Variable Shipping Costs Not Displayed On Listing Screen?!

[kosmosattik]

So, I'm doing my first listing in 10 months and I'm no longer seeing the shipping cost range for non-flat rate options, for example USPS Ground vs. UPS Ground.  Do I now really have to go the  eBay Shipping Calculator page to compare pricing?    

[richard1rst]

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@kosmosattik wrote:

So, I'm doing my first listing in 10 months and I'm no longer seeing the shipping cost range for non-flat rate options, for example USPS Ground vs. UPS Ground.  Do I now really have to go the  eBay Shipping Calculator page to compare pricing?    

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What "range" are you talking about? When you list an item the sell page shows the shipping cost to YOUR ZIP code. If someone from some other part of the country looks THEY will see the cost to THEIR ZIP code. Since there is no way to know where a future, as yet to be determined, seller lives there is no "range" to show.

[wastingtime101]

I use business policies so I don't have the same view as you, but I've heard many other sellers complain about the same thing. It's been reported that the new listing form doesn't display rates like the old form did so you would have to open up the shipping calculator to see that info & compare services @kosmosattik.

[nobody*s_perfect]

Set up calculated shipping, enter package weight and dimensions, then the price range will show up for each service.

[kosmosattik]

@richard1rst 

Sure there's a range to show--like it used to show when setting up a listing--a low-to-high range as shown in @nobody*s_perfect  post  It's something you might want to know before listing.  One can always go to the Shipping Calculator and monkey with zip codes to get an idea.  As an FYI, for the first item I listed after 10 months off the eBay discounted UPS Ground rate was less than half of the ebay discounted USPS Ground or Select Ground rates, whether near or far, per the Shipping Calculator.  I should be able to see that on the listing screen as it once was.   

[kosmosattik]

@nobody*s_perfect 

The listing screen does not appear in that way for me.   Whereas you show "Calculated: Cost varies based on buyer location" that option is not present in the pull down menu as I view it.  The options are specific shipping methods, like "Calculated:UPS Ground,1 business day (3 listings)" with no rate range displayed with package dimensions and weight entered.

@wastingtime101 

My view has a link to Business Policies.  There it shows the same shipping options I see in the pull down menu on the listing screen plus a bunch more.  As noted above, the listing screen pull down menu has only  specific shipping methods to pick from with no rate ranges displayed.  Any clue?   

[wastingtime101 · Accepted solution]

Yep, I know exactly what's going on @kosmosattik. Business policies essentially mean you have a set of policies to choose from, so there's no need for eBay to display rates as shown in above screenshots. If this doesn't work for you then you can disable business policies on this page. There's a tiny 'opt out' link on the upper right. You can read more about biz policies here if interested.

I've heard from a lot of sellers recently that opted into biz policies through the new listing form without realizing it. Now that I know the cause of your issue, I better understand other posters' issues with not seeing the price range for different shipping methods - they are likely opted in to biz policies.

[kosmosattik]

Bingo!  Thanks, @wastingtime101 .  eBay defaulted me into 3 pages of Business Policies during my hiatus.  Opting out has me back to rate displays on the listing screen.

Now I see an old problem from a couple of years ago has returned--the UPS rack rate, not the eBay discounted rate, displays on the listing screen during the set-up process.  However, the discounted rate does get applied to the listing.  Again, to know the discounted rate in advance it's back to the Shipping Calculator screen.  That will be a topic for another thread.

[whyknot1121]

When you say "so there's no need for eBay to display rates"  You are forgetting that that also means there is no way to see the rates to ensure that you are getting the best deal on shipping for that particular item Befor submitting a listing.    Especially these days with Dimensional Weight, there can be huge price discrepencies between USPS and FedEx.  Not sure why Ebay wants to make it harder to find the best shipping costs for it's buyers and sellers.  As it is I can look after I list it and then go back and change to another shipping policy,  But that is a huge pain to go back and forth revising listings until I find the best price.  This shipping policy answer  would work if there were only one service to ship through.   But with FedEx and UPS being options as well, there is a need to have visibility to costs before selecting a policy.   I love how Ebay seems to just assume that there is no reason to do certain things that sellers do everyday, "Our way is better even if it is harder" Seems to be the mantra.  Don't get me wrong, I am not fearful of changes.  I have been with Ebay since 1999.  I love the new Business policies tools,  I just fail to understand why there cannot leave the shipping calculator in the listing tool,  It exists in the seller hub as a column that can be turned on (albeit only for info, no changes allowed on that version of the tool).  So this should be an easy fix to make thousands, if not millions of Sellers lives easier.

[whyknot1121]

I know the buyer sees that on the actual submitted listing.  But prior to listing, before you opt in to business policies.  This screen exists.  As you can see, it compares cities in central, east, and west zones, so that you can see the approximate costs.  Furthermore, you can compare to Fedex and UPS to see which is cheaper / quicker.   If you go to your seller hub and customize your view, you can get this to show up on your listings,  The column is called Shipping Cost,  This is great but you cannot change your shipping from  there, only see what service is better so that you can go back in and change your policy to a different one.  This comparison used to exist, (and still does, if you do not have shipping policies set up) on the Seller listing tool.