First Class Postage eBay discount?

[fancyfindsandtreasures]

Where is the eBay discount on First Class Postage?  

Today, 1/18/16, USPS raised the first class postage to $2.60, but there is no discount from eBay for printing postage through eBay like there used to be.

Almost all of my items are 3 oz, which I used to pay $2.04 to ship; today (1/18) it is now $2.60 through eBay!!!  I know postage rates were increase but a jump of $0.56 per item is about 27%.  

I sell jewelry and some of my items will cost more to ship than the actual cost of the item...that's a sure way to put customers off and buy overseas where they can afford to offer free shipping.   Charging $2.60 for postage will put me out of business in a few months!

You'd think eBay would be on top of this postage hike and have the discount in place to implement when USPS raised their postage.  

I'll be researching other online shipping companies for a discounted rate.

Any suggestions on where to look for a discounted First Class Shipping rate?   

[969oceanblvd]

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@gsn13579 wrote:

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@1oceanblvd wrote:

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@fancyfindsandtreasures wrote:

Where is the eBay discount on First Class Postage?  

Today, 1/18/16, USPS raised the first class postage to $2.60, but there is no discount from eBay for printing postage through eBay like there used to be.

Almost all of my items are 3 oz, which I used to pay $2.04 to ship; today (1/18) it is now $2.60 through eBay!!!  I know postage rates were increase but a jump of $0.56 per item is about 27%.  

I sell jewelry and some of my items will cost more to ship than the actual cost of the item...that's a sure way to put customers off and buy overseas where they can afford to offer free shipping.   Charging $2.60 for postage will put me out of business in a few months!

You'd think eBay would be on top of this postage hike and have the discount in place to implement when USPS raised their postage.  

I'll be researching other online shipping companies for a discounted rate.

Any suggestions on where to look for a discounted First Class Shipping rate?   

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If 50 cents is enough to do you in - I would think that your product is probably a waste of your time even if there were no postage rate increase.  I am not trying to be a jerk, but if I were in that position, I think I would investigate a new business model.

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WOW just WOW!

There are a lot of light weight 1-3 ounce items sold on ebay... and yes a  $0.56 increase ($2.04 to $2.60)  on shipping each those items will affect A LOT of sellers,ADVERSELY!

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I am NOT trying to be a jerk.  Do rate hikes stink?  Yep.  Some of my items are going to have a rate increase of more than 56 cents per item.  Priority Mail is taking a big jump too.  Will it decrease my profit?  Maybe.  Until I tweak my items and the way that they are listed.  I also have a larger profit margin per item so the increase is a hit that won't "do me in" or "put me out of business."  If that were the case, what am I really making for my time?  I find that the profits I pull in for small items are not always worth the time to list, pack, ship, etc if the profit is less than $5.  

I do empathize with your position and the fear associated with what will happen to your business.  

I am not "afraid" so much as I am irritated that I have to spend so much time adjusting all of my listings to accomodate the increase in postage.  

( I had to write this twice, as my internet provider clicked off when I hit "send" the last time...so if it appears twice, but kinda different, this is why)

[lookng2015]

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@gsn13579 wrote:

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There are a lot of light weight 1-3 ounce items sold on ebay...

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Yes, and MOST of them  are shipped from China

[gsn13579]

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@lookng2015 wrote:

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@gsn13579 wrote:

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There are a lot of light weight 1-3 ounce items sold on ebay...

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Yes, and MOST of them  are shipped from China

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I was referring to domestic USA sellers, the ones from China ,DO NOT have to worry about a $0.56 increase in postage for a 1-3 ounce package...

As a matter of FACT, I  do not believe the China sellers even PAY  the amount of the increase ($0.56) in the first place to mail a 1-3 ounce package ,little lone $2.60

[aprilmoviebuf2000]

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@gsn13579 wrote:

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@lookng2015 wrote:

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@gsn13579 wrote:

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There are a lot of light weight 1-3 ounce items sold on ebay...

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Yes, and MOST of them  are shipped from China

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I was referring to domestic USA sellers, the ones from China ,DO NOT have to worry about a $0.56 increase in postage for a 1-3 ounce package...

As a matter of FACT, I  do not believe the China sellers even PAY  the amount of the increase ($0.56) in the first place to mail a 1-3 ounce package ,little lone $2.60

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And therein lies the problem.  USA sellers such as the OP already have to compete with the Chinese sellers in overly saturated categories such as jewelry.  

The increase in shipping cost, or total price if they offer free shipping, makes the playing field even worse for them than it was before.  

And for someone to simply say these sellers need to investigate a new business model, well, it's just not that simple.  And not something one can do overnight.  They have the inventory they have invested in now, and have no choice but to raise prices.  

