Big eBay sellers listing shipping service first class for over 1 lb items.
They are offering free shipping so it doesn't really matter ultimately, but I already know they aren't shipping first class.
I'm curious if it has to do with return labels.
5 comments
wastingtime101
·3 years agoWeight (and category) is what affects return labels, not the service(s) of shipping advertised to the buyer.
Most likely the seller is keeping things simple and/or is lazy. I've done it myself.
I have an entire product category to which I apply a free shipping first class business policy even though a small portion of those items have to ship priority due to weight. Cost of shipping is factored in to item pricing, and since shipping is with the same carrier only upgraded, it doesn't matter that it shows first class on the listing.
The weight on my listings is accurate as that affects what's charged to my international buyers.
Beyond that, this method will keep things simplified for me when USPS changes over to Ground Advantage in a couple of months (link in my signature). Because those listings already advertise FC, they will automatically switch over to GA. If I had them listed with Priority, I'd have to change them manually if I wanted to offer GA instead.
dqdistribution
OP3 years agoThank you, I was pretty sure much of this was the case, I was just trying to see if there was something I should be copying from some of those massive sellers to save me some money. 😄
Thanks for mentioning the international bit, I didn't think about that when it comes to the value factor.
I have been typically using flat options and just using generic standard shipping for my free instead of specific. But I'm always looking to learn better ways of doing things.
I appreciate all of your inputs.
mtgraves7984
·3 years agoTo add to @klhmdg's comments, I think all return shipping labels are marked First Class eBay Return, or some such...
dqdistribution
OP3 years agoIt almost always comes as priority, and the 'free' part simply means the values put in don't matter. From a customer standpoint, 1x1x1 1oz is the same as 12x12x12 12 lb. So I'm wondering if they are putting very low values in the listing to save on return shipping costs regardless of actual weight. Because when you go to print the label you can adjust the values at that point.
I don't think so. Almost all my eBay return labels start as priority return labels. (All my returns have been over 1 lb.)
But I have noticed I have been given a couple of first class return labels for over 1 lb.
So, Advertised First class, Shipped priority, Return First class. 😕
klhmdg
·3 years agoI cant figure out a reason why it would matter.
Free shipping isnt free. It just means the seller is paying for it.
Most smart sellers work the cost of "free shipping" into the price of the item.
Return labels dont have anything to do with free shipping.
If the seller is listing as first class and the weight it more than allowed, they will be billed by USPS.