Shipping Miscalculations are Killing us
OK, I'll just use one example I have many. Buyer paid $6.49 for shipping. I had listed the item at 4 lbs. When I actually got it packed it only weighed 3 lbs. but the shipping was $10.49.. Now that is hard to explain. The box size was 6 x 9 x 11. Am I going to have to add 5 lbs to every item to make sure I don't loose money. I know I know eBay does it's best, and I can stand a couple of dollar error, but we're running $4, $5 dollars overruns on everything it seems. Any body else solved this problem ????? I ship mostly glass pcs. and they normally fit into standard size boxes. What is weird is, on this piece, I had listed the shipping as USPS Priority but am using Ground Advantage and there is still a $4.00 discrepancy. The listing for USPS Priority Service would have cost me $17.39 and at that point I'm better off to break the glass and take a red mark from the buyer. I can't keep running into this problem. What are we to do to solve the problem?????
denden13
·2 years agoYou may need to go in and update all your listing shipping from First class to USPS Ground Advantage and that will show you a more accurate rate.
yuzuha
·2 years agoI have never once had a shipping miscalculation that wasn't the direct result of me inputting the wrong dimensions or weight when creating the listing.
dbfolks166mt
·2 years agoI noticed you have an answer so I will quit posting. If you go to the web be careful what you ingest. Just because it is on the internet doesn't make it true as I constantly tell my kids and grandkids.
dvgoldsales
OP2 years agoAmen to that, but I get a different attitude most of the time. More like ok, I understand, have your considered? Have you thought about? NOT I DID THE CALCULATIONS and your are wrong it should have been this or that.... that is what I mean.. thanks for you advice.
deserdog
·2 years agoI just plugged in those numbers, to zone 1 it is $6.36 ground advantage, $6.86 priority.
Zone 8 it is $11.69 ground advantage, $19.78 priority.
What zip did you ship from and what zip to?
dvgoldsales
OP2 years agoDon't vex yourself. that kind of recalculating everything effort only ends up with someone getting their nose out of joint.
fern*wood
·2 years agoNo, because the calculator has always worked properly for me, unless I entered something wrong when I listed the item.
Are you passing the shipping discount along to your buyers, but paying retail at the post office? I wasn't clear as to whether or not you printed your labels online.
dvgoldsales
OP2 years agoI print on line.
fashunu4eeuh
·2 years ago@dvgoldsales wrote:
â€What is weird is, on this piece, I had listed the shipping as USPS Priority but am using Ground Advantage and there is still a $4.00 discrepancy.â€
Just an FYI—If the listing states the shipping is for Priority, then the package needs to be sent as such. Sellers cannot downgrade a shipping class from what is outlined in the listing. Upgrading the carrier service is allowed, downgrading is not.
“Sellers must ship items within the handling time stated in their listing, using the shipping service the buyer selected at checkout.â€
https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/default/shipping-policy?id=5035
dvgoldsales
OP2 years agoThen eBay can cancel me out can't they?
fashunu4eeuh
·2 years ago@dvgoldsales wrote:
â€â€¦Am I going to have to add 5 lbs to every item to make sure I don't loose money.â€
No. But to avoid costly under-estimations, it will serve you well to package every item up prior to listing, (leaving it unsealed). As you have 16 items, this is doable. Weigh it, measure it, put the dimensions and weight into the shipping section of the listing form. Use calculated shipping and the transit cost will be exact for every transaction.
dvgoldsales
OP2 years agorofl I am supposed to prepackage all 3,000 items that I offer so I get an accurate measurements.. right. I don't have enough room to store that many packaged items let alone the fact that less than 5% of them will ever sell. Plus all the wasted packing material setting around.. can';t afford your solution. BEST SOLUTION, Don't SELL! I got it. I don't know why I thought someone would offer good advice. sorry to have wasted your time and mine.
fashunu4eeuh
·2 years agoThis is sound advice for someone who has 16 items listed (which i mentioned) and a feedback score of 9. Nothing i suggested was a slam. Can only go by the information you share. You appear to be a new seller.
