New discogs shipping policies

Started by CannibalRitual, September 18, 2020, 10:41:58 AM

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Major Carew

Quote from: re:evolution on November 19, 2020, 11:41:39 PM
Just providing my experience after going through the process of setting up required shipping polices.

Basically I sent up base prices per unit / format for single and multiple items. But the Discogs system REQUIRES you to have postage weight brackets to apply to all orders for the shipping polices to be deemed 'complete'. OK - I did that too - and tried to work weight brackets to match per unit / format type postage prices.

But since having these 'standardised' polices the postage seems to be ONLY calculated on weight. The system then only factors in the assumed weight of the orders items but then does not factor in the actual packaging, which would push the parcel into the next weight /postage bracket.

This has happened with two orders already where I have to request additional postage or cancel the order. Just another example of things becoming more complicated when trying to make something more streamlined. 



It's unnecessary ball ache on the part of Discogs.I just left everything as it was. Even though the items I have will appear as 'unavailable' to any potential buyer, people seem to be aware of all the complications so they just ask me to calculate shipping for the items they want. Last few customers have just listed the items they wanted & asked me for a shipping total.

Urban Noise

Already set up that crap sometime ago.
The weight of the item must include the weight of the package of that item itself or in the end, we'll be paying more on postage than what we charged.
And in the end, we'll need to take extra care not to go above the weight we set in the first place, instead of taking extra care on making a solid package.
The shit side of automated systems.
And no, that shit doesn't rise the number of orders, the total opposite for me.
New Approach Records
www.nghproductions.limitedrun.com
www.newapproachrecords.wordpress.com
www.nekrogoatheresyproductions.wordpress.com

holy ghost

Yeah I did okay initially when I reopened my store but for less "HOT" noise stuff I'm selling I haven't had an order in weeks. Usually I average one or two per week. I generally don't get bent out of shape when a big platform makes changes but this is.... not good.

Honestly I would much rather there be a way for the system to calculate how much it will cost to ship and then you just print off a fucking invoice and skip the entire process altogether. That would make sense. This does not.

Ashmonger

I set everything up quite a while ago, then received no orders from over a month. After asking around, someone offered me to check my list and he sent me print screen, turns out every single item was priced as having a shipping cost of €16. That's what you get when you can't check for yourself if everything is set up good. Discogs providing no way to run tests to see if everything works, is a huge fault on their part.
Right, then, why did it list everything with that price? Turns out that it was always presenting my "flat rate shipping" policy (I'm talking about shipping packages from Belgium to other European countries). Why? Because apparently you can drag the lines (lines with "all items", "CD shipping policy", "tape shipping policy"...) and change the order. So, when the "all items" policy is on top, it will always show that. Dragged it to the botom, now it works.
I've set it up per item, not per weight. Because I know that I can ship 3 CDs for a certain price f.e. Only downside to that is that I can't offer cheaper shipping for a single digipak or CD without jewelcase (as that weighs less than 100g). Of course, people are welcome to inquire about that.

Anyway, since fixing that, I've had a couple of orders. Too early to say if it's more or less than before, since most orders usually come early in the month, but I doubt it will turn into a goldmine.
I've been thinking about ditching discogs as well, but I think I'm nearly not well known enough or have a loyal customers base enough to expect them to follow.

W.K.

Another complaint to blow off some steam, and it's probably because I'm oblivious to all the changes Discogs is making, but since when did we need to contact the support team to cancel an order that has already been invoiced??? Like why can't I even control my selling process, we're not a bunch of children for fuck sake.

Okay but I haven't set-up the shipping policies, and looks like Discogs is threatening me I can't be selling anymore:
"Complete your shipping policies: Your items are currently unavailable. Please complete your shipping policies to make them available again. "

Grrrrr...looks like I do need to put some effort in it. Can't we burn them offices down or something?

Straight murkin' riddim blud, absolute vile gash

TordonLjud

#50
Solely based on my own experiences I don't think it was particularly hard to set up shipping policies and they have so far been accurate. (However, I do prefer the way things were before.) It's early to say of course and there are undoubtedly other factors to consider as well this being a special year but I do notice quite a lot fewer orders coming via Discogs, but instead a noticeable increase of orders coming via the webstore, which is preferable. I'd imagine that this may mean that some private sellers looking to offload some tapes etc are deterred from using Discogs and may instead use other channels such as this forum more frequently for that purpose and that ought to be preferable, too. So, while this probably wasn't the best idea Discogs has had, I think it might not be so bad for the "scene" itself. You can put it this way: Discogs is still useful but decreasingly so for the genres of interest to us.

urall

Ugh, so finally got around setting this up, which went fairly easy. But apparently for multiple items shipping costs
are still fucked up. Eventhough i set the weight of individual items and set my policies in weight tiers...
What a hassle.

CannibalRitual

I think many people set it up wrong. Often seen a CD being sold with shipping costs 12€ and if you read back on their original shopping costs it says 7€.

I'm still waiting for that massive flood of new orders they promised. It's rather the opposite, but don't think related to the new policies....

