Sellers Face 6 Percent Priority Mail Rate Hike in 2018

by: FeelingFroggy

Thank heaven for the lick and stick stamps at 60 percent. HA HA I TOLD YA ALL SO LAST MONTH.

by: Rexford

Actually my buyers will face that hike.  As has been said many times, there is no such thing as free shipping.

by: maxmad

More shipping cost at ebay means higher profit for ebay and more sales for sellers that sell off ebay, and as usual the only losers will be ebay buyers and sellers ,


I can hardly wait for the ebay promotion  begging you to list all your  items, but only valid in certain heavy weight categories, like cement, patio pavers, tools, engine blocks

by: toolguy

If I want to mail a package of 8 oz. from San Pedro Ca. to NY it's costs $2.77

If a chinese seller has a package that weighs 8 oz from china it lands in San Pedro and then goes to NY at a cost of .20-.30 cents.

HOW CAN THIS BE? Americans are being RIPPED OFF.

Maybe it's time for American sellers to boycott the USPS and show them where the buck starts and stops!

by: RKTOYS

I would say this is my buyers' problem but I would have to have some.  It's just too hard to sell anything to people that think they're entitled to free shipping on every single item.  If conventions weren't getting out of control with booth rent, I'd seriously abandon my e-commerce accounts.

by: Snapped

Those of you feeling frustrated, powerless and thus militantly disconcerted by this typically annual announcement three months before potential enactment and wishing to blame the USPS might find some solace and surprising empowerment by remembering to consider that this nickle a box rate hike is a request.

The Postal Regulatory Commission must approve it.  The PRC is comprised of Presidentially appointed commissioners.  Three fourths of which are currently Republicans; the lone Democrat's term expires before Thanksgiving.  Perhaps public opinion makes a difference in their approval process?

Incidentally, the USPS doesn't set the ePac rates either.  That's done internationally.  Ina had a nice article with lots of comments about it being raised shortly, just a week or so ago.  Unfortunately, it seems most ppl blame the USPS for that 'disparity' too.

So if one chooses to march into battle, please go armed with facts so to avoid self inflicting wounds to the nethers.  

by: comments

The post office is shooting themselves in the foot. This just causes consumers and business to ship with more cost effective mailing options. The last price increase on signature confirm saved me a fortune. I used to use it on all packages over $250 even after ebay raised seller protection requirement to $750. That and their regular failure to actually get the signature choosing instead to leave the packages as "delivery status not updated". This alone saved me $150-$200mo. It will be a long time before they get that money back. Keep raising and we will find ways to keep saving.

by: Marie

@froggy

A rate hike in January is not an unusual thing.  Most online sellers are aware of this.  Of course none of us like it, but it is a fact that we must deal with annually.

by: Marie

@comments

USPS is the cheapest way to ship light weight packages and while the average package you send is not a light weight one, there are tons of sellers out there that do.  I'm not aware of any other carrier that can compete with USPS on a light weight package.  Things that can ship FCP Domestic.

by: bb6

The problem with the rate hikes are that the customers are not  aware of them and they think the sellers are jacking up the shipping fees to pocket the extra money. They usually adjust to the new shipping prices when all the sellers bump them up. This usually takes a good 6 months. A lot of sellers will bump the shipping price or prices of the items to reflect the raised prices so it doesn't hit their wallet. Then there are always a large amount of sellers that would rather take the hit on the shipping to have more sales because they have a price advantage over other sellers that already raised their prices. If you don't sell enough with the lower shipping you take a hit in the wallet. So which kind of seller will you be?