My time wasn’t wasted until you thru it back in my face. When appealing to the community for help, an open, friendly attitude is an asset.
dvgoldsales
OP2 years agoYou assume because you saw 16 items the other 234 hadn't just expired... hence the reason for concern because of horrible shipping costs.. sorry but really.... nevermind.
slippinjimmy
·2 years agoYou don't need to actually pack anything, what you need to do is measure the weight of your various regular boxes and padding or bubble envelops and extra padding (if you use it).
I only use a few different types/sizes of packaging, I know the (almost) exact weight of the packaging right down to the tape, the packing slip and the shipping label. I can weigh the actual item and then add the weight of my standard packaging it would fit in and thus I have the total weight without any need to pre-pack.
Although I weigh each order after it's packed it's rare that the total is more than a 1/4 ounce variance from my estimate with the size never being larger than my estimate.
nobody*s_perfect
·2 years agoNow that eBay offers Cubic rates, it's important to know the package dimensions, too. For packages over 1 pound, up to 1 cubic foot via Ground Advantage and up to .5 cubic for for Priority, it's the volume, not the weight, that will determine the postage cost (unless the package weight exceeds the Cubic limit, which is 20 pounds).
dvgoldsales
OP2 years agoA good choice for sellers of limited item shapes and sizes.. I sell everything from a quarter, to a 40 lb. crock, to an automobile. We virtually have 3000 unique items in inventory with less than three that are identical. It is near impossible to always gauge accurately. The problem is that all of a sudden everything seems to be costing more than we are charging for shipping. It's just that I find it upsetting to think I've overcharged only to find out I didn't charge near enough and the problem is the emphasis that the post office puts on size versus weight at certain distances. We ship the same size item to Illinois and it costs differently than if it's going to Ohio...and we're in Indiana.. so it's difficult to actually figure out ahead of time. I'm going in and completely overhauling our listings. Only possible solution for shipping....it will probably kill a lot of sales but it will resolve the shipping issue.
dhbookds
·2 years agocheck to be sure you don't have the #weight in the ounce box...........in the listing
dvgoldsales
OP2 years agothanks but ya know what... I am done ever coming here for help. I'll go to the web first. Appreciate you trying to help but nope I didn't do that.
fern*wood
·2 years agoIf you didn’t enter dimensions when listing and are passing on the shipping discounts to your buyers, then I’m sure you are getting hit with too low calculations for what your buyers are being changed. No dimensions will auto fill as 1â€x1â€x1â€, so every one like that will be charging your buyers low cubic rates. Then when you print your label with the correct dimensions, the actual cost is higher. First thing to do is change your preferences to charge retail rates and don’t pass on the discount. That way they won’t be charged the low cubic rates since these aren’t offered with retail pricing.
steady2304
·2 years agoUsing your numbers above (11x9x6 3 lbs) the package would have cost Retail $12.15 USPS Priority or $10.50 USPS Ground Advantage to me in 63129 St Louis from Danville IN.
You might want to go back to the ended listing and click on sell similar to see if you had any errors in the dimensions or weight. Also, are you offering the eBay discounted rate to your customers because that is the only way $6.49 for the buyer to pay would have come up with the calculator. Did you print the label online or did you go to the Post Office to purchase the shipping label.
Looking at your terms of service I see other problems that will probably come to light at some point.
Your Terms of service are mostly unenforceable.
Buyers have a 30 day MBG with eBay so that trumps your 7 day return policy.
Also, if an item is damaged in transit your Insurance TOS are also not going to fly because buyers can just file a INAD claim and get a complete refund including shipping without waiting for any insurance claim to process.
You will find out that insurance doesn't protect the buyer it is actually for the seller to protect from loss. Buyers have the eBay MBG to protect them. Also, if you want the item returned with insurance you will have to send the return label to your buyer and not expect your buyer to pay for that.
You have some really nice items, but highly breakable.
dbfolks166mt
·2 years agoYou will find out that insurance doesn't protect the buyer it is actually for the seller to protect from loss. Buyers have the eBay MBG to protect them. Also, if you want the item returned with insurance you will have to send the return label to your buyer and not expect your buyer to pay for that.
Actually shipping insurance, at least for USPS, covers both. Either the buyer or the seller can file a damage claim with USPS and it is easier for the buyer to do so since they have the damaged item and the original packing which USPS will probably require the buyer to take to their local post office for validation of the claim.
