eBay Violates Postal Guidelines For Computing Dimensional & Cubic Rates
USPS determines if packages are subject to dimensional rates by rounding package dimensions down or up to the nearest inch.
A 12.4" x 12.4" x 12.4" package, that weighs 5 pounds, that is sent from zip code 50401 to 90001 (zone 7), would incur the following rates:
Ground Advantage Retail $19.60
Priority Mail Retail $29.20
Ground Advantage Commercial $12.73
Priority Mail Commercial $22.37
Although this package is physically larger than a cubic foot, under USPS guidelines this package is not subject to dimensional rates as USPS rounds the dimensions down to 12" x 12" x 12" for computing its volume.
The above rates are confirmed by USPS's Notice 123 Price List as well as eBay's shipping calculator tool, USPS's calculator and PirateShip's calculator - all of which accept decimal values for package dimensions.
eBay's listing form does not accept decimal values and eBay's guidelines state to round up package dimensions to the near inch, in violation of postal regulations.
eBay's software developer guidelines state to round up package dimensions to the nearest inch and only submit whole number package dimensions to eBay, in violation of postal regulations.
Under eBay's false guidelines the package mentioned above would have its dimensions rounded up to 13" x 13" x 13". Now the package is subject to dimensional rates as its volume of 2,197 square inches (13 x 13 x 13) is over a square foot. It would be subject to a dimensional rate for a 14 pound package rather than it actual weight of 5 pounds (2197 / 166 = 13.23 Rounded Up to 14). The package would now incur the higher rates below, with the rates within the brackets representing what the package should be charged using USPS guidelines.
Ground Advantage Commercial $21.11 (12.73)
Priority Mail Commercial $43.22 ($22.37)
Ground Advantage Retail $39.80 ($19.60)
Priority Mail Retail $64.55 ($29.20)
This means many buyers on eBay will be over charged for shipping as packages will be assessed higher dimensional rates when they are not subject to dimensional rates under USPS guidelines. eBay can't claim ignorance in the manner as eBay's own shipping calculator accepts decimal values and computes rates according to rounding the dimensions up or down to the nearest inch.
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On the other hand eBay' shipping calculator tool does not properly calculate Priority Mail Cubic rates. It does not round the dimensions down to the nearest quarter inch to compute the volume of the package.
Since decimal values for package dimensions are not allowed eBay cannot correctly determine if packages are eligible for Cubic rates or calculate those rates.
This means packages will be charged for the next highest Cubic pricing tier or be considered ineligible for Cubic rates altogether as the improperly computed volume exceeds 0.5 square feet.
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This is nothing less than wholesale fraud on eBay's part to overcharge buyers for shipping so eBay makes more FVF on shipping.
fern*wood
·1 year agoI'm pretty sure if you have your preferences set to charge buyers retail rates, that cubic pricing won't come into play anyway for the buyer since it's not available at the post office.
robbie31415
·1 year agoCan you please show me where USPS says dimensions can't be rounded?
If you can't provide that then your entire argument is false.
Figured I'd run your post through AI.
Fact Check: eBay Forum Post on USPS Dimensional Rates and eBay Shipping Practices
Claim 1: USPS rounds package dimensions to the nearest inch (up or down).
USPS requires shippers to measure dimensions to the nearest inch. Measurements less than 0.5 inches are rounded down, and those 0.5 inches or greater are rounded up.
Source: USPS Quick Service Guide
Claim 2: A package with dimensions 12.4" x 12.4" x 12.4" would be rounded to 12" x 12" x 12" under USPS guidelines and would not be subject to dimensional weight rates.
USPS guidelines would round these dimensions down to 12 inches each, resulting in a volume of exactly 1,728 cubic inches (1 cubic foot). Since DIM weight pricing applies only to parcels larger than 1 cubic foot, this package would not incur DIM weight rates.
Source: USPS DIM Weight FAQs
Claim 3: eBay requires sellers to round up package dimensions to the nearest inch, differing from USPS's guidelines.
eBay does not require sellers to always round dimensions up. Sellers can round dimensions to the nearest whole inch, whether that means rounding up or down, just as USPS guidelines allow. For example, a 12.4" measurement can be entered as 12" on eBay, aligning with USPS’s rounding rules. The post misrepresents eBay's flexibility in this regard.
Source: eBay Shipping Guidelines
Claim 4: eBay’s rounding method increases calculated dimensional weight, leading to higher shipping costs.
If sellers choose to round up unnecessarily (e.g., 12.4" to 13"), it can result in inflated dimensional weights and higher shipping costs. However, this is not a requirement imposed by eBay. Sellers who understand USPS guidelines can round down where appropriate and avoid these additional costs. The claim shifts responsibility for user error onto eBay.