I don't blame ebay for the postage increase.  Ebay didn't increase rates.  But so many fakes and counterfeits out there, items for .99 with free ship....those are not the struggling US sellers.  I wish all of us to be successful, and it just angers me that so many have to struggle so hard to have their items seen and have any hope of making sales.  

I shopped for some silver charms.  Always sort US only.  But I still have to be careful and look closely at each listing to be sure I was buying from a quality US seller.  If it said location "Mainland USA", or "Wisconsin USA" I hit the back button.  Those are not most likely US sellers.  

[jordman30]

ANYONE WANT TO BUY MY SCALES-I SELL PHOTOS- 2,000 PHOTOS EACH WEIGHT BETWEEN 3oz AND 8oz... NOW ONE OR TEN PHOTOS ALL WEIGH THE SAME AND COST THE SAME.. THAT SUCKS...

[dkaym123]

One way ebay could help with this is to not charge their final eval fee on the shipping. I understand that they started to put the fee on there due to unethical behaviors in the past when they didn't charge the fee on the service.  Sellers would have a low selling price but incorporate the cost into the postage to avoid the fee.  However if we are buying postage through ebay system they know what we are paying on postage.  They should only charge final eval fee on any extra amount above the actual price of the postage.  The old "supposed discount" only offset the ebay final eval fee.  So add your $2.60 +(10% +2.9%)=$2.93 Your real postage cost not including the cost of your packaging.

[nettrader-2009]

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@gsn13579 wrote:

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@fuzzface50 wrote:

"Where is the eBay discount on First Class Postage?"

Ebay never had a discount(except the trs discount), they just let you beleive there was one. . It was the same price as it was for buying online at usps.  

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Actually even TRS sellers NEVER received a discount from ebay on First Class Packages, little lone regular sellers!

Ebay just tried to make sellers think they received a discount shipping through ebay,becuase ebay makes money on every label printed through their system...

The reality is for FCP you could get the same rates from anyone that sold online labels!

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But, but, but, you would have to pay to subscribe to a service to print FCM labels? No?? You cannot buy FCM on USPS.com.

[gsn13579]

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@nettrader-2009 wrote:

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@gsn13579 wrote:

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@fuzzface50 wrote:

"Where is the eBay discount on First Class Postage?"

Ebay never had a discount(except the trs discount), they just let you beleive there was one. . It was the same price as it was for buying online at usps.  

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Actually even TRS sellers NEVER received a discount from ebay on First Class Packages, little lone regular sellers!

Ebay just tried to make sellers think they received a discount shipping through ebay,becuase ebay makes money on every label printed through their system...

The reality is for FCP you could get the same rates from anyone that sold online labels!

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But, but, but, you would have to pay to subscribe to a service to print FCM labels? No?? You cannot buy FCM on USPS.com.

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Actually it is my understanding that Stamps.com offers a FREE subscription for ebay sellers...

I am calling them first thing tomorrow to confirm...

Personally I would rather at this point give my shipping label business to them rather than ebay, if I can do  it for the same price or lower... you are aware that ebay makes money on every USPS label that is printed through ebay?

[themastershands-nm]

Actually it is my understanding that Stamps.com offers a FREE subscription for ebay sellers...

I am calling them first thing tomorrow to confirm...

Personally I would rather at this point give my shipping label business to them rather than ebay, if I can do  it for the same price or lower... you are aware that ebay makes money on every USPS label that is printed through ebay?

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I had a Stamps.com account and they charged me outrageous fees every month despite saying they didn't for eBay sellers. They also charged more than eBay did for every label I printed.  But you can always try to see if they work out for you!

The postage hikes are not just for 1st Class Packages. I have a number of items that sold last week but weren't paid for until this weekend. Besides the sticker shock on my 3 and 4 oz packages, I also got a $0.65 increase for Flat Rate Envelopes and a regular old Priority Package that cost about $3 more than I expected it to! At this rate I will have to give up my Fast and Free logo, lower my price by whatever I estimate that it used to cost to ship an item and start charging shipping. For 400+ items, most of which are unique and will require reweighing, it will be a chore that will take me weeks to complete.

And yes, I know eBay told us this was coming. I read their notice and looked at the price list, but everything I saw was listed as percentages that didn't translate into $$$ until I went to print a label. As far as I'm concerned, forget the percentage of the rate hike and just tell me what the new cost will be so I can plan for it!

[plugins67]

got to make sure that $2,60 is in the price ,I have heaerd that selling anything for les then $5.00 is just not worth the time ,I don't selling anything for under $20.00 for most part ,not worth the time

[lottaocean]

I know you wrote "over 20%", so I just ran the numbers.  For a 3 oz. package, it's an increase of 27.45%!

