned up a week late - it was going to the other side of london whereas parcels sent 'up north' got there next day - and one package which was squashed, but luckly the contents still survived.
If you take to the counter my local will give a reciept as 'proof of posting' which gives insurance up to about £36
sort of on the same lines, but a wee bit off at a tangent, I know but...
I've just come back from my post office. It's in a big town, so they should know what they're doing. I tried to send my buddy a few pieces of jewellery for her birthday, some toffee, and some clothes for the kids.
She lives in Germany with HM Forces, so it's a BFPO address ( British Forces Post Office)
The whole parcel is worth about £200, so naturally I want it insured for the whole journey - me to her, door to door.
The PO have just told me there's no way to do it. I can send it Special Delivery, but the insurance will stop the minute it leaves the UK. I asked them, what if it get's lost or damaged - there's no way of knowing where that happend, so who would I claim from? And can you guess what the reply was? 'Oh you're right, the Post Office would ever admit to it being their fault.' So I asked if the extra money for the SD was a waste, and she admitted - 'well, when you put it that way, I suppose it it's money for nothing, isn't it?'
Parcel force won't pay out for a parcel containing jewellery, and I'm just not prepared to trust it 'regular' post.
The only way is to send it to her private German address, insured, at at least twice the cost.
Good old Post Office - sticking it to the little guy - again.
I have some jewellery on etsy and a website almost ready and am confused about how to offer postage.
From a buyer of beads point of view I like to have my beads with postage included, but it doesn't put me off if the postage is added on either.
Do those of you that sell jewellery and beads charge postage differently depending on what you send. I dont buy jewellery so i cant compare. I wanted to send next day signed for because it would then be insured, the post office leaflet says that if you send jewellery it is not covered for insurance up to the £36. It says you are only covered if it is sent next day special delivery signed for. this is about £4 or £5 which seems an awful lot to add, but then if the jewellery is quite expensive anyway, it would seem to be worth it, say a necklace for about £40. but for a pair of earrings, for instance no it doesnt seem worth the extra.
I thought about giving different options, like 1st class ordinary post at own risk, or special delivery , but if somehting goes missing i have to the replace it and dont get compensation at all. that also seems a very complicated way to go.
Also bead buyers are repeat customers usually anyway arent they, i know i am, but wouldnt jewellery buyers be more one off customers
can you tell i'm confused?? ???
QuoteI've just come back from my post office. It's in a big town, so they should know what they're doing. I tried to send my buddy a few pieces of jewellery for her birthday, some toffee, and some clothes for the kids.
She lives in Germany with HM Forces, so it's a BFPO address ( British Forces Post Office)
The whole parcel is worth about £200, so naturally I want it insured for the whole journey - me to her, door to door.
The PO have just told me there's no way to do it. I can send it Special Delivery, but the insurance will stop the minute it leaves the UK. I asked them, what if it get's lost or damaged - there's no way of knowing where that happend, so who would I claim from? And can you guess what the reply was? 'Oh you're right, the Post Office would ever admit to it being their fault.' So I asked if the extra money for the SD was a waste, and she admitted - 'well, when you put it that way, I suppose it it's money for nothing, isn't it?'
Parcel force won't pay out for a parcel containing jewellery, and I'm just not prepared to trust it 'regular' post.
The only way is to send it to her private German address, insured, at at least twice the cost.
That's odd because the Royal Mail website does mention special delivery & compensation for HM Forces post - here is the link I found http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/content1?catId=400038&mediaId=400164
I have made a claim for a similar amount for a special delivery item which arrived broken (not to a BFPO address though) and after about 4 weeks I got a cheque for the full amount. I have sent hundreds of items by post and and have only lost a couple (that went abroad), so I have found the postal service is pretty good, and better than many couriers. Strange that there is such a discrepancy between our experiences !
Quote from: jammie on March 04, 2009, 05:05:36 PM
I thought about giving different options, like 1st class ordinary post at own risk,
I don't think that would work. As a business it is up to you to replace or refund anything that goes missing. That is as I understand it anyway. But asking for a certificate of postage gives you insurance up to £36 anyway just like signed for.