Claim 5: eBay's shipping calculator does not properly calculate Priority Mail Cubic rates because it cannot accept decimal dimensions.
Priority Mail Cubic rates depend on precise dimensions rounded to the nearest quarter-inch. eBay's shipping calculator only accepts whole numbers, making it impossible to calculate cubic pricing accurately. This limitation can push packages into higher cubic tiers or exclude them from cubic pricing altogether.
Source: USPS Cubic Pricing Guide
Claim 6: eBay’s practices result in sellers and buyers being overcharged for shipping.
Overcharges may occur due to misunderstandings about how to round dimensions or the limitations of the shipping calculator. However, eBay provides flexibility for sellers to round down dimensions when appropriate, which can mitigate these issues. The claim of systemic overcharging or intentional fraud appears exaggerated.
Final Conclusion:
The forum post contains valid points about the challenges with dimensional weight and cubic pricing, but it misrepresents eBay's policies and practices:
The post exaggerates eBay's responsibility and intent, portraying the platform unfairly in some areas. Sellers can avoid many of these issues by adhering to USPS rounding guidelines and double-checking calculations using external tools when needed.
deserdog
·1 year agoVery good post!
12345jamesstamps
·1 year agoUSPS post office is not eBay...and eBay is not the USPS post office..
Depending on which one you use is what the cost of the package will be for shipping.
Using an eBay shipping label instead of physically walking into a USPS post office there will be a different shipping charge.
USPS post office has been around a lot longer than eBay.
fani_9693
OP1 year agoUSPS post office is not eBay...and eBay is not the USPS post office..
Depending on which one you use is what the cost of the package will be for shipping.
Using an eBay shipping label instead of physically walking into a USPS post office there will be a different shipping charge.
USPS post office has been around a lot longer than eBay.
Nothing to do with the issue at all. We are not talking about commercial rates versus retail rates.
We are talking about eBay not following postal regulations regarding rounding and not allowing actual package dimensions to be entered.
That means eBay will classify packages as being subject to dimensions rates when they should not be. That means eBay will disqualify packages from Priority Cubic rates when they should qualify. That means eBay will charge higher rates to customer that should be to charged.
In the example I provided a package should be charged a retail priority rate of $29.20, but due to eBay's fraud it charged a retail priority rate of $64.55.
Maybe you had better reread the original post and do a little research.
stainlessenginecovers
·1 year agoSince USPS regulations is to round UP weight and round DOWN dimensions (depending) and the Seller is the one that inputs that information, wouldn't a seller just input to those regulations and since USPS (and NOT ebay) actually GETS the item and would be the one to 'ask for more $$' if seller inputs incorrectly?
Not only that, but the ebay Shipping page ONLY SAYS to 'input correct dimensions...' (so again, go by the carriers system which is over 1/2" go up, under 1/2" go down for USPS (UPS/Fedex may be different) but the Example shown BY Ebay is for the WEIGHT ONLY, so there is absolutely NO Violation.
So, simply Input per USPS regulations
deserdog
·1 year agoProblem solved! Marry Christmas!
fani_9693
OP1 year agoNo problem solved as the post by stainlessenginecovers was nothing more than a series of lies easily disproven by eBay's own published content.
The Vichy French would be proud of you!
fani_9693
OP1 year agoSince USPS regulations is to round UP weight and round DOWN dimensions (depending) and the Seller is the one that inputs that information, wouldn't a seller just input to those regulations and since USPS (and NOT ebay) actually GETS the item and would be the one to 'ask for more $$' if seller inputs incorrectly?
WRONG!
That is a lie
USPS rounds ACTUAL dimensions UP or DOWN when it determines if the package is subject to dimensional rates. If it is subject to dimensional rates then it uses those rounded values to calculate the volume and dimensional rate.
You DO NOT enter rounded values! You enter the actual dimensions of the package.
Your image is not from the listing form. Its from the label printing process. The process of printing a label does not display rates to customers on the listing so you've just lied again.
Not only that, but the ebay Shipping page ONLY SAYS to 'input correct dimensions...' (so again, go by the carriers system which is over 1/2" go up, under 1/2" go down for USPS (UPS/Fedex may be different) but the Example shown BY Ebay is for the WEIGHT ONLY, so there is absolutely NO Violation.
WRONG!
A LIE!
eBay prevents you from entering the actual dimensions in the listing form as item does not support decimal values. It also prevents decimal values in 3rd party software.
eBay also states states to round UP to the neatest whole number when entering dimensions.
https://www.ebay.com/sellercenter/shipping/preparing-your-shipment/packaging-and-measuring#:~:text=Smart%20ship%20tip%3A%20No%20matter,to%20the%20nearest%20whole%20number.&text=Length%20is%20the%20longest%20side,up%20to%20the%20nearest%20inch.&text=Width%20is%20the%20shortest%20side,up%20to%20the%20nearest%20inch.
