Re: Cox Pusher Props

Cox International Wed Mar 28, 2012 4:12 pm

Ah, in our eBay store, thanks!

engine049 Fri Mar 30, 2012 11:40 am

Nice Bernie. Why does Does Canada post charge you more for domestic shipping that is whack!

•USA: $3.95 ($1.45 if under 5 mm thick)
•International : $5.95 ($1.95 if under 5 mm thick)
•Canada: $9.95 ($2.95 if under 2 cm thick / $0.95 if under 5 mm)

Cox International Fri Mar 30, 2012 4:19 pm

Frustrating but true.

For all destinations outside of Canada we can use what is termed "Light Packet Air". Costs like $3.00 to the USA and $6 to anywhere else in the world for 100gr.

For Canada it is either "Lettermail" under 2 cm thick and like $1.25 or, if over 2 cm thick, we have to use "Parcel Post"; which costs between $6 and $16, depending on destination city.

We just average it out at $9.95 and, on many occasions, lose money on shipping within Canada.

Also keep in mind that a bubble mailer, poly bags, labelopes, printouts, tape, etc, average 50 cents per order. Then Paypal and credit card processors take another 3% and on eBay we have to pay another 11% selling fee on shipping costs as well.

We used to make a couple hundred bucks on shipping every month but, due to price increases, reached the break-even mark late last year. These days, shipping is a subsidy business for us.

engine049 Fri Mar 30, 2012 6:17 pm

I have a few secrets about shipping that keep my head slightly above the water. I will share with you privately through email Maybe you can increase your margin. I know what you mean about breaking even with the shipping.

It may seem like there is a profit immediately but every hidden cost chips away at the bottom line slowly but surely

I have devised some Super secret secrets tough!! I'm almost done with publishing my (Super secret eBay secrets book)

For me,

The shipping cost covers, part of the Final value fee, the shipping, the packaging, the other costs associated with listing ect.

Before Employing my secrets There was hardly a profit for shipping
There are a lot of Hidden costs associated with selling on ebay this covers My time, listing fees 20-100, Ebay store costs $50 Time spent in constant communication, packaging postage materials, electricity, maintenance for vehicle, The gas to get to the post office. Time spent filling customs forms out. The list goes on.

Shipping In Canada seems to be quite the financial pain. I lust took a Look at the postage rate chart in canada Much more involved complicated and expensive. You should move to USA Smile

Cox International Fri Mar 30, 2012 8:12 pm

Tom,

Please feel free to share any ideas but keep in mind that I teach "How to be successful on eBay" and "Internet Marketing" at the local university and have have researched shipping costs and solutions 6 ways from Sunday.

Since eBay changed their FVF to include shipping costs, it has closed the loophole for such fee avoidance.

We buy bubble mailers in batches of 1,000 and poly bags in batches of 10,000 and our packaging time is reduced to a minimum due to the flow-charts we have implemented.

I think I have it quite covered but, heck, I'm sure I don't know everything lol.

By the same token, we don't mind subsidizing shipping as product margins are good and buyers tend to spend more when the shipping cost is capped at a low level.

Don't forget that USPS shipping costs are a bargain compared to Canada Post.

engine049 Fri Mar 30, 2012 8:34 pm

Ill start sharing on the forum since the first few secrets no one on the forum ships enough to take advantage of.
#1 Tape. Cox Pusher Props - Page 2 Sam_2312

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Clear-packing-packaging-tape-clear-hot-melt-AG22-case-lot-alot-3-1100-yards-big-/200719420847?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ebbcf4daf

Where do you source your tape from? How much is it. I Have a 1100 yd and I have a razor blade right next to it, I cut 2 to 4 strips so i make it go 4x as long. I am on tightwad mode with every single supply I have to use.

Actually Really amazing quality tape and 4 times cheaper than store rolls just to buy 1 roll including shipping its 24.90 shipped to usa Every americna household should have one. Especialy if oyu`re gonna move soon. You will use it in oyur life!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Clear-Packing-Tape-3-x1100-yards-hotmelt-AG22-big-lot-huge-lots-roll-of-tape-/280835635321?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item41631bb879

lets calculate some 1100 yards x 3 3300 feet of 3 inch tape!

engine049 Fri Mar 30, 2012 8:37 pm

Go on vacation 1 day to LA day and hit that company up on your way buy enough tape to last you a lifetime. Negotiate with that guy and w/e Now check your email

Cox International Sat Mar 31, 2012 10:45 am

Yes, that is a very good deal on tape. However, the cost of tape for us is negligent as, with only 2 exceptions, all our products are shipped in self-sealing bubble mailers. Only 2 items are shipped in a small box and we use aprx. 200m (650') of tape per year for aprx. 350 boxes.

As per my calculations that would save us aprx. $13 in tape costs per year. But, we use a roll-on applicator with built-in cutting edge. If we were to mount a roll somethere, hand-peel and hand cut the tape, I am quite confident that any savings would be negated by my staff (at $20/hr. wages) having to spend an extra 10-15 seconds on 350 boxes.