I have received a couple of damaged items, although not from eBay purchases, and simply filed my own claim with USPS. In each case I was required to take the item to the post office, the claims were approved in all but one case and the PO kept both the item and the original packing. The only thing I asked the seller to refund was the cost of the shipping which USPS will not refund you for.
Of course using the ebay NAD or CC chargeback is probably the easier path for the buyer to take.
dvgoldsales
OP2 years agoI won't be rude, but I'd like to be. Thanks for wasting you time trying to call me a liar, stupid, and using your absolutely superior intellect to prove it. Have a nice day. oh btw ,,, YOU are so wrong.
luckythewinner
·2 years agoI don't see $10.49 as a published rate for any combinations of zones for Ground Advantage.
https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/Notice123.htm
dvgoldsales
OP2 years agoYou're right it wasn't 10.49 it was it was 10.99 my bad.
dbfolks166mt
·2 years agoOne other thing to check is to make sure you don't have one of the shipping discounts enabled in your account settings.
aeparts1
·2 years agoAs others have mentioned, make sure the dimensions of the box are accurate in your listings. The size of the box is more important than the weight in many cases.
All your shipping charges seem low to me, when shipping to Pennsylvania, so something is amiss.
You can add a handling charge to your listings if you need to.
I make money on just about every item I ship. I use accurate box dimensions & weights, & a small handling charge.
dvgoldsales
OP2 years agoI am happy for you.. we are getting soaked... I lost $10 on a sale this morning... I put accurate number is and when it's going to California or AZ I get hammered well beyond what my customer pays. Can't keep doing this and I am NOT making errors in the weight or size of package. If fact I was a pound under and about 3 cubic inches smaller in the actual box that we shipped. Why am I responding...... I came here to get suggestions not be hammered.
dbfolks166mt
·2 years agoI am happy for you.. we are getting soaked... I lost $10 on a sale this morning... I put accurate number is and when it's going to California or AZ I get hammered well beyond what my customer pays. Can't keep doing this and I am NOT making errors in the weight or size of package. If fact I was a pound under and about 3 cubic inches smaller in the actual box that we shipped. Why am I responding...... I came here to get suggestions not be hammered.
Is this a different item that the one you sold on the 12th? If so which one. It's not that you are making errors in the size or weight of the package but in the case of the $29 sale on the 12th it was an error in the postage class.
dvgoldsales
OP2 years agoI heard the First class argument, but if that is the case it was NOT my error as my listing was for 4 lbs and the listing program will not accept anything in first class over a pound, now or ever.
dbfolks166mt
·2 years agoI heard the First class argument, but if that is the case it was NOT my error as my listing was for 4 lbs and the listing program will not accept anything in first class over a pound, now or ever.
And herein lies the anomaly. In at one case it did allow it. The following item which you indicated was for 4 pounds allowed you to select first class as the shipping service. Not sure why a I mentioned up thread along with others I am not sure why this was allowed. The fact that it was is an issue to take up with eBay tech support. I pulled the following directly from the listing.
dbfolks166mt
·2 years agoI am happy for you.. we are getting soaked... I lost $10 on a sale this morning... I put accurate number is and when it's going to California or AZ I get hammered well beyond what my customer pays. Can't keep doing this and I am NOT making errors in the weight or size of package. If fact I was a pound under and about 3 cubic inches smaller in the actual box that we shipped. Why am I responding...... I came here to get suggestions not be hammered.
People are trying to help you I have not seen any responses that were/are hammering you.
dvgoldsales
OP2 years agoright... two responses were really helpful because they told me what I should look for and didn't try to say I did something wrong . Too many here want to prove you are wrong no matter what you say.... Some of them I thought rude because they assumed I can't read and follow instructions. THE BIGGEST MISTAKE I made was asking the community in the first place... I know better. I will not make that mistake any time soon.
dvgoldsales
OP2 years agoThank YOU for giving me a helpful answer... most everyone wants to prove how awfully wrong you are it seems. I appreciate someone willing to try and help... thanks
dbfolks166mt
·2 years agoWhich item was this? Where was the buyer located? I looked at one of your listings and you are not using USPS ground advantage, at least for this item.
