Issue with Default Payment Method for Shipping Labels - Seeking Urgent Clarification

[gizmos-co]

Dear eBay Community and Support,

I hope everyone is doing well. We've recently encountered a significant issue with the default payment method settings for purchasing shipping labels through eBay, and I'm wondering if anyone else is facing the same problem or has insights on this.

In our case, when we buy shipping labels, the default payment method for USPS is set to PayPal. This works fine for us, as we prefer to use a credit card linked to PayPal for these transactions, due to the cash back benefits. However, for UPS, the payment is automatically deducted from our available funds.

Recently, the system has changed in a way that's highly inconvenient for our operations. When we try to do bulk shipments involving both USPS and UPS labels, PayPal becomes greyed out and unselectable. As a result, the system defaults to deducting the entire cost, for both carriers, from our funds.

This change has disrupted our workflow significantly. I've inadvertently had to void around 60 labels in the last three days due to force of habit. This is not only a waste of time but also impacts our business operations.

Does eBay have plans to address this issue? If this is the new norm, we may have to consider purchasing our UPS labels directly through UPS to circumvent this inconvenience. We would appreciate any updates or solutions eBay can provide on this matter.

Thank you for taking the time to read my concern. Looking forward to some prompt resolution.

With appreciation,

Jonathan

Gizmos & Co.

[rfmtm]

The best solution to this, which also avoids a lot of other potential ebay/UPS problems, is to use a free PirateShip account, at least for UPS, if not USPS as well.  PirateShip will import directly from ebay and upload the tracking for you.  You also will have equal or often better discounts, especially for services like Cubic Rate that is not available through ebay. 

[wastingtime101]

My suggestion @gizmos-co if you want to use eBay labels:

Divide your bulk label purchases between UPS and USPS. Currently eBay payments for UPS labels are limited to available funds, while you can use PayPal for USPS. That means if you buy a bulk batch of UPS labels you'll have to consciously switch payment method back to PayPal before buying a bulk batch of USPS labels.

I've been pushing for years, as have other sellers, for eBay to add a credit card option for all eBay label services. I'm really hoping eBay will implement a change like that in 2024. They've been resistant so far. 🙁

[gizmos-co]

Thank you for your prompt response and suggestion.

To clarify further, the system used to automatically select PayPal for USPS and available funds for UPS when we did bulk shipments. This made our operations smooth, and we didn't have to go through the hassle of multiple transactions. It's puzzling why PayPal is now greyed out, making it difficult to proceed as we normally would.

I appreciate your suggestion to divide the bulk label purchases between UPS and USPS. It's a workaround, but it adds an unnecessary step to our workflow. Manually switching payment methods, especially given the volume of labels we process, complicates our operations and is prone to human error, as I've already had to void numerous labels due to this issue.

I echo your sentiment about the need for eBay to implement a credit card option for all label services. It's a much-needed feature that would make transactions smoother for many sellers like us. Hopefully, eBay will seriously consider implementing this change in 2024.

It's unfortunate that eBay has been resistant to such a change so far. While workarounds exist, they don't address the core issue and instead create additional steps that sellers must navigate, adding complexity and the potential for mistakes.

Thank you for your input, and I sincerely hope eBay takes our concerns into consideration for future updates.

[gizmos-co]

Thank you for suggesting PirateShip as an alternative for handling our shipping needs. While we hadn't planned on adding another step to our workflow due to eBay's recent changes, your suggestion is compelling. PirateShip and ShipStation offer potential ease of use and could make training new employees simpler. We'll be looking into these platforms as alternative solutions to the current inconvenience caused by eBay.

Your input is valuable, and we appreciate you taking the time to share this recommendation.

[wastingtime101]

eBay made changes recently. UPS used to be billed after delivery. Now it's billed upfront.

Because of that, when you use bulk labels, it's submitting one charge for your labels - not one charge now and one charge later. That's why you have to use the same payment method for all services in your bulk purchase.

[gizmos-co]

It's puzzling that eBay would implement such a significant change without considering the ripple effects it would have on sellers like us. Switching UPS billing to be upfront seems like it's solving one issue but certainly creating others, especially for those of us who have specific payment preferences for different carriers.

It's surprising that they haven't added an option to pay for UPS labels with a credit card, given that this new billing process essentially forces us to use the same payment method for all services when doing bulk purchases. It feels like they've taken a step forward in one aspect but two steps back in another.

I often wonder about eBay's decision-making process. It seems like they aim to fix specific issues but end up creating new ones in the process. Are they not foreseeing these problems, or do they not consider them significant enough to address?

[rfmtm]

PirateShip is free and less problematic than ShipStation (AKA stamps.com).  It also eliminates having ebay in the middle when there is a problem, especially with UPS.  While PirateShip is still in the middle they handle problems quickly, while ebay has no clear protocol to do so, not to mention the ebay quote errors and after charges to put up with.

ShipStation is not free, is often not responsive to problems and has no better discounts than PirateShip.  Granted PirateShip has some limitations, but continues to add features and listens to their customers for suggestions. 

[gizmos-co]

Thank you for your insights into PirateShip and ShipStation. Your experience suggests that PirateShip is a more responsive and less problematic option, especially when compared to ShipStation. Before I make a decision, could you elaborate on the limitations you've encountered with PirateShip? I'm interested in getting a full picture to make the most informed choice for my shipping needs.

Your expertise is valuable to me, and I appreciate your time and insights.

[wastingtime101]

Do look into PirateShip - I use them a lot - but do a lot of testing before you switch your employees over to them. They have severe limitations when it comes to bulk label purchases.

[rfmtm]

PirateShip does have limitations when it comes to bulk shipping and currently has no address book (which they are working on), but nothing that's a big problem depending on your needs, and its free.

ShipStation has a monthly fee and while it may have more elaborate bulk capabilities, often has glitches and is slow to respond to problems at times due to being owned by stamps.com, which has been buying up many other similar companies and making changes to do so often at the expense of their customers.