Overcharged for FedEX shipment... again... EBay refuses to help.

[gsca85]

This is a warning more than anything else.

I have successfully disputed these FedEX overcharges before, but the most recent one EBay is refusing to fix.

Specifically, I shipped a tennis racket for just under $15. A few weeks later FedEX comes back and changes an additional $33 ($48 total!). My initial call with EBay resulted in me being assured I would be receiving a refund. A month later I called back because a refund was not received. The new customer service person told me the dispute was denied because FedEX reserves the right to charge extra for abnormal shipment containers. In her words, they do not dispute my weight and dimensions were incorrect, but because of the shape the package is deemed abnormal and they charge extra for it.

I've shipped numerous tennis rackets and they all do the same. Approximately 32x17x3 inches.

I have only ever had issue shipping via FedEX. It really seems FedEX does not wish to honor their agreement with EBay to ship goods at the rate it is quoted through EBay and will do whatever they can to charge after the fact. Ebay's unwillingness to stand up to FedEX is disheartening.

I for one will no longer use FedEX, even if it requires canceling orders or limiting what I sell on the platform. 

I think the thing that upsets me the most is being assured I would receive a refund in 7-10 days, then being told a month later the claims denied and they will be keeping the additional $33 (an additional 220% the original shipping fees!)

[wastingtime101]

Was your racket in a rectangular box, or was it slanted / oddly shaped?

If the box was irregularly shaped then it's correct both UPS and FedEx will apply cost adjustments for that.

There are many surcharges with UPS and FedEx that are not factored in until the carrier physically reviews the package. eBay's label page tells you the rate is an estimate before you commit to purchasing the label.

Read more in the FedEx Guide - start on page 102:

https://www.fedex.com/content/dam/fedex/us-united-states/services/Service_Guide_2023.pdf

You can find guides for all carriers on eBay Seller Center under "preventing shipping label price adjustments."

https://www.ebay.com/sellercenter/shipping/preparing-your-shipment/packaging-and-measuring

[asset_liquidators]

Fedex is one of the most corrupt corporations in existence. 

[lakefor94]

FedX is notorious for the upcharges. I would have to be in a real pinch to use FedX as a shipper. 

[gsca85]

Hello,

That is essentially what the Ebay customer Service Rep said to me. I think it is absolute nonsense though. I do have to cut down the boxes to make them 3 inches tall so there is a slight roundness to the top edge. It's no longer a perfect 90 degree bend. That alone should not constitute charging an additional $34 ($49 total) when my original fees were just under $15. By their reasoning it sounds like I could have left the box 12 inches tall as they originally come and the shipping would have been less even though it is physically 4 times larger.

What if it were a large poly mailer or bubble envelope with rounded edges? Would that too constitute an abnormal shape and warrant an additional 200% shipping fee?

I know there is no winning the battle, I just think it is just plain immoral for these Billion Dollar companies to nickel and dime in this manner. Either be upfront about your fees and stick to them or don't pull this nonsense. In this case, it seems that whether or not a package is "irregular" is purely subjective by the FedEX employee that handles the package.

I'll explore other selling options for items that don't fit in a perfect, store bought box.

[wastingtime101]

Yeah, if it's rounded FedEx is going to nail you. I personally won't use them - I've had the worst experiences with them both shipping and receiving packages.

Use a poly mailer or bubble mailer? haha - no way, don't do it. You'll get hit with the irregular package surcharge for that. UPS and FedEx do not allow those without paying extra costs.

It's gotta be more or less a plain brown box. They'll even nail you with a cost adjustment for extra handling if you use "too much tape." Not joking.

If you are cutting down the height:

1. Measure, mark, use a straight edge to fold down new flap lines. It's essential the box is uniformly rectangular.

2. Make sure you're cutting a high enough height to account for the item and packing materials so the box doesn't bulge.

UPS is gonna hit you with more or less the same cost adjustments.

USPS is really the only one that's straight-forward.

[robbie31415]

What about pirate ship when you use their polymailer calculation for UPS?

Would you consider that safe?

I know your comment is mainly for eBay labels.

Just wasn't sure if you experienced adjustments with that.

But for the OP, I would only send fedex IF.

I used their flat rate packaging OR

The package is in a clean brown box and modest tape is used.

[wastingtime101]

I do buy UPS labels through pirateship.

I do not use polymailers when shipping with UPS.

On the pirate help page they confirm cost adjustments will be applied if you use a polymailer.

https://support.pirateship.com/en/articles/5604750-all-the-ups-surcharges

But you're asking if pirate charges that handling charge upfront. Based on putting in some phony package info just now, I'm not seeing that a surcharge is added when you select polymailer. So ... 🤷

But they do one thing eBay doesn't which is account for irregular package surcharges (think round tubes, items with unbalanced weight like guitars, etc) as long as you check the irregular box.

