eBay

kauvil-us · ‎06-06-2023

A buyer bought two t-shirts from me at the same time, but different sizes. He was charged shipping twice. Why didn't eBay combine shipping for a smaller shipping charge? Buyer paid and I want to ship both shirts in the same package. How do I do that? How do I get tracking for both? And how do I avoid this in the future? Why didn't eBay combine both shirts into one shipping with a single tracking number and single shipping charge?

monica-sells · ‎06-06-2023

ebay does not charge shipping...you do

ebay only follows the rules you initiated when you created the listing(s).....

If you use calculated shipping, you need to make sure your weights, sizes etc... are 'spot on'

that helps minimize errors

if you use flat rate shipping, you can/should add the additional items to the calculation when you make the listing

if you don't have "Immediate Payment Required" and the buyer utilizes the Add to Cart feature, they can Request a Total from you prior to payment....

...in other words, shipping is only what you make of it.....rules, policies, etc.....

bottom line, if the buyer does not use the cart, the programming/ebay can not combine the shipping...you have to

stainlessenginecovers · ‎06-06-2023

Because you don't have your listings set up correctly.

On multiple items of the exact same thing; you charge X amount for 1 and then YZ for EACH Additional. Since you left that blank; it will just add the shipping twice.

pjcdn2005 · ‎06-06-2023

To combine shipping for multiples sizes or multiple orders you need to have combined shipping rules set up. You set that up on the shipping preferences page.

https://www.ebay.com/ship/prf

First make sure that your setting allow 'combined shipping and payments.' Then edit either the flat or calculated shipping rule.If you are using calculated shipping you might want to set it up so that the items are combined by weight. Then on the listing(s) that you want to use the rule, check off apply combined shipping rule which I believe is below the domestic shipping section on the listing page.

kauvil-us · ‎06-06-2023

You haven't answered my question, or perhaps you don't know what I am asking. I know eBay does not set shipping, the seller does, any 5-year old knows that, so don't treat me like a kid. My question was: why didn't eBay combine shipping into one package with one shipping charge so that I can package both shirts into one package and ship them with a single tracking number.

mike_jayroe · ‎06-06-2023

PERHAPS THIS WILL HELP. Pack both items in one box. Get one shipping label. On the page for orders waiting to be shipped, add the tracking number to the second item. Make sure they match. Then on the second item, click on the down arrow and click on show item shipped. That is what I did Monday when I encountered the same problem. Then contact the buyer and let them know both are packed in one box.

dbfolks166mt · ‎06-06-2023

You didn't provide a lot of detail so taking a look at your listings I am going to assume this was a couple of the Grateful Dead T-shirts. You have these listed as BIN do you by chance have immediate payment turned on? If so if the buyer does not utilize the shopping cart and even when they do the IPR can potentially cause some issues where the same buyer makes multiple purchases. AKA they get charged shipping for each item.

Easy thing to do is follow mike_jayroe advice and then refund the buyer any excess postage cost if you so wish. This problem has existed for awhile and I ran into it several times when I used to buy a lot on eBay, which I seldom do these days. As the buyer I usually contacted the seller and we worked through it to reduce the shipping cost.

southern*sweet*tea · ‎06-06-2023

@kauvil-us wrote:
A buyer bought two t-shirts from me at the same time, but different sizes. He was charged shipping twice. Why didn't eBay combine shipping for a smaller shipping charge? Buyer paid and I want to ship both shirts in the same package. How do I do that? How do I get tracking for both? And how do I avoid this in the future? Why didn't eBay combine both shirts into one shipping with a single tracking number and single shipping charge?

If you want to always have shipping combined, you can set your shipping preferences to allow it.

On the Manage shipping settings page: https://www.ebay.com/ship/prf select Edit beside Allow combined payments and shipping. Choose the time period during which you're willing to combine payment for

purchased items and select Save.

On that same page you can set up your combined shipping rules - calculated, flat rate or promotional.

This page: https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/posting-items/postage-rates/postage-discounts?id=4168 will tell you in more detail how to set up your combined shipping policy and explains the combined shipping rules you can set up.

The easier you are to offend the easier you are to control.

We seem to be getting closer and closer to a situation where nobody is responsible for what they did but we are all responsible for what somebody else did. - Thomas Sowell

inhawaii · ‎06-06-2023

@kauvil-us wrote:
You haven't answered my question, or perhaps you don't know what I am asking. I know eBay does not set shipping, the seller does, any 5-year old knows that, so don't treat me like a kid. My question was: why didn't eBay combine shipping into one package with one shipping charge so that I can package both shirts into one package and ship them with a single tracking number.

Combined shipping charge.

Because ebay doesn't do that automatically. YOU the seller has to set it up in your listings, as was just explained to you by @stainlessenginecovers

Combining multiple orders to one label/package.

Ebay doesn't do that either. It's he sellers responsibility to do that.

Papa Was A Rolling Stone - The Temptations

kauvil-us · ‎06-06-2023

Set and done. But what do I do now? Package both shirts in one package, weigh the package, print a label for one of the shirts, and mark the other one shipped with the same tracking number? Is that correct? Or do you have another answer for me?

bryo_3145 · ‎06-06-2023

There is also an option to give the buyer refund on extra shipping charges.

monica-sells · ‎06-06-2023

You can also do that task here:

https://gslblui.ebay.com/gslblui/bulk?_trkparms=lblmgmt

Just click "combine orders per buyer"

then it will populate the tracking number automatically when you print the label with the updated weight/size

dbfolks166mt · ‎06-06-2023

Set and done. But what do I do now? Package both shirts in one package, weigh the package, print a label for one of the shirts, and mark the other one shipped with the same tracking number? Is that correct? Or do you have another answer for me?

Basically yes. Also touch base with the buyer to let them know you are sending both shirts in one package and refund them any extra shipping costs if you wish. I have both done that as a seller and have had sellers do that for me as a buyer, although it's been awhile.

steady2304 · ‎06-07-2023

Looking at your listings I see that you use USPS 1st Class Package for your clothing sales.

The problem is that eBays calculator does not figure correctly when the weight of the package goes over 13 oz if using retail rates or 15.99 oz when offering discounted rates. The calculator should, by default, switch to Priority Mail package but it doesn't, it just adds the 2 shipping costs together.

On a positive note around July 9th, 2023 USPS 1st Class Package will be a thing of the past as it is being consolidated along with USPS Parcel Select and USPS Retail Ground into a new service called USPS Ground Advantage. Hopefully it will calculate the same as Priority Mail does.