Sellers Surprised eBay Discontinued Regional Rates Early

by: COVID-19

eBay just staying ahead of the curve, bruh. 'Cause when they don't, then you guys complain they lag behind. eBay is trying to be leader, not a follower. LOL

by: Snapped

eBay’s usually “ahead of the curve” when it comes to underhanded (unannounced) means they use to increase their take.  Even to the point of rendering assurances that somehow aren’t quite so assured.

Except even in this case, (and once again) they “lag behind” Amazon’s trailblazing who tried this trick (incorporating a rate increase early) a few months ago, overcharging for shipping that ‘coincidentally’ increases their take.  They lamely claimed they just wanted to “be ready” for a “smooth transition”..  They were ‘compelled’ to return some of it but sellers had to each make their case for it first.

When it comes to being slimy, glitzy, and unethical, they do continue to be a “leader” though.  

by: Dragonfyree

I had put a question up in the community as I don't normally use Priority, but I had a bunch of magazines that I sell and used Regional B for.  So I put up the last 3 lots I had in December to end by January 19th.  

In early January, I sold all 3 on the same day and they no longer had Regional B box on my listing or being able to pick.  The worst part, they had not paid enough for the Regional or Priority rate.

Not much help in the community as they insisted it was still available, even though I put a picture of what Ebay was offering up.  Took a hit on shipping on those three, but at least they sold for a lot, so could absorb without any problems.

by: Rexford

eBay just staying ahead of the curve?  HA!  Good one.  eBay saw yet another means of taking more profit on postal rates.

Nice try defending them though.  Despite what eBay management and a few others think, sellers are not fools.

by: pace306

Im genuinely suprised that there are STILL people who are shocked and amazed when eBay does something WRONG.

eBay does the wrong thing %99.9 of the time and STILL people wonder in amazement "why did eBay do X".

Answer: because they CAN.

This isnt 1980 and everything is done via a computer. 11:59:59 on the 21rst is a task easily accomplished by eBays "super computer".

But the byte cycles are busy being used for OTHER evil nefarious things (hiding listings, demoting sellers, creating its own catalog), even sourcing out new suppliers for wings over @ Walkers.

Why did eBay do it early? because then CAN.

Theres PLENTY of people (some here) that give eBay cover (all the time) when eBay does something wrong - so why let it "bother you".

"You agreed when you signed the TOS, its their site, they can do as they please, I dont like it - I even pretend to get mad" but in the end ... "seldom is heard a discouraging word" and thats all there is .

On the the NEXT slimy thing.

(Oh and I dont use these services - but its still a bad thing to do)

by: mazelgirl

Does anyone know what we're supposed to do with Regional Rate Boxes?  It just seems wrong to toss them.

by: Snapped

Mazegirl - you can use the boxes.  They will be charged a priority rate by weight and measure as if they were not branded, like any other random box.  However, because they were branded, more so ‘free’, you can’t go cheaper rate.  

That, BTW, is what eBay did regarding elimination of the rate structure a tad ‘prematurely’, despite assurances to the contrary (similar to a teenage boy who might experience something similar), even though a ‘regional’ rate ‘box’ was - still may be - the intended packaging.  

They just couldn’t control themselves when it came  to thoughts of all that additional FVF shipping leech.

by: Snapped

…and, similar to what I just did by hitting ‘post’ before ensuring Mazelgirl didn’t have an L left out.  Sry.  

by: mazelgirl

Thank you, Snapped.

by: Lightning

If you use cubic Priority rate through the 3rd party vendors, Regional has been obsolete for years.  Cubic has been cheaper in all instances.  If you are still using Ebay Shipping for labels, you have only yourself to kick.

Interesting that I saw a paid ad for Pirate Ship online postage presented on an eBay page.  EBay is so short-sighted that it would rather take ad money from a competing service, possibly losing their label customers.  That would be like Flo, the Progressive Insurance rep, being featured in a Geico commercial.  EBay has no clue how to run a business.