On eBay when you check the irregular box it does not factor in those charges upfront. It basically does nothing. The check box is purely decorative.

I have definitely been hit with UPS cost adjustments when shipping with labels purchased on pirate, even using plain brown boxes. Those adjustments are not exclusive to eBay, but they are much more difficult to appeal when the label is purchased with eBay's account because CS has to file the appeal for you. On pirate it's just click comment click done.

[robbie31415]

Sorry I just mean that pirate actually has a polymailer formula so I'd think polymailers would be less risk of adjustment from the UPS.

I have used the polymailer formula and had adjustments via pirateship for UPS but the adjustment cost has always been $0.00. I find the adjustment odd.

Here was one little older but I had reference to it so easier to find.

I never really understood the whole point of the adjustment since the price was the same.

 

Yes I know adjustments happen on both. However the difference is pirateship actually has a preset formula for poly bags and I've never receieved increase charge with poly bags using it from UPS.

I agree. About easiness to contest adjustments with pirateship. Honestly wish I could use pirateship more because their CS is outstanding. If I ever have issues they always make me feel they will do their best and fight on my side.

But i primarily use another service. And the CS is quite poor. Much bigger than eBay. So the CS is actually worse, so that's telling.

My brown box was mainly for fedex on eBay specifically. Fedex I say is probably the worst at searching for additional charges. Using too much tape. Additional charge.

Tbh the only services I really use for fedex is their 2day one rate for some packages where buyers pay more for expedited. I think those are lower risk for adjustment.

Anyways sorry for my babbling.

[gsca85]

I think it's important to note the amount they charge after the fact when they determine, using no documented formula or definition, that your box doesn't conform to their subjective standard or "normal".

If my case, the original shipping was just under $15. The surcharge they added after the fact was $34 which brought the total up to $49 total. That is absolutely insane to charge somebody 220% on top of the original because they cut down the box and decreased its size by 2/3, but now the corners aren't 90 degrees after the resizing. The final shipping fees exceeded the total value of the transaction after the adjustment. I would have been better off throwing the tennis racket in the trash.

I had another I wished to fight as well, but the value of that fee was only $6 and customer service told me they won't contest anything less than $10. So they've determined it's not worth their time to contest an added fee that comes out of my pocket unless it's $10 or more. 

I've used Pirate Ship a few times, but not enough to say whether or not there are as many issues purchasing shipping labels through their platform as there are with Ebay. The only thing I feel certain about is that I cannot ship via FedEX through Ebay. FedEX is the only courier that I have ever had this problem with. In fact, I routinely  receive refunds back from UPS because I always round up when listing the weight and dimensions.

[wastingtime101]

I double-checked on the polymailers and the additional handling surcharge doesn't come in until it exceeds certain dimensions.

For UPS: - Any article that is encased in a soft-sided pack (e.g., poly bags and bubble mailers) that exceeds
18 inches along its longest side or 14 inches along its second-longest side or 6 inches in height.

For FedEx: - is encased in a soft-sided pack (e.g., courier packs, poly bags, and bubble mailers) that exceeds 18 inches along its longest side or 13 inches along its second-longest side or 5 inches in height

[gator08041971]

I have not used FedEx nor will I for packages here with eBay.  Not just because of pricing.

In my case:

They charge to pick up the item.

No local drop off areas in less than 60 miles.

They can tack on ridiculous extra fees.

99% of my items go USPS.  In rare occasions if I have a larger or heavier item, it goes UPS, but I am even more particular with those packages with regards to dimensions and weight.

To date, I have only been hit with a surcharge once, and it was a small amount.  Funny enough it was USPS.  But it was because I had under guesstimated back when I was newer to the process.

[hurley_byrd_ias]

Just to make you all feel better.............  I'm just trying to find a means of talking to eBay.

I had an order recently in which the Customer bought a quantity of 13. eBay charged the Customer at $48 per unit to ship  ($624) and each FedEx label cost $50 ($650 at time of printing). I can live with that overage.  BUT.....

Afterwards FedEx (with no dimensional nor weight changes) charged eBay $90 ($1,170) per unit and they are passing that overcharge unto me.  In other words, they are charging me an additional $520 on top of the $624 the Customer paid.

Obviously, FedEx has just piped their standard rate charge (I checked it against my biz FedEx account rates) into eBay's system and we're supposed to just eat whatever they send.  I am trying to reach someone to talk about this and I cannot find a phone number, chat system or email to open a line of communications. Does someone have contact info for issues like this?

Thank You,

Pete