USPS Ground Advantage, AKA First Class Package More Expensive, But Insurance Included

[joseh1445]

I just printed a label for 1 package.  Weight, 5 OZ.  First Class Price, was about $4.14 give or take couple cents.  Now, same 5 OZ, was $4.44 Ground Advantage. 

Although, you now have up to $100 Insurance.

[sandabug]

Im confused. My package is 1 lbs 2 oz and my shipping is 8.50 to 14.90. Isnt it supposed to be 7.60 to 8.55 since its under 2 lbs?

[slippinjimmy]

For 2 lbs

8.50 - 14.90 is the new rates for Retail Ground Advantage

6.33 - 9.88 is the new rates for Commercial Ground Advantage

If you are charging buyers Retail Rates that's what eBay will show you when you pick the service. When you print labels YOU will pay the Commercial rates.

[nobody*s_perfect]

No, it isn't.  $8.50 - $14.90 is the correct retail rate for packages that are over 1 pound but not over 2 pounds.

[snowbo4772]

Insurance should be optional. It really only seems to work if USPS loses a package.  Rarely does it cover a broken or damaged items. Insurance  Insurance us a racket and usps is a big player. And yes ground advantage is more expensive than 1st class or usps parcel select was. But they know they can do it. Regardless of how people feel.

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@snowbo4772 wrote: ... ground advantage is more expensive than 1st class or usps parcel select was.....

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The current online prices for Ground Advantage up to 15.999 ounces are identical to the prices for First Class packages before July 9.  Above 1 pound, some prices went up a little and others decreased.

[mam98031]

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@joseh1445 wrote:

I just printed a label for 1 package.  Weight, 5 OZ.  First Class Price, was about $4.14 give or take couple cents.  Now, same 5 OZ, was $4.44 Ground Advantage. 

Although, you now have up to $100 Insurance.

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For GA, there was NO increase to the rates we had for FC packages if they weigh under a pound.  The rates are exactly what they were before the change.

Media Mail had an increase.

[landc]

I've slowed my eBay sales down, but just had a 7 oz package (didn't qualify as a flat), shipping from California to Delaware, and I "shopped" this Ground Advantage option:  eBay price:  $6.78,  USPS direct on their website $5.85, then I have access to Stamps.com $4.41.   From what I can tell USPS offers up to $100 insurance on all Ground Advantage.   So it appears eBay is not getting any real discounts, in fact, appears to be charging a % over USPS. ???

[slippinjimmy]

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@landc wrote:

I've slowed my eBay sales down, but just had a 7 oz package (didn't qualify as a flat), shipping from California to Delaware, and I "shopped" this Ground Advantage option:  eBay price:  $6.78,  USPS direct on their website $5.85, then I have access to Stamps.com $4.41.   From what I can tell USPS offers up to $100 insurance on all Ground Advantage.   So it appears eBay is not getting any real discounts, in fact, appears to be charging a % over USPS. ???

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$6.78 is the Commercial Rate for Zone 8 for 12.1 to 15.99oz, you must have entered the wrong weight when you checked the eBay price.

$5.78 is the Retail Rate for 7oz to Zone 8

The Commercial Rate for 7oz to Zone 8 is $4.44 (which is what Stamps charges me)

[byrd69er]

I'd rather have a lesser rate with no insurance. Don't need it, never did.

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@byrd69er wrote:

I'd rather have a lesser rate with no insurance. Don't need it, never did.

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The prices for packages up to 15.99 ounces are the same now as they were before the bid merger on July 9.

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@landc wrote: ... I "shopped" this Ground Advantage option:  eBay price:  $6.78,  USPS direct on their website $5.85 ... it appears eBay is not getting any real discounts, in fact, appears to be charging a % over USPS. ???

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You were comparing apples,  oranges, and bananas. Try those shipping calculators again and make sure that the gremlins don't mess with the weights and ZIP Codes that you're using.

$6.78 is the Commercial rate to ship 15.99 ounces to Zone 8.

$5.85 is the Commercial rate to ship 15.99 ounces to Zone 1.

$4.44 is the Commercial rate to ship a 7-ounce package to Zone 8.

http://pe.usps.com/cpim/ftp/manuals/dmm300/notice123.pdf

[tobaccocardyahoo]

There is a lot of confusion on the part of many sellers about what the cost of Ground Advantage is - both on Ebay and other ways of buying postage.

As has been pointed out, GA is zoned.

When buying on some postage sites, you can pay less than Ebay charges for GA. They have implemented Ground Advantage Cubic Rates which can be cheaper. Just as Priority Mail Cubic can be cheaper.

[slippinjimmy]

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@tobaccocardyahoo wrote:

When buying on some postage sites, you can pay less than Ebay charges for GA. They have implemented Ground Advantage Cubic Rates which can be cheaper. Just as Priority Mail Cubic can be cheaper.

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True about cubic rates but they do not apply to packages under 1lb (as far as I know).

[mam98031]

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@landc wrote:

I've slowed my eBay sales down, but just had a 7 oz package (didn't qualify as a flat), shipping from California to Delaware, and I "shopped" this Ground Advantage option:  eBay price:  $6.78,  USPS direct on their website $5.85, then I have access to Stamps.com $4.41.   From what I can tell USPS offers up to $100 insurance on all Ground Advantage.   So it appears eBay is not getting any real discounts, in fact, appears to be charging a % over USPS. ???

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Clearly you had something entered incorrectly and GA is not that expensive for 7 Oz from Cali to Delaware.  It should have been much closer to $4.44.

[mam98031]

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@tobaccocardyahoo wrote:

There is a lot of confusion on the part of many sellers about what the cost of Ground Advantage is - both on Ebay and other ways of buying postage.

As has been pointed out, GA is zoned.

When buying on some postage sites, you can pay less than Ebay charges for GA. They have implemented Ground Advantage Cubic Rates which can be cheaper. Just as Priority Mail Cubic can be cheaper.

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Yes it is zoned, just like it was when it was FC Package.  And heck even the rates are the same for less than 16 oz.