Packaging and Shipping in India

[yourrichlookshop]

We are planning to start an ebay shop with a very few items and quantity. The only question that was bothering us is Packaging and Shipping. We have tried contacting following logistic service provider.

1) Ebay Powership using a) online application, b) customer care on ebay chat and call. c) mail to inlogistics@ebay.in d) calling on number provided by Ebay Customer Care executive

2) BlueDart (Online Application, talking to sales executive)

3) FedEx (Online Application)

4) DTDC (Online Application)

5) Aramax (Online Application)

6) A couple of local logistic service provider.

Unfortunately, from the above only one (Blue Dart) turned out with a response back to us. However, the rates they are offering is not at all affordable for a very tiny business like us.

Our items are Home Furnishing (i.e Curtains, Bedsheets).

As we are very new to this business, we are not sure what will be our per month sales and every logistic service providers first question is "shipment per day/month".

We would be much obliged if someone can help out.

[akshay19gupta]

try shipping via india post (Registered or Parcel Post) in the first month.
after you get a idea of the number of parcels per month,contact the courier companies.

you should also contact trackon,ondot courier

Also a few suggestions
1 List some cheap items/popular items in the beginning so that you can get 20 feedback.
2 you need minimum of 20 feedback to list multi quantity items.

[royalshopperz]

Hi there !

As you said that you are just starting to sell on ebay. So my advice for you would be to use the service of cheap and best courier services for now. Because you will surely never like to lose your investments on just shipping.
Better use DTDC Lite and Professional Courier at least for a couple of months till you get 50 feedbacks. Professional Courier is good for South and DTDC is good in North and West as well as in South. But you need to make sure that you are not using them for North East as they like many other couriers are not working well in there. In North East you can use Indian Post.
You should always communicate with the buyers informing them about the Tracking Related to their items which you have sold and also ask them to confirm the item receipt on receiving the same. Things will go easy and smooth if you work that way. Good Luck for your business !

[letssellbuy]

Yes to start with DTDC is good. even I have just started a business on ebay. very small with no clarity on the volume of business at this point of time. So I am using DTDC Lite which looks to be good so far. Once I get clarity on the number of parcels per month, I will think of contacting some courier company. Can someone help me to know where to get the polythene bags to ship apparels. This is still a pain area for me.

[yourrichlookshop]

Thank you dear fellows for you valuable suggestion.
While searching for the solution over internet, I landed up to a news site where I found about DOTZOT, a new venture by DTDC specially designed solution for eCommerce.
I immediately sent a mail to them and got very good response from the representative. Though the rates they offer are not too cheap, those are not expensive either. It seems affordable.
Of course, Indian Post's Express Parcel Service and Speed Post are among the cheapest one and offers maximum coverage all over India. However, DOTZOT is also not a bad option to opt with.

Now the next question for me is to get packing material. This seems to be easy one and after some research I concluded that I better buy this from the local market.

Thank you once again all for your suggestions.

[royalshopperz]

letssellbuy,you can buy the packing materials from the local markets if they are available at cheap rates. The type of packing material that you need depends on the variety of item that you sell. But every seller on eBay should pack any item with Bubble Wrap at least using eBay's cello tapes which are both available in here on ebay India. Regarding Poly Bags,you can easily get them from the local markets.

[cheaprateshop13]

Can anyone help me how to contact Dotzot?

[hollowoman]

what is the rate DOTZOT offered? can you post here in brief?

I shipped one thro  DOTZOT today (ebay powership) . Pickup guys are the same usual DTDC guys & the operations manager are the same..DTDC guys.. but the DOTZOT Tracking website is better than our usual DTDC web site.

For ebay I have ebay Powership.

For another online portal who has no powership arrangement..Iam shipping for the last 3 weeks daily 2-5 packets via our good old DTDC Franchaisee (rs 40 for all metros & Rs 50 for the rest,rs 20 Local & rs 30 with in the state)

I might open an a/c with Fedex ...but can not get ebay rates....Iam in south ..so I might use them for south only for slightly expensive products (I use DTDC plus now paying Rs 145 to 190 for the first 500gm).

few days ago-ebay powership didnot cover a pincode in down south tamilnadu & made it direct ship. Bloody hell 1.5 KG HDD order value Rs 13k+ .(powership rate rs 150 ..offered free shipping but paid more than double to Fedex ) even DTDC did not cover that pincode but Fedex did. I paid cash Rs 380 & sent via Fedex & got it delivered too.

But I was forced to declare value below rs 5000 as rate was rs 600 if I say it is worth rs 13K!