USPS rates $4 higher than they "should" be?
Summary: A discussion initially focused on discrepancies with shipping dimensions and package categorization on a platform led by wastingtime101. They sought advice from other users, particularly regarding issues with label defaults not matching listing sizes. Participants suggested possible causes, including third-party lister issues or platform errors, and asked for more detail through screenshots. Later in the thread, a new participant raised concerns about unexpected shipping charges and was informed by others that the issue was related to recent rate changes, distinct from earlier topics.
I'm seeing posts from sellers confused about why their shipping costs are $4 higher on USPS services than they're expecting.
The answer is you have "irregular package" selected on the listing form / shipping label page and the nonstandard packing surcharge is being applied.
If you are finding a lot of your listings are affected, learn tips on how to manage bulk updates by scrolling to the listing form > bulk edit section in this guide:
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Shipping/Seller-Guide-Nonstandard-Packaging/td-p/35174991
Sellers: be extra careful when you "sell one like this" from another seller's listing. You should always be verifying all details, especially package weight, dimensions, and whether "irregular" is checked.
nw-setbuilder
·1 month agoYeah dude, that is not the problem. You can't alibi for eBay and expect people to believe you. RURAL customers all got kicked to the curb today by ebay, you will find out, come down off mount high and mingle with the commoners after you check your ego.
mamacassidy
·1 month ago@nw-setbuilder
Before you click on a post, be sure to check the date of the post. This one was started 11 months ago and is pertaining to a completely different change in shipping policy that occurred at that time. This has nothing to do with today's rural increase.
Just FYI from one of the commoners...
44012
·1 month ago🌹
jade-la
·1 month agoMy item was not categorized as an "irregular package" item, yet I am still being charged $8.40 for a 4 oz. small package.
thriftyfiftyfifty
·1 month ago@jade-la This Post is like from a Year ago and has nothing to do with recent rate changes making your Package $8.40.
jade-la
·1 month agoThanks.
fern*wood
·1 year agoI still feel this needs to be on the first page and/or ebay needs to make an announcement about this as a possibility when sellers see incorrect postage being charged.
asset_liquidators
·1 year agoI have a package today that weighs 12oz being quoted at $9.51 with ebays claim of "on ebay you save 28%", yet the actual RETAIL counter price is $9.25 and I can do Click-N- Ship only $5.71.
So ebay is charging MORE than retail and claiming it is a 28% discount!
wastingtime101
OP1 year agoI am assuming that's a typo and you're being quoted $9.71 - that is the entire purpose of this discussion. Did you read the OP @asset_liquidators ?
You have the option selected for irregular/nonstandard packaging which is why the rate is $4 higher. Fix your settings for package type and you'll see the accurate $5.71 rate on eBay.
The discount percent reflected is accurate because if your package was truly irregular the retail rate would be $13.25. Actually it's not entirely accurate as that's a 27% discount from $9.71, not 28%, so there's some kind of rounding issue perhaps, but it's pretty close.
asset_liquidators
·1 year agoNo it showed 9.51 BUT, I did just fix that and it now shows $5.51. Not sure where ebay suddenly got this "non-standard" from because this is a multiple quantity listing and anytime I sold others from the listing it gave me the normal price.
I also just went to revise the listing and see that the non-standard box was now checked.
Thanks for pointing it out to me!
wastingtime101
OP1 year agoThe irregular checkbox wasn't activated until a few weeks ago, so if your last sale was before July 13 you would not have seen the rate difference. Click the nonstandard link in my sig below for more info @asset_liquidators .
wastingtime101
OP1 year agoBumping this for visibility with hopes it'll help more sellers running into this question.
fern*wood
·1 year agoI feel this needs to be pinned to the top with a flashing red alert to read. Sellers continuing to call in for help with this one will never get it figured out.
fern*wood
·1 year agoThis still needs to be pinned at the top. I see posts most days with sellers having this issue.
pickapaper
·1 year ago@wastingtime101
I just had one of these overcharges. I went back in and looked but I couldn't see anything that looked "wrong" but I wasn't exactly sure what to look for.
The item number is 396897650266, package sent Ground Advantage, weighed exactly one pound and measured 9"x6"x4". Label charged $9.15. I checked the USPS website and that is the amount I would have had to pay if I had bought the label at the PO.
wastingtime101
OP1 year ago$9.15 for exactly 1 lb Ground Advantage is accurate @pickapaper . It's not the rate you'd pay at the PO.
1 lb to zone 6 Ground Advantage is $10.50 retail / $9.15 commercial rate and also eBay rate to more rural areas / $7.96 eBay rate to more populated areas like cities.
Edit: are you sure you were looking at the retail rate at USPS? Remember, you can access commercial rates when you buy labels online from USPS.
pickapaper
·1 year ago@wastingtime101
Thank you for checking this for me. I know rates have gone up but just didn't look right for some reason. I think I'm just having one of those days. 😩
wastingtime101
OP1 year agoHappy to check shipping rates any time @pickapaper . That 1 lb rate is annoying because it's higher than the 15.999 oz rate. Any time I'm exactly at 1 lb, I see if I can do something like trim down a box flap and get it down a faction of an ounce.
adamcartwright
·1 year ago@wastingtime101
How does trimming a package down to 15.99 oz help, if we have to round up to the nearest ounce to purchase the shipping label? Have I been doing something wrong all along?
wastingtime101
OP1 year agoIf you are shipping Ground Advantage and rounding up to 16 oz: yes, you are doing it wrong.
USPS Ground Advantage rates scale: up to 4 oz, up to 8 oz, up to 12 oz, up to 15.999 oz, exactly 16 oz.
At retail, the up to 15.999 oz and 16 oz rates are the same.
