why is eBay arbitrarily adding the pounds on a multiple listing purchase but not the package size

[cat1203]

I have noticed in the last month that eBay is automatically combining weights on multiple orders from the same listing but not upping the packaging size so what's with that?  I can't ship 10 soup bowls in the same size box that I use for 2, regardless of the combined weight.

[inceptions · Accepted solution]

@cat1203 

eBay would have no way of knowing what size box you are using for combined shipping. You can enter the box size when you purchase the label.

[cat1203]

Of course I realize that, but at the point of printing the shipping label, the buyer has already paid!  As far as I know, you can't go back and bill them for extra shipping.  I am not absorbing the extra money for shipping multiple purchases, nor should I.  If eBay can simply add the pounds and find that sufficient to charge the buyer during purchase, then they can well calculate additional sizing in the same manner.

[inceptions]

Many sellers may ship multiple items that fit in the same mailing container they would use for a sale of one unit. I know I sure don't want eBay assuming that the box will be the sum of each dimension and charge me (and the buyer) the over-sized package surcharge.

For example, I use a 12x12x9 carton to ship one of my items. If the buyer wants a quantity of six, they would all fit in the same carton because of they way they can stack. I could fit some additional items in as well. I don't want eBay calculating a box size that USPS won't take or that costs an exorbitant over-sized surcharge.

[cat1203]

Well, I don't want eBay to ASSUME that I can ship all that a seller purchases in a multiple transaction into the small box that would fit the single purchase.  I can always refund, which I often do, but I can't go back to the buyer and say 'that will be another $14.29 or whatever for the combined shipping.  Sellers currently have the ability to allow or not allow combined shipping calculations.  I have chosen not to do that because I can't send multiples in the same size container of what I sell which forces me to pay extra shipping out of my own pocket and I won't do that. 

The whole point of this question was to see if anyone knew why eBay suddenly started calculating combined shipping charges out of the blue without input from the seller which your responses don't answer.

[inceptions]

sorry, I haven't seen any changes in the way eBay calculates combined shipping.

I have the calculated shipping rule turned on as the default in My Shipping Preferences.

https://www.ebay.com/ship/prf

When I don't want to use it, I uncheck the box highlighted here:

You could consider that. The buyer would pay the sum of the shipping for each item. Then you'd be in a position to refund rather than collect too little and would be able to decide when you ship whether to ship together or separately.

I know this isn't exactly what you're looking for, but it might be workable for you.

[mr_lincoln]

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@cat1203 wrote:

Of course I realize that, but at the point of printing the shipping label, the buyer has already paid!  As far as I know, you can't go back and bill them for extra shipping.  I am not absorbing the extra money for shipping multiple purchases, nor should I.  If eBay can simply add the pounds and find that sufficient to charge the buyer during purchase, then they can well calculate additional sizing in the same manner.

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Hi @cat1203   

Unfortunately it is not "in the same manner" for determining the box size for multiple items on a sale.  On this point I agree with @inceptions , they are spot on.  I use the Calculated shipping setting and my Combined shipping setting ADDs ALL the shipping costs together.  In over 8 years of Selling I have never ever had an issue with not being paid enough to ship.  On my listings I state "Shipping is combined" AND on some I state "Shipping is combined when economical" because they might be larger items.  You also have the option to ship multiple packages if several items push a box to Dimensional weight rates and the shipping cost doubles or triples ... I did that just this week.  A customer bought 4 items, 3 were large enough to fit in one box just under Dimensional weight, adding the 4th item would have made that box too big, so I shipped it separately with its own lower cost shipping label.  Doing it this way I was still able to refund some over paid shipping ... putting all 4 items in a larger box above Dimensional weight I would have lost money on shipping.