This also really stings the people that sell lower priced items. I have one business that sells just lower priced items. Most customers can't comprehend that it actually cost money to ship an item and when the shipping prices are now higher then the price of the item they get sticker shock. You can't build the shipping into an item and have free shipping because everyone else will have that item much lower then your price. The only thing you can push is for them to buy more items to lower the shipping cost.  

by: Gemz

Well I for one do not ship USPS unless it's smart Ship with FedEx starting the ride and the USPS ending it. About 2 months ago on Ebay it was the way to save BIG money on every item shipped (well, 9 out of 10 anyway). Starting about 2 weeks ago I clicked the box by accident to inadvertently say FedEx Home Delivery! I took a look at what I did and noticed that the price went from 17.80 to 11.50!!! That's a huge difference! (We ship heavy items). Now FedEx is blowing the doors off 20 pound+ items which was unheard of as Smart Post always won hands down! I don't know what is going on out there but to me it looks like FedEx wants all the heavier shipping business and they putting their money where their mouth is by destroying the USPS rates!  

by: Gemz

With the hike of only 5 cents I don't see that being that much of a problem if you don't take into account that they do it every year, they give near free shipping to the Chinese, and sellers in general will use the 5 cent increase to jack shipping rates into the range of another dollar or more which then reflects bad to the customer and why I can see how everyone is up in arms even though it's just 5 cents.

Of course there is that problem that EVERY one of our customers requires free shipping or they don't buy at all. No one out there believes they should pay the way to their door. You can be higher in price than the next guy that charges for shipping (and is still lower) and still get the sale! Crazy you say??? Not on Ebay! Sometimes the customers are dumber than the clowns running it! (Not often, but it does happen!)!

by: Tiffee Jasso

According to something Ina published a month or so ago, the Chinese shipped over 31 million First Class packages to the US. American sellers shipped 8 million or something close to that number. I doubt Amercian sellers even with the raises the Post Office has made these past few years is getting enough from American sellers to make up the difference. If there is any treaty Trump needs to kill it is the Postal treaty as it costs the US Post Office about a hundred million dollar loss a year. Maybe some should start asking the President to dump the treaty. From what I have seen, he is not shy of making others mad.

by: Chicago48

I would say this is my buyers' problem but I would have to have some.  It's just too hard to sell anything to people that think they're entitled to free shipping on every single item.
^^
I charge shipping (reasonable) and customers pay for shipping.  Some of my items are free shipping, but overall customers WILL pay for shipping.  Don't believe that nonsense about amazon's 1 day delivery cutting into competition.  Buyers are not stupid, they know that it costs money to ship things, and they will pay.

by: Chicago48

Of course there is that problem that EVERY one of our customers requires free shipping or they don't buy at all. No one out there believes they should pay the way to their door.
^^
My customers pay.  I sell on AMZ (FBM) and Ebay and customers pay for shipping.

by: VV

It's just the flat rate offerings. Those are RARELY the cheapest method to use. Compared to last rate increases this isn't that bad.

To those using the Fedex option on ebay: BEWARE. I use it about twice a month and easily half of those end up being way upcharged later. No notification. Just when the monthly bill comes it's more. Usually by a significant margin. I have a digital scale and even add an inch on measurements.

If you try to argue ebay points you to fedex and fedex points you to ebay.

by: toolguy

Most of my items I charge for shipping + 10% (for ebay)

Some items go for free if my profit margin is high enough

It's hard to charge a guy for shipping on a $50 item that I paid $2 for at surplus. . .

by: Bethofvt

I charge shipping.  My buyers pay it.  A 5 cent increase in flat rates is not going to make any difference in my sales.  I am so thankful it is a small increase this year.

by: Whatever

Well seems to me priority mail got it easy this time - regular first class shipping (4 oz) has already gone up at my PO from $2.67 to $3.00 - that's a hell of an increase. Can't wait to see what ebay will "give" us when their current contract is up.

by: cfrphoto

Where are the new rates for USPS First Class package service, commonly used by eBay sellers?

Also, the article leaves out proposed changes to international mail standards that could snuff out international trade in small light weight items like postage stamps for collectors, small coins, photographs and color slides. Is a photograph a document? What about a stamp or a color slide?