How to use USPS Regional Priority Boxes (Post January 2019)?

[castanea_sue]

Hi folks,

I have some USPS Regional Boxes A & B that I don't know how to use with the Ebay Shipping Calculator.

I saw in an older thread that for the A boxes, for example,  you could just put in the size of the box and 2 lbs - the 2 lb rate was like a flat rate. But I also read that this would no longer be valid after the January USPS price increase.

Could someone give a simple tutorial on how to do this? For both A and B boxes, if possible. I think I am missing out on saving money for my customer (and myself) on shipping in some instances. (And I'll bet I'm not the only one!)

Thanks!

[nobody*s_perfect]

It's true, the prices for the Regional boxes no longer conveniently match the online weight-based prices for specific weights.  When eBay staff were confronted with this information as a way to support our ongoing pleas for getting the Regional boxes themselves added to the shipping calculator, they just flatly refused to do it. Argh.

But the new Regional prices are still comfortably below the retail prices for those same weights, so sellers whose shipping calculators show retail prices can carry on as before.

If you have your shipping calculator set up to show online rates, then you can cover yourself by adding a small handling fee. Probably $1 will cover it, you can check the exact prices here:

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

[castanea_sue]

I'm sorry, but I'm still confused. Are you saying that I can't print labels online that work with these boxes? I don't know what you mean by, "carry on as before." I haven't ever used these boxes before. What, for example would be your process as you decided to use, say, a Regional A box, what you filled in under calculated shipping, and what you did when it came time to print the label.

Thanks

[berserkerplanet]

Carry on as before means the same procedures as outlined in the threads you mentioned, except that Reg A prices are now slightly higher than 2lb Priority Mail zoned.

List the items with Priority Mail and a 2 lb weight (because 2 lb zoned Priority Mail Prices are very close to Regional A Box prices), and when you actually print the labels you choose the Regional A option (Reg box options are avail on label flow but not the listing form)

The Priority prices the buyer pays will be slightly less than the cost of the Reg A, but that is what the small handling fee is for. See the USPS rate schedule that nobody's_perfect posted.

Note that if you do this, you can't offer other shipping options on that listing because presumably your item weighs more than 2 lbs (the reason you are using RegA boxes), and that weight will be wrong for other options like Parcel Select, FedEx, or UPS.

[disneyshopper]

I am in California, and I use the Regional Rate A boxes all the time.  If the packaged item weighs over 2 pounds, the RRA box will most likely be less expensive than shipping by weight/zone.  

When creating the listing, just input the packaged weight, calculated shipping and let ebay display the cost to the buyer.

When you go to print the shipping label, you most likely will be seeing the shipping price by weight/zone.  You can change that to the RRA selection and see if it cost less to use that box (if it fits).

Example: ZONE 5, 3 POUNDS

Priority by weight/zone: seller pays $9.26

Reg Rate A: seller pays $8.76

[nobody*s_perfect · Accepted solution]

Yes, you can print labels for the Regional boxes through eBay even though eBay doesn't understand that they need to be include in the shipping calculator in listings.

I didn't realize that you hadn't used them before, so let me revise my statement from above: 

But the new Regional prices are still comfortably below the retail prices for those same weights, so sellers whose shipping calculators show retail prices can carry on as before  set up their shipping calculator with 2 pounds for the A boxes and 5 pounds for the B's, and the buyer will still pay more than enough to cover the Regional postage.  

Retail pricing is the default for the shipping calculator in eBay listings, but sellers can go to their Site Preferences to switch to charging the online rates.

[lja440]

I list with Free Shipping factoring in what the postage to zone 8 will be so I don't really need eBays calculator to offer the RR box prices.

When I do ship I just use a venue (click & ship, PayPal, stamps.com....) that supports the RR options. Sure you have to cut and paste the address info  and manually enter the tracking number on the purchase page but it gives you far fewer headaches that beating your head against the wall trying to get eBay to update their system.

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@lja440 wrote: ... I just use a venue (click & ship, PayPal, stamps.com....) that supports the RR options. ....

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eBay will sell you a label for a Regional box; PayPal won't.

[castanea_sue]

Thanks, everybody, for the information. I get it now

I

[old-lighting]

I am trying to print a label priority mail that is 12 x 12 x 10 and weighs 6 lbs, where is the place that chose to send this box it appears to not fit into any of the choices

[nobody*s_perfect]

That's just regular Priority Mail, it's not any special specific box.

[disneyshopper]

Select package/thick envelope and then select Priority.

[marc7]

I understand how Regional Boxes are supposed to work, but how do I print an actuall Regional Box Label. I tried to fudge it by using the Regional Boxes and putting in a weight that would be right for the A or B box. Twice the USPS recalculated the postage according to the actual weight and did a charge back. Once through Ebay and once through PayPal. Could use some help. Thank you.

[nobody*s_perfect]

You cannot print a weight-based label.  You must purchase a label specifically for the USPS Regional box that you're using.