When buying your label online, USPS has an entirely different rate for that .001 oz difference @adamcartwright and the further the zone, the more significant the leap.
See here:
https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/Notice123.htm#_c451
adamcartwright
·1 year agoThanks for that info, because any time I purchase a label on eBay, it reminds me to round up.
buyselljack2016
·1 year agoeBay doesn't let you do the USPS accepted 15.9 ounces for the correct rate, but pirateship does. Possibly others as well.
wastingtime101
OP1 year agoOn eBay the seller can enter 15 oz, even if it weighs 15.9 oz, since it's the same rate.
les_trois_j
·1 year agoI am still having the same trouble. Ebay was saying it would cost $12 to ship from GA to CA but when I printed the label on pirate ship it was the normal $4.80
wastingtime101
OP1 year agoItem number, weight and dimensions @les_trois_j ?
wastingtime101
OP1 year agoHey @g195876 . I saw your post on the ask a mentor forum where @comics-scifi-collectibles has been offering you great advice. Hope you don't mind me jumping in. Since I can't post on the mentor forum I'm tagging you into this thread.
- Can you provide a few item numbers that were impacted?
- What version of the listing tool are you using - app, website, or third party lister?
In response to this:
"I have changed the size to 5x6x3 and revised it, double checked it does show that size on the listing, but the ship your order label page shows 1x1x1 and shows irregular package."
To be clear: you can change the dimensions and de-select the irregular package option on the label page, you're just wondering why it's defaulting to something that doesn't match your listings, correct?
Can you post screenshots of both the listing's shipping section when in edit mode and also the label page defaulting to different dimensions / package type (block out any personal info)? Make sure the screenshots are from the same listing.
I can see your listings are set up incorrectly (you are advertising First Class), but even though you should correct them to advertise Ground Advantage, that shouldn't be causing issues with the irregular package checkbox or dimensions in the label flow.
Right now some potential theories:
- You're using a third party lister and that's causing the issue.
- You're using the app where eBay has not yet added the irregular package checkbox to the listing flow so you can't see whether it's checked or not.
- You're using the web but not looking in the right spot for the irregular package checkbox.
- It's a tech error.
g195876
·1 year agoI don't use a 3rd party.
I've had this listing for over 10 years with no issues, I've made no changes on my listings prior to having this issue.
I only have this issue on some of my listings.
I use my laptop, and have checked numerous times at the irregular box, and it is Not checked.
Yes it defaults to the 1x1x1 size and shows irregular size.
Yes I can manually change the size and irregular on the shipping label page.
I just changed from USPS first class to ground advantage, and made sure the irregular box was not checked, and it still shows irregular size on the shipping label page, and charges 4.00 more.
wastingtime101
OP1 year agoCan you verify the item you're checking on the labels page had updated dimensions and no 'irregular' checked before the buyer made the purchase?
If you just made changes then wait for your next sale and report back. Typically dims only default to 1x1x1 on the label page when left blank on the listing and irregular will only populate on label page when it's checked on the listing.
Since you've been making updates @g195876 we should wait for your next sale on a listing you updated.
There's a disconnect somewhere because I'm still seeing First Class on every listing I randomly spot checked.
g195876
·1 year agoI only made changes on item number 282407969698
It now shows ground advantage on the listing.
No I cannot post screen shots.
I went to a previous sale for that item and clicked on reprint label, and it still defaults to the 1x1x1 and irregular.
wastingtime101
OP1 year agoOK it may be pulling in data based on the listing info at the time you made the sale.
This is why I suggested updating all of your active listings, then checking labels after those items sell and come back if the problem persists.
Items already sold you'll just have to manually update the label page.
You only have 18 listings so it should be fast to update your listings even if you don't use bulk edit.
g195876
·1 year agoOK, I'll wait until I have another sale and report back.
I appreciate your help.
I'll change the other listings to ground advantage when I get time.
Thanks again.
g195876
·1 year agoNow after changing to ground advantage, the listing shows local pickup only.
item number 282407969698
wastingtime101
OP1 year agoOK I saw that local pickup listing.
Are you able to post a screenshot of the shipping section in listing edit mode?
adamcartwright
·1 year ago@wastingtime101
No problem. I appreciate all the info I can get, especially from you.
wastingtime101
OP1 year agoSomeone told me you were looking for the info in the original post upthread @adamcartwright @cami*june*vintage .
adamcartwright
·1 year ago@wastingtime101
Thanks for this post.
I haven't noticed this problem in my shipping yet, but it's one to watch out for.
wastingtime101
OP1 year agoOh sorry if I got the IDs wrong @adamcartwright - I was not about to read the 80+ post thread. I was told you and the other seller I tagged thought it was a tech bug and might appreciate the info in the original post (and in my signature below).
cami*june*vintage
·1 year agoThat was it! Thank you so much for your help!
ryry-jj
·1 year ago@wastingtime101 ...how are you interpreting the bubble out mailer as being irregular or not? It is one of those, "it can be" situations. It seems to be based on how uniformed it is, with the design of a miler being tapered at all edges where would does the uniformity end? If over 3/4", thick I know it goes as a package, but say a 1" deck or cards in a 6X9 mailer, is that now an irregular package?
wastingtime101
OP1 year agoNo. Generally speaking, USPS does not consider it irregular if it's not uniform thickness. Check this post which addresses your specific question @ryry-jj :
Seller Guide: Nonstandard (Irregular) Packaging - post #12 re: USPS / package uniformity
wastingtime101
OP1 year agoVisibility bump as I'm seeing several sellers running into this problem.
l5vw
·1 year agoThank you !! Just ran into this issue and now its fixed !!
wastingtime101
OP1 year agoThanks for posting. Good to hear I was able to help someone and this post wasn't a waste of time. 🙂