First Class Shipping

[auntiecool]

I've recently been back and forh with another ebay seller that wanted to buy one of my items.  It weighed 16 oz., and I had it listed as parcel post mail.

She insisted the USPS lifted the weight to 16 oz. for first class mail and she can ship as that for a much lower price.She also suggested she could do that because she's at a higher tier than I am in Ebay.  I have no problem with that.  I've been selling for 16 years on Ebay.  At this time, I'm not selling high cost goods.

I just want to know what is true and how I might improve as a seller.

Thank you for all the feedback you can give to me.

[mtgraves7984]

First Class tops out at 15.9 oz.

You are correct... stick to your guns. 

[stuff4divas]

when printing a first class shipping label for a package that weighs over 15 oz but less than 16 oz, you put 16oz as the weight when creating the label but when it is printed, it will show 15.9oz because once it reaches 16oz (1 lb) it has to be shipped via priority, etc

[axiombody]

For lighter weight items first class is cheaper than parcel post.  Even items over a pound priority is cheaper than parcel post.  Items much be heavier to have any significant discount with parcel post.

[axiombody]

...That being said buyers should bring concerns or Demands before buying an item.  You are under your right to ship it parcel but the buyer is going to be lame about it most likely

[nobody*s_perfect]

The weight limit for First Class packages is still 13 ounces IF you purchase your postage at the retail rate, i.e. at the Post Office counter or if you use stamps.

But if you purchase your postage label online, then the weight limit is 15.9 ounces. As noted in the other post, eBay rounds off 16 ounces. Also, the price is a lot lower (maximum is $5.70, for shipping 13 - 15.9 ounces to Zone 8 & 9). All eBay sellers can purchase First Class package postage; there are no price discounts or other advantages that depend on seller status.

Another policy that USPS changed a few years ago is that there is no longer a service called Parcel Post.  It is now known as Retail Ground when purchased at the PO and as Parcel Select Ground when you purchase your postage online (through eBay, PayPal etc.).  If you compare prices, you'll see that it costs only a few cents less than Priority Mail, so most sellers only offer Priority nowadays. An additional advantage of using Priority Mail is that you can request Carrier Pickup so you don't have to take your packages to the Post Office.

http://pe.usps.com/cpim/ftp/manuals/dmm300/notice123.pdf

[lja440]

Like what has already been posted. There is no Parcel Post anymore.  But that really isn't the issue. 

Retail Ground and Parcel Select (parcel post) are Ground Services, therefore can be slow. It is best to only use them for very large and heavy items that exceed the 1 cubic foot Dim weight threshold or for items that can not be shipped via air. 

In some cases ground services can actually be more expensive than Priority. Small heavy items can be shipped less expensively using Flat Rate Envelopes and Regional Rate Boxes. And of course with light weight items shipping First Class Parcel is a great option.

[auntiecool]

Yes, I appreciate the information.  I've been on ebay for 15 years, but I'm happy to learn new things. 

My question is when I list an item with calculated shipping, ebay won't allow me to list 15 oz. as first class.   How do I get past that?

[nobody*s_perfect]

The weight limit for First Class packages is 13 ounces at the retail counter, but it's 15.999 ounces if you purchase your postage online.  The eBay shipping calculator defaults to show the retail price, so the weight limit would be 13 ounces.  

If you go to your Site Preferences you can change it so that the shipping calculator shows the online rate ("carrier discount").  If you'd rather not show the online rate for the postage in all your listings, then another option is to set the package weight to 13 ounces. The postage cost is the same for any weight 12+ through 15.999 ounces.

[auntiecool]

Thank you! That's exactly what I needed!