Your post is nothing more than series of lies.
Who else lies all the time?
eBay customer service.
ryry-jj
·1 year agoI'm always rounding up. That extra, if it is there, can go to cover packaging costs & fees on shipping. As much as I want to give buyers a low cost of shipping, my number one goal is to cover shipping & packaging costs
fani_9693
OP1 year agoIn my example a the package would be charged a Priority Mail retail rate of $64.55 when it should be charged $29.20.
A clear case of fraud by eBay to overcharge customers $35.35.
Your shipping costs are already covered as you are paying the $22.37 commercial rate while the customer is billed the $29.20 retail rate. You don't also need to slap on another $35.35.
eBay fraud on its users.
deserdog
·1 year agoOr, since you know how USPS rounds, do the rounding yourself.
fani_9693
OP1 year agoNot my job to put false package dimensions in the listing form to trick trick eBay's system to display a target rate range and then change those dimensions back to print a shipping label. Of course this also means I have to make note of the actual dimensions or remeasure the package once its shipped and remember to change the dimensions once its shipped. Imagine doing that for hundreds of packages at a time.
Its eBay job to follow USPS regulations.
If eBay does not want to follow USPS rules then its time their commercial contract with USPS was terminated.
Just another eBay fraud on its users as usual.
yuzuha
·1 year agoExactly. This is what I do and I've never had a problem.
deserdog
·1 year agoIt is not fraud, Ebay is not the post office. So they are not bound by the post office's regulations. Ebay explains in detail how to enter diminsions when using their calculator. If you think itis so bad, refund your customers the overage. Or simply use another company for the labels. I Use Pirateship. There you can use fractional inches in your diminsions.
fani_9693
OP1 year agoOf course they are bound by USPS regulations.
USPS can decide to terminate their commercial rate contract at any time for not following postal regulations.
PirateShip does display the rates to customers so you answer is a lie.
Dimensions placed into eBay's listing form display the rates to customers.
The fact that eBay eBay explains how to falsely enter package dimensions into their calculator does not mean its true or that it follows postal regulations.
You sound 100% confused. The shipping calculator tool and the listing form are two different things!
deserdog
·1 year agoIt is not fraud, it is just a bad shipping calculator. Use another shipping service.
fani_9693
OP1 year agoYes it is fraud!
Buyers will be over charged for shipping rates when they buy an item.
eBay does not allow decimal values to be entered for packages so eBay can not calculate Dimensional rates and Cubic rate properly for buyers!
eBay is violating postal regulations on its listing form and is telling software developers to violate postal regulations.
buyselljack2016
·1 year agoGood catch.
As there is nothing that I can do about it............... in such instances I would use Pirateship for those items, and when listing I would enter a size (12 X 12 X12) that would be recognized by Pirateship decimal points when purchasing a label.
 
fani_9693
OP1 year agoPirateShip does not display rates to customers on eBay!
eBay's listing form displays rates to customers on eBay.
eBay is preventing sellers from entering the proper package dimensions in not only their listing from but third part software used to upload listings to eBay. Further more eBay is telling sellers to round these up, which violated postal regulations.
This is FRAUD!
buyselljack2016
·1 year agoI did not post that Pirateship would display the rates to customers.
I stated to enter dimensions that would legally (USPS wise) equate to the same results.
All I posted was that the "work around" to attain the just end for something that I cannot otherwise controlðŸ˜
fani_9693
OP1 year agoIts not a workaround.
The problem is not printing a label.
The problem is eBay showing inflated shipping rates to buyers!
That is why eBay has disabled decimal values in the listing form.
That is why eBay has disabled decimal values from being submitted by 3rd part listing software.
Its called a SCAM by eBay to defraud users out of money.
eBay's own shipping calculator tool accepts decimal values and rounds packages down or up according to USPS rules for dimensional rates so eBay can't claim ignorance in the matter.
buyselljack2016
·1 year agoIt is a "workaround" to when listing, enter the dimensions that provide the desired results.
You either accept that fact, or you don't accept it🙂
I choose to work around things that I have no other control over.
I see it as less of a "scam" on eBay's part, and more a display of "ineptitude" on the part of eBay. (I know nothing about "coding", so I don't know where eBay's issue with not allowing it when listing lies)
Adjust to charge the buyer the desired rate when listing. Enter the decimals when label purchasing to provide the legally required dimensions.
If you have hundreds, or thousands of listings that fall into the "catch" area I do understand that it could be very annoying, and time consuming🙂
I make notes on my listings that have to get adjustments. One example is that I list with a lower weight to reduce the price gap between "retail" and what I pay on a listing with calculated shipping. Note is there so that I enter the correct weigh when purchasing a label.
deserdog
·1 year agoYou just do you then, Don Quixote!