Platform Shipping Wars
Summary: christworks discusses a new USPS HazMat fee and expresses concerns about how different platforms, like eBay and others, are handling shipping charges, particularly for rural ZIP codes. They criticize eBay for not adapting quickly to manage shipping costs and suggest eBay should implement solutions for sellers. stainlessenginecovers and others discuss the ongoing rural surcharge and speculate on eBay's potential managed shipping program. Concerns raised include how USPS fines might be implemented and the efficiency of marking hazardous materials. Various participants share opinions on how shipping policies impact sellers and the importance of accurate labeling for safety during transportation.
A non-compliance HazMat fee of $50 will be implemented by USPS starting next week. Today, I received an email from another reselling platform letting me know that they will be covering all of the HazMat fee up until July 31, and then starting August 1 they will cover $45 of that fee, with the seller only owing $5.
I ship HazMat items correctly, so it does not impact me. But, between that benefit and the upcharge to rural ZIP Codes that won't apply to certain other platforms, I think this puts eBay in a position they should not be in, given they are the #1 reselling platform. They should be leading the solutions for resellers, not following behind while smaller platforms take the reins on this issue.
Just some of my thoughts when it comes to what to do about the rural ZIP Code situation.
Changing from flat rate to calculated is not an option at this point. It would be too time-consuming to go back and input weights and dimensions for 1,500 listings. eBay's programmers should be writing code right now to implement into the UI an option to upcharge rural ZIP Codes.
jdbelt1960
·Jul 11, 2026 at 10:35 PMWhat people don't realize is all of the delivery carriers use airplanes at one point or another. There are times packages are transported by truck.
Don't you think these pilots and drivers need to know accurately whether packages are hazardous. A seemingly harmless labeling mistake could cost lives when dealing with hazardous materials.
As for the rural location situation...
christworks
OPJul 11, 2026 at 11:05 PMBingo. That is really the issue. Generally USPS will keep a package shipped Ground Advantage on a truck if it is going to Zones 1-4. If it is going to Zones 5-9, there is a good chance it ends up on a plane even though it isn't being shipped Priority. DOT regulations require certain packages be marked. If they aren't properly marked, the carrier can be held responsible for not ensuring their customers marked their packages.
When a package is marked with a DOT label and there isn't anything in the box that is HazMat, it cost the carrier money because they handle as if it is.
tobaccocardyahoo
·3 weeks agoMuch of the USPS long haul transportation is contracted out to UPS. UPS makes use of trains to a large extent, not only trucks or air. (FEDEX used to have this contract)
Avoiding the hazmat risk for air is a big deal, because they often use unused space in the planes for GA, rather than fly partially empty. On the occasions when the mail travels on commercial aircraft, they do not want the risks of hazmat. Nor should any of us.
As a seller who uses only new packaging, and never sells or ships hazmat, this is of little significance to me.
grand-and-glorious-purpose
·3 weeks ago · EditedYeah I don't think that is happening from this new policy.
I mean you can't ship stuff in a Coors Light box because it is a fire hazard? All cardboard is a fire hazard whether is says Coors on it or not.
grand-and-glorious-purpose
·Jul 10, 2026 at 6:15 PMI want to know how the USPS is going to find out who to fine?
Are they going to randomly open and inspect Ground and Priority packages like they do Media?
stainlessenginecovers
·Jul 10, 2026 at 6:22 PM · EditedThat way (random) and or 'xray' when going through some of the various DC's.
Does USPS Use X-ray Scanning?
Yes — USPS does use X-ray technology to scan packages, but it is not applied to every single item. X-ray scanning is part of USPS’s security screening process, used to detect prohibited or dangerous items without opening the package Mangoful+1.
How X-ray Scanning Works
USPS X-ray machines emit low levels of radiation to create images of a package’s contents. Staff can then identify items like weapons, explosives, hazardous materials, or contraband without physically opening the package....The process is non-invasive and is designed to protect postal workers and the public.
grand-and-glorious-purpose
·3 weeks agoI would definitely not want to be a postal worker that was protected from x-rays
christworks
OPJul 10, 2026 at 9:14 PM@grand-and-glorious-purpose One of the big issues facing USPS when it comes to HazMat is boxes not being properly marked and boxes having HazMat markings but the item isn't Hazmat. The latter, from my understanding, is actually the bigges issue they have. It forces them to send packages by ground even if they don't need it, potentially all the way across the country. That results in bottlenecks and unnecessary delays, which may very well cost more money than simply being able to put the package onto a plane and send it to Zone 8, for example.
stainlessenginecovers
·Jul 10, 2026 at 5:43 PM · EditedBut hasn't the 'rural surcharge' been going on for 1, 2? years?
I just shipped an item to 'rural' Illinois, 2lbs+ and should've cost the 'new/temporary' $6 GA, but instead was $14 because it was 'rural' and apparently NOT included in this 'new/temp' GA deal.
christworks
OPJul 10, 2026 at 6:33 PM@stainlessenginecovers Yes, there has been a rural surcharge for a while, but the price has increased due to the discount not being a deep as it previously was. This more notable when shipping to rural zip codes that are in Zones 1-4, where the discount was pretty decent. Based on what I've observed, it appears the percentage discount was lowered about a week after the deep discounts for 3LB-5LB packages took effect. This may have been supposed to happen at the same time.
