How to print First Class International Merchandise lables with eBay labels:

[mcjbob]

How to guide on printing First Class International shipping labels through eBay:

Backstory:  USPS changed the rules on what could be shipped as an envelope or flat, essentially an envelope or larger stiff envelope/flat package. Previously, anything that fit in a “flat” could be shipped as a flat. eBay labels never had the option to print labels for flats, that were lower cost than merchandise. There was no change in merchandise in parcels. USPS still allows shipping of lighter weight items below 4 pounds with a maximum size limit.

To print an international label for First Class Package:

Go to Print Shipping label; select the weight and shipping date.

You will note the shipping cost is identical to the USPS web site that allows printing First Class International package labels, but, with ebay, you TRS (if TRS) discount will display.

Click on Continue.

Enter Description, and Country of original, and check OK on restrictions.

Here is where you need to change from what you have done previously.

Change Category of contents in the drop down box from Merchandise to Documents.

YOUR LABEL WILL PRINT! It won’t print if you leave as Merchandise. You will get an error message.

Last step, on the printed shipping label, everything is correct, shipping cost, etc, EXCEPT, you need to change Documents on the left, to Merchandise.  I printed out a bunch of “Category of Item Merchandise” in six point type and just taped over Documents.

[thevintagesilvershop]

Thanks!  Of course and Ebay USER would come up with a work around.  We certainly haven't had much help from Ebay itself. 

[mongoose26]

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@mcjbob wrote:

How to guide on printing First Class International shipping labels through eBay:

Backstory:  USPS changed the rules on what could be shipped as an envelope or flat, essentially an envelope or larger stiff envelope/flat package. Previously, anything that fit in a “flat” could be shipped as a flat. eBay labels never had the option to print labels for flats, that were lower cost than merchandise. There was no change in merchandise in parcels. USPS still allows shipping of lighter weight items below 4 pounds with a maximum size limit.

To print an international label for First Class Package:

Go to Print Shipping label; select the weight and shipping date.

You will note the shipping cost is identical to the USPS web site that allows printing First Class International package labels, but, with ebay, you TRS (if TRS) discount will display.

Click on Continue.

Enter Description, and Country of original, and check OK on restrictions.

Here is where you need to change from what you have done previously.

Change Category of contents in the drop down box from Merchandise to Documents.

YOUR LABEL WILL PRINT! It won’t print if you leave as Merchandise. You will get an error message.

Last step, on the printed shipping label, everything is correct, shipping cost, etc, EXCEPT, you need to change Documents on the left, to Merchandise.  I printed out a bunch of “Category of Item Merchandise” in six point type and just taped over Documents.

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Incredibly bad advice.  Handwriting Merchandise does not change the bar code, which sorts the package to the document line. USPS changed their rules to conform to international law.  Te reason they don't want merchandise shipped as flats is because flats don't go through the same customs process as no tax is applied to birthday cards, documents, or family photos. By changing to documents, and showing an ebay price on the shipping label, the international custom office could reject your package and return it to you and you will have to pay to ship it again correctly, as well as having to deal with a late arriving package and an upset customer.

Either use th post office retail, Click n Ship, or Stamps.com until ebay wakes up and fixes this.