Can't Select Media Mail Option on Shipping Screen

[cool-again-from-oregon]

So it's happened to me three times lately as is SO frustrating.

On three different occasions I couldn't select media mail as the shipping method. On all three of these auctions I specified media mail to ship the books when I created the auction but when the auction closed, I went to the shipping page but the media mail option was just grayed out and I could not select it. It even showed that this was the shipping option selected by the buyer. I have attached a screenshot to show this. I tried everything to select it but nothing worked so I had to use a more expensive shipping method like USPS First Class Mail. I called eBay and they couldn't figure it out but are going to look into it.  I would appreciate if this has happened to anyone else and what is the fix.  Thank you.

[kensgiftshop · Accepted solution]

@cool-again-from-oregon 

To use Media Mail, the item has to be listed in a category that qualifies for Media Mail.

Collectables don't qualify for Media Mail.

[disneyshopper]

I looked at your 4 most recent sales.  Each one of those listings were in a COLLECTIBLES category.

My understand is that ebay will only print a label using Media Mail if the listing is in a BOOKS category.

[comics-scifi-collectibles]

@cool-again-from-oregon  As the others have said you can only buy media labels in books/ DVDs/ records. 

You can still ship using Media Mail.  Buy the label on Pirateship.com  It's free to use and integrates with eBay.  It's the same price as eBay.  

OR you can buy the label on USPS.com OR at the post office.  Media Mail is not discounted for online labels.  

[hurryagain]

Wow @kensgiftshop and @disneyshopper 

Some eagle eyes there...you both saw something that I would not have noticed...that those books were in a category that would disqualify the purchase for media mail.

@cool-again-from-oregon 

It was not your books, it was the category that you chose to sell your books in.

Some people on these boards are just amazing in finding a reason for an issue.  I learn new things all the time here...or learn a new way to see something.

[cool-again-from-oregon]

Thanks for the quick reply. So now I know what to do to fix it. 

[cool-again-from-oregon]

Thanks for the quick reply. So now I know what to do to fix it.  And thanks for suggesting more options.

[nobody*s_perfect]

If you believe that your item would sell better in   Collectibles, then list it there. You can purchase Media Mail postage through any online postage seller , including PayPal at

www.PayPal.com/shipnow

Or just take it to the PO and pay there; the postage cost will be the same.

[tenbiksewingembroideryitems]

I sell sewing embroidery CDs; in the past I chose Media Mail and all worked fine.  Now it will not let me send it media mail. 

Here is my category:

Crafts > Needlecrafts & Yarn > Embroidery & Cross Stitch > Embroidery Machine Supplies > Design Cards & CDs

[nobody*s_perfect]

As noted above, eBay is using the main category (in this case, Crafts) to determine whether to allow access to MM postage. So even though your CD is eligible, eBay's crude system won't allow it.

[bookredeemer]

Here is my issue.  Why would Ebay allow you to select media mail when creating the listing and not allow it when printing the label. OR allow you to change the category when it was misapplied, even after the sale.

[nobody*s_perfect]

eBay allows sellers to select any shipping method offered by the carrier, even if you can't purchase the label through eBay at all.  Examples from USPS include first class letters and flats (AKA Large envelopes) and Retail Ground.

[monster-deals]

---

@bookredeemer wrote:

Why would Ebay...

---

That's all you needed.

ebay is full of head scratchers. 

Blocked bidders able to message you.

Non paying users able to open INRs

Forcing us to use item specifics instead of fixing the search engine.

Maybe a few hundred others

If you can name it there is something dumb that ebay and every other every mega-corp in the world is doing about it. 

[pbwriterchick]

This has been happening to me too, not only with media mail, but the last two times I tried to ship parcel post and it will only offer priority. And the times I tried to ship media, it was BOOKS so it had nothing to do with trying to ship an item that was not media related via media mail. Anyway, I only offered parcel post in my auction ad, that's what the customer paid for, and ebay then only offered priority shipping. I'm getting so tired of ebay scammin' on what little money we make here. It's ridiculous. I won't pay the extra, I'll buy parcel shipping at the post office and upload tracking. But it's a real hassle and as soon as I get the last of my things listed on ebay and sold, I'm done selling online. It's a shame, this used to be such a fun thing to do and a great way to make some extra cash. Not anymore. 

[nobody*s_perfect]

eBay has decided to phase out access to Parcel Select Ground labels, even though USPS has made no changes in their services or policies, and it's offered by all other online postage sellers including PayPal, endicia, stamps.com, etc.  You can purchase Parcel Select Ground postage through PayPal at

www.PayPal.com/shipnow

But do compare prices before you do that. For Zones 1 - 4, the USPS online price for Priority Mail is  less than a dollar more than Parcel Select Ground. If you're a TRS you get a 3% discount when purchasing Priority labels through eBay, which often makes it cheaper than Parcel Select. And purchasing Retail Ground at the Post Office almost always costs more than the online price for Priority Mail.

IMHO Parcel Select ground should only be offered when necessary such as for hazmat or Oversize packages (i.e., length-plus-girth above the Priority limit of 108 inches).