New USPS increase

[lisapeterson16]

Last Sunday Jan 21st USPS increased postal rates.  The FLAT RATE envelopes (including flat rate, Legal flat rate and padded flat rate) all went up exactly $.05 cents at USPS.  With the EBAY adjustments we are now paying, not an additional nickel for these pieces, but $.80-1.20 more for these envelopes.  Our EBAY discount went from a double digit discount (17% if I remember correctly) down to 2%.  So for the flat rate envelope the rate went from $5.75 to $6.55 and $.80 cent increase on a $0.05 cent increase by the post office.  The Legal Flat Rate and the Padded Flat Rate envelopes are very similar.  I have called repeatedly and been assured several times that EBAY did not do anything but pass along the actual cost increase.  Sorry but 2nd grade math shows that to be untrue. Sellers please compare your shipping rates and start making calls about this discrepancey.   Remember that shipping costs are included when EBAY calculates seller fees. So not only are we paying way more on actual shipping costs ebay is also making more in seller fees.  EBAY will not be accountable unless we band together and make them accountable.  Do your homework, go out to USPS site and find the table that shows the actual increase, then compare your current shipping costs on these items to like shipments from before the increase then blow the phones up and see if we can get some action.  Also note that it only seems to be affecting the flat rate envelopes, other priority mail is still showing double digit discounts.  

[sam9876]

Do you have a question that I can answer for you?

[couldabeenworse]

I have called repeatedly and been assured several times that EBAY did not do anything but pass along the actual cost increase. 

The eBay reps failed to explain that not only did flat rate prices increase slightly, but the discount rate for Commercial Base and Commercial Plus on flat rate products was reduced.  This is indeed set by USPS, and not eBay.  All eBay "negotiates" for eBay sellers is the ability to sell at the Commercial rates.

[missjen831]

I mean....you do know that you've never been given an "ebay discount" before right? One doesn't exist. Ebay has always charged you the USPS commercial rate (commercial plus rate if you are a TRS or sell 300 items a month). IF ebay negotiated special rates with USPS, they are not passing them on to the seller, and never have. Ebay is charging you exact USPS rates so I'm not sure what you are complaining about here? 

[partial*eclipse]

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wrote: ....  I have called repeatedly and been assured several times that EBAY did not do anything but pass along the actual cost increase.  Sorry but 2nd grade math shows that to be untrue. ....  

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As the others have noted, the prices that eBay charges for shipping labels are the regular online rates that are set by USPS.    The "eBay discount" is nothing more than the difference between the regular online rate vs the regular retail rate.  Those percentages are always different for every rate/weight/distance etc.  because of the way that ebay backs into them.   Yes, the difference between the retail price and the online price is a lot less than it used to be but that was done by USPS not by eBay.   Here's a link to the official USPS rates publication, Notice 123 in case you want to look up the USPS prices.
http://pe.usps.com/cpim/ftp/manuals/dmm300/notice123.pdf

[couldabeenworse]

Perhaps a better way to explain this:

Although the Counter Rate for a priority mail flat rate envelope ony went up a nickel, you don't use that service.  You use the Commercial Rate, which went up 60 cents.

[hockeysoccerlife]

Yes, and the discount for regular priority mail is also only 2% now, which is an insult from the USPS.  It is getting worse and worse, and then people ding you on stars for "high" shipping costs when you charge the actual price, but should you just up your price and offer free shipping, you can get bamboozled when someone is across the country from you and be out a lot of money. 

eBay is even trying to fault me know for something the USPS lost and a non-responsive buyer after the buyer opened the case. Or rather, things aren't scanned in his country, and eBay doesn't seem to get that. They praised me in emails for being a member since 2000, but when I argue that the buyer is a 3 feedback rating and probably has the item and is lying, they don't care and said they will rule for the buyer. Ridiculous after what we pay for postage and in fees.  

I'm so glad I am selling off what I have and getting out of this game. Enough is enough.