eBay

rosewood85 · ‎01-03-2019

I just sold an item and purchased eBay's recommended USPS postage for $8.00. But what happens if when I take my package to the post office, it is not sufficient (e.g. because the package weighs more than expected, the box is larger than estimated, etc.) ? Can I purchase more postage while retaining the same tracking?

sunny_ell · ‎01-03-2019

Also, ALWAYS get a receipt from the post office, as they weigh the package to make sure the postage is correct. I did just that, and am glad I got a receipt. Got charged an underweight by the PO and ebay put it on my account $4.40. My package was correct and after a month of back and forth with the post office, they agreed and refunded my 4.40. Well, ebay is supposed to refund my account, which hasn't happened yet ( is it tyler@ebay to get their attention?). GET AND KEEP A RECEIPT FROM TTHE POST OFFICE. ☺

coffeebean832 · ‎01-03-2019

@luckythewinner wrote:
@rosewood85 wrote:
I just sold an item and purchased eBay's recommended USPS postage for $8.00. But what happens if when I take my package to the post office, it is not sufficient (e.g. because the package weighs more than expected, the box is larger than estimated, etc.) ? Can I purchase more postage while retaining the same tracking?
eBay's recommended postage is based entirely on information that you give them. So it would not be that eBay's USPS postage was insufficient, it would be that the information you supplied was inaccurate.

Have you ever seen the condensed quick version of the listing form? You list a sweater and it estimates it as 2 pounds priority shipment. The seller doesn't have to enter a weight or shipping method- they can use eBay's advised estimates. I believe that's what the OP is talking about.

threshold.sales.group · ‎01-03-2019

Since you are in business (even on a very small scale) you should know all about your costs, including postage prior to listing. You need to know those things to price correctly. That means determining the actual shipping package weight, dimensions and carrier options as part of the listing process. The alternative is winging it and that's guaranteed to cause all sorts of problems.

mediafirstnj · ‎01-03-2019

My post office has a scale in the lobby for those who are using the auto shipping and not going to the counter. I've used that scale if the item is too big for my scale. Since I go to the post office often, if I need it I use it then. My smaller scale at home is usually enought.

If you are selling only occasionally, maybe just put in the right size box and weigh on the lobby scale--not sure if all PO have the lobby selfservice

nobody*s_perfect · ‎01-03-2019

@rixstuff wrote:
.... I have a postal clerk who freaks out and ALWAYS wants to charge me more when I use an Ebay label - even when it is correct....

Maybe you should stop printing the postage amount on the label (for domestic items, anyway). If the clerk can only verify the weight, then probably they'll leave you alone.

rixstuff · ‎01-03-2019

Oh yeah, I stopped that years back. I also try to leave the packages when she isnt there or with a different clerk.

sam9876 · ‎01-03-2019

I never get a receipt.

castlemagicmemories · ‎01-03-2019

You can get a good scale for around twenty dollars here on Ebay.

sunny_ell · ‎01-03-2019

I didn't used to get a receipt. One day I just thought, sure, they always print it anyway. Glad I did that day!! Now I ALWAYS do.

rainbowcolorz · ‎01-03-2019

@rosewood85 wrote:
Are Priority Mail boxes free at the post office?

At my P.O. they are free but I usually don't go to the P.O. and just order them online, as well as the Padded Flat Rate Envelopes. They come in bundles.

buyselljack2016 · ‎01-03-2019

2 offices that I go to regulary have no printed receipt capability. Everything is done with the handheld scanner.

With one floating employee the challenge is to get an acceptance scan rather than an "arrived at the post office" scan.

My carrier is great, but if I am going someplace I generally try to drop the item off.

luckythewinner · ‎01-03-2019

@@coffeebean832 wrote:
Have you ever seen the condensed quick version of the listing form? You list a sweater and it estimates it as 2 pounds priority shipment. The seller doesn't have to enter a weight or shipping method- they can use eBay's advised estimates. I believe that's what the OP is talking about.

Hence my advice elsewhere in my post to "invest in a scale and a ruler and not let it happen again". If the condensed quick version of the listing form is getting it wrong, a ruler and a scale would catch that.

sam9876 · ‎01-03-2019

I drop my packages in the bin and leave.

buyselljack2016 · ‎01-03-2019

@rainbowcolorz wrote:
@rosewood85 wrote:
Are Priority Mail boxes free at the post office?
At my P.O. they are free but I usually don't go to the P.O. and just order them online, as well as the Padded Flat Rate Envelopes. They come in bundles.

Most offices are limited as to the variety they carry. For Prioriy most will only carry the "flat rate", as that is what they are allowed to order through the internal odering process. USPS wants to "upsell" to the unwary. (as others posted. sometimes "flat rate" is not the best deal) Some may have some occasional unneeded non-flat rate leftovers that a customer dropped off.

Local area business that packed and shipped things for people ordered a nice variety of boxes to use at their business.

Thing was, the person ordering the boxes failed to note that orders were for multiples. Instead of ordering one box of 10, or 25, they ordered 10 boxes of 10, and 10 boxes of 25, for 8-10 different sizes.

Postal cages full of shipping supplies rolled into the office. Truck could not bring them all the same day. Customer refused most of the boxes. Supplier did not want them shipped back, so some of the nearby offices carried a nice varity of boxes for a while.

tellmemama · ‎01-03-2019

@sunny_ell wrote:
Also, ALWAYS get a receipt from the post office, as they weigh the package to make sure the postage is correct. I did just that, and am glad I got a receipt. Got charged an underweight by the PO and ebay put it on my account $4.40. My package was correct and after a month of back and forth with the post office, they agreed and refunded my 4.40. Well, ebay is supposed to refund my account, which hasn't happened yet ( is it tyler@ebay to get their attention?). GET AND KEEP A RECEIPT FROM TTHE POST OFFICE. ☺

Yeah, it was my bad for not keeping the receipt. I foolishly thought it would go through just as the others had. I suppose I could try to fight it since I always go to the same PO with the same clerk (we've been friends ever since I started selling in 1998 and I've followed her to three different branches), but I see it going the same way as your dispute. So I take it as a lesson learned. If I make a mistake, clearly they'll get their money anyway.

But now it's going to be just once.

Joe