First Class USPS shipping?

[xxx_j_xxx]

I thought Ebay had gotten rid of First Class USPS shipping, but about a week ago, I noticed that it was added back as a much cheaper option than USPS Ground Advantage.  I went through almost all of my listings and switched them to First Class shipping.  I've now sold three items with First Class shipping, but there is no option for that when it comes to printing out a label.  Why is this?  The cheapest option available through Ebay is Ground Advantage and costs double what my buyers paid.  Why on Earth offer this as an option to the buyer if it's not an option to the seller when printing the label???

[nobody*s_perfect]

In addition to the obsolete First Class package option, USPS has two other First Class categories: letters and flats, which are also known as "Large envelopes".  eBay has recently added these services as options to offer  in your listings, but they still do not offer postage labels for them, probably because they don't include tracking. To be eligible for mailing as a flat, a piece must be flexible, of even thickness (which USPS describes as a variation no more than 1/4 inch) and dimensions not over 15 inches long, or more than 12 inches high, or more than 3/4 inch thick.

https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/101.htm#ep1002686

[mtgraves7984]

Yes, it looks like you've used First Class Large Envelope on the listings, and that'll never fly due to the thickness of your package. (For example, your Unicorns/Puppies/Rainbows shirt will be thicker than allowed for that.) Looks like another revision back to Ground Advantage... hang in there.

[elizabeth@ebay]

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@xxx_j_xxx wrote:

I thought Ebay had gotten rid of First Class USPS shipping, but about a week ago, I noticed that it was added back as a much cheaper option than USPS Ground Advantage.  I went through almost all of my listings and switched them to First Class shipping.  I've now sold three items with First Class shipping, but there is no option for that when it comes to printing out a label.  Why is this?  The cheapest option available through Ebay is Ground Advantage and costs double what my buyers paid.  Why on Earth offer this as an option to the buyer if it's not an option to the seller when printing the label???

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Hello @xxx_j_xxx. Our shipping team has provided the following response:

"USPS has retired First-Class Package Service, however, First-Class Mail service is available for shipping mail and large envelopes.  In listing flows, you can select First-Class Mail for envelopes that weight 3.5 oz or less with max envelope dimensions of 11.5" x 6.125" x 1" and First-Class Large Envelope for envelopes that weight 13 oz or less with max envelope dimensions of 15" x 12" x 1". If you are shipping with First-Class Mail or First-Class Envelope services, please note that eBay Labels does not support these services."

[albertabrightalberta]

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@xxx_j_xxx wrote:

I thought Ebay had gotten rid of First Class USPS shipping, but about a week ago, I noticed that it was added back as a much cheaper option than USPS Ground Advantage.  I went through almost all of my listings and switched them to First Class shipping.  I've now sold three items with First Class shipping, but there is no option for that when it comes to printing out a label.  Why is this?  The cheapest option available through Ebay is Ground Advantage and costs double what my buyers paid.  Why on Earth offer this as an option to the buyer if it's not an option to the seller when printing the label???

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@xxx_j_xxx 

You're mistaken. Ebay didn't "get rid of USPS first class shipping." USPS dropped first class parcel and replaced it with Ground Advantage. 

If you've been shipping all those items you're selling with first class flats, you're going to be back-charged to your ebay account by USPS. 

[nobody*s_perfect]

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elizabeth@ebay wrote: ... Our shipping team has provided the following response:

"USPS has retired First-Class Package Service, however, First-Class Mail service is available for shipping mail and large envelopes.  In listing flows, you can select First-Class Mail for envelopes that weight 3.5 oz or less with max envelope dimensions of 11.5" x 2.125" x 1% and First-Class Large Envelope for envelopes that weight 13 oz or less with max envelope dimensions of 15" x 12" x 1". ...

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 2.125 inches doesn't make sense. According to the DMM, the maximum dimensions for a FC letter are "Not more than 11-1/2 inches long, or more than 6-1/8 inches high, or more than 1/4-inch thick".

Also, the maximum thickness for a flat (AKA large envelope) is actually 3/4 inch, but the shipping team probably specified one inch because eBay's listing form does not accept decimals or fractions. Pieces that are over .75 inch thick and mailed as flats might be upgraded to Ground Advantage, and delivered with Postage Due.

[wastingtime101]

Was going to say the same thing elizabeth@ebay . Is 11.5" x 2.125" x 1% supposed to read 11.5" x 6.125" x 1"?

[xxx_j_xxx]

I've sold three, one of which I shipped Ground Advantage & took the loss.  The other two, I'll just take to the post office.  Not sure what back charges you're talking about.  

[xxx_j_xxx]

Thank you.

[xxx_j_xxx]

It's a kid's shirt, so the thickness is under the 1 inch that it says is allowed, but I already changed everything else back to Ground Advantage for future sales.

[elizabeth@ebay]

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@wastingtime101 wrote:

Was going to say the same thing elizabeth@ebay . Is 11.5" x 2.125" x 1% supposed to read 11.5" x 6.125" x 1"?

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Thanks @wastingtime101! I'm reaching out now to get clarification.

[elizabeth@ebay]

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@wastingtime101 wrote:

Was going to say the same thing elizabeth@ebay . Is 11.5" x 2.125" x 1% supposed to read 11.5" x 6.125" x 1"?

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Thank you for catching that @nobody*s_perfect and @wastingtime101. This has been corrected.

[randomshopaz]

Hey- Thanks for the info on this. I am just now discovering the same issue as the original poster. 

I have a bunch of small, low cost items that conform to USPS's "Large Envelope" category.

Since ebay does not support printing labels for this category, how are sellers shipping their items this way?.. Just a bunch of stamps that equal whatever the shipping cost that ebay shows?

-Matt

[wastingtime101]

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@randomshopaz wrote:

Hey- Thanks for the info on this. I am just now discovering the same issue as the original poster. 

I have a bunch of small, low cost items that conform to USPS's "Large Envelope" category.

Since ebay does not support printing labels for this category, how are sellers shipping their items this way?.. Just a bunch of stamps that equal whatever the shipping cost that ebay shows?

-Matt

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You can use stamps, purchase an (untracked) label from the post office, or you can purchase (untracked) labels online if you have an account with stamps.com @randomshopaz .

If you ship untracked you will have zero seller protection on a non-receipt claim. If your items are low value, low risk, the ship cost savings you can offer buyers may be worth it.