Our biggest cost factor when shipping is Canada Post, followed by humann resources.

Canada Post averages just under $2,400/month in postage - and we have a contract with a 13% bulk discount.

engine049 Sat Mar 31, 2012 4:07 pm

Cox International wrote: (at $20/hr. wages)

Bernie they are shipping and receiving people not Engineers, Nurses, or IT managers.

Or is that 10$ per hour for 2? Then that's very reasonable.

nitroairplane Sat Mar 31, 2012 4:09 pm

engine049 wrote:
Cox International wrote: (at $20/hr. wages)

Bernie they are shipping and receiving people not Engineers, Nurses, or IT managers.

Hey they help us feed the habit I reckon you should bump the wage of to $25/hour Smile

lol

Cox International Sat Mar 31, 2012 4:39 pm

engine049 wrote:
Cox International wrote: (at $20/hr. wages)

Bernie they are shipping and receiving people not Engineers, Nurses, or IT managers.

Or is that 10$ per hour for 2? Then that's very reasonable.

Nichole is our store operator and she is responsible for day-to-day operations, which includes pulling and packing orders. We would be hard-pressed to find someone in our town that has the qualifications and would agree to less than 40k/year salary.

If you can find someone willing to work for less that can handle the complete operation of our e-stores while we are absent for a month or two at end, I would be willing to have that person apply.

This is Canada, lol, and not the USA. When our then 18-year-old worked at a local sawmill as cleanup boy a couple of years ago, he was paid $23/hr + benefits.

BTW teachers earn 65k/year on average and nurses 75k, and that's before all the benefits.

nitroairplane Sat Mar 31, 2012 4:57 pm

One thing I noticed is that in Canada nearly everything
Costs so much less than it does back
Home!

Cox International Sat Mar 31, 2012 5:54 pm

Tell me about it - I'm from germany sunny

Jason_WI Sat Mar 31, 2012 6:18 pm

Bernie,

Do you offer an employee discount on merchandise? Very Happy

Jason

Cox International Sat Mar 31, 2012 6:40 pm

Jason_WI wrote:Bernie,

Do you offer an employee discount on merchandise?

Jason

Of course. Staff can buy anything at dead cost. Nichole has bought a pile but I don't think she has flown yet.

nitroairplane Sat Mar 31, 2012 6:41 pm

Cox International wrote:Tell me about it - I'm from germany

I've only been to Germany a couple of times but yeah it is expensive.

PV Pilot Sun Apr 01, 2012 4:06 am

Wow!. The millwrights at our wood chipping mill make $25, and thats turning wrenches keeping the belts moving and such. The clean-up folks make about $16-18.

Nichole does a awesome job at CI. She fumbled my order just a bit recently and was immediately on the spot getting the correct items headed this way and emailing me. Again, a big thanks to her for the quick fix. Thanks Nichole!!

The way I rate online hobby shops is by comparing them to A Main Hobbies out of Chico Cali. Kendall Bennet and his crew are at the top of the heap as far as getting back to you personally by email and instant contact with customers when something is wrong or goes astray with your order. They will skip the weekends off and go for 2-3+ weeks straight getting it right. They put the major online stores to shame when dealing with customers and the like.

I have been dropping the hints to him as to where to find 1/2A stuff and the resurgence of that scale. Wink

Cox International Sun Apr 01, 2012 12:26 pm

PV Pilot wrote:
Nichole does a awesome job at CI. She fumbled my order just a bit recently and was immediately on the spot getting the correct items headed this way and emailing me. Again, a big thanks to her for the quick fix. Thanks Nichole!!

Unfortunately, she will be leaving us at the end of July (fell in love and her love lives 1,500 km away). Here is the job description if you want to move to Canada lol

www.coxengines.ca/manager

nitroairplane Sun Apr 01, 2012 2:28 pm

Well I would love I move to BC someday!

PV Pilot Sun Apr 01, 2012 5:35 pm

Cox International wrote:
PV Pilot wrote:
Nichole does a awesome job at CI. She fumbled my order just a bit recently and was immediately on the spot getting the correct items headed this way and emailing me. Again, a big thanks to her for the quick fix. Thanks Nichole!!

Unfortunately, she will be leaving us at the end of July (fell in love and her love lives 1,500 km away). Here is the job description if you want to move to Canada lol

www.coxengines.ca/manager

Hmmm, only 527 short miles away, 9-10ish hours. A heck of a commute, Very Happy

.

I would leap at it in a heartbeat if I didn't have nothing going on, but I am married to the road and local weeknight work,,and the pay is very good. This new company I work for is pretty much isolated from the economy dependency here and the upturns and downturns affect it very little. A very secure job.

If you every buy commercial trucks and decide ship bulk to different areas, I'll be waiting. Very Happy

Again, I would leap at the chance for just a interview and a test week. A bit rusty with the MS Excel, but still have the basics of it. Surely there is someone on here who has those qualifications also and not alot going on??

nitroairplane Sun Apr 01, 2012 6:18 pm

Well I don't have much going on but my commute would be even longer!

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