iShip.com offers a service for auctioners to let potential bidders know the shipping charge they can expect to pay on a given item. Here's how it works: go to http://www.iship.com and click on "Find out More" under "Online Auctions."

It will lead you through the steps of entering the item information: weight, dimensions, zip code, names of carriers you are willing to use, etc. Once you have entered all your information, iShip brings you to the form that potential buyers will see.

The html code is given to you so you can cut and paste it into your item description on the auction site.

The buyer clicks on the link from your description and is taken to iShip where they can enter their zip code and find out how much the shipping will cost them for your item!

ANALYSIS: If you need to determine the pricing anyway so that you can tell the buyer how much shipping will cost, then it might be worth it going through the process. But if you only offer one method of shipment, you probably know the rates, and doing the iShip process adds more time to the process of posting an auction item. None of us need that!

On the other hand, if you ship out identical items, you could use the same html code - just cut and paste into your descriptions.

If you use this service from iShip, remember to check the prices on your iShip chart before quoting shipping rates to buyers!

CAVEAT: We haven't used this service in any of our auctions yet. We'll be sure to try it and let you know if there are any problems! And note that Stamps.com is purchasing iShip.com. We don't know how that might affect the online auction service offered by iShip.com.

EXAMPLE: HTML CODE FOR SENDING 30 COPIES OF AUCTIONBYTES.COM NEWSLETTERS FROM OUR LOCAL POST OFFICE.

Click here to use iShip.com to view your shipping charges.