eBay

berserkerplanet · ‎03-17-2019

While looking into a possible Smartpost non-machinable bugaboo that may be a years long ongoing issue, I took a hard look at the label flows (new and classic) while checking what they would and would not accept, and to again check what dimensional weight divisors eBay was giving us for FedEx services in 2019.

What I thought was possible eBay FedEx calculator glitch instead looks to be something possibly useful.

It appears that eBay has also negotiated FedEx Smartpost "By-Ounce" rates, and is making them available along with an approx 25-35% eBay discount on the base rate on top of that.

FedEx Smartpost By-Ounce shipments can be 1 - 16oz in weight, and all weights up to 16oz ship at the same price to a given zone (these are the base rates - eBay discounts those by approx 25%-35%)

or a more printable format

Size restrictions:

Length+Girth can be no more than 84"

$3.05 2019 non-machinable surcharge applies if L1>27" or L2>17" (see the FedEx Smartpost Fees doc for details)
(also non-machinable if a cylindrical shape, but that can't be specified - charged on eBay invoice when billed)

Fuel Surcharge (normal time varying %) applies, and Delivery Area surcharge ($1.40-$1.95) applies if "rural", same as for "by-pound" Smartpost.

Dimensional weight rating and balloon rating do not apply.

So, anything no more than 16oz in weight, and under 84" L+G can ship to anywhere* in the lower 48 states for at most $7.62 (the FedEx $9.96 base rate with eBay 24% discount)

*anywhere not rural where Delivery area surcharges apply based on zipcode.

How useful Smartpost By-Ounce can be is unknown - USPS First Class Mail pretty much covers eligible pkgs (16oz and under) for less.

https://www.fedex.com/en-us/shipping/fedex-smartpost/rates-zones/documents.html

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@Anonymous Can you confirm what I have summarized here, and specifically, can you confirm that FedEx Smartpost (by pound or by ounce) labels intentionally can no longer be printed through eBay labels if Length+Girth > 84"?

(that 84" restriction is not FedEx Smartpost restriction, so is either an eBay bug, an intentional restriction, or a contractual restriction. Non-machinable pkgs will work, but again, not if L+G>84")

Also, while I have you ear, can you pass a suggestion on to put the full FedEx transportation cost breakdown in the FedEx cost section in the new label flow the way it is in the classic? That mouseover display with a fake base weight that is the actual base rate the surcharges and the eBay discount rolled into it is useless since the discount is variable, and numbers can't be reverse engineered to determine what surcharges are applying (or if there is a bug in the calculator.)

Sellers will not be able to reconcile FedEx shipping numbers using FedEx rate tables to determine why the charge is what it is, and will be unable to effectively dispute FedEx overcharges if the detailed data is not available. (and I and others will no longer be able to help anyone with a complex FedEx question anymore if the numbers can't be reverse engineered or determined through label mockups using the new label flow)

Anonymous · ‎03-18-2019

@berserkerplanet wrote:

While looking into a possible Smartpost non-machinable bugaboo that may be a years long ongoing issue, I took a hard look at the label flows (new and classic) while checking what they would and would not accept, and to again check what dimensional weight divisors eBay was giving us for FedEx services in 2019.

What I thought was possible eBay FedEx calculator glitch instead looks to be something possibly useful.

It appears that eBay has also negotiated FedEx Smartpost "By-Ounce" rates, and is making them available along with an approx 25-35% eBay discount on the base rate on top of that.

FedEx Smartpost By-Ounce shipments can be 1 - 16oz in weight, and all weights up to 16oz ship at the same price to a given zone (these are the base rates - eBay discounts those by approx 25%-35%)

or a more printable format

Size restrictions:

Length+Girth can be no more than 84"

$3.05 2019 non-machinable surcharge applies if L1>27" or L2>17" (see the FedEx Smartpost Fees doc for details)
(also non-machinable if a cylindrical shape, but that can't be specified - charged on eBay invoice when billed)

Fuel Surcharge (normal time varying %) applies, and Delivery Area surcharge ($1.40-$1.95) applies if "rural", same as for "by-pound" Smartpost.

Dimensional weight rating and balloon rating do not apply.

So, anything no more than 16oz in weight, and under 84" L+G can ship to anywhere* in the lower 48 states for at most $7.62 (the FedEx $9.96 base rate with eBay 24% discount)

*anywhere not rural where Delivery area surcharges apply based on zipcode.

How useful Smartpost By-Ounce can be is unknown - USPS First Class Mail pretty much covers eligible pkgs (16oz and under) for less.

https://www.fedex.com/en-us/shipping/fedex-smartpost/rates-zones/documents.html

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@Anonymous Can you confirm what I have summarized here, and specifically, can you confirm that FedEx Smartpost (by pound or by ounce) labels intentionally can no longer be printed through eBay labels if Length+Girth > 84"?

