What is the best way to set postage for additional items? I have spend ages sorting all this out and usually works perfectly but I have had a customer buy several small items this week and the postage was horrendous - which I quickly refunded for her. I have worked out if someone buys something small and also a larger item I need to go up to the next postage bracket, so add the difference in the box. With small items this doesn’t work.
When it says additional items is that just for that product group? So if i put 95p for a coin purse then an additional 10p will that just be if someone buys 2 of that product group? not a make up bag?
The more I look the more confused I get.
I think it might just be easier to charge for each item and then refund the difference. Is anyone else getting trouble with this?? Time for a cup of tea 
Thanks for any advice. Perhaps I’m looking into this too much
1 Like
My items are a complete mix of sizes and weights, so I just do a rough guess, if the postage the customer is charged is way over what it costs I refund, occasionally it ends up being undercharged, so I just have to make up the difference. I’ve never found the perfect solution, so will watch this thread to see what good answers come up
2 Likes
I do the same thing as I can easily refund any overcharge via paypal partial refund with a note to the buyer.
1 Like
I’ve been having a look through and there are some previous questions. It looks like it takes the highest postage costs first. Still confused as my items vary from large letter to small parcel which is quite a big difference in costs.
What happens if I don’t put anything in the additional items box, does that mean they have to paythe set postage for each item they buy?
Yes it does, put in the price you want to charge for additional items or £0.00 if you don’t charge for additional items
1 Like
So would they pay the postage cost for each item they buy not just the highest.
If they had a make up bag postage 2.80
coin purse postage 0.95
Would they pay the total of 3.75 ?
It always charges full postage on the item with the highest postage cost. Then whatever else is in the order will be charged at whatever additional cost you have added in.
For small parcels within the UK you can send up to 1kg for the same price, your items look quite light so you could probably send a lot of them in one parcel for the same price.
For items that go as a large letter the weight band is up to 99g for the cheapest rate then 100 - 249g for the next band, but the price difference is quite small (only 31p for first class).
Have you considered offering free shipping for additional items? It takes away the headache of working it all out and also encourages shoppers to purchase multiple items at once (if you advertise it). I think you’d find that most of the time the additional items won’t actually cost any more to post … and when they do the difference is so minimal that it probably won’t eat into your profits. Of course, I don’t know what margins you are working with so I can only go on personal experience!
1 Like
Thanks everyone for all your help and suggestions. I do find it difficult to work out with all the different sizes and weights of my items. Thought I had it right but will have to go through and have another look. Thanks for all your help it’s much appreciated.
Claire
Hi Claire, this has driven me nuts from the beginning!! I understand how it works but with the vastly different shapes and weights I sell I find it impossible to get it right for multiple purchases and have just this week had to refund someone back. She was actually not expecting it but it begs the question how many people get put off buying multiple items as the postage racks up and they don’t know they will get any part of it refunded. I have mentioned that I will in my meet the maker page but I’m sure a lot of people don’t read it. I wish we could set a maximum postage limit, it would make life so much easier!!!
Hi,
I’ve had a play for the last couple hours! and have changed it all a bit. At least I now know that if two things are bought, the highest postage cost will be used and then the additional costs. So I have made it a bit easier hopefully - now customers can buy multiple items for the same postage price and I have no additional cost. I will always refund if I have charged too much - hopefully that’s worked out okay???
I’ve not done it, but think often about increasing the price of items and offering free postage. Not had the courage to do it yet as it may put my prices too high!
The way you have it set up now means that all additional items purchased will ship for free along with the first (most expensive postage) item. Is this what you intended? 
I noticed that you have your postage costs set to exactly what RM charge. There’s nothing wrong with that but just remember that you are paying 3.4% of those costs to PayPal. For example, on every second class small parcel that costs you £2.80 to send PayPal will take 10p from what the customer pays you as part of their transaction fee so you’re actually only getting £2.70 for the postage cost.
if a buyer purchases two different types oif items with different postage costs, which additional price do they pay? does additional items prices only come into play if you are buyng two of the same items but there is no discount in price if you buy two different items?
It doesn’t matter if the buyer purchases multiple different items or multiple numbers of the same items, they will be charged postage for each single item depending on what you have entered for postage costs and/or additional postage costs.
The system works out which item in the order has the most expensive postage cost and charges that as the main cost, then every other item in the order is charged at whatever additional cost you have set for those items.
1 Like
Thanks for your advice with this. I think that should be correct now but we’ll see. If I sell a larger item it should use the higher postage cost and I should be able to add other items in as well for the same price. …I didn’t realise before that they would go with the highest postage charge first. Thanks again
Carol I think you will then end up paying more Folksy fees if postage is not currently included in the calculation
1 Like
I’ve given up trying to set up the charges against the listings to allow for multiples as I cannot possibly get them accurate. I can post 4 or even 5 as a single small package but that of course only gives me £20 insurance (not that I’ve ever had reason to use it ( she says with hands on wooden table top !) )
but what if someone orders 2 bigger things - that might then need medium parcel or signed for.
What if they order 8 pieces at once and I’ve put free postage for additional items.
It just doesn’t work for me so I always charge each item and refund afterwards as soon as I’ve worked out what it will actually cost to post.
I say so in my profile but don’t suppose people read that. A potential customer was not happy with the prospective total charge the other day so I’ve started a new idea.
I need my notice about refunds to show on the individual listings but there is not enough room in the description so…
.I’m adding this to the ‘inspiration’ section - as that stands out a bit better anyway
Please note : POSTAL CHARGES : . I always part-refund postage via Paypal where more than one piece is ordered to allow for combined postal charge. I do this as soon as I receive your order.
eg https://folksy.com/items/6747775-Noahs-Ark-Suncatcher-Stained-Glass-Handmade-
2 Likes
Hi Claire. Postage is a pain 
I sell fabric items and have discovered that it is the thickness of the package that changes it from a large letter to a small parcel. So anything that is over 25mm thick becomes a small parcel @ £2.80 for second class or £3.30 for first.So a fabric lavender heart for instance will be a small package I’ve taken to buying parcel boxes from ebay as when constructed they are large letter size.
1 Like
