Warning of using fedex shipping label and invoice fees!

[ekiwamoto]

I recently sold a saxophone on ebay and used the fedex shipping label on ebay to ship the item.  As I just started selling, my funds weren't available instantly so I clicked the option to be charged when my funds were available for the shipping label.  When my funds became available, I never got charged on paypal for the shipping label, but just today I checked my invoice fees and it had jumped from around $90 to $134.  I thought there must of been something wrong so I checked my invoice fees and saw that I was being charged $44 for my fedex shipping label.  In the details of the fee, it said my label was 51lbs and had a bunch of other charges, but my label was only 18lbs and the shipping label cost only around $24, probably less.  I called ebay and they told me it was a mistake on their part and credited me back money so the charge of the shipping label was back to $24.  But as I said the label was probably less so I should of gotten back more money. Ebay would have charged me the extra money if I never saw the mistake, so I wanted to warn my fellow sellers out there.  They ebay specialist told me that fedex shipping labels sometimes have problems because they are still working on it.  So when you use Fedex, make sure you check how much you get charged.

[taadaa58]

Although I rarely ever use Fedex this is still excellent information to be aware of.

Thank you!

[old_man_arthur]

Just to add...

I just got my FedEx bill added to my account (and I paid it).

But I believe that it was just for two guitars that I sold weeks ago.

So this doesn't include the guitar that I sold yesterday... Nor the one last week.

But those bills will be coming.

So you may not get your FedEx bill for a Month.

You should be sure to have money in PP or your Bank, so those bills don't surprise you.

Personally, I add a note to my Sold Items stating what the shipping charge should be.

Also read the Fine Print...

When you print that shipping label, the Charges are Estimated!

So your actual charges may be More or Less than the estimate.

I am not really pleased with the FedEx set-up,

but it is convenient for me to pay with PayPal.

Otherwise, I would be paying with CASH and no discount.

(actually, I think that it costs MORE to pay FedEx cash)

It is nice to be able to use the money that the buyer just sent to me.

But Remember... That invoice is coming later.

And it is NOT a Detailed Invoice either. (which kinda sux)

[xpalido]

Exactly the same issue, on 2 fedex transactions. Shipping weight went up from 5lb to 39lb and was charged way more for it and only noticed it because a customer had some questions. I also noticed fedex price quote changes sometimes when you go in to print label 2nd time arround. totally sucks

thx for the post

[greenbioresearchllc]

Fedex is sucks! Never believe the quote they give you. They never charge the price showed the quote, but always at least 30% higher and sometimes double the quote. I based on the quote they gave and lowered the shipping cost to attract more customers, but later when I found the tricks Fedex plays on customers. I actually lost a lot of money. The profit margin made on ebay is always pretty thin, and the Fedex makes me even loose money. Ebay should do something to stop Fedex's tricks on sellers!

Fedex is sucks. Try to avoid using it if you can!

[komokwa]

Hey....you missed Taadaa & the OP !!!!!

what are they.....chopped liver ??

[like2spend]

Same thing happened to me. One delivery was quoted 10.70 and I was charged 15.96; one was quoted 8.92 and cost me 12.49. Will never use Fed Ex again!!

[demarl2]

USPS all the way. My carrier picks up everything, I do bring heavy packages to the Post Office directly although I know I can schedule a pick up. Once I was out putting my items on the mailbox and the carrier came by with my mail. I said I was sorry I give him so much to carry (obviously not this month) and his reply was I love it and am happy for the business. Of course nothing I sell is really that big.

[kansas_gal06]

Good info!

I've got an account set up directly with UPS & FedEx for non-ebay reasons. None of these billing issues exist, so it must be an ebay "feature" to see what they can get away with.

Both of those other carriers can be the best shipping option for bulky/heavy items. Not sure I would blame the carriers, since ebay is doing the billing.

[hankellin]

I found out the hard way last year when I used fed ex-- and not through ebay-- that they tack on surcharges-- One of thier favorites is for fuel charges-- if the buyer doent live inside the city they will charge you an arm and a leg for fuel. They have other taxes and weight surcharges as wel.. even when you input all the weigth and measurements and the buyers zip code into thier page to get a quote. And the dealyed billing was not so nice when it came back a few months later.. you wiat and wait thinking it will show up until you finally tink ok it had to have gone through by now and then surprise! here is your bill.

[criner2]

I had the same thing happen to me today.  I just got invoiced for $16.50 but the estimate was only $12.30.  

[old_man_arthur]

FedEx charges your account after the item is delivered.

So you won't know the TRUE price until after it is delevered.

Because of this I have started using either UPS or USPS.

(If I choose to use FedEx, I carry the item to the FedEx/Office and pay when I ship)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

apparently I posted the same thing in this thread a year-and-a-half ago

[pl992077]

Same issue here. I have a postal scale and verify dimension and weight correctly. I usually use the carrier that ships the cheapest, whether it is usps or fedex. Just found last month after checking my account details that all 5 items I shipped via Fedex are incorrect. It showed incorrect weight almost 3-5 lbs more than the actual weight. It also added surcharges and fees. All this time I thought I'd save a little by shipping Fedex but realize it cost even more that USPS by a lot. No more fedex!! If I need to ship by fedex I will go to the FEDEX shipping center. Does anyone know why the weight is highter that the actual weight??

[pgnaturalhealth]

Obviously thats what they are told to say about all the mistakes on ebay .. "we are working on it"  .. seriously, I now say .. well, there has been plenty of time to of been worked on, it needs to be fixed!!  And dont forget to ask them to submit a suggestion and comment for you .. so it gets more attention (its all that can be done as far as I know.)  Thing is I expect to pay the amount that I pay for a label .. which is the amount they say it will be, period!

[drhollywoodca]

EBAY !

Seriously ....wake up.  We the sellers are a huge part of not the biggest part of what keeps Ebay alive and going.  Why are we always having issues of some sort with either posting fees or postage costs?? 

Do you all not check out these things before implementing them for us users?  We waste so much time trying to fix one single little issue always.  Getting ahold of someone at Ebay should never be that difficult either by the way.  Make it more user friendly and quit charging us for all these listings.

Before we had 30 days free for listing items.  Now its down to 7 days for free.  and then if we click on relist automatically we end up getting charged per listing.  We don't have time to go through each listing one by one. 

Why are you doing this to us on Ebay as sellers ???    This is supposed to be beneficial for all of us in the .....as you refer to it......  EBAY COMMUNITY.  What kind of community is this when you don't work together?

Come on get with it....and make our lives easier.....not more difficult.  I got charged more for the FEDEX....over $4.00 more than what your online tool on ebay quoted me and i printed the label at that price.  I lost money on that now because I could not bill the buyer/client for that after the fact.

Ebay quit ripping us off.