An idea that may help for more sales
Summary: jopakrat discusses the challenge of handling shipping discounts on eBay and suggests a dropdown menu option for each listing to decide who benefits from the discounted rates. Some participants, like 12345jamesstamps and tobaccocardyahoo, offer alternatives such as including shipping costs in item prices or using flat rate shipping, which they find effective. monroe67 and adamcartwright suggest using different shipping policies or business policies to achieve similar flexibility in discount allocation. Others express concerns about complicating the listing process or suggest solutions like adding handling charges instead.
It is great that we have many options on ebay , such as buy-it-now, auctions, print label or use QR code , etc.
Another option is the ( opt in or opt out ) , of giving the buyer the sellers shipping discount rate, which I have opted out.
Of course I get a number of messages ( why is my the shipping rate so high ) I explain , in a nice short reply which also includes that I use calculated shipping. Some still buy others dont
When i talked to a Rep. about the opt-in or opt-out , it applies to all your listings. So your listings are all 100% based on the in/out option.
My idea is ( because I have tons of items that wont sell ,due to my opt-out)
Why not give us a drop down menu option on each listing to determine who (buyer or seller) get the discounted shipping rate
I know I could sell a lot more of my items using that option as a part of my listing. Its a win/win/win for seller who wants to sell, buyer who wants a cheaper rate and eBays cash flow
adamcartwright
·1 month agoIf you use Business Policies, here's a way to accomplish what you want:
Set up your account to offer eBay's discounted rates across the board.
Then, set up different Business Policies for Shipping -- some with a handling fee and some without -- and assign each one to the listings you wish.
christworks
·1 month agoThe last thing I want is another thing to have to fill out when listing. There is already too much as it is.
Plus, you have offered a solution that is in search of a problem.
ryry-jj
·1 month agoWhy not offer the discounted rate and add $1-2 for handling to cover costs on fee for shipping....maybe heavier items you want $3-4? Handling charges do not appear as a separate charge, they just get added to shipping cost, so you can be somewhere in between discounted rate and retail.
luckythewinner
·1 month agoI suspect that if this were implemented, when a seller had some items where the discount was passed on and others that did not, it would be confusing and complicated when purchasing multiple items.
neonholo
·1 month ago · EditedFree shipping.
mam98031
·1 month agoThe message below was sent to affected sellers on August 26th, 2026. If you overlooked it, you may want to go back and check your emails. It is important to pay attention to all emails from Ebay otherwise you might miss something important.
We wanted to let you know that starting October 1, discounted shipping rates available through eBay Labels will become the default rates shown on your eligible listings.
What's changing?
This update only applies to listings that use calculated shipping. If you use flat-rate or free shipping, nothing changes. To access the discounted rates shown on your listings, simply purchase your shipping labels through eBay Labels.
By offering lower shipping rates, you can help make your listings more competitive and give buyers a better shopping experience.
This change only applies to sellers who received this email. If you don’t want this update applied to your account, you can opt out here by September 25.
And, If you change your mind after this change takes effect on October 1, you can update your carrier rate settings at any time in your shipping preferences.
Thanks for being part of the eBay community.
ruby_c_took
·1 month agoOut of curiosity, why don't you pass on the discount to buyers? I honestly thought most people who used calculated shipping did this.
simply-the-best-for-you
·1 month agoI don't actually personally know of one seller who does this & I've been selling for 29 years on eBay. I'm sure some do, but at least in my category, I feel like it's extremely rare. Esp once we started paying fees on Shipping & Taxes. I take it back, I do remember one person who lets the buyer have the discount. Just one, in all these years.
ruby_c_took
·1 month agoOkay, but why? Couldn't you just raise your price by the discount amount and pass the discount along, and make the same profit margin? I am asking in interest, I'm not being critical.
redmodelt
·1 month agoBecause many do not add for packaging and that little extra helps cover fees.
simply-the-best-for-you
·1 month ago · EditedNo criticism assumed :-) Like I said, I truly don't know anyone who's ever even considered passing on the discount & I've been a very active seller & involved in many seller groups for almost 30 years, so I think part of the answer is simply that's the way we've always done it LOL.
