EBay Label came out as 2-day when Priority was selected

[szmaine]

Hi all,

I created a Priority mail label through ebay, it came out as Priority Mail 2-day! This is from ME to WA!! I voided the label and chose Parcel Select instead for the new label which is alot less than the customer paid for. On the item order details page  USPS Retail Ground is listed as the ship method...

So I guess I have a few questions:

What is up with a label coming out as 2-day? I've never noticed that before but I guess it always says that and it was not necessary to ship a new method.

Should I refund the customer the difference and if so will I get fees reimbursed for the difference?

Seems like a dumb self inflicted problem now as I write...but I appreciate advice on the matter.

[atikovi]

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@szmaine wrote:

Hi all,

I created a Priority mail label through ebay, it came out as Priority Mail 2-day! This is from ME to WA!! I voided the label and chose Parcel Select instead for the new label which is alot less than the customer paid for. On the item order details page  USPS Retail Ground is listed as the ship method...

So I guess I have a few questions:

What is up with a label coming out as 2-day? I've never noticed that before but I guess it always says that and it was not necessary to ship a new method.

Should I refund the customer the difference and if so will I get fees reimbursed for the difference?

Seems like a dumb self inflicted problem now as I write...but I appreciate advice on the matter.

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ME to WA Priority probably would be 3-day, not sure why label says 2 days, but not your problem. If Retail Ground is listed as the ship method I wouldn't bother with refunding anything. Buyers buy based on total price with shipping so the buyer knew the price when they bought it.

[gew6463]

I live in Washington state, but have family in Indiana. Often my items shipped to them arrive in 2-days (Priority). I know it may seem strange, but sometimes it takes longer for a nearer location to receive a package, than one farther away. I have seen this many times as a seller. IMO, and this is not based on anything in print, the Post office gives Priority (first dibs onto the plane in my case, since I live near PDX airport hub) to the farther away packages to assure they arrive in time. I can ship something to Oregon (right next door) and depending on where it is going to, it may take 2 days to arrive. So that is just my own hypothesis on the matter. 

I wouldn't have changed the shipping method personally; some buyers get cranky about that, especially if they are expecting the item to arrive for a specific purpose (such as a gift). And they possibly chose your item due to the Priority shipping time-frame (I often do as a buyer). Obviously, you realize that now, so no need for me to beat you over the head with it. Have you shipped it yet? If not, I would cancel the Parcel label, and get it back on track as Priority. 

[gew6463]

Oops..my bad  Somehow I missed the mention it was supposed to go Parcel Select anyway. So I'm assuming you just upgraded to Priority as a courtesy. I often do that as well. So at least no worry about the delivery estimate. 

[atikovi]

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@gew6463 wrote:

Have you shipped it yet? If not, I would cancel the Parcel label, and get it back on track as Priority. 

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OP said USPS Retail Ground is listed as the ship method.

[szmaine]

So is USPS retail ground is the same as USPS Priority??

[gew6463]

See post #4 😉 

I have a feeling I'm going to be saying that a lot on this thread...unfortunately, there is only a short period of time to revise a response.

[gew6463]

Priority Mail time-frame is 1-3 business days, depending on location. 

Parcel Post is 2-8 business days, depending on location. 

All estimates of course, as the P.O. will tell you if a package is running a tad bit late. 🙂 

[szmaine]

Well it is very confusing....

These days vs my last stint of selling about 2yrs ago...the amount the buyers pay for shipping looks really high. But I see that USPS did start counting dimensional weight more a while back so perhaps that it. Also there is the seller postage discount which I don't remember from then which further skews things appearance wise.

But back to the matter at hand...the amount the seller paid looks in line with priority mail before discount. But it does say on the transaction details retail ground ...so it LOOKS to me that something is not going right in the postage billing to the customer in conjunction with what the service is called.

Putting in the buyer zip on the item listing  ship calculator I get $39.57 for parcel or USPS retail grnd (be nice if they didn't have different names for same service). The buyer somehow paid me $62.25 and that is definitely not the results of seller discount. I don't understand it and I'd like to get to the bottom of it.

[szmaine]

No, I chose it because they sellers cost was so high and it looked right cost wise...I only change it because the label came out saying 2-day.
But it seems I am having two separate issues on this thread....one: my own confusion over label/shipping method termanology (and spelling)
two: confusion over pricing: customer vs seller.

[nobody*s_perfect · Accepted solution]

Parcel Select is the online equivalent of Retail Ground.  Both services used to be called Parcel Post.  

If you choose Parcel Select  for the shipping calculator in your listing, then the buyer is shown an online rate even if your Site preferences are set up to show the retail price. If you want the buyer to see the retail rate, then you'd choose Retail Ground.

Under current pricing, the difference between the prices for Parcel Select vs online Priority Mail is under $1 (except for special situations like shipping to Zone 9 or mailing a package that is over 1 cubic foot to Zones 5 - 9).  So in most cases, it makes sense to ship via Priority Mail rather than Parcel Select -- you get faster service for about the same price.

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@szmaine wrote:... Putting in the buyer zip on the item listing  ship calculator I get $39.57 for parcel or USPS retail grnd (be nice if they didn't have different names for same service). The buyer somehow paid me $62.25 and that is definitely not the results of seller discount. I don't understand it and I'd like to get to the bottom of it.

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$39.57 is the postage cost to ship 20 pounds to Zone 5 via Retail Ground.

$62.25 is the postage cost to ship 20 pounds to Zone 8 or 9 via Retail Ground.

Shipping from Maine to Washington State would be Zone 8.  So the Zone 5 price ($39.57) seems to be based on an error in the ZIP Codes that were used.

[szmaine]

Ah yes....how tedious it must be to try help peeps that just make things worse by using the wrong zipcode!

Thanks for doing the heavy lifting!

[szmaine]

This seems to account for it as am shipping to zone 8

[remote_controls_and_more]

You should offer FedEx ground/home delivery as an option. USPS is extremely expensive for heavier items using regular Priority mail.