eBay

braus3449 · ‎10-19-2021

I've read here over the years posts about people being charged much more than they though they will be, using Fedex so I want to be sure this is correct. Using Ebay's shipping label service to send a 6 lb 6 oz 16x16x6 package from 20854 to 92843. Home delivery is $18.34 and on Ebay you save 46% it says, while 2-day is only $16.95 and you save 86% on Ebay. Is this correct? Why would 2-day be cheaper than the regular service? I don't want to find out a week later that I was charged $80.

glasser · ‎10-19-2021

I have seen this a lot. I think I tried once with no issues. Saw very inexpensive 2 day via fedex the other day but ground still a better deal.

One theory I have is that FedEx is really good at predicting how full their planes are on any give day or in the near future. Of they have empty space, why not offer a discount. They can't fill the plane after it takes off. It alos maybe zip code related . The destination Orange County. FedEx may have large capacity into the LA Area and perhaps a great hub which makes delivery from the air facility more efficient.

All theories no proof 🙂

I will saye FedEx and UPS as well are cheaper for ling distance heavier items the the USPS. There was a $20 difference in shipping for me on a recent item between the post office and FedEx for a cross country shipment.

orangehound · ‎10-19-2021

@braus3449 wrote:
Home delivery is $18.34 and on Ebay you save 46% it says, while 2-day is only $16.95 and you save 86% on Ebay. Is this correct? Why would 2-day be cheaper than the regular service? I don't want to find out a week later that I was charged $80.

It is correct. I think eBay negotiated this rate with FedEx after Amazon dramatically stepped back in their use of FedEx.

We frequently use FedEx 2-day if the package's shipping weight is between 3 and 10 pounds and to zones 6-8. eBay has negotiated a deep discount with FedEx for 2-day delivery if the package is under 10 pounds of shipping weight ... in your example, the scale weight is 7 pounds and the dimensional weight is 10 pounds, so the shipping weight is 10 pounds (the maximum of the two).

With that said, shipping with FedEx is much different than the USPS. FedEx is not forgiving when it comes to mistakes ... for example ...

If that box is 16 x 16 x 6.6, then you will assessed fees at the 11 pound rate ... there is a BIG price jump from 10 pounds to 11 pounds, as much as $20. (You figure dimensional weight by multiplying whole numbers, dividing by 166, and rounding up ... 16x16x7/166 = 10.8 or 11 pounds.)
Make sure your package is a plain rectangular cardboard box with packing tape. The more you get away from this, the more likely you are to get assessed a $14 packaging surcharge.
You may get a surcharge if the zip is in a remote location ... you will get a surcharge if the addressing is wrong or illegible ... you will get a surcharge if it is sent to a PO Box ... you will get a surcharge if the declared value is over $100.
Shipping to HI, AK, PR, GU, etc can be expensive ... so be cautious promising shipping to those places with FedEx.

braus3449 · ‎10-20-2021

@orangehound wrote:
@braus3449 wrote:
Home delivery is $18.34 and on Ebay you save 46% it says, while 2-day is only $16.95 and you save 86% on Ebay. Is this correct? Why would 2-day be cheaper than the regular service? I don't want to find out a week later that I was charged $80.
You may get a surcharge if the zip is in a remote location ... you will get a surcharge if the addressing is wrong or illegible ... you will get a surcharge if it is sent to a PO Box ... you will get a surcharge if the declared value is over $100.

What do you mean? I print the label that Ebay provides and they provide the address.

toysaver · ‎10-20-2021

It may take longer than a week for your surprise charges to appear. FedEx prices are only estimates. Find what the USPS rate is and that is closer to the real FedEx price. If you ship with USPS the price is consistant, no surprises unless you make an error in size or weight or use the wrong box.

orangehound · ‎10-20-2021

@braus3449 wrote:
@orangehound wrote:
@braus3449 wrote:
Home delivery is $18.34 and on Ebay you save 46% it says, while 2-day is only $16.95 and you save 86% on Ebay. Is this correct? Why would 2-day be cheaper than the regular service? I don't want to find out a week later that I was charged $80.
You may get a surcharge if the zip is in a remote location ... you will get a surcharge if the addressing is wrong or illegible ... you will get a surcharge if it is sent to a PO Box ... you will get a surcharge if the declared value is over $100.
What do you mean? I print the label that Ebay provides and they provide the address.

@braus3449

Yes, the buyer provides the address and eBay forwards it to you. But, if there is a problem with that address then the seller will be the one that absorbs the cost. I know it is not your fault ... but that's the system that is in place at FedEx.

(The USPS does address correction for free).

braus3449 · ‎10-20-2021

@orangehound wrote:
@braus3449 wrote:
@orangehound wrote:
@braus3449 wrote:
Home delivery is $18.34 and on Ebay you save 46% it says, while 2-day is only $16.95 and you save 86% on Ebay. Is this correct? Why would 2-day be cheaper than the regular service? I don't want to find out a week later that I was charged $80.
You may get a surcharge if the zip is in a remote location ... you will get a surcharge if the addressing is wrong or illegible ... you will get a surcharge if it is sent to a PO Box ... you will get a surcharge if the declared value is over $100.
What do you mean? I print the label that Ebay provides and they provide the address.
@braus3449

Yes, the buyer provides the address and eBay forwards it to you. But, if there is a problem with that address then the seller will be the one that absorbs the cost

And nobody has challenged Ebay on that?

orangehound · ‎10-20-2021

@braus3449 wrote:
And nobody has challenged Ebay on that?

That's just the way the system works ... sellers sometimes provide an incomplete, incorrect, or old address.

(I probably end up with 1-2 of these a year, and I just have to absorb the costs).

Now, if it is a concern, a seller can always check on the validity of an address simply by going to USPS.com, and if the address is bad then the seller can cancel the sale or ping the buyer for the correct address. That's too much hassle for me for something that is a rare event, but for someone else it might be worth their time.