I think I would use the cert of postage option for things like earrings but signed for on more expensive items that would cost you quite a bit to replace. I think I would be tempted to add the cost on to the jewellery and offer it post free, if you were selling that jewellery through a gallery or shop the customer would be paying a lot more in their commission anyway so in a way I think it would be easier to absorb the cost on jewellery than on loose beads.
yes thats right about having to replace anything that is bought that goes missing including postage one way according to the distance selling regulations which also counts if someone just changes their mind,
the thing with the replacing up to £36 with the certificate of posting is it doesnt count for jewellery, the leaflet from the post office says that the only way to get compensation is to send the jewellery next day special delivery thats the one thats about a fiver
maybe including the cost in with the jewellery would be better really as you say Josephine
Signed for doesn't cover jewellery either, but I think if a pair of earrings went missing I would be tempted to say that it was beads rather than jewellery!
Quote from: theflyingbedstead on March 04, 2009, 05:50:15 PM
QuoteI've just come back from my post office. It's in a big town, so they should know what they're doing. I tried to send my buddy a few pieces of jewellery for her birthday, some toffee, and some clothes for the kids.
She lives in Germany with HM Forces, so it's a BFPO address ( British Forces Post Office)
The whole parcel is worth about £200, so naturally I want it insured for the whole journey - me to her, door to door.
The PO have just told me there's no way to do it. I can send it Special Delivery, but the insurance will stop the minute it leaves the UK. I asked them, what if it get's lost or damaged - there's no way of knowing where that happend, so who would I claim from? And can you guess what the reply was? 'Oh you're right, the Post Office would ever admit to it being their fault.' So I asked if the extra money for the SD was a waste, and she admitted - 'well, when you put it that way, I suppose it it's money for nothing, isn't it?'
Parcel force won't pay out for a parcel containing jewellery, and I'm just not prepared to trust it 'regular' post.
The only way is to send it to her private German address, insured, at at least twice the cost.
That's odd because the Royal Mail website does mention special delivery & compensation for HM Forces post - here is the link I found http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/content1?catId=400038&mediaId=400164
I have made a claim for a similar amount for a special delivery item which arrived broken (not to a BFPO address though) and after about 4 weeks I got a cheque for the full amount. I have sent hundreds of items by post and and have only lost a couple (that went abroad), so I have found the postal service is pretty good, and better than many couriers. Strange that there is such a discrepancy between our experiences !
Well, here's the ridiculous thing - I USED TO WORK FOR BFPO! So I know that it can, and should be done. (Thanks for the link I'll go to it in a mo, and print it out for them.)
I had to pop out and pick up my daughter from work, and naturally the most important thing I could do in the 5 mins before I had to go back out again was log in to FHF!
I know it's a small thing in the great scheme of things, but I just wish people could do their job. See, now I'm really whinging - just ignore me, I've had a long day, and I'm really tired. Off to bed with a cuppa, me thinks....
Kirsty
Interesting topic (I love topics like this - gets me thinking! :D)
I was wondering what the ladies (or possibly gents) who include postage in their bead price do when it comes to an international order - say to Australia?
Postage from Oz to the UK for a small parcel (thicker than 20mm - that going through the slot thing again) is over $10 - (£5) - that would be a lot to absorb?
I ask overseas customers to contact me for a price and I would then find out how much it would be. Most of my overseas customers come through etsy where I charge a one-off of $2 US as a way to offset the higher postage cost.
Kazx
I don't charge postage on UK orders (I don't actually build the price into the beads, I just keep my posting and packing costs as low as I can and swallow it) but I do charge for overseas postage - my website adds it on automatically - £1.50 for Europe and £2.50 for US/Australia etc.
This is not only to cover the cost of airmail but also cos it means I can't simply pop a little envelope in the nearest post box while I'm out with the dog - I have to actually go to the post office!