Calculated shipping too high for some of my listings

[6grapes]

I've recently noticed (maybe in the last month or so). That some of my items have a ridiculous calculated shipping cost. I only started noticing it recently, when I go to purchase a label and it tells you how much the buyer paid for shipping.

For example - I am seeing 13-15oz items that I have marked for First Class Shipping coming in at $9-10. I've been selling for a long time and have never seen that happen before.

[nobody*s_perfect · Accepted solution]

The default for the eBay shipping calculator is to show retail prices.  There is no retail price for First Class packages over 13 ounces.  Before January 27, eBay automatically plugged in a value of $6.70 for those packages.  Since the new postage rates went into effect on January 27, eBay is showing the actual retail price that you would be charged at the PO counter, which ranges from $7.35 to $9.30 depending on distance (zone).

To show a more realistic postage cost for FC packages over 13 ounces, you'd need to either (1) enter a flat price for FC packages over 13 ounces, or (2) re-set your Site Preferences so the shipping calculator shows the online postage cost, not the retail price.

http://pe.usps.com/cpim/ftp/manuals/dmm300/notice123.pdf

[6grapes]

Thank you, I did not know this (obviously). That seems insane that someone has to pay $9+ for First Class Shipping at the counter.

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@6grapes wrote: ...  someone has to pay $9+ for First Class Shipping at the counter.

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They don't.  They are paying $9+ for shipping via Priority Mail (to Zone 8).  A package over 13 ounces cannot be shipped as a First Class package if you pay for postage at the counter.

[richard1rst]

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@6grapes wrote:

I've recently noticed (maybe in the last month or so). That some of my items have a ridiculous calculated shipping cost. I only started noticing it recently, when I go to purchase a label and it tells you how much the buyer paid for shipping.

For example - I am seeing 13-15oz items that I have marked for First Class Shipping coming in at $9-10. I've been selling for a long time and have never seen that happen before.

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That happens in the 13-15.99 ounce range. I have a 15 ounce package going from NV to NY and it shows the RETAIL shipping of $9.30. But then it is discounted 41% to me at $5.53.  At 12 ounces the retail is only $5.66 discounted 23% to $4.33.  So the difference to you is only $1.20 but to your buyer $3.77.

Interestingly, a one pound Priority Mail package is also retailed at the SAME $9.30, but only discounted 14% to $8.01.

Since part of the shipping weight is the packaging you might want to look and see if a change in packaging can lighten up the total weight.

Or list it as 12 ounce which will decrease what you buyer pays but still cover your cost.

Or switch over to free shipping and only bury the $5.53 instead of the whole $9.30.