eBay Standard Envelope Loophole Costs Sellers

by: etectra

eBay allows it because they could care less about you as a seller at all.

Look at what eBay did in January of 2025. They change the default method of how shipping is computed for multiple quantity items and made no announcement about it and nor did they send any message informing sellers.

Up until January of 2025 the default method was to bill the customer the amount of shipping for one item multiplied by the number of items ordered. Thus if shipping was $10 on one item they would automatically bill the customer for $30 got shipping (3 X $10). The customer would then request a combined invoice. Some customers would pay and receive a refund for the amount overpaid for shipping.

eBay changed this to instead bill the customer based on the combined weight of the items. So if one item weighed 1 pound and the ordered three items they would bill the customer for a 3 pound package. That is very dangerous as it ignores what the combined size of package will be. If its over a cubic foot and is shipped USPS its subject to dimensional rates. If its sent UPS or FedEx its subject to dimensional rates. That could seriously underpay the seller for shipping.

So now you have to go into your account settings for multiple quantity shipping and establish a new rule and set it to "No Discount" so that the weights will not be combined. You then have to apply that rule on each multiple quantity listing you have.

eBay did this make shipping on multiple quantity orders appear cheaper to buyers with no regard to what the actual cost of shipping would be because the people that run eBay are sociopaths without a conscience.

I would not eat any of the shipping costs. I would add terms to your TOS that state the envelope only applies to items $20 or less. State eBay will not let you use the standard envelope for items above $20. Any items above $20 must be shipped via Ground Advantage only. State that orders are subject to cancelation if the wrong shipping service is not utilized (which protects you from negative feedback if you cancel and they try to retaliate).

You could add a statement in the short description area at top of each listing that the eBay Standard Envelope is only for order $20 or less. Maybe add a bold red statement at the top of each main description stating the same. Add your TOS below the description.

Personally I do not use the Standard eBay Envelope.

by: Allen1853

I do not list auctions. That said I find the eBay Standard Envelope a great service, enabling me to sell many coins, postcards and patches for less than $20, many for as little as $3, with free shipping, that I would not be able to sell if I (or the buyer) had to pay Ground Advantage.  

by: cvsharkey

eBay just seems to be terribly difficult to do business with. tsy is right behind them in implementing "difficulties," too. And Amazon. And sellers are right--those companies are too self-involved with shareholders to give a hoot about sellers. All this does is bring more disreputable sellers into the fray.  

by: spooky

a few years ago I listed large hardcover atlas books in the maps/ atlas category and eBay allowed me to specify media rate (it qualifies, it is an actual book). But when I went to print a label they dis-allowed media rate and I had to print parcel post (just before ground advantage). I posted about this in a Facebook group and many jumped on me about why not use pirate ship. I prefer to have all my labels off eBay as they keep track of the costs and it just seems smoother.  

by: lstreeter

I would cancel the sale and open a case with ebay!  Unless you complain, nothing will be done about it.