eBay

craigkevin · ‎07-10-2023

Not sure if I am understanding some of the postings so I may be wrong. My default position is to use USPS Priority. On larger packages/farther zones I will use Fedex or UPS if Priority is more expensive. It seems to me the Ground Advantage now competes with Fedex or UPS on these packages too expensive for Priority since the rate seems to be cheaper and NOW Ground Advantage comes with insurance (up to 100.00). Am I missing something?

sapphire_studio · ‎07-10-2023

If you use pirate ship cubic rates for ground Advantage you will save even more. They must be trying to really phase out priority because it's a lot more money for only getting there a day or two sooner. I don't think it's worth paying 5 to 10 dollars more to ship a heavy item just for a free box. And if you're passing on the cost to the buyer instead that could easily cost you the sale against your competitors who have switched to ground advantage.

714ricki · ‎07-11-2023

Ground Advantage will use truck & train options & will have unsteady delivery times....while Priority will use air or truck & will have a more exact delivery time. Why not offer both options to the buyer & let them decide on what is best suited for their situation. Price vs Time! ✌️🙏😎

craigkevin · ‎07-11-2023

Aware of unsteady delivery times so basically we are talking a single day. I don't offer options to buyers. There would be too many options. I decide based on the shipping options/logistics. My question was about the 'new' apparent direct competition with other options given it is now insured. Thanks though.

craigkevin · ‎07-11-2023

I didn't see any difference with Pirate Ship. Do you have a comparison to provide? Thanks.

nobody*s_perfect · ‎07-11-2023

Pirate Ship offers Priority Cubic pricing, which is not available through eBay postage labels.

pooh333piglet · ‎07-11-2023

No that's what I think USPS was also after with some of these changes. Their Competition.

deserdog · ‎07-11-2023

My last 5 parcel select ground package were delivered in 2 or 3 days to zones 7 and 8. Correct me if I am wrong, but the post office uses other companies to ship via air priority packages to zones 5-9. And they pay volume versus weight. So it only makes since if a bin only half full of priority packages be filled up with now ground advantage and or media mail. Most of my first class, parcel select ground and media mail to furhter zones have been delivered in 2 or 3 days. this indicated air transport to me.

craigkevin · ‎07-11-2023

I have shipped packages same day to same location and had no difference between Parcel and Priority thus my question, if Ground Advantage is now insured, why not use it. I do know Priority is advertised faster and offers free supplies. Aside from that I don't see it given the price delta.

craigkevin · ‎07-11-2023

I seldom come to this board and tried to find my answer elsewhere before posting and I see you are all over the place on many of these postings. Do you have idea on the reason USPS now insures Ground Advantage whereas PArcel Select was not. Other than supposed faster shipping and free supplies I see no real purpose other than to try to assume the approximately 30% of my shipments that would otherwise go to Fedex or UPS where Priority is too expensive. That's really what I was wondering and probably didn't state well since most of these replies are answering something completely different.

nobody*s_perfect · ‎07-11-2023

Over the years, USPS has deliberately become more competitive with the private carriers, and adding insurance to their ground shipping service is only the latest step in that process. Remember back when we had to pay extra for tracking?

Adding insurance to GA is clearly a ploy to attract business away from UPS and FedEx. And it probably won't cost USPS much, since they apparently decline most damage claims.

When you're deciding whether Priority costs more than Ground Advantage, be sure to compare the GA rate to eBay's actual discounted price for a Priority Mail label. eBay's rate is often lower than USPS's published Commercial rate; IIRC this is true for packages up to 5 or 10 pounds and out to Zone 4. For instance, shipping a 5-pound package to Zone 4 costs

$14.05 Priority retail

$12.45 Ground Advantage retail

$10.27 Priority Commercial published rate

$8.92 Ground Advantage eBay label

$7.47 Priority eBay label

You can use eBay's shipping calculator to check on their prices for Priority labels; AFAIK nobody has put together a handy reference chart of these prices.

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

deserdog · ‎07-11-2023

Zones 1 -Zone 4, you get a really good rate.

2 lbs. 12x12x8 $6.92 GA $7.05 priority

3 lbs. """""""" $7.08 GA $7.13 priority

4 lbs. """""""" $7.10 GA $7.17 priority

5 lbs. """""""" $7.29 GA $7.37 priority

6 lbs. """""""' $7.75 GA $7.81 priority

All are below commercial rate.

craigkevin · ‎07-11-2023

Making my point.

craigkevin · ‎07-11-2023

Of course I know those price points. To someone like me, it seems the big thing was insurance which wasn't offered before. So personally USPS will get more GA from me but it will come from 1) UPS and Fedex shipments, and 2) USPS Priority. Today for first time I had three times as many GA as Priority. Typically I have 80% Prioriry, 15% Fedex or UPS, and 5% Parcel Select. So to draw UPS and Fedex they will invariably reduce their Priority volume also; free supplies and supposedly faster shipping, notwithstanding. Are you ebay employee?