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Shipping costs more than the buyer paid
What do I do if the actual shipping charge is more than the buyer paid? Do I bill the buyer or eat the cost? Or can I choose a different shipping method that is closer to the price paid?
22 comments
kh-vince
·1 year agoHi everyone,
Due to the age of this thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.
Thank you for understanding.
simba6
·1 year agoNeither under eBay rules. Just have to take the loss. Got to take care when measuring and weighing packages to keep that from happening again.
bonanza125
·1 year ago@emplehod-sales
Why are you bumping a thread which is almost 8 months old?
bonanza125
·1 year agoYou absorb the shipping cost difference and then make sure that the stuff you have for sale has the correct shipping cost being charged. Don't let the buyer down with a cancellation cause you will get a defect. You are ultimately responsible as the sell to know what shipping costs are before listing. Make sure your weight and dimensions you are submitting are correct. I would suggest you double check everything you have for sale.
meha_2740
·1 year agoIf the actual shipping charge is more than what the buyer paid you typically have two options: either absorb the extra cost yourself or contact the buyer to discuss additional charges. You could also choose a cheaper, reliable shipping method that aligns with the price paid, but ensure it meets the delivery expectations you’ve set with the buyer.
iamalwaysright
·2 years agogator08041971
·2 years agoI try to list the item with the shipping as close (if not the actual) package weight and dimensions, and I list that with the retail shipping cost.
Then, when packing the item, I will verify the weight when actually packaged and dimensions. Then I get to choose the option of either shipping the listed method but paying the eBay discounted rate, or in some situations upgrading the shipping to the next option higher, if it will not be much cost increase and their location will benefit from it. (USPS Ground Advantage is just as fast as Priority when the two locations are near enough each other for example)
Make sure you are checking pricing for your package when shipped to the farthest place from you and use that as your baseline.
This can help establish a baseline, but by no means trust it entirely:
https://www.ebay.com/shp/Calculator
@momtoabeautifuldaughter
You eat the cost and you never change the shipping method unless you are upgrading.
I will politely disagree here. There are situations where its okay to change the method.
For example, moving from a Ground shipping via USPS to a Ground shipping via UPS or FedEx. But notify the buyer of the change and why.
I recently did this for one of my purchases, and immediately let the buyer know why the change was made. (USPS wanted over 91 dollars to ship the package, UPS was 41.22 and the shipping calculated was 41.50)
It was a heavy package and had larger dimensions. The listing wasn't originally setup to calculate that large of a shipment. (I wasn't expecting that large of a quantity of items sold in one sale) So in part it was my own fault, but at the same time, the problem was at least fixable, and the buyer was directly notified, though they never replied to my notification. That package should be delivered today, so will see if I hear anything.
But to my point, there may be times where its okay to change the shipping method as long as it isn't a downgrade from what was selected by the buyer. Most of my listings only have one option, and its the one I use most of the time anyway.
Good luck.
kensgiftshop
·2 years agoYou make up the difference and ship using the service the buyer paid for.
Find out what caused the difference and fix it, so it doesn't happen again.
emplehod-sales
·1 year agoFix what? Ebay's incorrect shipping calculation?
If you make a listing and the box is 12"x12"x12" and weighs 20 lbs, and you list FedEx for shipping, and someone buys it and Ebay charges them $15, then you go to ship the item and they charge you $20, how is this your fault?
momtoabeautifuldaughter
·2 years agoYou eat the cost and you never change the shipping method unless you are upgrading.
richard1rst
·2 years agoThe first thing you need to do is figure WHY the discrepancy. Otherwise it will just keep happening.
Was the weight or size wrong? Did you instruct eBay to charge the discounted price or the retail price? Was the box oversized? Did you select a service that eBay does not support (a large flat envelope for example)?
As for a different shipping method than what the buyer paid for - that is a mine field. If, for example, the buyer paid for Priority and you send it Ground Advantage it is a violation. If they paid for USPS and you use UPS that is also problematic. On the other hand if they paid for Priority and you are able to use a less expensive Flat Rate Box that is OK since it is still Priority.
There are people here who will help you walk through it if you get stumped. Provide the from and to ZIP code, the size and weight of the package and the service selected.
bdqbme
·1 year agoI had this happen too. I used ebay shipping rates to set up the item--with accurate information for weights and measurements. However, when the item sold, the amount the buyer paid for shipping was less than the cost to purchase the label. It isn't a lot (about 50 cents), but that's not right.
Perhaps there's a reason for that that I am missing, but that feels like a mistake on ebay's side.
bdmh-enterprises
·1 year agoIt looks like you're charging the discounted rate for shipping. If you do that and then buy your label at retail you will pay 10-20% more. You can change this in seller settings to charge buyers retail rates for shipping.
emplehod-sales
·1 year agoYou have no control over this any longer. Ebay now posts the discounted rate to the buyer.
nobody*s_perfect
·1 year agoYou can change that in your site preferences, so that your listings with calculated shipping will charge the buyer the Retail rate.
https://www.ebay.com/ship/prf
wastingtime101
·1 year agoHi @bdqbme . Please provide:
item number
package dimensions
package weight
shipping service
$ buyer paid
actual label cost
emplehod-sales
·1 year agoEbay would have no idea of the dimensions or weight of an item. I could say a 25 lb. package is 5 lbs. How are they to know when I'm purchasing a label? The charges would be adjusted by the carrier once they receive it.
Nothing was inaccurate on a sale I just made. They just charged the buyer less for the same size and weight than than I had to pay, on the same day the purchase was made.
714ricki
·2 years agoI would recommend that you absorb the cost for the higher than expected shipping cost. Treat it as a learning experience.
😎ðŸ™âœŒï¸
emplehod-sales
·1 year agoHow is this a "learning" experience when you have no control over it? I just had to pay more than the buyer for a sale because they didn't charge the buyer enough. No specifications on the package were changed. Ebay wouldn't know anyway. The label is purchased before the item is shipped.
Unavailable member
·1 year agoThey didn't charge the buyer enough? No the seller, YOU, didn't charge the buyer enough.
You, as the seller, set up your listing so you should have put in the correct weight and dims when YOU set up your listing.
The blame here falls on the seller.
momtoabeautifuldaughter
·1 year agoeBay charges off of the info that you enter so if they were charged incorrectly it was something you did wrong
emplehod-sales
·1 year agoCompletely not true. The exact dimensions and weight were entered. Item was purchased, they charged buyer an amount for shipping. When I purchased shipping, it was higher than buyer's. How could anything I did possibly affect this? It would be impossible.