What if eBay's USPS postage is not sufficient?

[rosewood85]

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? 

[rainbowcolorz]

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@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? 

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In the very beginning when I first started selling, this happened to me and from what I recall, the P.O. said they could not add the additional postage (I guess because the tracking # shows a certain weight/amount) and that I would have to go home, void the shipping label and re-do it, with the correct weight.  

[rosewood85]

Thanks!  I think the best thing then is to purchase the postage at the post office to avoid possibly paying twice (and then the mess of voiding, etc.).  It's  not worth the $0.45 discount.  I'll just have to manually enter the tracking # for the buyer.

[fern*wood]

You need to weigh your packaged item and enter the correct weight and dimensions when you list and print your label.  Guessing or relying on an estimate is never advisable. 

[a_c_green]

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@rosewood85 wrote:

Thanks!  I think the best thing then is to purchase the postage at the post office to avoid possibly paying twice (and then the mess of voiding, etc.).  It's  not worth the $0.45 discount.  I'll just have to manually enter the tracking # for the buyer.

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That'll work for you short-term, but you should really get yourself a digital scale so that you can print accurate labels at home, to get the on-line savings as well as the automatic tracking upload, etc.

When you know the packed shipping weight up front, you will be able to list with Calculated Shipping rates, so that interested buyers will see the actual Shipping cost to their location, rather than some guesstimated value that may be either too much or not enough to reach their place.

[rainbowcolorz]

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@rosewood85 wrote:

Thanks!  I think the best thing then is to purchase the postage at the post office to avoid possibly paying twice (and then the mess of voiding, etc.).  It's  not worth the $0.45 discount.  I'll just have to manually enter the tracking # for the buyer.

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Since you're going to the P.O. anyway, and you've already purchased and printed the label, why not take the label (and package) with you and ask if the label has the correct amount for the weight/size of the package?  If they say yes, then you're all set and you can just tape it on to the package .... if not, then you can just pay them for the postage.   

[nobody*s_perfect]

The discount can be a lot more than 45 cents, so if you plan to sell much you should buy a scale so you not only can save on postage but also so you don't undercharge buyers. 

[dhbookds]

Nowadays, the PO will charge on line thru ebay if there is a shortage (and credit excess).  Charge would go on your account, just like fees do.  I wouldn't recommend relying on that as probably (don't know for sure) you would may be restricted in some way if there are too many short weights.

As others have said, estimating postage is something everyone does at first......UNTIL you get caught and have to pay far more than you charged the buyer.

Do get a scale, about $20, and put in the proper weight (with the box you will mail in) and dimensions......it WILL save you $$ in the long run........  As will using ebay labels......

[judydu2]

You can take your wrapped package with the affixed label to the post office and have it weighed. If you need additional postage, just purchase it. The post office will affix the additional postage so that it can be readily seen - easy-peasy. It does not affect the tracking number.

[a_c_green]

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@judydu2 wrote:
You can take your wrapped package with the affixed label to the post office and have it weighed. If you need additional postage, just purchase it. The post office will affix the additional postage so that it can be readily seen - easy-peasy. It does not affect the tracking number.

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Sorry, they don't do that. The label printed via eBay/PayPal on-line is for discounted on-line postage. Postage bought over the counter is full retail. They won't do a retail makeup charge to cover the shortfall on an on-line label.

It's really not hard to get it correct at home. Plug in the box dimensions (rounding up to the next whole inch where necessary) and the package weight in pounds and whole ounces (again, rounding up, not down), and the label you're billed for (and print at home) will be correct. The point of knowing the package weight at listing time is so that Calculated Shipping will show the eventual buyer the correct amount of postage on their invoice, and you won't be in the hole. 

[adkhighker]

Yes

[tellmemama]

You absolutely can have the extra postage added without changing the tracking number you already used.  I've done this many times in the past and the clerk at the post office just prints another postage strip for the difference and sticks it near the label I printed.  Was never an issue until...

The last time I needed to do this, I entered the wrong weight (my fault) so of course I paid the difference at the PO.  A few days later I got one of the dreaded label adjustment emails from eBay.  The kicker was I was off by quite a bit and paid $8.75 in addition to the cost of the label I printed and got charged another $8.75 by eBay.

No more correcting for me.  From now on I'm just going to let them deal with it.

[rosewood85]

Thanks, I'll try this out today if I end up being short.  I can get a scale easily, but the issue is knowing the size of the box.  I'm not going to pre-purchase boxes for items of varying sizes that are not guaranteed to sell.  

[nobody*s_perfect]

Apparently the training related to the new APV system tells the clerks not to even weigh incoming packages with online labels, because they should let the APV system do it all.

[dhbookds]

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@rosewood85 wrote:

Thanks, I'll try this out today if I end up being short.  I can get a scale easily, but the issue is knowing the size of the box.  I'm not going to pre-purchase boxes for items of varying sizes that are not guaranteed to sell.  

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you can order free boxes/tyvek envelops thru the USPS site...........and except for the flate rate boxes, they can be cut apart to create Frankenboxes........