FreakAnimalFinland

I suppose many have seen latest discogs change. It sort of reminds me how Finnish post marketed their letter price change to businesses. People who have ordered stuff from me that is being sent in those while letters, they were basically roughly 7 euro to buy, 500g maximum weight. Couple years ago, they announced that only modest price adjustment, charging like 1 euro more... but besides that, not only price changed, but maximum weigh was dropped to 250g. Or was it 300g. Anyways, basically former letter you could send 4 jewel box CD for 7 euro, now it would be like 2 CD's for 8 euro. "Only small increase" actually in most cases, makes it multiple times higher. 4 CD's formerly shipped for 7, now 4 CD's could be 16 euro - making it about the same as just send as package. They did say that all old envelopes function as they did, so any old 500g letters you have pre-paid, works fine. I still got boxes of those and price have remained the same until I run out of envelopes. When? Who knows.. depends how much orders keep coming, yet at some point new postage rates will apply, and they might be horrible. Lets see that when time comes.

In similar way, latest discogs change, they claimed they only did modest 1% increase in fee. Formerly 8% fee is now 9%. Not bad, except that now it applies to both item AND shipping. When shipping is such a massive price, I would estimate this will make selling cheap item in discogs completely obsolete.

Let's say, you got seller with 5,- noise CD. Postage is 15,-. Total price 20,-
9% out of 20 is 1,80. Then mandatory PayPal fee, I guess something around 3,5% + 0,50 = 1,20
so total fees... 3,-
Does it make sense to sell 5,- tape, CD or LP, if 3,- goes to fees? Does it make sense to sell 10 euro 2nd hand LP, if high postage included in fee calculation takes half of its value into fees? Is this somehow intentional way to clean up discogs from discount releases? Aim to lift the profile into valuable and collectable stuff? Now that you got items for sale at 2 euro or so, think about selling such items to someone... 2e tape, 15 euro shipping... 17 euro... and fees according to math should be... 2,60? Taking loss for selling items that are too cheap. Discogs mentioned that sellers will have to adjust prices themselves. Sure. I guess in near months we will see low priced items disappearing from market. If it is actually less costs to throw something into garbage, than sell it, I can't see reason why people would keep them listed on the platform.

This may be also nuisance for labels who run new item distro via discogs.
I personally have no problem really. Haven't been buying anything from discogs for ages, all inventory been removed long ago. But I feel a bit cautious what kind of effect this has in underground that has perhaps too much relied on services of couple bigger platforms?
E-mail: fanimal +a+ cfprod,com
MAGAZINE: http://www.special-interests.net
LABEL / DISTRIBUTION: FREAK ANIMAL http://www.nhfastore.net

WCrap

#54
i assume this increase will also have an effect on prices in general as almost all shops & dealers nowadays check discogs and price accordingly. so if prices on discogs rise they will probably rise outside of discogs too.

Urban Noise

I have stoped updating my discogs store some motnhs ago, but still get an order there from time to time, I'll take it off as soon as I complete the last order I got. Paying fees two times (discogs and paypal eating a % from the same initial value) for the same sale... no thanks.

This will be very bad for small distros because Discogs was a good way for getting exposure and get people actually buy from smaller distros, instead of the same big/older ones. Without that, small distro will not work and smaller labels will probably reduce it even more.
New Approach Records
www.nghproductions.limitedrun.com
www.newapproachrecords.wordpress.com
www.nekrogoatheresyproductions.wordpress.com

Theodore

Anyways, my first option in Discogs, as a buyer, is to message the seller with an offer to do it out of their platform, and with a price that excludes the fee. Usually, i ask for a little more discount than just that, heh. I havent anyone say NO to this, yet. Ofcource may not be convenient if you buy just a CD or if it is a 'buy now, before anyone else' situation, but saving 7-8 Euros on a 50EUR order, it is something. And makes the difference between a good purchase and 'no, pricey, i ll buy something else instead' . I encourage anyone to do it this way.

I guess it is matter of time before Discogs try to block this practice ?
"ἀθάνατοι θνητοί, θνητοὶ ἀθάνατοι, ζῶντες τὸν ἐκείνων θάνατον, τὸν δὲ ἐκείνων βίον τεθνεῶτες"

accidental

Quote from: Theodore on May 05, 2023, 03:21:51 PM

...

They already do. And writing this on an open forum is beyond stupid.

Theodore

Quote from: accidental on May 05, 2023, 08:17:51 PM
They already do. And writing this on an open forum is beyond stupid.

Yes, they have no idea what messages we exchange in their platform, neither that this is possible and reasonable, so they surf on forums for info ...

But how they already do ? What they do ? I had no problem so far.
"ἀθάνατοι θνητοί, θνητοὶ ἀθάνατοι, ζῶντες τὸν ἐκείνων θάνατον, τὸν δὲ ἐκείνων βίον τεθνεῶτες"

piisti

Quote from: accidental on May 05, 2023, 08:17:51 PM
Quote from: Theodore on May 05, 2023, 03:21:51 PM

...

They already do. And writing this on an open forum is beyond stupid.

Try to sell, send, buy, release records, pay fees to discogs, pay fees to PayPal, spend time to different postal options...if this is stupid...maybe it is. There is much more activities to use your time. Maybe ice fishing is much more satisfying then. I have personally raised my hands up. Not worth of my money, time and mental care this cursed web anymore. I feel really sorry for people who try to figure things out in this wind and try to get atleas some own...