Calculated postage on listing page doesn't match postage on shipping label

[irlandaise]

I must be doing something wrong, but I can't figure out what...I put up three Beatles souvenir booklets for auction; two of them have sold. The calculator on the listing page told the German buyer that it would cost US$14.60 for one of the items to be shipped to him via USPS First Class Mail International / First Class Package International Service, so that's what he paid for shipping. But when I went to create the shipping label, USPS charged me $21.83 ($22.50 minus the eBay online discount). I double checked the weight, and I had the correct weight in the listing. Why is USPS charging me so much more when I create the actual shipping label? Or if $22.50 is the correct amount, why is it only saying $14.60 on the listing page? Did I set up something wrong when I created the listing?  😞

If you want to try the listing-page calculator yourself, here's the page for the unsold item; it's the same weight as the ones I sold:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/172667695454

[partial*eclipse]

Most likely, the "Package type" was set to "Large envelope" (AKA flat) rather than to "Package/thick enevlope."

[lintbrush* · Accepted solution]

First Class Int'l Package

1-8 oz is $13.50

9-32 oz is $22.50

First Class Int'l Large Envelope

16 oz - $12.60

Do you have a $2 handling charge for int'l shipping?

Not just the service, but the package dimensions and type have to be accurate.  Did you by chance pick Large Envelope (Flat)  instead of Package/Thick Envelope?

That's all I can come up with.

[missjen831]

There is a known issue with ebay's calculator and first class international shipping. Its been undercharging buyers for most of the year now. However, if you made a mistake somewhere, one of the experts in this area will respond with the correct answer 🙂

[green-night]

There is a known issue with ebay's calculator and first class international shipping. Its been undercharging buyers for most of the year now.

@missjen831   I am unaware of any known issues like this when it comes to int'l shipping.  I agree with the others and I would almost guarantee that the OP has their package type set to envelope instead of large envelope  / package.   The only issue I've been aware of was when the calculator was messing up combined shipping for int'l shipments and combining them based on evelope rates.   Not sure if that is still an issue but I don't think it is. 

[duchess-at-speakeasy]

To Germany, $22.50 is the retail rate for FCP weighing 9 oz. to 2 lbs. For 1 oz. to 8 oz., the retail rate is $13.50. I can't account for $14.60 unless you added a handling charge.

Did you also check the weight shown on the label? Did the weight carry over from a previous label?

~~C~~

[irlandaise]

Hi, everyone. Thanks for the reminder about handling charges. Yes, I added a $2.00 handling charge, so the base price on the calculator would have been $12.60, which matches what lintbrush said for a flat envelope of up to 16 oz. 

I just clicked "Revise my item" so I could see the details of how I set up the shipping. In the section where I activated international shipping, I chose "USPS First Class Mail International / First Class Package International Service." Now I see what you're all talking about: the next section where there's a drop-down menu, and yes, I had chosen "Flat Envelope" instead of "Thick Envelope/Package." Drat. Well, lesson learned. Thanks to everyone for helping me find the problem. I'll go ahead and mail the buyer his item and absorb the extra cost, since the incorrect amount was in no way his fault. Meanwhile, I've revised the envelope type for the remaining booklet.

By the way, is there any way to see the "internals" of your listing without doing "Revise my item"? Even though eBay knows that I'm viewing my own listing, the normal page view doesn't let me see the weight, package dimensions, type of package, handling charge, etc. I guess it's no big deal to go into the revision mode; I'm just afraid that I'll change something I don't mean to.  🙂

[partial*eclipse]

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@irlandaise wrote:

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 ... is there any way to see the "internals" of your listing without doing "Revise my item"? .... I guess it's no big deal to go into the revision mode; I'm just afraid that I'll change something I don't mean to.  🙂

You can also click on "Sell similar" instead.

[irlandaise]

Ah, right, thanks. I'd feel safer doing that than going into revision mode on an active listing!

[buyselljack2016]

I believe the way to look without revise would to start a "sell similar" listing to check. Then just don't finish it.