Reminder: How FedEx and UPS works when label bought on Ebay

[bill.purvis2012]

Sometimes due to the size and weight on an item I come out better sending it FedEx or UPS. Ebay gives good discounts on these, especially FedEx with a program they have worked out with them.  But, take note. When you weigh and measure your item, enter details, buy FedEx or UPS, you get charged the amount Ebay says it is.  But~~~later after delivery the 'real' charges hit your account.  The original amount you paid is erased from your payment account and the new amount applies.  Sometimes.it is quite a bit higher.  Had that happen twice this week. 

[dbfolks166mt]

     You are not the only one to have this issue. The board has a lot of postings about the unilateral UPS charges. The estimates eBay provides when you purchase the label through eBay and ship UPS are just that estimates. Some of the horror stories on the seller forum involve hundreds of dollars in unilateral UPS charges. There is no way I would ever purchase a UPS label through eBay. If I was to ship that way I would take it to a UPS facility and have it measured, weighed and labeled then and there and upload the information into the eBay order. 

[katzrul15]

This is why we use our own UPS and Fedex accounts.  An occasional surcharge, but not often.

[rfmtm]

Yes, use your own accounts.  There are discounts available that come very close to what you get on ebay.   Besides many quotes on ebay are not correct for various reasons and the surprise charges later completely wipe out any discount savings you think your were going to receive anyway.  Plus if a problem you can contest it directly with the carrier, who usually can resolve it with little hassle.

Either ship directly from the carrier's website, or find a third party provider that has good discounts and integrates with ebay if you ship a lot.

[katzrul15]

We get better rates than e-Bay posts for UPS - we rent our mailbox thru them and we get discounted rates, which is nice.   We ship thru them as well -rarely have an issue.

[rfmtm]

Yes, UPS is a whole lot less problematic than FedEx, which often has problems with incorrect weight and dimension scans.  Plus home delivery is not by FedEx employees, but subcontractors causing more problems.

[katzrul15]

Agreed!!