Additional Charges for Fedex Shipping...Charged over $400 in additional charges
Summary: bikesandothershift, a new eBay seller, shared their frustration with unexpectedly high shipping charges from FedEx, where each bike frame shipment was incorrectly billed as 90 pounds instead of the actual weight of 15 pounds. Other participants provided insights into dimensional weight calculations and suggestions for eBay listings, highlighting the importance of inputting dimensional weight over actual weight to prevent such issues. kibble-net mentioned that complaints like these are common. reelworks recounted their similar negative experiences with FedEx, citing difficulties like back charges and disputes over package sizes, which led them to stop using their services. The discussion reflects widespread dissatisfaction with FedEx's billing practices.
I am a new seller on ebay and specialize in shipping bike frames that typically weigh about 15 pounds maximum...I ran out of the typical box that I ship these frames in so opted to purchase a bike box from Fedex and paid extra to have them package my bikes. Now a week later, I am being charged OVER $400 per item shipped for each item I sent out with claims that each item that was shipped out weighed 90 pounds which is impossible unless they are stuffing the box with bricks. I have gotten no help from Ebay and I cannot get anyone on the phone from Fedex. Has anyone else experienced this!? This has eaten up any profit I had and is costing me a significant amount of money...it would have cost me less to just give the items away!
tools*
·2 months agoDon't use FedEx and don't use eBay shipping. Use UPS Ground through Pirate Ship, measure exactly and round up, and you shouldn't have these issues. If they do attempt an "adjustment," it's very easy to dispute through Pirate Ship.
reelworks
·2 months agoI gave up on Fed Ex for several reasons, one was the back charges. I sold a front wheel, a new 27" complete wheel in a 29x29x7" box, their calculator showed it at $28 shipping, I rounded up the shipping for eBay to 32x30x10 at 9 lbs. Figuring I'd be covered if it went opposite coast. It was preboxed and packed when it sold to someone 3,000 miles away in WA . We no longer have a local Fed Ex depot here, you have to go to a local mailbox store or an Acme to drop off packages. 50 days after it was delivered via Fed Ex Home. I get a charge for an additional $48 on top of the $37 they charged me at checkout.
A few other smaller items went via Fed Ex as well, one a table radio, in a 28x12x14 box, which cost me $30 to ship on ebay, then I got an additional charge 52 days later for weight. It was 6.6lbs total, I shipped it as 10lb, they said it was over size, claimed it was 36x24x24 and 40 lbs. I had taken pics of the itm and it being packed, and the package labeled and picked up. They said they would credit me but never did. I simply refuse to use them now. They used to be the best now they're worse than UPS. Years ago they had a terminal here, a mile up the road, I'd take packages there and do the labels there and almost every time it was cheaper than what was quoted on eBay, but they close that place and moved 70 miles away. The place was staffed with cute girls who didn't miss a beat you got in and out fast and never had any issues now they've become a nightmare to deal with.
I used to do vintage bikes and parts but shipping killed that completely, between the cost and the lack of interest lately they bring more money in pieces or as scrap. It took me 6 years to sell a minty clean Legnano Roma Olympiad in a 54cm frame from 1958 in fully serviced riding condition but with older tires. It sat from 2012 to 2019 at $650. Lots of interest but no money. Shipping then was about $65 max in a bike box. It finally sold to a guy who was here on vacation from the UK, he bought it, we boxed it and he took it somewhere to ship it home. He said it cost him $250 to get it home I sold it to him for $450. I was tired of looking at it by then. Everyone wants the classics but they want them for free it seems.
ryry-jj
·2 months agowas the package the corrected 55" x 29" x 5"?
kibble-net
·2 months agoFeels like this gets posted every week, it's a surprise anyone is still shipping bikes or bike frames.
ryry-jj
·2 months agoin the future when you list these, do the dimensional weight calculation and enter that weight, not the actual weight, into your listing as the "weight". eBay is suppose to figure it out, but I never trust it, so do the math beforehand to save your self anguish and $$$
bikesandothershift
OP2 months agoGreat to know! Thank you!
ryry-jj
·2 months agoForget about the actual weight of 15 lbs that is a useless figure... a bike frame is surely going to ship at dimensional weight, L X W X D /139...that formula most likely = 90
bikesandothershift
OP2 months agostephenmorgan
·2 months agoYou say you purchase the bike box from Fedex and paid extra to have them package my bikes. This was more than one bike?
Was eBay involved in the shipping? If you purchased the boxes and paid extra to have FedEx package them, did you purchase the shipping from them as well and not thru eBay?
Is the box size 29 X 55 X 9 as stated on the FedEx adjustment correct for the box you purchased?