[stikkpin]

A single photo,postcard sold or image sent over seas was 4.85 up to 2 oz,.....ans is now 11.11 - this will KILL all overseas selling for me. Anyone else completely Freaked Out by this 50%+ increase ?

[thenandagaintreasures]

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@dkaym123 wrote:

One way ebay could help with this is to not charge their final eval fee on the shipping. I understand that they started to put the fee on there due to unethical behaviors in the past when they didn't charge the fee on the service.  Sellers would have a low selling price but incorporate the cost into the postage to avoid the fee.  However if we are buying postage through ebay system they know what we are paying on postage.  They should only charge final eval fee on any extra amount above the actual price of the postage.  The old "supposed discount" only offset the ebay final eval fee.  So add your $2.60 +(10% +2.9%)=$2.93 Your real postage cost not including the cost of your packaging.

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I love that you mentioned the "charge a fvf on anything ABOVE the actual shipping cost when sellers use eBay to print their shipping". I have been saying this for well over a year now. I have passed this info onto eBay employees, and those in higher positions with more influence then little ole me, to no avail. I understand, like you why they implemented the fvf on shipping too BUT there is a way around it and I just find it so unfair that I pay a monthly fee that I am locked into for each year when I renew, I already have to deal with my items not always being seen (even in my own store I came to find out accidentally recently and even when I advertise and link people to the page in store myself still items play a houdini) I digress.... my point is I put up with a lot simply because the traffic IS on eBay. However it would be really nice if they simply could NOT charge me a fvf on something I am rightfully charging and I don't even see any of it because I pay it to THE POST OFFICE through eBay labels. So being charged a fee on an amount of money I don't even profit from in any way seems absurd to me when the system could so easily be fixed to encourage sellers to use ebay labels by giving sellers who use the ebay system NO PERCENTAGE CHARGE on actual shipping. Just as the person I am replying to mentioned

Anyhoo. Was nice to see that I am not crazy for  thinking this for so long, reading someone else that is pondering same thing as I.

[thenandagaintreasures]

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@thenandagaintreasures wrote:

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@dkaym123 wrote:

One way ebay could help with this is to not charge their final eval fee on the shipping. I understand that they started to put the fee on there due to unethical behaviors in the past when they didn't charge the fee on the service.  Sellers would have a low selling price but incorporate the cost into the postage to avoid the fee.  However if we are buying postage through ebay system they know what we are paying on postage.  They should only charge final eval fee on any extra amount above the actual price of the postage.  The old "supposed discount" only offset the ebay final eval fee.  So add your $2.60 +(10% +2.9%)=$2.93 Your real postage cost not including the cost of your packaging.

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I love that you mentioned the "charge a fvf on anything ABOVE the actual shipping cost when sellers use eBay to print their shipping". I have been saying this for well over a year now. I have passed this info onto eBay employees, and those in higher positions with more influence then little ole me, to no avail. I understand, like you why they implemented the fvf on shipping too BUT there is a way around it and I just find it so unfair that I pay a monthly fee that I am locked into for each year when I renew, I already have to deal with my items not always being seen (even in my own store I came to find out accidentally recently and even when I advertise and link people to the page in store myself still items play a houdini) I digress.... my point is I put up with a lot simply because the traffic IS on eBay. However it would be really nice if they simply could NOT charge me a fvf on something I am rightfully charging and I don't even see any of it because I pay it to THE POST OFFICE through eBay labels. So being charged a fee on an amount of money I don't even profit from in any way seems absurd to me when the system could so easily be fixed to encourage sellers to use ebay labels by giving sellers who use the ebay system NO PERCENTAGE CHARGE on actual shipping. Just as the person I am replying to mentioned

Anyhoo. Was nice to see that I am not crazy for  thinking this for so long, reading someone else that is pondering same thing as I.

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OH and on the original topic of the new postage of the 2.60 up to 8 ounces. My first thought was WHAT no more 2.04 for my 3 ounce packages... then my next thought was , well I knew postage would go up.... (kicking dirt feeling down) NEXT THOUGHT... Hey this is going to cost me a little more but actually help me cause now I know everything up to 8 ounces is 2.60 which saves me money on a bunch of 6 to 8 ounce ones as far as I can tell AND when I need to get a postage printed at  the final hour to not get dinged and I want to just go to bed and worry about it in morning.... If I know it is between 1 ounce and 8 ounce, which I typically do... I can just hit 8 ounce, pay, print and package it in morning and get some SLEEP ha ha ha  I love finding the SILVER LINING

[jebbythec]

SO, the simple solution is to simply raise your price / minimum bid by a buck or so...........................