Downside to Parcel Select?

[tthodgepodge]

Hello,

I'm new to eBay and I notice that Parcel Select is significantly cheaper than priority (even though another post suggested otherwise).  Is there a downside other than time to deliver and not being able to print a label at home?  I'm not a high volume seller so scanning QR codes at the counter doesn't bug me.

[anjofak]

Used it several times, sometimes the tracking doesn't update at all so it gets a scan in then nothing until delivery,  and it can be dreadful slower 3 weeks slower a few times.

We only use it if the pricing goes that low.

[nobody*s_perfect]

The only other downside is that Parcel Select doesn't include insurance, and Priority does. But there have been so many reports of problems with USPS insurance claims, this might be nearly a moot point.

Are you sure you can't print the label at home? That's new.

Several years ago, the price difference between Parcel Select and Priority was very small. For a while, the prices were identical for Zones 1 - 4.  But the gap has been growing. When the new USPS rates go into effect on January 22, the gap will be even bigger, because Priority Mail prices will increase but Parcel Select will not.

[tthodgepodge]

Sorry, haven't confirmed the printing part.  Just what I've read.

If you give the buyer the option between priority and parcel select.  Does ebay make it pretty clear which they've paid for?

[katwalker23]

I use parcel select often.  Sometimes it's slower than priority, sometimes not.  Depending on the buyer's location, there can be a significant savings when compared to priority.

[oldwestgold]

I have never used Parcel Select in over 10,000 mailings and I am a retired Postmaster of 33 yrs. There usually is not much difference, if any, compared to Priority Mail. Mail speed and Parcel Select don't go together. If you find the need to ship a heavy or odd-shaped item I actually would use UPS instead. I value my customers and their hopeful return to my store. I have yet to meet one that doesn't expect their item to get to them quickly. For a few pennies or dollars more, use Priority. Bump the price up a couple of bucks to compensate or charge for shipping. Repeat and satisfied customers are MORE important that an eBay metric rating. Everyone is entitled to how they prefer to run their business though. Good luck!

[sapphire_studio]

Have you looked into the cubic rates on pirateship.com? They have cubic priority and cubic ground and they're soooo cheap.

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@oldwestgold wrote: ... There usually is not much difference, if any, compared to Priority Mail. .... For a few pennies or dollars more, use Priority. Bump the price up a couple of bucks to compensate or charge for shipping. ...

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As I noted above, the gap between Priority prices and Parcel Select has grown over recent years.  For instance, shipping a 3-pound package to Zone 8 costs $18.54 at the Commercial Priority rate, and $12.65 via Parcel Select.

IMHO it makes sense to offer both options and let the buyer choose whether he wants it (probably) faster, or (somewhat) cheaper.

[ms.rodriguez*]

For me, is shipping something parcel to Hawaii.  I had a wood giraffe sculpture take 6 weeks to Hawaii.  Thankfully the buyer was also a seller and she was a saint. She was the one that calmed me down when I realized that the box had not arrived after 3 weeks. Of course, ebay lied about the latest estimated delivery date.  I stopped selling anything over 2 lbs. last year so I won't have this problem again.

[shado-x]

Is there a downside other than time to deliver and not being able to print a label at home? I'm not a high volume seller so scanning QR codes at the counter doesn't bug me.

Use FedEx or UPS.

[ms.rodriguez*]

The problem with these 2 companies is that sometimes, they bill the seller for additonal fees and the seller gets screwed.  

[buyselljack2016]

Are you sure you can't print the label at home? That's new.

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Although allowed to offer it in their listings, some sellers have not had the ability to choose Parcel Select shipping when printing a label for quite some time now.

[nobody*s_perfect]

eBay reversed their policy about limiting access to Parcel Select. And if a seller was blocked from Parcel Select labels, then they wouldn't be able to access the QR code ,either.

[momdadsstash]

To suggest using Priority is "only" a few dollars more. Well, when selling for your lowest possible price, trying to be competitive, short of giving it away, you'll want those 'few dollars' or it might as well go into the donation box.

I really have had no complaints about shipping times with Racel Select. Only once, did it get stalled at one of the hubs. That's not unique to the method.

Probably, the best answer is, provide the choice.

[house*of*paws]

Hi @tthodgepodge 

Another downside that I don’t think was mentioned is that Parcel Select packages will likely be handled by more carriers and receive ‘rougher’ handling by being placed at the back/bottom of a stack of packages.

So you may want to avoid sending especially fragile items by PS unless the are packed especially well.