Ebay always underquotes my shipping charges...losing profits...what am I doing wrong?

[motherofdobermans]

I am seeking some guidance.  I am somewhat of a new seller here.  I have lost about $5 in each of the past 4 sales I have made in "incorrect" shipping quotes from Ebay.  There MUST be something I am doing incorrectly on my end.

Allow me to give an example.  I just sold an item and Ebay calculated shipping at $6.46 for USPS Ground Advantage based on the weight and dimensions that I entered.  The weight and dimensions of the package I entered WERE CORRECT (and yes, I selected "calculated shipping." ).

When I arrived at the USPS counter to purchase a label, the shipping was $11.30...a difference of almost $5!  When I got home home, I went to the USPS shipping calculator and inputted the SAME WEIGHT AND DIMENSIONS that I had input into my original Ebay listing, and it reflected that the USPS price quoted to me at the counter for their label was CORRECT.  

Now granted, so far as a new seller, I have only purchased labels AT USPS...but should the difference in a USPS retail label and a discounted Ebay label show a difference of $5?!  

If I'm inputting the CORRECT weight, dimensions, and information on a listing via Ebay...why is my shipping cost SO WIDELY different when a label is purchased AT USPS vs Ebay.  It's like Ebay isn't taking into account the buyer's locale on my end...

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@motherofdobermans wrote: ... I have only purchased labels AT USPS...but should the difference in a USPS retail label and a discounted Ebay label show a difference of $5?!  ......

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Yes.  Especially now that eBay has enabled sellers to purchase online postage labels at "Cubic" rates.  

You can compare retail vs eBay postage rates by entering accurate package weight and dimensions, and both ZIP Codes, in eBay's shipping calculator:

http://www.ebay.com/shp/Calculator

If you continue to purchase postage at the Post Office counter at retail rates, you should change your site preferences, so that your buyers are charged the retail postage rate rather than the eBay rate:

https://www.ebay.com/ship/prf

[mtgraves7984]

"...why is my shipping cost SO WIDELY different when a label is purchased AT USPS vs Ebay."

@motherofdobermans 

^^^ This is because eBay offers Commercial rates, where at the PO (proper) you'll pay Retail rates.

[motherofdobermans]

Oh, thank you!  I changed my preferences!!!!  This should help me immensely. Thank you so much for your help!  🙂

[fern*wood]

Glad you got that fixed, but why are you wasting all that money by buying postage at the post office?

[wastingtime101]

My guess @fern*wood is some new sellers are nervous and/or lacking in shipping knowledge so they go to the PO to make sure they do it right. Once they're more comfortable they switch to online labels and take advantage of the savings. Could easily be wrong as this seller goes, but I've seen a lot of new sellers take that path.

Hopefully @motherofdobermans will come back here whenever she has shipping questions. Can take a while to get the hang of it, but we're always willing to help whether the seller is new or experienced and running into something new-to-them.

[toomuchstuffagain35]

@motherofdobermans 

Just be aware that as of May 15th ebay is going to start showing only the discounted online rates for "some" sellers, rather than the retail rate for calculated shipping, so at that date if you continue to buy shipping at the PO it would be best to check your settings again.

[motherofdobermans]

That is absolutely correct!  I want to ensure I am doing it “correctly” before I started printing my own through EBay labels, etc.

I wanted to ensure that my item is delivered, etc… 

[motherofdobermans]

Oh, thank you for that!

[rudy2828]

Not to mention the precious commodity called "time". They're not making any more of it.