12-28-2016 08:33 AM
I noticed yesterday (after numerous emails and phone calls from upset customers) that my Calculated shipping chargers have DOUBLED. For example, shipping a 75 pound box to Zip 90210 cost $93 last week, today ebay says that same item cost $198.60 to ship.
Needless to say, my sales of that item have STOPPED. In fact all of my sales have dropped 50% in the last week. and I feel sorry for those few that have purchased, as I have unknowingly WAY over changed them for the shipping.
This increases my profit significantly, but it is killing my sales...
Ebay rep says they are aware of the problem, but noit sure when it will be fixed....
01-18-2017 02:29 PM
Thanks for going on the weekly chat.
I think the problem is these discussions are on 3 forums, Selling, shipping and technical. I had a reply from Griff, he hasn't seen the problem himself and as the incorrect pricing its restricted to sellers who do not either sign up for the Ebay UPS program or list using the Ebay discounted Fedex pricing then they can't see the problem. The changing prices is another symptom so I guess we need to keep on about that aspect. Banging head on wall really.
01-19-2017 10:27 AM
Can anyone else find the option to display retail rates vs daily rates? I don't see it in shipping rate preferences anymore. Perhaps eBay removed it and all calculated shipping is defaulting to retail rates unless you've signed up for eBay rates?
01-19-2017 01:29 PM
01-19-2017 03:58 PM
Thanks for the reply but that's not what I mean. If I remember correctly, there used to be an option on that page to offer daily rates or retail rates and you could still choose a percentage discount. If you look at the eBay help, it talks about offering retail or daily rates (see below). It's not there. I'm thinking this might be part of the problem.
http://pages.ebay.com/help/pay/shipping-discounts.html
Set up a flat discount off retail or daily rates for Domestic and International shipments across all carriers (USPS, FedEx, and UPS);
Offer eBay-negotiated discount rates
eBay negotiates with USPS, FedEx, and UPS to offer sellers discounted rates just for being a seller on eBay. By choosing this option, you can configure your default shipping preferences to share these rates with your buyers.
01-19-2017 04:20 PM
The PROBLEM is that Ebay have changed the shipping calculator WITHOUT informing sellers. Its fine for Ebay to quote retail rates for UPS/Fedex as any newbie seller without an account who lists and relies on the calculator would previously get royally screwed when trying to ship an item by walking into a UPS/Fedex store. BUT the rates previous to the new year were discount rates and hundreds, maybe thousands of sellers are totally unaware that their quoted rates are now ludicrous, Ebay is totally responsible for informing sellers of such a huge change. Many sellers get discounts direct from UPS/Fedex so don't go into their account to select this as it never used to matter. Ebay rates were approximately correct for the discount rate. At least the toggling rates seems to have been fixed.
01-19-2017 04:47 PM
I'm glad you mentioned the toggling rates. I agree; they seem to have been fixed. I could not get a toggled rate change yesterday. I guess that's progress.
I also agree with your analysis. I was getting discounted UPS rates from the eBay UPS shipping calculator and all I had for shipping preference was calculated rate for UPS, nothing special.
In addition, these new rates exceed UPS retail rates. So I don't think eBay switched to retail rates. Something is broken.
01-19-2017 05:53 PM - edited 01-19-2017 05:54 PM
I was with ebay CS representative after waiting for long time, he said would find out and call next day.....3 days ago, and nothing, seems like no one at ebay CS cares about this problem. Switching from UPS to FedEX creates another problem....the calculation goes under the actual shipping, I already lost over $100 in shipping....LAME !
01-20-2017 06:53 AM
I switched to FEDEX as well and found their rates to be lower than the old UPS calculated rates by about 15%. Fortunately, I drop ship my product and my supplier's contract UPS rates are still lower than the eBay FEDEX rate but it has cut into my margins. I might increase the weight of my item to get a FEDEX calculation that mirrors the old UPS rates. Fortunately, I only sell two items so adjusting the shipping weights slightly will not be a big problem.
02-01-2017 08:30 AM
The ebay shipping calulator is broken. Ebay is aware of the problem. it has been going on since the price increase, maybe before. I have seen the issue mainly on large packages when dimensional weight is a factor.
Typically we see very high shipping cost estimates (as much as double what the shipping cost was in December) , or the shipping cost estimator will display one cost, but at check out, the shipping cost goes way up.
A few minutes ago, a customer called me, the ebay listing quoted $42.03 shipping to his zip code. I went to the listing put in his zip code, and confirmed. But at check out the shipping cost changed to $58.29. Again, I went to his order (view order details), and confirmed, it did change. customer was "upset" to say the least.
I have called ebay at least a dozen times on this, they are aware of this issue, but have not developed a fix yet. We just walked through the listing, and the problem is easly duplicated. It is a large packaage, but a fairly new listing.
02-01-2017 11:21 AM
PLEASE - EVERYONE READING THIS GO TO THE "CHAT" W/EBAY HUMAN AT 1:00PST TODAY!! This shipping fiasco has been going on too long!
I was going to write a longer "thing", with item numbers, etc. this a.m. but do not have the time.
Same package, 12x13x10, 25 lbs cross country UPS -
Shipping mid December was ~$38. 12/28/16 was $64 and has stayed ("toggling back and forth seems to have stopped).
Saw weird things while doing price changes and shipping changes this week.
Did a "SELL SIMILAR" on that same item.
Changed the price by $.01, raised the weight by one pound --
SHIPPING IS $39 !!!!! Watched it for 2 days now and it is staying there.
Yes, problem is I will NOT know if the customer will actually be charged that $39 until someone buys it -- I am waiting.
I have ~4 other variations of that same item (similar $$ and weight) and ALL of them are showing the ~$39 price !!!
I am VERY thankful the Ebay sales are only a small part of what we do - the time spent versus dollars/profit for Ebay is discouraging.
02-01-2017 11:46 AM
If you recently added "offer carrier specific discounts" this only seems to apply to new or revised listings so might explain your lower prices showing.
02-01-2017 12:35 PM
@mazdatrix1 wrote:PLEASE - EVERYONE READING THIS GO TO THE "CHAT" W/EBAY HUMAN AT 1:00PST TODAY!! This shipping fiasco has been going on too long!...
The problems with the shipping caculators for UPS and FedEx have been brought up at several Weakly Chats in the past few weeks. Be prepared with details.
02-01-2017 03:23 PM
02-01-2017 03:25 PM
mazdatrix1 wrote:... ... Hi @mazdatrix1
You'll need to be more specific, there are no known issues with Shipping....
That's why I said, "Be prepared with details."
02-01-2017 08:49 PM