|  |  Selling - Filling an Order
How do I fill an order?
Properly packaging and shipping orders is the most important thing a seller does! Sturdy packaging, and correct shipping methods help contribute to an exemplary feedback rating - and repeat sales! Here are the steps to take when you get an order:
Packaging the order - you will get an email from Half.com for every sale you make. When you receive this email, you have 72 hours (excluding weekends and holidays) to ship the item. We strongly encourage our members to log into their My Account Sales page as well, at least every other day, in order not to miss any sales. When packaging, securely wrap the items with a protective material, such as bubble wrap, Styrofoam, crumpled newspaper or cardboard. Place the protected items in a sturdy box or bubble envelope (if appropriate) in order to prevent damage or loss during shipping. (Note that in the event of empty packages, sellers are held responsible for the item not reaching their buyer.) Address the packages clearly, using large block lettering. Get ready to ship - shipping your order properly helps to ensure that it arrives in the same condition that you represented on our Web site. Print out the order notification email we've sent to you, cut off the bottom portion and enclose it in your package to the buyer. This serves as a reference and packaging slip. Print a Shipping Label - log in to “My Account” and click on the “Print Shipping Label” link beside the item you would like to ship. This will bring you to PayPal where you can log in and print and pay for a shipping label for your order. Ship the items - ship the order according to the shipping method specified by the buyer.
For additional details on shipping methods, please see below.
How do I know if a buyer received my shipment?
Once you ship an item to the buyer, Half.com does not receive confirmation from the buyer that they received the item. If you have not received any Seller Feedback in response to an order you filled, please note that this is an optional step for buyers. Not all buyers choose to leave feedback for sellers, though it is encouraged.
You do have the option of contacting your buyer directly using our Email Forwarding System. You can do this by following the steps below:
Click the My Account link near the top right of the page. You may be asked to sign in.
Click the Sales link. Your most recent sales will be listed on this page.
If the sale in question is not on this page and you have the transaction number, enter it in the "Search: Trans #" box and click the "Search" button. If the sale in question is not on this page and you do not have the transaction number, you can locate it by clicking the drop-down menu to the right of the "Search:" box, select "Buyer ID", enter the buyer's User ID and click the "Search" button. You may also sort by a specic period by using the "Period:" drop-down menu or by status using the "Status:" drop-down menu.
Once you've located the sale, click on the transaction number to access the details page.
Click the "Contact Buyer" button. This will take you to the "Contact a Half.com Buyer" form, which you can use to send an email to your buyer.
How do I get a buyer's shipping address for a sale?
You can get all the information you need from your account anytime! Here's where you find it.
Click on the My Account link near the top right of the page. You may be asked to sign in.
Click on the Sales link in the "Selling" section of your account.
Orders up to the last 31 days old are listed here, from newest to oldest. Find the order in question and click on the transaction number link.
The Order Details page shows more information about the sale, including the item(s) you sold, product information, shipping method, buyer id, the buyer's shipping address, the status of the order and the amount you are paid. You can get the information you need here!
What return address do I use on packages I ship?
When you sell an item, you should use your address as the return address on the package. This will insure that, in the event of any shipping problems where the package gets returned, you'll know about the problem as quickly as possible.
How do I let my buyer know that I shipped their item?
Once an order has been placed, you are required to ship the item within 72 business hours. It is not necessary to let your buyer know that you shipped the item, however Half.com now offers a seller the option of marking an item as 'shipped'. This feature sends an automated email to your buyer which includes any shipping notes you may have provided. If you printed a label through Half.com, the email will include the shipping tracking information and shipping service. When the order is placed, the buyer is informed of the date by which they can expect to receive the item. If, for some reason, you shipped the item late you can contact your buyer by following the steps below:
Click the My Account link near the top right of the page. You may be asked to sign in.
Click the Sales link. Your most recent sales will be listed on this page.
If the sale in question is not on this page and you have the transaction number, enter it in the "Search: Trans #" box and click the "Search" button. If the sale in question is not on this page and you do not have the transaction number, you can locate it by clicking the drop-down menu to the right of the "Search:" box, select "Buyer ID", enter the buyer's User ID and click the "Search" button. You may also sort by a specic period by using the "Period:" drop-down menu or by status using the "Status:" drop-down menu.
Once you've located the sale, click on the transaction number to access the details page.
Click the "Contact Buyer" button. This will take you to the "Contact a Half.com Buyer" form, which you can use to send an email to your buyer. By default, a copy of the email will be sent to you.
When do I have to ship this item?
Half.com requires that all sellers ship the item within 72 hours of receiving the order notification.
Holidays
Since sellers are dependent on the United States Postal Service (USPS) for the majority of shipping on our site, Half.com observes any holidays recognized by the USPS and those days are not included in shipping times. For a list of these holidays, please click here.
Half.com does not consider any of the holidays recognized by the USPS as part of the 72 hours required for a seller to ship an order. Weekends are also not considered part of the required 72 hour shipping period.
How much will shipping cost me?
