Did USPS drop the max weight limit for First Class Packages to 13 ounces?

[bossesale77]

I have a buyer who was just charged $10.65 shipping for a package going from 48228 to 93108 with the following specifics:

weight - 15 ounces

length - 7 inches

width - 5 inches

height - 3 inches

service - USPS First Class Service, this was the only shipping option offered on the listing and it's what eBay's saying the buyer selected.

There are no add-ons (signature requirement, insurance, etc.) of any kind and eBay is showing the actual label cost as $6.28. So why was my buyer charged over $3 more than the cost of the label? Adding to my confusion is the fact that I went to the USPS website to investigate further it's no longer showing the First Class service as a shipping option after 13 ounces, 14 & 15 ounce packages are defaulting to Priority Mail. I know USPS made some changes recently to the First Class service (mainly raising the cost and lengthening the delivery window), did they also lower the max weight limit as well? And if they did do I face the chance of having this item get to my buyer with postage due if I ship it as a First Class package?

[wastingtime101]

The problem @bossesale77 is that you're using calculated shipping and not flat rate, and you're charging buyers retail rates. Since there is no retail rate for a 15 oz package, the buyer is charged for Priority Mail. The retail limit is 13 oz, the online limit is 15.9 oz. Your package will ship just fine with a First Class label purchased online.

You can get around the issue posted above by entering a weight of 13 oz on the listing form. That will charge the buyer the retail rate for a 13 oz First Class package. Since the online rate for 13-15 oz is the same, you'll receive an appropriate shipping amount.

[nobody*s_perfect]

There have been no recent changes to the weight limit for First Class packages; it's still 13 ounces retail and 15.99 ounces online. If you are looking at prices for retail shipping then it will bump you up to Priority for any weight over 13 ounces. Both of your images are showing retail prices.

If all else fails, change the package weight to 13 ounces, since the current postage cost is the same for and weight from 12+ to 15.99 ounces.

[albertabrightalberta]

For weights where the price is the same (for example 13 - 15 oz.) I always put the higher/highest weight on the shipping label in case they spot-check and find a 13 oz. label on a 14 oz. package. I doubt that USPS employees are aware that the price is the same and may either RTS or charge the recipient for postage due.

[wastingtime101]

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@albertabrightalberta wrote:

For weights where the price is the same (for example 13 - 15 oz.) I always put the higher/highest weight on the shipping label in case they spot-check and find a 13 oz. label on a 14 oz. package. I doubt that USPS employees are aware that the price is the same and may either RTS or charge the recipient for postage due.

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I said to put 13 oz on the listing form, not on the shipping label. The shipping label should reflect the 15 oz weight.

Either way, it goes through the APV system so the system will see if the correct rate was paid.

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@albertabrightalberta wrote: .... I doubt that USPS employees are aware that the price is the same and may either RTS or charge the recipient for postage due.

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The current retail prices for First Class packages are also in 4-ounce increments, so the clerks MIGHT know that the price is the same for 15 ounces as for 13.  

OTOH, I have seen posts in which counter clerks rejected packages with labels that said 15 ounces because they didn't know that online has a higher weight limit.