As for your suggestion, I certainly could do that, but why would I go through all that work to change my prices on 1700 items, when it's easier to just keep the discount, also, many sellers are already at their top cost range that is reasonable for their items, so the price cannot absorb an increase. That's true for many people including me. But for a lot of us, this is just how we've always done it. Keep in mind, historically speaking, until the last few years, the difference was always VERY minimal. Often less than $1. It's only been in the last few years that there's been a significant enough difference to frankly, even be a conversation point.
I gotta be honest, since the vast majority of buyers are not even aware of this flag/choice, I don't understand what would ever motivate a seller to give it to the buyer in the first place? At least in my category, it appears anecdotally, to be exceedingly rare to pass on the discount. I don't really understand why I would even want to? The ONLY reason I can think of is to make it appear to the buyer like your shipping costs are lower than your competitors & that wasn't really a thing until the USPS increase of approx 2 years ago, that made the different between the counter rate & commercial plus be substantial. For most of my eBay career, the difference was 30-50¢, barely worth thinking about.
ruby_c_took
·1 month agoSo part of the reason I do it is because I appreciate it as a buyer. The other reason is that I always felt like the buyer should pay the actual shipping cost and my profit should be elsewhere, just as a general philosophy. But I totally understand the idea that it's just how you've always done it. With that many listings I wouldn't take my suggestion either xD
And take Amazon, where for the longest time, the $3.99 shipping credit for books was much more than the media mail cost, so I did see that as revenue to make up for their high fees--but they haven't change the shipping credit and now it barely covers or doesn't cover heavier books.
That said, I do a flat shipping rate on packages under a pound, so some buyers subsidize others, not by a large margin, usually within a dollar or so. I actually feel a little bad about it but it appears to be better for sales than calculated for small packets.
The other thing here is as you pointed out, it may have to do with category and item types--with small packets, even small differences in the shipping cost are apparent, especially if the item itself doesn't cost much. With my heavier, higher value items, I doubt the cost of shipping matters as much to a buyer.
redmodelt
·1 month agoHonestly you would be wrong with your assumption.
ruby_c_took
·1 month agoIt appears so. Now I know that I'm a unicorn or something. shrug You learn something every day.
shado-x
·1 month agoI think it would just be easier if the USPS was forced to lower their postage rates back to the year 2000s. That would solve many problems for sellers. That is the No.1 fleecing of merchandise sales, so big that even Amazon[ian] created their own shipping fleet and told the USPS to pound sand.
monroe67
·1 month ago · Edited"My idea is ( because I have tons of items that wont sell ,due to my opt-out)
Why not give us a drop down menu option on each listing to determine who (buyer or seller) get the discounted shipping rate"
There is a way to do what you want, during the process of listing.
You would create (at least) two different Shipping Policies:
(1) in which the buyer pays eBay's discounted shipping rate OR
(2) in which the buyer pays USPS retail rates -- the way your current listings show delivery prices to buyers.
Then, while you are listing each individual item, you can choose, as you say,
"who get[s] the discounted shipping rate" by choosing which Shipping Policy you apply to each listing.
jonathanbrightlight
·1 month agoInstead of giving the full discount or not, have it apply the discount but add a handling charge. That's not displayed separately to buyers, they just see one shipping & handling cost. You can do that at the listing level.
tobaccocardyahoo
·1 month ago · EditedI do not use calculated shipping, I use the same flat rate shipping for the same weight to all US destinations.
I find that it works best for me and my buyers. Some buyers are subsidizing other buyers, but since I do not treat shipping as a profit center, my shipping rates seems reasonable next to the competition.
Obviously, this strategy works best when you are shipping some volume of similar weight items. I monitor my shipping payments and costs monthly and am not losing money.
I need no changes from Ebay to how shipping works.
authentic*vintage
·1 month agoI also started doing this about 8 weeks ago and I have to say (I can't be 100% certain but I believe) it has boosted sales.
chapeau-noir
·1 month agoI also use flat rate shipping. Given the population distribution where I live, most things are going off to far different zones, but enough close by that it averages out. I also don't treat shipping as a profit center.
12345jamesstamps
·1 month agoPut the cost of the shipping in the cost of the item and give free shipping.
Everyone loves that word "free".
Potential buyers do not want to be nickel and dime to death on shipping.
I am only replying what 'may help for more sales' in your post.