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2019 USPS Rate Summary for Priority Mail and First Class Mail

Here is my 2019 USPS Priority Mail and First Class Mail summary.  I created this for my own use and it is an incredibly helpful tool for me.  I'm sharing it here with anyone else who wants it.

 

Break-even amounts are calculated by dividing the Seller's cost by 0.871.  It ignores PayPal's $0.30 fee.

 

Ebay continues to charge buyers less than seller's cost for the flat-rate shipping amounts shown in the top box.  I have updated my flat rates to the purple amounts (break-even amounts).   You may wish to do the same. 

 

Enjoy!

 

 

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Re: 2019 USPS Rate Summary for Priority Mail and First Class Mail

TRS get (fairly deep 14% ish) discounts on First Class Package International (and maybe PMI and maybe PMEI), but I think it's a variable discount and not in any published lookup tables.

I don't ship internationally either so have nothing to investigate with either
Message 46 of 68
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Re: 2019 USPS Rate Summary for Priority Mail and First Class Mail


No matter how the amounts are derived, it's crazy that there is a Seller shortfall for some USPS services.  eBay knows it, some sellers know it, and a lot of sellers have no clue.  It is unconscionable, just my opinion, that a casual, small-time seller loses money on shipping. 

@mangorunnerthis is really excellent work! I found this thread through Google when trying to get clarity on exactly what eBay's USPS shipping rate pass-through is for sellers (that old eBay page with 2016/2017 info needs to be updated!)

 

I want to ensure I understand this, so to summarize,

 

For USPS Domestic 1st class & Priority Mail ONLY

 

  1. FOR NON-TRS: eBay label cost = USPS commercial pricing (same cost to seller notwithstanding FVF)
  2. FOR TRS: eBay label cost = USPS commercial pricing -3.0% (notwithstanding FVF)

Thanks so much, again great work!

Message 47 of 68
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Re: 2019 USPS Rate Summary for Priority Mail and First Class Mail

TRS do not get a discount on First Class. Only on Priority Mail.

Message 48 of 68
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Re: 2019 USPS Rate Summary for Priority Mail and First Class Mail

Got it, thanks @nobody*s_perfect .

 

So simply stated, for all domestic USPS 1st class and Priority Mail, eBay seller label cost is a straight pass through of standard USPS commercial rates, excepting TRS get an additional 3.0% discount off Priority Mail.

Message 49 of 68
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Re: 2019 USPS Rate Summary for Priority Mail and First Class Mail


@vociferous_commenter wrote:

No matter how the amounts are derived, it's crazy that there is a Seller shortfall for some USPS services.  eBay knows it, some sellers know it, and a lot of sellers have no clue.  It is unconscionable, just my opinion, that a casual, small-time seller loses money on shipping. 

@mangorunnerthis is really excellent work! I found this thread through Google when trying to get clarity on exactly what eBay's USPS shipping rate pass-through is for sellers.


Thanks!  I'm glad you found it useful.  I refer to it almost daily, myself.  Smiley Happy

Message 50 of 68
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Re: 2019 USPS Rate Summary for Priority Mail and First Class Mail

I love your sayin “Reality is the leading cause of stress.” I love it!
Message 51 of 68
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Re: 2019 USPS Rate Summary for Priority Mail and First Class Mail

13.1% is the exact charges for fees including the $ 0.30 transaction fee and 2.9 for pay pal.

also 9.9 E bay fees. I personally round to 15% thats $ 0.15 off every $1. To be safe and will make you a little bit more.

Message 52 of 68
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Re: 2019 USPS Rate Summary for Priority Mail and First Class Mail

Thank you very helpful
Message 53 of 68
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Re: 2019 USPS Rate Summary for Priority Mail and First Class Mail

THANK YOU for this chart!  A lot of work and a great reference.  So, I can lower the buyer's first class shipping costs and still make a cent or two - but I wonder if the buyer will know how much they are saving over ebay's set rate?  It could be $5+ savings

Message 54 of 68
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Re: 2019 USPS Rate Summary for Priority Mail and First Class Mail

eBay does not have a "set rate."   The eBay shipping calculator just uses the official USPS rates.  In your Site preferences, you can choose whether the shipping calculator shows (and charges) the buyer the retail or online rate.

