02-19-2024 11:40 AM
Hey fellow eBay sellers,
I've got to vent a bit and see if I'm the only one scratching my head over here. Remember that email from eBay back in September 2023 about how they were gonna start charging us for FedEx and UPS shipping labels right when we print them? This is exactly what they said "Currently, shipping cost estimates for FedEx® and UPS® shipping labels are provided at the time of printing, and actual costs are charged after delivery. In the coming weeks, we will begin charging for all shipping labels at the time they are printed."
Well, something's fishy. Just today, I got hit with a FedEx charge three times what I expected. My package was supposed to be 2.0 pounds, but they said, "Nah, it's 1.5 pounds," and still charged me 3 times more. Same dimensions just the weight is less. And then there's UPS, slapping an "additional handling" fee on another package of mine, doubling the cost without a peep about why. What gives?
I've seen a bunch of us getting these weird charges where the math just doesn't add up. eBay did step in and sort one out for me (kudos for that), but if we're all running to customer service for this, isn't that a sign something's off at the starting line?
Shouldn't eBay be chatting with FedEx and UPS to cut out these bonkers overcharges? It's like, if the weight goes down, how does the price shoot up? 🤔
I'm really hoping it's not just me seeing this. Have any of you had similar run-ins? How did you deal with it? More importantly, do you think there's a way we can nudge eBay to maybe, you know, revisit how this whole shipping charge thing works?
For eBay company's perspective, if they get this right or at least better, it will drive less seller contact customer service for help and reduce their cost on customer service. That is scalable solution.
Looking forward to hearing your stories and maybe, just maybe, coming up with some genius plan to bring back some sanity to our shipping costs.
Solved! Go to Best Answer
02-19-2024 02:40 PM
Hey @sweetheart_357 . Let's tackle your issues one at a time to see if we can identify a cause (or a carrier error) and whether you have grounds to appeal.
First: FedEx
Go to the label page and click on the service, or go to the email about the cost adjustment and click for more info. Once you're taken to the page with label charges, expand the cost breakdown lower right to see the reason for the charge. What does it say? Can you post a screenshot (black out personal info)?
Second: UPS
You said the charge is for additional handling. There are numerous reasons an additional handling charge can be applied, and there are work-arounds for a few of those situations. First we need to figure out the cause. Can you provide:
Package dimensions and weight
Type of packaging (box, tube, polymailer, etc)
Did the package use an abundance of tape?
To answer your broader questions: yes, a lot of sellers are getting hit with cost adjustments from UPS and FedEx. Some are legit charges, some are not and need to be appealed. Some are the nature of the beast and some would be avoidable if eBay updated their system to account for irregular packages. We can go into more details once we know exactly what's going on with your 2 cost adjustments.
02-19-2024 02:40 PM
Hey @sweetheart_357 . Let's tackle your issues one at a time to see if we can identify a cause (or a carrier error) and whether you have grounds to appeal.
First: FedEx
Go to the label page and click on the service, or go to the email about the cost adjustment and click for more info. Once you're taken to the page with label charges, expand the cost breakdown lower right to see the reason for the charge. What does it say? Can you post a screenshot (black out personal info)?
Second: UPS
You said the charge is for additional handling. There are numerous reasons an additional handling charge can be applied, and there are work-arounds for a few of those situations. First we need to figure out the cause. Can you provide:
Package dimensions and weight
Type of packaging (box, tube, polymailer, etc)
Did the package use an abundance of tape?
To answer your broader questions: yes, a lot of sellers are getting hit with cost adjustments from UPS and FedEx. Some are legit charges, some are not and need to be appealed. Some are the nature of the beast and some would be avoidable if eBay updated their system to account for irregular packages. We can go into more details once we know exactly what's going on with your 2 cost adjustments.
02-19-2024 03:03 PM
Wouldn't it be hard to measure and weigh something without actually having it? One can only assume the measurements and weight. Just my thought.
02-19-2024 06:39 PM
thank you so much @wastingtime101 for your feedback. eBay committed they tried to charge as the price when it is printed, so they should stick with the initial charge if the weight and dimension are correct. But anyways, i accept if it is $15.37 as what new postage is. But any unknown additional $28.45 of handling fee seems unreasonable to me. And you can tell from the carrier message that they measure it is 1.5 lb instead of 2 lb.
For UPS
02-19-2024 06:43 PM
For UPS, it is polybag wrap with card board. And with item inside. I believe the package dimension and weight should be calculated in the beginning and that shouldn’t have impact to adjust the cost but correct me if I misunderstood this. How does having extra tape or material of package influence the cost of my UPS or FedEx shipping in this case? I sincerely want to learn more from your experience. Thanks!
02-19-2024 06:50 PM
@sweetheart_357 wrote:For UPS, it is polybag wrap with card board. How does having extra tape or material of package influence the cost of my UPS or FedEx shipping in this case? I sincerely want to learn more from your experience. Thanks!
It sounds like irregular packaging. Here's more info on UPS surcharges for irregular packaging. Too much tape is often cited by UPS/FedEx as it falls under their definition of encased in plastic.
The weight is not the issue on your UPS cost adjustment (you rounded up). It looks like the issue is the packaging itself.
Go here to view eBay's guide on packing, measuring, and preventing shipping label cost adjustments:
Click the UPS link.
https://www.ups.com/assets/resources/webcontent/en_US/retail_rates.pdf
See page 126 - additional handling.
