Can't list as Calculated Shipping Cost with Freight selected!

[docstill299n]

I have been selling here for 20 years. All of a sudden, Buyers cannot purchase my items that require Freight shipping. They get an error message saying to contact me for shipping cost. But, how can I give cost if I don't have their address? Also, that wouldn't change their ability to successfully purchase. I've spent almost 2 hours on phone with eBay and gotten nowhere.

On the Create Listing page - if I select Calculated Shipping, then select Freight as the method, it changes automatically to Flat Rate.   EBay customer service is no help.

How do I get to the old Create/Modify Listing page?

[slippinjimmy]

I don't think it's ever been possible to use calculated shipping for Freight, there are thousands of freight companies and none of them are integrated into eBay's shipping calculator.

[docstill299n]

I calculate it myself, then send Buyer an invoice after they purchase (but before they pay).  But now, it won't let me list as Freight without specifying a flat rate freight price!  Freight price can vary greatly depending on buyer location.

[pjcdn2005]

I’ve never used freight but when I did sell similar on one of your listings and choose freight over 150 lbs, it didn’t require that I enter a cost.  At which point is it asking you for a cost?

[docstill299n]

It is a broken loop, so to speak.  Enter "calculated shipping", then it prompts to select shipping method, so select Freight.  It automatically reverts back to Flat Rate Shipping,  Then, you cannot complete listing without getting error message to enter shipping cost.

I think this started happening just yesterday.   I went to revise a listing that a Buyer reported to me that he got an error message prompting him to contact me about shipping cost after he clicked Buy it Now.    The original listing was showing calculated Freight.  Previously, that would allow Buyer to purchase and then prompt me to send them an invoice.  Now, it blocks them and says to contact me for freight cost.  Even if I told them a cost, they still would not be able to purchase.  Also, how can I get cost without knowing their address?

[luckythewinner]

---

@docstill299n wrote:

It is a broken loop, so to speak.  Enter "calculated shipping", then it prompts to select shipping method, so select Freight.  It automatically reverts back to Flat Rate Shipping,  Then, you cannot complete listing without getting error message to enter shipping cost.

---

I think you misunderstand the meaning of "calculated shipping". 

"calculated shipping" means that eBay can calculate the shipping automatically for the buyer based only on the information provided in the listing. 

I don't think it was ever intended to mean that the seller will calculate the shipping for the buyer when the buyer asks. 

What happens if you do NOT choose "calculated shipping" at the start? 

[rfmtm]

Post 4 is the correct answer.  You must choose "Freight Over 150 lbs".   This results in buyer notified to contact you for a shipping quote.

[pjcdn2005]

Are you using the new listing form? I haven't seen that one but on the advanced/business form you don't choose calculated shipping and then freight.  You use either calculated OR flat rate OR freight.  I'm a bit confused about why you keep using the term calculated in relation to the form.  But that could be because I've never set up and posted a listing with freight.

[docstill299n]

OK, let me explain again.  First, you have to choose FLAT or CALCULATED (cost varies by Buyer location).  If you choose CALCULATED, it prompts to select a shipping method.  If you choose Freight, it changes previous selection back to FLAT, and will not let you finish listing until you enter the shipping cost.  How can I enter a shipping cost when I don't know where it will ship to?  So, I have to click Contact Seller for Details.

So now, Buyer gets an error message that he can't purchase because I have not specified my flat rate freight cost.  Previously, Buyer would click Buy-it-Now, and I would get notice to send him an invoice, because now I have his address.   I cannot determine actual shipping cost without the shipping address, which Buyer is not allowed to send until purchase is complete.

[rfmtm]

@docstill299n  Where are you seeing this?   The first menu under the shipping section has four options: Flat, Calculated, Freight, Pickup.  This is where you want to select freight.

[docstill299n]

Well, that is the OLD listing screen.  How do you get there?  And, that is exactly how I successfully made listings for the last 10+ years.  Now, they are only letting me use the the new one, and this is where the problem lies.  Is there a way to find the old screen?  eBay told me NO.

To clarify - this problem is caused by the NEW "improved" listing page.

[rfmtm]

So that's the problem, ebay has made changes.  That's going to be a big problem for other freight shippers as well.

velvet@ebay How does one select freight as shown in my post #10, when using the new listing tool that OP  says no longer has the option?

[velvet@ebay]

---

@docstill299n wrote:

OK, let me explain again.  First, you have to choose FLAT or CALCULATED (cost varies by Buyer location).  If you choose CALCULATED, it prompts to select a shipping method.  If you choose Freight, it changes previous selection back to FLAT, and will not let you finish listing until you enter the shipping cost.  How can I enter a shipping cost when I don't know where it will ship to?  So, I have to click Contact Seller for Details.

So now, Buyer gets an error message that he can't purchase because I have not specified my flat rate freight cost.  Previously, Buyer would click Buy-it-Now, and I would get notice to send him an invoice, because now I have his address.   I cannot determine actual shipping cost without the shipping address, which Buyer is not allowed to send until purchase is complete.

---

Hi @docstill299n! You'll want to follow the below steps:

Make sure you choose “Contact for details” for “Shipping cost” and see “Calculated offline” on the page. Like these:

Then the buyer can request the order total during checkout, but they'll have to wait until you send the invoice to pay. Like this:

After the buyer chooses to commit to buy, but before they checkout, you can also send an invoice through the item page. Like this:

[docstill299n]

Yes, Velvet, that is how it should work.  But, you see in your example that it has switched back to Flat Rate.  Still, I did use those settings, but my Buyers can't get to checkout because when they click BUY it NOW, they get an error message. The do NOT get the screen you posted, they get this one:

Try with item # 1779397515019

[docstill299n]

Sorry, that was not item #.  It is:  154941898476