 

For First Class packages, the weight limit online is 15.999 ounces but the retail rate weight limit is 13 ounces. So if you leave the shipping calculator set to charge the retail rate, but you enter a weight greater than 13 ounces, it will charge the buyer the price for Priority Mail just as the clerk at your local Post Office would.  That is the basis for the chart shown at the top of this thread. 

 

When you purchase an eBay postage label, you can choose whether to show the actual postage paid or not (hiding it is known as "stealth postage"). If you don't show the price, then the buyer will have no idea what you actually paid unless they take the trouble to look up the online price for the weight and zone (which are shown on the label even with stealth postage).  That $5 price jump when the calculator charges for Priority Mail could be causing lost sales.

 

Currently the postage cost for 14-15.999 ounces is the same as the cost for 13 ounces, so an easier way to avoid this big price jump is to set your package weight at 13 ounces for anything up to 15.999 ounces.

 

New rates go into effect in January 2020, so the price details of the chart will be obsolete but the principle is the same.

Message 55 of 68
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Re: 2019 USPS Rate Summary for Priority Mail and First Class Mail

THANK YOU for this chart!  A lot of work and a great reference.  So, I can lower the buyer's first class shipping costs and still make a cent or two - but I wonder if the buyer will know how much they are saving over ebay's set rate?  It could be $5+ savings

Message 56 of 68
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Re: 2019 USPS Rate Summary for Priority Mail and First Class Mail


@nobody*s_perfect wrote:

 In your Site preferences, you can choose whether the shipping calculator shows (and charges) the buyer the retail or online rate.


I looked for the rate option to which you referred.  I looked in Site Preferences (not sure if that link will work, or not) and couldn't find a rate setting option.  On that page, there is a link to Shipping Preferences and it has an option to "Offer carrier-specific discounts for buyers".  Is that the option you meant?

 

2019_1114 12.52.29 Greenshot 007287.png

 

Message 57 of 68
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Re: 2019 USPS Rate Summary for Priority Mail and First Class Mail

Yes.

Message 58 of 68
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Re: 2019 USPS Rate Summary for Priority Mail and First Class Mail

I recently sold a small train set for a friend. It was from the 50's and was 26" x 19" x 3" . I had to put the delicate falling apart original box into a slightly larger box to help in making the trip safer. It weighed in at 4.8 lbs. WITH the larger box. The buyer paid (if  remember correctly) about 12 dollars for shipping. Great I thought. I went to the post office the next day after an hour and a half to box it up. so far so good. At the P.O. counter the postal lady got out her ruler and measured the box. She gave me the shipping price of $48.00 + to ship it. I am on the east coast and it was shipped to the west coast "West Of The Rockies". Starting July 2019 there is a new item on the USPS web site that explains, ARE YOU READY?, Dimensional Weight. Anything over on cubic foot is oversized and falls into the dimensional weight category. Use your favorite search engine and look for USPS Dimensional weight. It is a real eye opener. It opened my eyes and my wallet.

Message 59 of 68
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Re: 2019 USPS Rate Summary for Priority Mail and First Class Mail

What dimensions did you enter for that package when you set up the shipping calculator?  The listing is charging the regular postage for a 6-pound box. If you had entered dimensions for a box over 1 cubic foot, then the buyer would have been charged at the dimensional rate.

 

The postage cost for your package was not affected by the new USPS dimensional rate policy which went into effect on June 23, 2019.  Before that date, USPS had already charged a dimensional weight for Priority Mail packages being shipped to Zones 5 - 9.

 

The other option would have been Retail Ground, which is NOT subject to a dimensional weight so it would have shipped at the regular weight-based rate. Postage for 5 pounds to Zone 8would be $23.02.  Your PO clerk did you a great disservice by not mentioning this option.

 

 

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