Latest information on shipping rates can be found from the below carriers:
US Postal Service
UPS
Fed Ex
DHL
Seller Shipping Options and Reimbursement Allowance - Books, Music, Movies and Games
When you sell on Half.com you will receive a shipping credit or reimbursement to help cover the costs of shipping. The amount of the reimbursement depends on the type of product sold.
Sellers listing items in Books, Music, Movies or Games categories must use, at a minimum, U.S. Postal Service Media Mail to ship orders. Sellers are also encouraged to offer an Expedited Shipping method. Expedited Shipping Methods should provide a 1-3 day delivery window from the time of shipping and include some type of tracking ability. Examples of this type of Expedited service include:
Half.com recognizes that recent changes in the shipping industry have created different pricing zones. We encourage all sellers to investigate the different shipping methods that comply with the 1-3 day delivery policy and use the one that is most cost effective for the shipment.
Half.com will reimburse according to the following chart:
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Item |
USPS®
Media Mail |
Expedited
Method |
Hardcover Book
Additional Item - Same Seller |
$3.07 per item
$1.40 per item |
$5.24 per item
$3.49 per item |
Paperback Book
Additional Item - Same Seller |
$2.64 per item
$1.19 per item |
$5.20 per item
$2.24 per item |
Audio Books
Additional Item - Same Seller |
$2.64 per item
$1.15 per item |
$5.20 per item
$1.94 per item |
Music
Additional Item - Same Seller |
$2.39 per item
$1.03 per item |
$5.20 per item
$1.99 per item |
VHS Movies
Additional Item - Same Seller |
$2.14 per item
$1.19 per item |
$5.20 per item
$1.99 per item |
DVD Movies
Additional Item - Same Seller |
$2.39 per item
$1.19 per item |
$5.20 per item
$1.99 per item |
Games
Additional Item - Same Seller |
$2.89 per item
$1.15 per item |
$5.20 per item
$1.99 per item |
Game Systems |
Ground |
Expedited
Method
|
Large Consoles
Additional Item - Same Seller |
$13.50 per item
$13.50 per item |
$18.00 per item
$18.00 per item |
Small Consoles
Additional Item - Same Seller |
$7.00 per item
$3.50 per item |
$9.00 per item
$6.00 per item |
Controllers
Additional Item - Same Seller |
$7.00 per item
$3.50 per item |
$9.00 per item
$6.00 per item |
Flash Cards
Additional Item - Same Seller |
$4.00 per item
$2.25 per item |
$6.00 per item
$4.00 per item |
Other Accessories
Additional Item - Same Seller |
$5.25 per item
$2.50 per item |
$7.00 per item
$4.50 per item |
The shipping allowance we provide is sufficient to cover the cost of shipping the vast majority of items that are sold at Half.com. However, this allowance may not be enough to cover the cost of shipping heavy books (books that weigh more than two pounds), multiple book sets (encyclopedias), or oversized books (books that are taller or wider than the average hard-cover bestseller and do not fit into a priority mail envelope). In these cases, you may want to adjust the price you set for the item in order to make up any difference between what the U.S. Postal Service charges to ship the item and the shipping reimbursement.
Packaging
All orders must be shipped in appropriate packing materials designed to minimize the chance of damage or loss during shipping. (Note that in the event of empty packages, sellers are held responsible for the item not reaching their buyer.) For a seller's protection in the event of disputes, we highly recommend that sellers insure and track shipments.
Packages shipped via U.S. Postal Service Media Mail should have 'Media Mail' written or posted on the outside of the package in order to ensure prompt and correct delivery of the item.
Insured and trackable shipping is very important to make certain that a seller is protected from loss. The use of insured shipping methods also helps protect all Half.com members from fraud. Sellers should direct buyers to return damaged items to them so that the seller may file an insurance claim with the shipping carrier. If Half.com must refund a buyer in the case of a damaged or lost package (in accordance with the Buyer Protection Policy), the amount of the sale will be deducted from the seller's account balance. If the account balance is not sufficient to cover this deduction, a seller's checking account or credit card may be charged for the amount of the sale. Half.com will not reimburse sellers for loss resulting from damaged or missing packages.
Your package will consist of the following:
The packing slip (use the bottom portion of the email notification). The securely packaged product. The Buyer name and address information is provided for the sole purpose of shipping the specific purchased product(s) and may not be used for any other purpose, either in connection with such shipment(s) or separately from such shipment(s).
What if I won't be able to ship my items within the allotted time?
To avoid having orders placed when you will not be able to ship them, please take a moment to put your inventory on 'vacation'. Here's how you do it!
Click the "My Account" link near the top right of the page. You may be asked to sign in.
Click on the "Vacation Setting" link under "Selling" on the left side of the page, then click "Leave for Vacaction" to enable your vacation status.
When you are ready to bring your inventory back up online on Half.com, go back to Sales Management and click on the same link (which now reads "Return from Vacation"), then click on the "Return from Vacation" button.
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Gift Certificates