Just to be clear, USPS did not raise the rates, which is why there has not been an announcement that specifcially addresses that. What changed is how much the commerical rate discount is. Adjusting that is a subtle way of "raising" the rate for rural areas.
All of this is by design. eBay needs sellers on-edge over shipping costs so they are ripe for the pickin' when they roll out managed shipping. Whatever deal they work out with USPS will be based on volume and eBay will have to deliver that. This means they will need sellers to onboard with that program.
stainlessenginecovers
·Jul 10, 2026 at 7:17 PM@christworks what's this 'managed shipping' you speak of? Sellers won't be able to use their own Fedex/UPS accounts or buy labels at other places like Pirateship?
christworks
OPJul 10, 2026 at 9:12 PM@stainlessenginecovers eBay made changes to their User Agreement (read the subsection called "Shipping" under section 14) about six weeks ago. The changes allow them to implement a managaged shipping program. A seperate eBay Shipping Terms and Conditions policy was added as well.
The policy changes indicate any carrier could be part of the program, but buried at the bottom of eBay shipping terms policy is an annex that you must click on to read what it says. It reads that eBay's partner for managed shipping is USPS and the program is called Simple ShippingServices. eBay is currently testing this new managed shipping program in a limited number of zip codes and only in certain categories. They have provided no further details on a sitewide roll out or how it will exactly work. There is some concerning albeit vague language regarding returns that on the surface seems to imply sellers will be responsible to returning original shipping charages should a buyer decide to return something, even though under managed shipping the seller never receives the shipping money the buyer pays and the seller does not buy the label.
I believe one of two things will happen with that: Either that will only apply to INAD returns or buyers will have less of a window to return something. If I am recalling correctly I think buyers on Mercari only have 72 hours after delivery to open a return and I think it is similar for Poshmark, but may be a slightly longer timeframe? It definitely isn't 30 days.
A big part of eBay's business plan is the eBay Money Back Guarantee. I do not see them shortening that 30-days to a week or two weeks, much less 72 hours. Likewise, eBay pushes sellers to offer any reason returns. Do they abandon that for items that qualify for managed shipping? I don't know. This is something we need details on as it could be a tough pill for some sellers to swollow.
I sell on other platforms, and managed shipping does not bother me. Heck, if implemented more like Poshmark and less like Mercari, it will be so attractive no seller in their right mind would refuse to partake of it.
I think this is the only way to get a handle on the out-of-control shipping costs. In my view eBay is behind and should have addressed this at least two years ago. It most certainly needs to be addressed this year before the start of Q4. I believe they will. Their initial announcement earlier this week about the changes taking effect Sunday said there would be no rate increases "at this time" for ounce-based shipping charges for non-rural zip codes in the Contentinal U.S. That phrasing is important because it indicates they know there will be changes to that in the future. My thinking is it will hapen when they roll out managed shipping sitewide. You either sign up for that and enjoy one flat rate no matter where you ship to in the U.S. and stronger seller protections when shipping to buyers, or stick with the old way of doing things and pay more for labels and still be responsible until a package has a delivery scan.
stainlessenginecovers
·Jul 11, 2026 at 12:30 AM@christworks Thanks for that. I seldom read those things. I hope they Do lower the 'return window' and the actual 'return (give it to me) window..but I'm not holding my breath.
tobaccocardyahoo
·3 weeks agoI believe this simple shipping is available to non-professional sellers in the UK. And I am not certain it is actually being tested in the US.
christworks
OP3 weeks ago@tobaccocardyahoo Buried inside what eBay calls the 'annex,' it states USPS is eBay's partner for Simple Shipping. This is part of the U.S. User Agreement It wouldn't be in that agreement if it did not apply to the U.S. or they did not intend to apply it to the U.S. We already know that they are testing managed shipping for a limited number of zip codes. It isn't that hard to conclude they would at least like to expand the program to the U.S. in an effort to reduce shipping costs. We've seen this with other things that eBay starts in other countries, then expands to the U.S. a year or two later.
tobaccocardyahoo
·3 weeks agoYes some initiatives have moved here, but sometimes they do not.
I have no confidence this will lead to lower shipping costs.
mcdougle4248
·Jul 10, 2026 at 1:04 PMI also use flat rate. Calculated does not make sense to me for my items, and I do not think my buyers would respond positively to calculated shipping.
I like your idea! Why not include Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and military addresses in the upcharge idea?
christworks
OPJul 10, 2026 at 5:26 PMYes, definitely. Any place impacted by surcharges should have an option for a 'special' handling fee or something similar. eBay has pushed sellers to offer free shipping for years. That part of their business model is going to be have be rethought once sellers realize they are playing a game of Russian roulette never knowing when they'll get a buyer in the middle of the nowhere.
I am going to try to hold off making any changes until eBay gives us an update on the managed shipping program they are testing. I think that has the potential to solve a lot of these issues, so hopefully they will update things sooner rather than later.