Why am I being charged shipping when the buyer paid shipping?

Question

I listed an item to sell with shipping as "Buyer Pays". I entered box size and weight so it could be calculated buy the services, UPS or USPS, buyer's choice. The auction ended. The buyer paid for the item and the shipping. When I went to print my shipping label I'm being charged a shipping fee or what is this? It is quite a lot. Note: This was not a Fixed Shipping price, not a Seller Pays shipping, or anything else where the seller pays something toward shipping. This shipping is calculated by weight and size. I've re-checked my listing several times and it's absolutely "Buyer Pays Shipping". Anybody have a clue on this one? What am I missing?

Thanks.

woodland_gnome · Answer

@mellonzest Could you post a screenshot of where you are seeing the phrase "Buyer Pays"? I'm not seeing that phrase on listings or on the most recent listing form. I've seen it used by others with the same question, so perhaps if we pin down where they are seeing it we can get it to the attention of those who can revise it to avoid confusion in others.

woodland_gnome · Answer

The buyer pays YOU the amount that YOU set for shipping (either flat rate or calculated with YOU entering the data from which it is calculated). Having been payed the amount you asked to ship the item, you have to pay a carrier to delivery the package, whether the carrier's charges are equal to, more than, or less than what you charged the buyer.

mr_lincoln · Answer

Hi @mellonzest

We see this from time to time, Sellers not understanding that they have to pay for the shipping label. When a listing is created Sellers can select the Calculated setting which means Buyers pay THEM to ship the item based on distance from the Seller. The Seller then uses THAT money to buy the label.

When a Seller uses the Flat rate and sets a price the Buyer pays that and the Seller uses THAT money to buy the label ... hopefully its enough but sometimes it's not.

Sellers can use the Free shipping setting which means the Buyer does NOT pay shipping but the Seller still has to pay for the shipping label. The risk here is the Seller does not include enough money in the item price to cover their shipping costs and still make their profit.

Shipping is an are a lot of Sellers make mistakes in, they are hard lessons to learn but once learned the mistakes are seldom reppeated.