Online Sellers Continue to Have Problems with USPS Changes

by: mcposty

Dumb as doorknobs

by: dans parts

Printed several labels today.

eBay's Bulk Label printing gave me $2.54 each for two 6oz packages.

Printing a label individually (not Bulk printing), eBay gave me $2.60 for a 6oz package.

While in the process of printing these labels, I remembered that eBay had a wrinkle with over 13oz packages, so I played around to check if those weights were available.

14, 15 and 16oz show up under 1st Class on an individual shipping label, but those weights are nowhere to be found in Bulk Shipping.

So, of 2 problems with shipping costs on eBay, each shipping method has one problem fixed, and one not fixed.  But not the same problem fixed on both.

And, of course, the one costing us Sellers the most, and getting eBay to rake in the most (an extra 6 cents a package times how many thousands of packages A DAY?) isn't fixed where eBay stands to gain it the most (Bulk Shipping).

Anyone surprised?

by: dans parts

Oops, I misspoke in post above.

The $2.60 rate is still in individual shipping, not Bulk, but eBay's still raking in extra cash on it.

by: Marie

I don't know what "extra cash" you think Ebay is "raking in"?  

Now I don't use bulk labels.  But in using the regular method of printing a label on Ebay, Ebay is now charging 2.54 for 1-3 Oz FCP.  2.60 is for 4-8 Oz.  At least that was my experience the last couple of days.

by: Mark4

Ebay is going to talk reach out to their "contacts" are these the same "contacts" that ebay negotiated the new rate changes with, cause that went so well........

by: fashionista

None of the packages I took to the PO yesterday, and the clerk scanned,I have a receipt show up in they system as scanned,  just the ''pre shipment info sent''  no acceptance, nothing.  USPS needs to upgrade their system before any other new ventures they're talking about.

by: Rexford

Marie states "Ebay is now charging 2.54 for 1-3 Oz FCP."

I experienced this for the first time yesterday. (the $1.54 rate) They were charging $2.60, but now it is $2.54.  You may remember a few weeks ago I stated that I was getting $2.54 on Etsy for this weight, while eBay was still charging $2.60.

What I will say, and I am quite happy about, is that any money that I was losing for the increase cost of the very light weight packages I am making up with the new rates for 14-16 oz packages. Thankfully so.

by: iheartjacksparrow

@Marie - eBay is giving you a "discount" on ounces one through three as the electronic price is supposed to be $2.60 for ounces one through eight. The $2.54 is supposed to be the "at the counter" price.

Now, if MultiOrder Shipping would be up-dated to account for 14 to 16 ounces...

by: DingDong

I don't understand the Post Office.
I thought that their website was to help them in speeding up the lines at the post office by buying labels online, at their website. It was to update their system for tracking packages. To offer their services to those not close to the post offices. And in exchange in buying the postage online, we receive a discounted rate.

YET, they don't offer all their services, First Class Mail and Parcel Post. (I see regional now).
WHY are all the rates not available by the provider?
Yet, now they offer parcel notifications, and I thought that they had something with food delivery.

The Post Office needs to get their website updated with ALL the postal rates and we should received a discount.

I think I will send my 2 cents to the Postal Regulatory Commission.

by: Randy

The government screwed things up? Who would have thought!

by: rudestar

In my case USPS is getting a 20% rate increase on FCM.
I switched from padded envelopes to 8X6X4 boxes, a 500% size increase.  

by: gizmo

Nothing like throwing a wrench into a already dismal service. I already had little faith in USPS. This just reconfirms my question , why a fee hike when fuel has gone down in price. Whats theyre excuse this time ? They , The USPS talked plenty of crap about everyone else & dim weight & such. This is calling the kettle black.

Id rather pay the DIM weight , at least it gets there , & usually on time.With USPS youre lucky if you get it at all.

by: dans parts

@marie

I assume (as most others probably do), that eBay is paying USPS [the equivalent of] $2.54 for our packages, and pocketing the $.06 extra that we have to pay when we are dinged $2.60.

@rudestar -

I think this may be one of the unintended consequences of the new USPS pricing scheme.

