New USPS ground advantage shipping service

[hanford571]

I’m creating a new listing and I see that eBay has recommended a new shipping service (USPS ground advantage). I looked it up and so if I’m understanding correctly it’s basically a less expensive version of priority mail but it takes longer to get to the buyer? Is that essentially the only difference between USPS ground advantage and priority mail? I assume that if I choose USPS ground advantage I can just print out the shipping label, stick it in my mailbox and not have to bring it to the post office right? 

[buyselljack2016]

Ground Advantage is a combination of Parcel Select, and 1st Class to a service with one name, and now includes insurance.

All my items can go out for carrier pickup

[robbie31415]

It's not a less expensive version of priority.

It is however less expensive than priority.

Ground advantage is a 'standard' service that is compatible to UPS Ground (5 day service)

USPS priority is an 'expedited' service that is similar to UPS 3 Day Select.

Typically slower services are cheaper, yes.

[richard1rst · Accepted solution]

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@hanford571 wrote:

I’m creating a new listing and I see that eBay has recommended a new shipping service (USPS ground advantage). I looked it up and so if I’m understanding correctly it’s basically a less expensive version of priority mail but it takes longer to get to the buyer? Is that essentially the only difference between USPS ground advantage and priority mail? I assume that if I choose USPS ground advantage I can just print out the shipping label, stick it in my mailbox and not have to bring it to the post office right? 

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I have been using it pretty much exclusively since it came on line. My experience has been that it is "slower" by maybe a day. NBD. As for labels, etc and your other questions you do exactly what you have been doing with Priority Mail. So the answer to your last multi-part question is - yes yes and yes.

On a single label there may not be much of a price difference. But as you continue to use it the totals start to add up. My shipping costs have gone done significantly to the point that when the new postal rate kick in next January I do not have to make any changes. I suspect that even the new ground advantage rates will be less than the current Priority Mail rates baked into my prices. (Yes, that is just a guess). And, as I see it, that will give me a competitive edge over those who raise their prices in line with the new rates.

[itsjustasprain]

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@richard1rst wrote:
I have been using it pretty much exclusively since it came on line. My experience has been that it is "slower" by maybe a day. NBD. As for labels, etc and your other questions you do exactly what you have been doing with Priority Mail. So the answer to your last multi-part question is - yes yes and yes.

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Its also worth mentioning that you get up to $100 coverage automatically included with Ground Advantage, same as Priority. The old First Class Package (which Ground Advantage replaces, along with Parcel Select) offered no automatic coverage at all.

[stephenmorgan]

I have found that delivery times are close to the same, but during peak mailing seasons I would expect this to change.

Ground Advantage is cheaper but you have to provide your own materials to ship with such as boxes, tape and envelopes.  If like me you had been using a lot of Priority Mail materials then you may notice an increase in materials cost for the additional supplies needed to ship Ground Advantage.

[dbfolks166mt]

     As others mentioned you are correct. When it became available I switched my default shipping to ground advantage. I don't purchase my labels through eBay but utilize Pirate Ship which also has ground advantage cubic which on occasion reduces the cost a bit more. I also buy the labels using a credit card which has a cash back rewards so I reduce costs even further. 

     On occasion, depending on what you are shipping, the priority mail flat rate boxes or flat rate envelops are cheaper than ground advantage especially if the item is heavy. You can ship up to 70 pounds in a flat rate box or envelope. It's just a matter of checking the shipping options when you go to purchase the label. I have never had a buyer complain about a free postage upgrade from ground advantage to priority mail. 

[inhawaii]

In a nutshell, it's taken over First Class Mail. 

Pros: It now includes insurance and you can ship items over 1 lb.

Cons: I can't think of any right now. 

[sapphire_studio]

The main con, like someone else mentioned earlier in the thread, is pretty much not being able to use the free priority shipping boxes and envelopes.

[inhawaii]

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@sapphire_studio wrote:

The main con, like someone else mentioned earlier in the thread, is pretty much not being able to use the free priority shipping boxes and envelopes.

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True. But the same applied to First Class Mail as well.

[robbie31415]

For continental US I'd say the average difference I've seen is in the middle 1.5 business days. So basically half around 1 day, half 2 day.

For Alaska and Hawaii I've seen much greater distance unless I'm guessing they may have had room with the priority packages.

[freeshippingsurplus]

huh? it's not priority mail, so why would you be able to use the priority boxes?

[stephenmorgan]

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@freeshippingsurplus wrote:

huh? it's not priority mail, so why would you be able to use the priority boxes?

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Of course not but I think you may be misunderstanding the cost factor.

Before Ground Advantage it use to be

First Class is up to a pound and you have to use your own box.

After one pound you had to use the previous ground service that was offered or Priority Mail.

The previous ground service was only pennies cheaper than Priority for the small packet (under a cubic foot).  It literally was like 5¢ to 25¢ cheaper plus you had to use your own shipping materials.  So why not use the free shipping materials, send it Priority and save the cost of buying the shipping materials.  This outweighs the 5¢ to 25¢ savings.

With Ground Advantage for a small packet, it is cheaper then Priority with a noticeable difference in price than the previous ground methods plus it is insured for $100.  You have to use your own shipping materials for this service so depending on how much your materials cost this could be a less expensive option.

I mostly ship less than 3 pounds with many items being 8 ounces.  Almost always the Free Priority Supplies work well for my shipments of over a pound.    

Over the last three years I shipped 48 First Class Packages and used my own supplies.  The biggest expense was the boxes and tape I had to purchase.  Over the last three months I have shipped over 50 packets using Ground Advantage and have had to acquire a bigger assortment of box sizes in order to use this service.  

So now I have a choice, use Free Shipping Supplies and ship Priority or purchase my own Shipping Supplies to save a little and ship Ground Advantage.

If you are sending large packets then the Free Priority Mail Supplies may not work anyway.

[sapphire_studio]

The OP asked "Is that essentially the only difference between USPS ground advantage and priority mail?" 

So they are mostly wondering about packages over a pound. It is a good question, and really the main reason I can think you would choose priority over ground would be the free supplies.

[sapphire_studio]

Well said!

Overall I am happy about the switch. I am only really using priority mail now when they are close enough to me that the price difference is less than $1, or smaller items that fit into flat rate envelopes and bubble mailers. 

Also anyone reading this, do not forget about Ground Advantage Cubic on Pirate Ship. That is the cheapest method the majority of the time if you are shipping Ground Advantage over a pound and under 20 lbs.