If I plug the dims and weight for a 3 pound package measuring 6" x 9" x 11" shipping from your location to mine in Virginia I get the following. Even at the discounted rate this is, as you noted, more than the $5.93 I see for the shipping cost when I look at the item
stephenmorgan
·2 years agoThe sample you are showing the Seĺlers shipping is calculating shipping based on First Class Mail.
Is eBay still allowing First Class Shipping calculations for packages? Even if the system did allow the First Class selection it should not have been allowed because the weight of three pounds is over the old First Class Package allowance of 15 ounces.
I would guess nothing is entered correctly within the listing details for the shipping.
dbfolks166mt
·2 years agoThe sample you are showing the Seĺlers shipping is calculating shipping based on First Class Mail.
Is eBay still allowing First Class Shipping calculations for packages? Even if the system did allow the First Class selection it should not have been allowed because the weight of three pounds is over the old First Class Package allowance of 15 ounces.
I would guess nothing is entered correctly within the listing details for the shipping.
That was my point in the example. Seller thinks they are using ground advantage when in fact they are not. I have no clue, other than it's eBay, why, as you noted, eBay even allowed the selection of first class.
slippinjimmy
·2 years agoIt's a choice so that sellers can offer First Class LETTERS and FLATS.
wastingtime101
·2 years agoGenerally speaking that's correct in regards to why eBay allows sellers to choose First Class Letter/Flat services, but that's not what happened with this seller.
On the listing in question, the seller never updated their listing from the non-existent First Class package service which is why the buyer paid a Ground Adv rate $6.33.
Problem with the rate charged is less to do with the defunct shipping service on the listing and more to do with the seller entering the wrong weight/dimensions on the listing form plus charging online discounted rates. They charged buyer the discounted cubic rate for a small box then shipped in a larger box.
Several of their active and sold listings are charging the same exact low $6.33 rate which tells me the seller is either estimating a small box, or just using "sell similar" and ignoring box size completely. Hence, not charging buyers enough for shipping.
dbfolks166mt
·2 years agoIt's a choice so that sellers can offer First Class LETTERS and FLATS.
I realize that but the item dimensions and weight were above what USPS allows for that service so not sure how it was even accepted when the seller created the listing.
dvgoldsales
OP2 years agoIt could not have been excepted... so it's a problem that I was justified in bringing for a solution.
dvgoldsales
OP2 years agoI use Auction Wizard 2000 to list my items and anything over 1 lb will not be accepted by the "first class" option.. now or never.
dvgoldsales
OP2 years agoGlad you went to all that Trouble. THE ACTUAL COST TO ME WAS $10.96 with Ground Advantage. IF YOU WANT I CAN PASTE THE ACTUAL TICKET UP HERE. I LIST EVERYTHING with Priority Mail as the primary, but I ship ground advantage and I'm still getting hit with losses. :
What your buyer paid
What you earned
dbfolks166mt
·2 years agoGlad you went to all that Trouble. THE ACTUAL COST TO ME WAS $10.96 with Ground Advantage. IF YOU WANT I CAN PASTE THE ACTUAL TICKET UP HERE. I LIST EVERYTHING with Priority Mail as the primary, but I ship ground advantage and I'm still getting hit with losses. :
No trouble. The problem with this listing is priority mail was NOT the primary nor an option. The shipping method was listed as first class as both @stephenmorgan noted. I still have no idea where your buyer was located so not sure if the $10.93 you paid for the actual shipping label was high or low. If you provide the buyers location (city/state) I can check on that.
dvgoldsales
OP2 years agoyou cannot list an item for first class over a one lb.. then or ever. First class is not even an option. The item weighed 3 lbs it was listed in the ad at 4 lbs. Those numbers would not have been allowed to have even been entered.
wastingtime101
·2 years agoHi @dvgoldsales. There are several problems here.
- It is a violation to downgrade shipping service. You cannot advertise Priority then downgrade to Ground Advantage. Per eBay that qualifies as "item not as described" and grounds for any buyer to file a claim against you.
- Your listing # 126363743311 was set up with First Class shipping which is why your buyer paid only $6.33 when your actual label cost for a zone 8 Ground Adv package was $10.93
That solves the problem for this specific listing. If you'd like help with other listings please provide the item numbers and the package size/weight.