(that 84" restriction is not FedEx Smartpost restriction, so is either an eBay bug, an intentional restriction, or a contractual restriction. Non-machinable pkgs will work, but again, not if L+G>84")

Also, while I have you ear, can you pass a suggestion on to put the full FedEx transportation cost breakdown in the FedEx cost section in the new label flow the way it is in the classic? That mouseover display with a fake base weight that is the actual base rate the surcharges and the eBay discount rolled into it is useless since the discount is variable, and numbers can't be reverse engineered to determine what surcharges are applying (or if there is a bug in the calculator.)

Sellers will not be able to reconcile FedEx shipping numbers using FedEx rate tables to determine why the charge is what it is, and will be unable to effectively dispute FedEx overcharges if the detailed data is not available. (and I and others will no longer be able to help anyone with a complex FedEx question anymore if the numbers can't be reverse engineered or determined through label mockups using the new label flow)

Hi @berserkerplanet, let me work on getting some information for you on this. It might take me a little longer than usual to get details on this, but I will touch base by the middle of next week at the latest!

berserkerplanet · ‎03-18-2019

Thanks Trinton.

To summarize this thread for all:

1. Appears at some point, eBay started offering FedEx Smartpost By-Ounce shipping for pkgs 16 oz or under (which is a good thing and the main point of this thread - certain many were not aware of that shipping option. I wasn't 🙂

2. At some point, the eBay label flows (classic and new), began no longer allowing Smartpost labels for pkgs with Length+Girth more than 84" even though that isn't a FedEx restriction (and want to know if intentional or a bug to be fixed)

3. Total lack of any detail in FedEx label transportation cost breakdowns (essentially none) in the new label flow (and would like it changed to be as informative as the classic label flow cost breakdown showing base rates, surcharges, and eBay discount as individual line items instead of rolled into a single number that can't be verified)

nobody*s_perfect · ‎03-18-2019

@berserkerplanet wrote: ... So, anything no more than 16oz in weight, and under 84" L+G can ship to anywhere* in the lower 48 states for at most $7.62 (the FedEx $9.96 base rate with eBay 24% discount)
.... How useful Smartpost By-Ounce can be is unknown - USPS First Class Mail pretty much covers eligible pkgs (16oz and under) for less....

I can't figure out a situation where this would be better than shipping via USPS First Class package, which costs $5.53 to ship 15.999 ounces to Zone 8. I guess if you had a package that exceeded one of the USPS dimensional limits ("does not exceed 22 inches in length, or 18 inches in width, or 15 inches in thickness") but was still somehow under a pound.

berserkerplanet · ‎03-18-2019

Yeppers.

Those Smartpost pkgs can be up to 27" long or 17" wide without incurring the non-machinable surcharge, so the only initial window is 22" < L <28". But that could be a thing (automotive trim pieces, rolled posters in non-tubular boxes, big flat decals, long feathers, etc)

Note however that the non-machinable surcharge is only $3.05 which bumps longer or wider Smartpost By-Ounce (SPBO) to zone 8 to $10.67.

As long as weight is 16oz or less, those larger pkgs might also be viable. Also no packaging requirements appear in the tariffs of fee table - thus do not have to be boxed and no surcharges for shrinkwrapped, etc.

Smartpost max length is 60" If the eBay 84" L+G limit is an error and gets changed, then larger pkgs than discussed so far are eligible (up to 108" L+G - Oversize state kicks in with a 71lb ship weight which I think precludes SPBO as even an option)

Extreme example: 52" x10"x6" squeaks in under the eBay 84" L+G limit at exactly 84", and would ship SPBO to Z8 for $10.67 with the NM surcharge added. It's outside the USPS FCP limits. That pkg has a volume of 3120in³, and a USPS dim weight of 17lb, so Priority Mail option is off the table. For now PS at $7.95 to zone8 is an option until dim weight kicks in for that in June.

I tested it - the eBay label flow has no problem with a 52x10x6 15oz label for $10.88 to Z8

It appears that 15oz is the max the eBay classic flow will permit even thought the SPBO service is supposed to allow up to 15.99oz - the label flow can't accept anything but whole ounce entries, and if 16 oz is entered, it changes it to 1 lb 0 oz and shifts to SP By Pound rates ($31).

Not a problem though since the SPBO rates are the same for all weights from 1oz to 16oz - just enter 15oz for a 15.99 oz (16oz) shipment.

So SPBO is not a general solution, but could work for some special circumstances/niches of sellers (automotive trim, long indestructible super lightweight unobtanium widgets, etc).