Packaging:
Regarding additional handling charges for size:
• Length plus girth: Any package with its length (longest side of the package)
plus girth [(2 x width) + (2 x height)] combined exceeding 105 inches.
• Length: Any package with the longest side exceeding 48 inches.
• Width: Any package with its second-longest side exceeding 30 inches
02-19-2024 07:04 PM - edited 02-19-2024 07:06 PM
Looking forward to hearing your stories and maybe, just maybe, coming up with some genius plan to bring back some sanity to our shipping costs.
I shipped 23 LBS of Manga via FedEx, weight was well under 23 lbs using an official Postal Scale, 12x12x12, and they charged me an extra $6.21 making the fake claim that it weighed 23.70 lbs. I did not make a mistake with that weight. FedEx are Liars-----they are advertising rates lower than US Postal Service's Media Rate (or applicable Ground Advantage) and then sack you with their private company lie (or some FedEx employee is pocketing the difference). Second time this happened with me, last time it was a false FedEx claim that the package was not measured properly. I have a solution; however, not use them again------like me.
02-19-2024 08:02 PM
This is super helpful!
03-27-2024 01:30 AM
Yep same thing for me. (no problems with UPS though)
FedEx billed me $7.94 more. $20.56 (+ $7.94) = $28.50 (uh, wrong)
My original weight: 14 lbs
Billable weight by carrier: 15 lbs
Carrier has reported my weight as: 10.50 lbs
...and if I want to buy the same label for the same buyer, same insurance etc (using any of the 3 different weights shown above) the dollar amount comes out to be exactly the same. $20.56
By the way, I print duplicate labels and keep one on file for myself and silly stuff like this.
I ship identical items in the identical box and weigh everything on a mail scale.
The last time I dropped off my package they scanned it in on a new DIY scan device so maybe THAT is the culprit?🤔
03-27-2024 02:33 AM
Fellow eBay sellers,
Be aware of FedEx. I recently received numerous cost adjustments from them, totaling over $100. I believe they are intentionally doing this to take advantage of eBay sellers, or possibly other online sellers, to increase their profits.
I am switching to UPS. If you continue to use FedEx, don't just drop off your packages and leave. Always ask the FedEx clerk for a receipt of your packages with the weight and dimensions for your records, even with prepaid shipping labels.
I have attached some images. FedEx's reported weights of my packages are inaccurate. I believe there is potential for a class-action lawsuit against FedEx. I hope it happens!
03-27-2024 11:55 AM
Ive been charged a surcharge over five times from both UPS and FEDEX it has come down to the point to were I will only ship via USPS Ground Advantage. I was never charged a single surcharge in over three years of shipping by UPS or FedEx until they started to charge the labels instantly via eBay funds. This is truly DISGUSTING
03-27-2024 12:08 PM
Same thing happened to me last week.
I called ebay billing. The ebay shipping options page is not displaying the accurate cost, then, when certain fedex options appear for selection, and of course, how are we supposed to know that? Its an ebay system problem. Further, there is not even a warning note that appears when you select such an option to tell the seller, hey, you need to do an additional calculation to determine what the real cost of shipping will be. Because again, how are we supposed to know its not the right shipping cost quote? We asume the info ebay is generating to us about shipping costs is correct, especially since any warnings they might not be, are not displayed. Again, another ebay system failure here. A third ebay failure as well, since it could easily be warned about, since we enter in package dimensions and ebay already uses that info to generate shipping costs for various carrier options. They are not doing so properly for certain options, so this error falls on ebay, and so should the upcharges, until its corrected by ebay.
I am disputing the charge based on this. They are letting the sellers down, we have no idea of this shipping upcharge until after the fact. Its not our fault, we take ebay at its word when shipping option quotes are generated for us to select on the ebay system, and we also get zero warning an option we select. Totally unfair to charge the seller the upcharge when its an ebay system problem.
03-27-2024 12:13 PM
The same thing happened to me! I shipped a box and put down 27lbs. I sometimes "overestimate" just in case my scale is off. "The carrier has reported that the weight of your package was 23.50 lbs." The original cost was $21.11. They tacked on an additional $24.21.
Breakdown is
Postage: $36.05
Fuel surcharge: $4.76
Residential surcharge: $4.51
Total: $45.32
Over an item that sold for $59.95, with eBay taking $8.90 out of that. So now my adjusted earnings are $5.73
What a complete scam. What is eBay doing about this? By the way, the package was delivered on the 22nd and I wasn't made aware of this until a message on the 27th. 5 days after it was delivered, and 9 day after the item was sold.
03-27-2024 12:15 PM
I will not be using Fedex anymore. I got hit 4 times this past month alone for a total of $100 extra shipping charges. InitiaIlly I thought they lowered there prices when I seen sending my golf clubs was cheaper then UPS and USPS. They just show that so you choose there shipping. Once it is delivered they double the price, meaning that it would have been cheaper for me to use UPS or USPS in the first place. Good luck Fedex with your scam, count me out!!!
03-28-2024 02:40 PM
Measurements and weighs were correctly entered for each package on the Ebay site . The packages conformed to all FedEx directives. Yet a few days later I was informed that my account was additionally charged, at times for mor than twice the original shipping cost. Additions alone were in excess of costs on FedEx calculator. Although promised by Ebay to look into the matter I have heard nothing from Ebay starting and repeated from Dec, 2023. FedEx asks for an invoice to check into the overcharge which an Ebay member cannot access because Ebay is FedEX's customer not Ebay members.
How can one do business this way not knowing costs?