Improving Invoice System

[deltadelta48]

Thank goodness we started to focus on problem. I still think we could use the present invoice as it, IF the following were changed:

1. when multiple items are purchased, shipping method should be dropped from all items (obviously 50 lb of stuff will not go airmail in an envelope).

2. Allow draft copy of invoice to be produced so buyer/seller can negotiate the shipping method.

Does that cover all the problems we have? Would those changes make the present invoice more user friendly and flexible enough to accomodate more than one item?

[kedo]

Originally Posted by Gothicina

• If a seller has chosen Not Known, the BUYER should get an error message telling them to ask the seller for an invoice if they try to pay

This causes me a lot of problems. I have another sale today where the customer is in Australia. They've sent payment for the item via Paypal but no p&p. For some reason 'Not Known' is being interpreted as free.

[kedo]

And another one today from Italy. I can't believe this isn't affecting anyone else.

[florida33549]

And another one today from Italy. I can't believe this isn't affecting anyone else.

Kedo, I don't sell overseas nor do I use 'not known'. But I do know the invoicing system needs a major overhaul. On multiple orders, I now just request payment through PP and don't even use ebid's invoicing system. Perhaps if you didn't use 'not known' and put an actual shipping price, it would solve your problem. Good luck.

[exoticincense]

For multiple items purchased there shouldn't be immediate payment and immediate invoicing. The customer should be allowed to shop around at your store and add items to their "cart". Then when they are ready to pay there would be one invoice and one shipping rate based on multiple items purchased. The issue being that Ebid stores should not be treated like individual auctions. They should be treated like a online shopping cart. One shipping rate would be calculated by the total combined weight of the order. Keep it simple.

[phanmale]

For multiple items purchased there shouldn't be immediate payment and immediate invoicing. The customer should be allowed to shop around at your store and add items to their "cart". Then when they are ready to pay there would be one invoice and one shipping rate based on multiple items purchased. The issue being that Ebid stores should not be treated like individual auctions. They should be treated like a online shopping cart. One shipping rate would be calculated by the total combined weight of the order. Keep it simple.

Yes, but only per store. I would want to keep *store* invoices separately - dont forget some of us have more than one store and its not always the case that the best p&p option can be offered across them all.
For example, 1 store sells crockery (heavy and bulky) same seller but different store selling jewellery (light in weight but valuable), different store again selling ...... idk - bric-a-brac - some light, some heavy, some valuable, some not - to make myself clear, I would not send a gold chain in the same parcel as a set of saucepans, nor would I want to insure the cost of sending the weight the saucepans would add to the jewellery and vice versa. Am I waffling?

A printable invoice/packing slip would be almost perfect for me

[Gothicina]

For multiple items purchased there shouldn't be immediate payment and immediate invoicing. The customer should be allowed to shop around at your store and add items to their "cart". Then when they are ready to pay there would be one invoice and one shipping rate based on multiple items purchased. The issue being that Ebid stores should not be treated like individual auctions. They should be treated like a online shopping cart. One shipping rate would be calculated by the total combined weight of the order. Keep it simple.

In the UK size plays a part in the postage costs as well as weight, what might work for the USA, (who have a shipping calculator), would not necessarily work for the rest of us.

[phanmale]

In the UK size plays a part in the postage costs as well as weight, what might work for the USA, (who have a shipping calculator), would not necessarily work for the rest of us.

thats what I meant with my waffle - thanks for condensing that Gothicina!

[florida33549]

In the UK size plays a part in the postage costs as well as weight, what might work for the USA, (who have a shipping calculator), would not necessarily work for the rest of us.

Size of package, in the USA, plays a part in the postage costs as well as weight, same as the UK.

[exoticincense]

In the UK size plays a part in the postage costs as well as weight, what might work for the USA, (who have a shipping calculator), would not necessarily work for the rest of us.

So apparently size does matter? Calculating shipping for multiple store items can be complex. For my online shop I wrote some code that calculates the total weight of the order and then I have a algorithm that decides what kind of packaging I need for that particular order. It then automatically contacts the post office via api and retrieves a real time quote. I'm not sure if the something like that could be done with eBid though.