Overcharged for shipping through Ebay

[tooldepot_net]

I sold a basic item a couple weeks ago and entered exact dimensions and weight which were accurate and not incorrect.  I have the email saying "Your ebay label is ready" with a total amount of $19.70.  $13.35 for Fedex Home and $6.35 for delivery confirmation signature.  I thought everything was normal but happened to notice my next email stating "Your bank account was just charged" shows I was charged $41.40 for shipping.  What is going on here?  It makes me wonder how many other times I've been charged more for shipping and didn't notice.  There is no explanation nor a way to contact anyone to address this.  I think I might honestly be done with selling on here.  It feels like it's always been an uphill battle where sellers are the bad guy and the system is against us.  I can't count how many times a buyer has lied about something and as a small business owner I just get stuck eating it.

[ebooksdiva]

FedEx probably add a surcharge. Or your scale needs calibration or if it is digital, may need new batteries. 

[redlinear]

Doubt scales are wrong.  FedEx is at it again...Unless it was just shipments from a certain area, or that passed through a certain hub.  Unless that's the case, this board getting ready to blow up.
Everybody better be adding a lb to your FedEx weights, IF you continue to use them.

[fern*wood]

I didn't know they ever stopped. 

[wastingtime101]

Hey @tooldepot_net . If you contact eBay CS they can tell you the reason for the upcharge (weight, dim, nonstandard pkg, etc) and they can file an appeal if you believe the charge was in error.

[buyselljack2016]

@tooldepot_net 

I thought everything was normal but happened to notice my next email stating "Your bank account was just charged" shows I was charged $41.40 for shipping.

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 Was there a time lag between the   "Your ebay label is ready" , and the "Your bank account was just charged" emails, as in as others elude to .............. surcharges/upcharges ..............  from FedEx that would show it the time of delivery, or were the emails close together before delivery??????

[tooldepot_net]

We are a large tool store and ship all the time so I can assure you our scale is not off.  And even if it was off by a significant 10 or 20 percent that would not account for such a large difference on an item that was like 6 lbs to begin with.  My beef with this is where is the safety net for sellers from Ebay?  This is their site we are using and they only exists because of sellers like us placing items for sale.  Yet it seems like as a seller we are always drawing the short straw.  I'm kind of sick of the whole thing and will likely just stop selling here.  So you're saying now I get to micro watch every shipment and then contact Ebay CS (I have no clue how to do that since they seem to make it impossible to do) if I notice a discrepancy?  That's nuts.

[wastingtime101]

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@tooldepot_net wrote:

now I get to micro watch every shipment and then contact Ebay CS (I have no clue how to do that since they seem to make it impossible to do) if I notice a discrepancy?  That's nuts.

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eBay is in the process of switching sellers from a pay after delivery to a pay upfront system for UPS/FedEx. You should see that switch in the coming months, and when it happens you won't have to babysit the difference of estimated vs actual costs. You will pay upfront and eBay will notify you if any surcharges come through after the fact. Should make things much easier to manage.

To contact customer service there are a few options. Use the chat (type 'agent' in the chat box) or the call back features on the left side of this page: https://www.ebay.com/help/contact_us?id=4002&st=10

Other option is contacting eBay CS through social by sending a DM to ebayforbusiness on facebook or askebay on twitter.

[tooldepot_net]

The "Your label is ready" email came on 09/15 right after I made the label and the "your bank account..." email was on 09/30.  Like I said I can't be watching every little detail after the transaction has taken place.  Once the item leaves our loading dock we need to be able to trust there is some system in place to keep this sort of thing from happening.  Thanks for all the quick replies, the sellers on here have always been very welcoming and generous with their time.

[wastingtime101]

Things should be a lot more manageable when you're switched over to paying upfront for UPS/FedEx. I agree, the system is far from ideal. I've submitted a lot of FB to eBay in this area, including requesting a way for sellers to appeal these charges without having to go through CS.

On pirateship all you have to do is click a couple of times, enter a comment and submit right through their site - it's super simple and it would be great to see eBay implement something similar.

eBay's making significant improvements to the process with payment upfront and showing a more detailed breakdown if a surcharge comes through after the fact, so hopefully they will keep moving forward with positive changes to UPS/FedEx labels.

[tooldepot_net]

Someone from Ebay did reach out via PM with information regarding this overcharge and is issuing a refund for the difference.  Apparently there was a change of address correction made which we had no control over.  I greatly appreciate this person reaching out and correcting the problem.  But it still boils down to as a seller I feel like I'm seen as the bad guy in Ebay's eyes.  They need to realize if we all sour and leave this place doesn't exist anymore.  As a business owner I expect the companies I partner with to have systems in place to help me and not hurt me.

[redlinear]

Paying up front will have no effect on shipping cost upgrades after the fact.  

[wastingtime101]

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@redlinear wrote:

Paying up front will have no effect on shipping cost upgrades after the fact.  

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The seller will not have to waste time manually comparing initial shipping estimates to actual charges when they come through. Instead, seller will pay upfront and receive a notification if there's an additional charge. Easier time-saving process, especially for sellers that do large volume.

[redlinear]

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@wastingtime101 wrote:

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@redlinear wrote:

Paying up front will have no effect on shipping cost upgrades after the fact.  

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The seller will not have to waste time manually comparing initial shipping estimates to actual charges when they come through. Instead, seller will pay upfront and receive a notification if there's an additional charge. Easier time-saving process, especially for sellers that do large volume.

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Sorry, I guess I don't understand Estimate vs Actual.
When I sell something, I package it, click on Purchase Shipping Label, enter the weight, and the dimensions...Then choose the company and method. 
There's no estimate.  The cost stated is actual.
When it's USPS, I'm billed that cost immediately.
When FedEx or UPS, I "was" billed that cost after delivery.
    But upgrades can come Months later.
To me it makes no difference

[redlinear]

@tooldepot_net ,
   The upgrade/upcharge after shipment is nothing new for any of the shipping carriers.
 I've had packages increased MONTHS after delivery.
 AND, most of the time I feel it's a new terminal manage trying to make a name for him/herself. 
Or maybe just a random audit for a week or so at a particular terminal.  
With minimum wage employees that don't care doing the weighing and calculating.
    The issue I have is shipping through eBay....You cannot contact the Shipper direct.  
And it seems FedEx (especially FedEx) has this figured out.  They can upcharge and nobody can or will do anything about it.
  eBay needs to use their clout and put a stop to it.  At least it would be something they could do for their sellers.