usps flat rate shipping?

Question

Please Help!!! I cannot find answer anywhere!! I sold on Ebay for a few years about 10 years ago. At that time I (we) always used USPS Flat Rate priority mail. It was a piece of cake!!!!!! I started to sell again in Jan. of 24. Before starting I ordered a TON of Flat rate shipping envelpoes and boxes. However, I cannot figure out if I can even use them!!! It seems everything must be weighed and sent GROUND ADVANTAGE.... I DO NOT WANT TO SEND IT THAT WAY!!! How can I change my items I list to ONL...

suhami_6551 · Accepted Answer

I am just learning this all over again so I now am beginning to understand! Things are not what they used to be! I have hundreds of the same type item and I just wanted to streamline things. The way I used to do! I will eventually figure out the weight etc. thanks for your help!! ðŸ˜€

suhami_6551 · Answer

Thanks for your help! Cricket in Az ðŸ˜ƒ

richard1rst · Answer

@suhami_6551 wrote:
Please Help!!! I cannot find answer anywhere!! I sold on Ebay for a few years about 10 years ago. At that time I (we) always used USPS Flat Rate priority mail. It was a piece of cake!!!!!! I started to sell again in Jan. of 24. Before starting I ordered a TON of Flat rate shipping envelpoes and boxes. However, I cannot figure out if I can even use them!!! It seems everything must be weighed and sent GROUND ADVANTAGE.... I DO NOT WANT TO SEND IT THAT WAY!!! How can I change my items I list to ONLY be sent USPS Prority FLAT RATE??? Or do I have to use GROUND ADVANTAGE? I realize it is cheaper for the buyer, however, I am selling rare collectables and the buyers can buy my item or NOT!! Someone will no matter what the cost of shipping!! PLease help. Do I now have to go out and buy MORE envelopes???? Cricket in Az

More to the point - it is cheaper FOR YOU ! You may not care if your buyer is throwing away money but why are you throwing away your own?

1786davycrockett · Answer

@suhami_6551

Make sure that you are entering the correct dimensions of each individual box which you are using.

USPS Priority shipping will not show up automatically as a shipping option unless you enter the proper dimensions of each box that you use (height X width X depth).

sapphire_studio · Answer

You have expedited shipping on most of your listings. You probably have a setting turned on that is passing the commericial prices to the buyer and they are being charged priority cubic prices prices based on the size of your package. You actually need to select what flat rate item you will be using when creating the listing. Consider making them pay retail rates.

Keep in mind that you are running auctions so the savings the buyer has with shipping will get passed to the item price. If they save $5 they will bid up your item another $5 because they have a budget for what they are willing to spend. Any investment into your own packing supplies (like bulk rate bubble mailers from ebay) will make you more profit in the end.

USPS Flat rate had gotten much more expensive, especially compared to the new USPS Ground Advantage Cubic (charged by size not weight) that ebay recently started offering.

If it is a big enough item you could be auctioning it for $5 with $24.75 shipping in a Large Flat rate mailer, or you could be auctioning it for $20 with $10 Ground Advantage cubic with a box you kept from something else you recieved.

If you really want to do priority and get free supplies also consider non flat rate free items and use the cubic priority when it is cheaper than what you can do with flat rate.

wastingtime101 · Answer

You can offer whatever shipping service you like. Where are you running into issues? Is it finding priority flat rates on the listing form?

When package dimensions entered on the listing form exceed eBay's programmed dimensions, eBay will not show you those shipping options when setting up your listing. To access these services, enter the following package dimensions:

USPS Priority Flat Rate Envelopes: 12x9x1
USPS Priority Small Flat Rate Box: 8x5x1
USPS Priority Med Flat Rate Box: 14x12x3 or 11x8x6
USPS Priority Large Flat Rate Box: 12x12x6
eBay Standard Envelope: max weight 3 oz / dim 11x6x1 (actual thickness of physical envelope cannot exceed 1/4" and it must be flexible)
USPS First Class Letter (untracked): max weight 3.5 oz / dim 11.5x6x1 (actual thickness of physical letter cannot exceed 1/4")
USPS First Class Large Envelope/Flat (untracked): max weight 13oz / dim 15x12x1 (actual thickness of physical envelope cannot exceed 3/4" and it must be flexible & of uniform thickness)