The shopping cart is going to be a disaster!!!

[TiasTreasures]

The shopping cart sounded like a good idea, but its current application is a disaster! Please see these two threads:

http://www.ebid.net/forums/showthrea...-shopping-cart

http://www.ebid.net/forums/showthread.php?161006-NEW-Mulitple-Item-Checkout-%28MIC%29-!!!!!

I have sold as many as 50 stamps at one time to a single buyer, so I am very familiar with the shipping discounts.

Shipping for a single stamp costs the buyer $1.10. I add 10 cents to the shipping charge for each additional stamp.

If someone buys 50 stamps, the shopping cart is going to calculate a shipping charge of $55.00

When I apply my standard shipping discount, the shipping charge for the same 50 stamps is $6.00

A buyer is going to look at that invoice, look at the shipping charge, and abandon the cart. We are going to lose a LOT of sales.

I use actual weight when combining larger items, but they have to be packed together and weighed before I know how much to charge the buyer. Some items cannot be combined in one package (such as an LP record and a heavy beer stein).

Please give us the option to opt out of the cart. The only way I want to use it is if you can develop an equation to use to adjust shipping charges. And it would have to be more than a simple percentage.

[JanetB]

Excellent explanation of how the

NEW - Mulitple Item Checkout (MIC). Buyers can use "Instant Checkout" for multiple purchases from same seller without requiring an invoice be created by seller.

is a total disaster so far.

[deanosaur1972]

A buyer is going to look at that invoice, look at the shipping charge, and abandon the cart. We are going to lose a LOT of sales.

Totally agree with all of your comments. It has been a horrendous experience this month having to apologize and explain to buyers about a procedure that I have no control over. It gets real messy with refunds all over the place for excess postal charges.

When the additional changes are made to the "instant Checkout" it will be very useful........ but as it stands buyer reaction to this has NOT been good at all.

[Oldandintheway]

Totally agree 110% with all above.
As it is, this will never work for me.
An opt out option is a must.
I have just added a notice to all my items that buyers wait for an invoice.
This is a must for multiple purchases.
My question in a previous thread when first launched, was never answered, & I repeat.
WHY - wasn't this change discussed prior to launch - some input may have avoided trouble.

[rokins_toys]

I do not like anything that calculates postage costs due to as you say, it will calculate high shipping costs and scare buyers off!! I know what my shipping prices are, I know the weights and prices of Royal Mail so I know exactly what to charge including the cost of packaging materials, I do not need some rubbish system to come and mess things up and scare potential buyers away. I use the Royal Mail smartstamp software and I have my own scales so I charge what I have to charge including the cost of packaging materials so I do not lose money on postage and packaging and I have zero room for error on shipping prices as I do not charge any silly amount higher than the actual cost to me. I never use this system of charging x amount for each additional item because that increases postage costs unfairly for the buyer too. Shopping carts? Pah.. Don't need the silly thing on here..

[TiasTreasures]

The obvious quick fix:

The invoice must not be sent to the buyer immediately. The seller has to be notified that the invoice is ready, have the ability to access it and apply discounts, and finally, submit it to the buyer for payment.

[madelaine]

the obvious quick fix:

The invoice must not be sent to the buyer immediately. The seller has to be notified that the invoice is ready, have the ability to access it and apply discounts, and finally, submit it to the buyer for payment.

yes!

[allsortsofephemera]

I have not seem any notifications about a shopping cart. What a silly idea, Ebay have it and it causes all sorts of problems.
All the items we sell are completely different to each other in size and weight and multiple purchases have to be weighed before sending an invoice, surely time and money would be better spent on actually improving the site in other ways, instead of creating problems.
If we have to have a shopping cart let us at least mark our accounts whether we want our customers to be able to use it or not, the invoice system at the moment works well enough

[astral276]

Just goes to show...Be careful what you wish for.

The cart was a user driven feature.

[TiasTreasures]

I vaguely remember a request for a shopping cart, and adding my comments that it would not be a good idea, for the reasons given in this and other threads. I searched for the thread and can't find it.

If it was a "user driven feature" I don't think it got much support. It COULD be useful and convenient for buyers, but not in its present configuration.