I scrolled through your sold listings and see the same low ship cost on several items that are advertising Ground Advantage. You must have the wrong weight/dimensions on those listings for that low rate to appear.
Go to this page:
https://www.ebay.com/ship/prf
If you are passing on carrier discounts to buyers you can turn that setting off and charge retail rates. That may solve a lot of your problems if you've been entering wrong dimensions on the listing form. It will not solve your problems if you are underestimating weight on the listing form.
dvgoldsales
OP2 years agoYour name is appropriate to your assistance.
jerseyboymusic
·2 years agoA postage scale and tape measure are your best friend when utilizing the Shipping Calculator feature when listing an item. I don't think the teapot you have listed will really cost $5.80 to send it to me in Ohio.
You should have those dimensions in the calculator, if you don't already
dvgoldsales
OP2 years agoSorry, but then you haven't shipped very much.... I seldom see any shipping under $6 rarely usually $8 - $14. I shipped a little glass basket not 6" tall today to Chicago and that cost over $10. and that's only 125 miles away.
dbfolks166mt
·2 years agoSorry, but then you haven't shipped very much.... I seldom see any shipping under $6 rarely usually $8 - $14. I shipped a little glass basket not 6" tall today to Chicago and that cost over $10. and that's only 125 miles away.
In general I would agree most of my items are in the same range, a few are in the $5-$8 range but those are generally smaller light weight items that ship in bubble mailers. Most of your items are somewhat bigger and require boxes.
If the following is the item you shipped there is still something wrong with the shipping calculations eBay is showing to the buyer but you may also be overpaying for your labels. If this shipped in an 8" x 8" x 8" box and weighted over a pound what I would see as a buyer in Chicago is a shipping cost of $6.89 which is well below what the full retail shipping cost that I would expect to see which would be about $11.70.
If you actually shipped this priority mail the label should have cost you around $6.82. If you are having issues with the cost of the eBay labels you may want to consider using another shipping label service like Pirate Ship which has about the same discounted rates as eBay, sometimes better. I also pay for my Pirate Ship labels with a cash back credit card which actually reduces my shipping cost a bit further.
dvgoldsales
OP2 years agoHelpful , thank you I'll look into that.
nobody*s_perfect
·2 years agoThe postage calculator in eBay listings and on the label prep form is usually very accurate. What were the ZIP Codes for the package in your example?
One potential source of recurring errors is when the ZIP Codes used for label purchase don't match the ZIP Code used in the listing. Double-check the "Shipping from" information on your label form; this is not the same entry as your return address.
toysaver
·2 years agoI recommend measuring each and every box and not going by what is listed as the size on the bottom. A quarter inch can be the $5 difference. A box that is 11" x 9" x 6" is by the new USPS cubic pricing, a big box.
USPS Priority Mail Cubic Shipping & Rates | Pitney Bowes
dinkette231
·2 years agoGood Afternoon
I've been reading up on shipping miscalculations and have an issue I have not been able to figure out.
I'm in hopes you could give me some assistance with a shipping cost issue I've been having recently. It's only been the past month or so, I believe.
If I thought an item could be shipped in a box smaller than 12x12x12 I would not complete the package size when listing; was not a problem until recently. Now the shipping cost to the buyer is different to the costs I'm paying after entering box size; even if the box is smaller than the 12 x 12 x 12, weight of the package has been correct. I read your response regarding shipping from zip code and from what I can see It appears that my listings show shipping correctly from 49010.
I appreciate any suggestions you may have.
Thanks
Lisa
nobody*s_perfect
·2 years agoStarting in January, eBay sellers have had access to USPS "Cubic" rates for Priority Mail and Ground Advantage. Cubic rates are based on package volume and Zone, rather than on weight and Zone.
eBay's policy is to show either the regular OR the Cubic rate, whichever is lower, without revealing to the buyer or seller that the Cubic rate is in effect. Thus, for packages up to 1 cubic foot going via Ground Advantage, or up to .5 cubic foot going via Priority Mail, the package dimensions must be accurate in order to ensure that the buyer is charged the correct postage.
dinkette231
·2 years agoThanks so much; I appreciate the response.