Alright, folks, I’m finally learning my way around Bonanza a little better, and I can give you some more insight into how to make your purchase there as smooth as possible. This first FAQ deals with shipping and how NOT to over-pay.
How do I make a purchase without paying too much for shipping?
The way bonanza’s settings work, you have to “make an offer.” If your offer is for the full displayed default total, your offer will be automatically approved and an invoice will be automatically sent. BUT if you add things to your cart and then let the computer do the math, you may end up paying too much for shipping, because it won’t let me do the math one way for First Class and a different way for Priority. If one of your items is $5.75 for Priority Mail, and the rest of your items will fit into the same box, then they can ship at no additional cost. But we both have to take a few extra steps to make this happen.
If you want First Class shipping in the US, AND if your calculated shipping total is less than $5.75, follow these steps: Select your items and add to cart. Make an offer for the default amount, changing nothing. If you change nothing, your offer will be automatically accepted and you can then pay via PayPal.
If your shipping total is greater than $5.75, and/or if you want Priority shipping, follow these steps: Select your items and add to cart. You will have the option to “make an offer.” To the total cost of the items in your cart, add $5.75 for shipping to the US. Add $14 for shipping to anywhere else in the world. Submit your offer. If your stuff will fit in the small flat rate Priority box, I will accept the offer and you’ll get an invoice.
In the event that the items you want will not fit into a small flat rate Priority Mail box, or there is anything else about the offer that won’t work for whatever reason, I will submit a counter-offer, explaining what I had to change.
If you KNOW that your items won’t fit into a small flat rate Priority box, but will have to go into a medium box instead, you can add $11 to your item total and I will automatically approve that offer. If you aren’t sure, submit an offer with the lower shipping amount; I’ll know if your stuff will fit or not when I see your cart and I’ll make adjustments. Don’t worry – if I make a change to your offer showing a higher amount than you planned on, you will have the chance to back out.
Note: If you are not in the US, this won’t work. You’ll need to let me look at your cart contents and figure out the best shipping option depending on size, bulk, weight, amount, etc. So international buyers whose stuff is larger or bulkier should add stuff to their carts and make a best-guess shipping offer; I’ll adjust it and explain what I’ve done and why. Alternately, you can write me first with a list of what you want and I can tell you what the shipping will be, and then you can add it to your offer; that will save time.
Is bonanza just a little bit more trouble than your other options for shopping with Karma Zain? Yes. But the savings can be significant, so especially if you have a larger order, it can be worth the time it takes to follow a few extra steps.
Big Lucky Hoodoo 