Another Crazy Question???

[dennisa1]

I haven't had any issues to speak of in the 14 plus years I have been selling and buying on here.

This Last 2 or 3 weeks has found me wondering what the heck is going on. 

After researching my listing here is my story.

The first issue was taking care of pretty quickly by Ebay so I won't mention it other than to say it was an issue. Thanks Ebay for your quick and fast fix on this one.

Nw to # 2--- I just sold an item and it was a very small item but had buyer paying shipping. So the buyer pays for it and pays $1.84 for the shipping with a note attached that they had saved .96 cents on their purchase from Ebay.

My problem is it was a cost of $2.79 to me for first class mail. So here I have an item which I sold a qty 2 laying in the palm of my hand and lost .96 cents on the shipping.

Here is what I found: I went back into the listing and for some reason it was first class shipping but being shipped in a Large envelope. Stated it being something like 11" x 10" x 2" envelope.  Now I would never had put this item in a large envelope for any reason. It weighed 5 oz and was 4" long. 

My question is how did it get changed in my listing? I didn't do it I'm positive. This has me pretty confused!!

I'm not ragging on Ebay I just want to see if anyone has had this issue. Also is a 11" x 10" x 2" envelope that weighs 5 oz concidered a large Envelope?

Some input would sure slow down my heart rate!!!!! Thanks in advance. 

Dennis

[orangehound]

Dennis,

I think you are confusing First Class "Mail" with First Class "Package". 

• If you were to go up to a USPS counter and buy postage for a 5 ounce large envelope (flat), sending it via First Class Mail, then it would cost you $1.84.  It will not have tracking included in this price. 
• eBay assumes that all mail that you are going to send will be a package with tracking, and so the prices that they charge will be First Class Package rates ... in your example, the 5 ounce package costs $2.79 and includes tracking.

This has nothing to do with your listing.  Simply, it has to do with the delivery service that you are purchasing.  eBay's system does not have any accomodation for First Class "Mail", but only First Class "Package".

[green-night]

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@orangehound wrote:

Dennis,

I think you are confusing First Class "Mail" with First Class "Package". 

• If you were to go up to a USPS counter and buy postage for a 5 ounce large envelope (flat), sending it via First Class Mail, then it would cost you $1.84.  It will not have tracking included in this price. 
• eBay assumes that all mail that you are going to send will be a package with tracking, and so the prices that they charge will be First Class Package rates ... in your example, the 5 ounce package costs $2.79 and includes tracking.

This has nothing to do with your listing.  Simply, it has to do with the delivery service that you are purchasing.  eBay's system does not have any accomodation for First Class "Mail", but only First Class "Package".

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You are missing the point.

The OP is saying that they did not change the "package type" to 'envelope'.   A seller can charge first class letter/large envelope rates if they want.     They just can't print the label through ebay for it.    

I say it is a glitch OP.  I've had it happen before too. 

[orangehound]

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@green-night wrote:

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You are missing the point.

The OP is saying that they did not change the "package type" to 'envelope'.   A seller can charge first class letter/large envelope rates if they want.     They just can't print the label through ebay for it.    

I say it is a glitch OP.  I've had it happen before too. 

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@green-night

Indeed, maybe I am missing the point ... but, I don't see where there is a potential glitch ... so help me out.

Of course a seller can manually put in whatever they want to charge for shipping (which is what I thought the seller did), but as far as I know, it doesn't matter if you select envelope, package, or steamer trunk ... the eBay shipping calculator will not provide USPS First Class "mail" rates, I assume because (a) eBay wants tracking and (b) eBay shipping does not support first class mail.   If one is using calculated shipping, then the only options you can select are First Class Package, Media Mail, Priority Mail, Parcel Select, or Express ...

[green-night]

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@orangehound wrote:

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@green-night wrote:

---

You are missing the point.

The OP is saying that they did not change the "package type" to 'envelope'.   A seller can charge first class letter/large envelope rates if they want.     They just can't print the label through ebay for it.    

I say it is a glitch OP.  I've had it happen before too. 

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@green-night

Indeed, maybe I am missing the point ... but, I don't see where there is a potential glitch ... so help me out.

