eBay and USPS Contract - LOST PACKAGES

[beachbargains2021]

We sell a high amount on the eBay site and USPS loses approximately 10-15 packages per month on average.  The package shows tracking, gets to a point in transit and simply falls off the face of the earth. I get excuses when I file a missing package claim of "damaged" package, rerouted and this morning was told a carrier left his vehicle unattended and ALL the mail in it was stolen.  I realize if I do not pay extra for insurance, I am out of luck to get the item itself refunded and have to reship or refund the buyer.  That's understandable since I did not opt for the extra insurance.  My hope is that eBay would at least negotiate with USPS to get our LABEL COST back when the item is simply "lost" by the post office.  Each label we buy is $2.60 to $6.00.  When you add up 10-15 packages per month, that is a LOT of money.  The post office should NOT be paid for a service they did not complete.  In any other industry, you would get refunded if they did not complete the promised service.  On eBay I have to refund a buyer if I do not complete my side of the deal. With  most products, you could do a chargeback if a business did complete the service but since labels are purchased through eBay on their account, we as sellers have no recourse and the post office had NO accountability.  I know the eBay is a huge account for USPS and they renegotiate the contract constantly. Sellers need to come together and demand that eBay require the post office to refund our labels when an item is forever lost and has no hope of delivery.  The post office should not be rewarded for losing an item.

[itsjustasprain]

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@beachbargains2021 wrote:

We sell a high amount on the eBay site and USPS loses approximately 10-15 packages per month on average.  The package shows tracking, gets to a point in transit and simply falls off the face of the earth. 

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Are you using peel and stick labels? How are you attaching them? Is it possible that the label is getting detached after getting bumped and scraped against other packages? Ive mailed thousands of packages over the years through Usps and they have lost NOT ONE. 10-15 month is insane.

[missjen831]

Ebay doesn't constantly re-negotiate anything with USPS. And if ebay won't negotiate shipping rates with USPS, why would they negotiate label reimbursement? You are choosing to ship uninsured knowing you have a loss of 10-15 packages a month (which as the other responder said is INSANE). And whats also insane is that you keep doing this every month! 

[genghoul]

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@missjen316 wrote:

Ebay doesn't constantly re-negotiate anything with USPS. And if ebay won't negotiate shipping rates with USPS, why would they negotiate label reimbursement? You are choosing to ship uninsured knowing you have a loss of 10-15 packages a month (which as the other responder said is INSANE). And whats also insane is that you keep doing this every month! 

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Why do you think ebay doesn't negotiate shipping rates with the USPS?  They, Aazon, Stamps.com, all negotiate rates.  What they pass on to us and what they keep has not been disclosed.

[deep-garnet-red]

eBay is not a shipper. They are a USPS affiliate. They just make commission on the postage they sell. It is convenient for sellers and eBay makes a few cents per transaction. They don't negotiate postage costs. I doubt they can even negotiate their commission.

Amazon, OTOH, is a shipper. It is likely they negotiate their own rates. eBay can't do that because they don't have warehouses they ship products out of. 

OP is incorrect that we buy on eBay's account. We buy from USPS through a po.rtal on eBay, nothing more.

Here is a link to the USPS affiliate program. A quick look at their criteria and you can see why eBay has some of the policies they do.

https://about.usps.com/management-instructions/as610123/as610123_014.htm