What does combined shipping mean?

Answer 1

Combined Shipping means that the items you have purchased will be shipped together in the same package. It is a service offered when a seller has more than one item for sale and ships multiple items purchased by a single Buyer at a reduced shipping and handling rate than each item shipped individually.

It is a common practice by Sellers on eBay which saves both Sellers and Buyers money. Oftentimes, if a Buyer has won or purchased multiple items from a single Seller who is willing to do Combined Shipping, the Seller will charge the Buyer the highest stated shipping and handling cost on the individual items and one half of the stated shipping and handling cost (or less) for each additional item.

For instance, a Buyer wins four auctions from a single Seller that is willing to do Combined Shipping. The stated shipping and handling costs for the items are as follows:

Item 1: $3.00

Item 2: $7.00

Item 3: $4.00

Item 4: $3.00

Instead of charging the Buyer the $17.00 in shipping and handling, the Seller only charges the Buyer $12.00 (the highest stated shipping and handling cost ($7.00) plus one half of each additional individual shipping and handling cost ($1.50 + $2.00 + $1.50 = $5.00).

It is a free marketplace, and ultimately each individual Seller will charge what they want to charge on shipping and handling for an item. Some Sellers are more generous than others, albeit ignorantly so, in that they neglect to factor in actual costs incurred by shipping and handling, which include, but are not limited to:

internet service to complete transactions; electricity to use computer to complete transactions; electricity to use a printer for printing shipping labels; paper and ink for the printer; packing supplies (i.e., tape, bubble wrap, packing peanuts, boxes, envelopes, markers, etc.) for shipping items; costs associated for vehicle use to obtain these necessary supplies and for taking items to be shipped to the appropriate USPS/UPS dropoff (vehicle use expenditures include: mileage, gasoline, insurance, tolls, parking fees and those who live in the city might have to pay for taxi/bus/train/subway service).