Of course a seller can manually put in whatever they want to charge for shipping (which is what I thought the seller did), but as far as I know, it doesn't matter if you select envelope, package, or steamer trunk ... the eBay shipping calculator will not provide USPS First Class "mail" rates, I assume because (a) eBay wants tracking and (b) eBay shipping does not support first class mail.   If one is using calculated shipping, then the only options you can select are First Class Package, Media Mail, Priority Mail, Parcel Select, or Express ...

---

Just look at the OP's compeleted listing.  I also use calculated shipping and it is completely possible to show letter/large package rate while advertising first class package.

What happened to the OP isn't a big mystery.    They just don't know how the default became 'evelope'. 

[pburn]

This all seems a little confusing, but is your situation in any way similar to the one described in this thread?

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Shipping-Returns/USPS-Calculated-shipping-is-a-load-of-bleep-quot-Larg...

[dennisa1]

I hadn't seen that link. I guess I should have done a search to see if anyone else has had this problem first.

Yes my transaction has been very simular. I am not ripping at ebay though I am trying to find out how to resolve it so it doesn't happen again. 

I will go back and check my listing again from some of the other input on this issue and get back to you all. Maybe I have something checked that I usually don't check?

I have been shipping First class mail for over 5 years and I can tell by the weight of the package what it will cost me or the buyer before listing the item. I has never done this to me before. 

But let me go make sure I didn't have something in my listing to make it do this.

Stay tuned I'll be back.

Thanks so much for all the input!!

Dennis

[dennisa1]

Well I went back and studied this a bit harder. I am going out on a limb here and saying I must have put that Large envelope in there at 15" X 11" x 2" to make sure I could get those 4" x 2" items in the package!!! I have never done it before but then agian I am getting a bit on the aged side of life!!!

Here's what I found: First Class Mail is listed as First Class Package, and there are 4 selections that can be made for shipping in this class. Letter, Large Envelope,Package or Think Envelope or Large Package. I have for ove 5 years shipped it as Package or Thick Envelope. Added my size of package and Shipped. I have always known what Ebay would charge me or what the buyer would pay. So I am claiming I must have missed marked it there for creating the cheaper price.

My next question to the Post Office is can I ship how much will it cost me to ship 5 oz in a large envelope and how much in a package or Thick envelope. I know I get discounts from ebay labeling and my cost will be different but I will at least know.  

I will also have them show me the difference between the two as I always thought the large envelope was higher to ship.

I'll be back once I get back from PO.

Thanks so much for the help an pointers in whats going on.

Dennis

[dennisa1]

So here's what I came up with. I went to the Post office and visited with our clerk. I gave here the information of the package I had sent and the two different scenorios it could have gone, meaning large envelope or package or Envelope. She keyed in the figures and came up that box shipping containers would ship for the same price as long as they were 5 oz . There was no seperation between the two containers. 

With that being said then once again I am questioning the $1.84 price my buyer paid. I'm just not sure of what to think about this.

I will probably call and try and find out but I hate thinking about that 40 min call for such a small thing.

Input is welcome.

Dennis

[sam9876]

Huh?

[berserkerplanet]

I also have no idea what you are trying to say or do here and why you are involving the Post Office - they have nothing to do with this.

USPS First Class Mail Flat (Large Envelope) shipping costs $1.84 for 5oz), and that is what the buyer was charged.

You said you went back to the listings and that was the option that was there. The buyer was charged correctly according to what was in the listing, and there is no mystery, or anything for USPS to say about that.

The only mystery at this point is whether you changed it or whether a gremlin changed it, and if a gremlin, is it a new eBay bug surfacing.

99.9% of the time when these First Class Mail/First Class Package issues arise it is seller error. Either incorrectly assuming that mailing an item in a padded envelope means that they should choose large envelope when listing, or simple slips of the mouse when intending to choose "Package (or thick envelope)" and clicking on "Large Envelope" instead.

What dimensions did you originally enter in for the "Package (or thick envelope)" when you listed the item?

[myboardid]

No need to call anyone, just ship the package.  The buyer doesn't owe you any more money, they paid what the listing said they should pay.  At this point you have to eat the difference in price. 

For future reference, a 5 oz package - box or envelope over 3/4 inch thick, dimensions irrelevant - will cost you $2.79 using online postage.  Good until the PO changes rates again, probably January.