With the old prices, I did everything humanly possible to keep the weight down, since a 3oz package was much cheaper than a 7oz package.  Now, paying the same, who cares?

My total volume displacement (ie cubic inches/feet, not quantity) increased a minimum of 100%, and more likely in the neighborhood of 200-500% over previous.

Hope they took that into account, as it will now cost them many more $$$ to transport the same items than before, due to larger size boxes.

by: dans parts

Just printed another individual 1st Class label, and this time it's $2.60, not $2.54.

However, this account it was printed under is not Top Rated Seller, like the other one, so that's probably the difference.

Unless, they just simply switched it back...

by: dans parts

Again, I misspoke.  This stuff is all so confusing, and no time to digest most stuff, it's no wonder I feel like the chicken with no head.

Bulk shipping today gave me the $2.60, not $2.54.  Individual shipping gave me the $2.60, just as yesterday.  But, again, this is on a NON TRS account.

by: Marie

@dans parts

I know some have said that, but it doesn't make it true.  It is just gossip.  Amazon and other sites did start off with charging the 2.60 for FCP 1-3 oz.  They changed to the 2.54 ultimately, but they did not start off that way.  So were they pocketing it too, or was it just Ebay?

I see this a bit differently.  And I honestly don't find it surprising considering Ebay's track record.  Ebay isn't about to give away anything.  I think they waited until they got clarification from USPS that they weren't going to get back charged for all those labels printed at 2.54 vs 2.60.  After all the stated rate for online IS 2.60.  Ebay hasn't been a front runner in more years than I care to admit.  I'm not sure why anyone thought Ebay would come out and lower the rate to 2.54 until they were darn sure it wasn't going to cost them money.

Further I think USPS conceded this because they realize now how silly it was to make the retail rate lower than the commercial rate.

@mark4

Ebay nor ANY other online postage provider negotiated with USPS for FCP Domestic rates.  USPS does NOT negotiate them.  They are what they say they are, PERIOD.

USPS does allow negotiations on FCP international and PM.  Ebay did a good job on negotiating FCP international as they are are lower than the published Commercial Rates.  But they did not fair as well with PM as Amazon did.  Hopefully Ebay is working on that with USPS.

by: Marie

@jack

No Ebay has no special or additional discounts on FCP Domestic.  They have the same rates as every other online postage provider.  Nothing special for Ebay on this subject.

You are correct.  The 2.54 for 1-3 FCP domestic is the Retail [at the counter] rate and the 2.60 is the Commercial Rate offered to online postage providers.  It defies logic as to why USPS did this, but I think they are now seeing the error of their ways.

I firmly believe that USPS has given online postage providers the go ahead to charge the 2.54.  Otherwise I don't believe Ebay ever would have changed it as they would never risk being back charged for the difference.  Just not an Ebay thing to do.

by: Postalwizard

This is typical of historical structure changes and educating the 1000's of clerks who interface with the public.  It reinforces the need to be well informed.  If an issue come up, simply point the clerk to the Notice 123 pricing guide an d direct them to the linked page for Commercial Base pricing.  Frankly there should not be a need to interface with a clerk to drop off a package with PC Postage affixed.  If you catch a clerk mis-informed, just humbly point them to the DMM or Notice 123 and set them on the right path - take professional pride in your superior knowledge. It can actually be a fun part of your day.

by: Postalwizard

This is typical of historical structure changes and educating the 1000's of clerks who interface with the public.  It reinforces the need to be well informed.  If an issue come up, simply point the clerk to the Notice 123 pricing guide an d direct them to the linked page for Commercial Base pricing.  Frankly there should not be a need to interface with a clerk to drop off a package with PC Postage affixed.  If you catch a clerk mis-informed, just humbly point them to the DMM or Notice 123 and set them on the right path - take professional pride in your superior knowledge. It can actually be a fun part of your day.

by: FeelingFroggy

using the words educated and postal clerks in the same sentence is funny.

some of those so called educated clerks couldn't find their way to the bathroom without a road map marking the way.

Dumb and Dumber