Postage Label Rates

[9dals]

Anyone else having issues ?  I printed label yesterday for flat rate envelope.  Buyer paid $7.75 and I get discount and was charged $6.94.  Later the same day and today for same envelope, buyer paying same $7.75 and now my label costs is $7.33.

ebay can’t explain - so is anyone else having same issue ??

[disneyshopper]

I rarely ship using the USPS flat rate envelope, but did you possibly select flat rate PADDED envelope or flat rate LEGAL size envelope?

[nobody*s_perfect]

Online rates for Priority Mail went up 40 cents on October 18.  Top Rated Sellers get a 3% discount, so the new price might be a penny more or less than that due to rounding.

https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2020/0814-usps-announces-temporary-price-increase....

[mtarctophil]

I have checked with the "help" at ebay and no one seems to know if that info is updated so the price shown for the buyer is correct.  

[7606dennis]

I believe that USPS has recently implemented a temporary price increase.  It appears that your first shipment slipped in just before the increase. 

[fern*wood]

Which flat rate envelope did you use each time?

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@mtarctophil wrote:

I have checked with the "help" at ebay and no one seems to know if that info is updated so the price shown for the buyer is correct.  

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The shipping calculator in eBay listings updated on the day that the change went into effect, just as it always does.

[9dals]

No I didn’t hit padded or legal.  According to ebay - USPS is surcharging 42 cents from 10/27 to 12/26, in getting ready for higher volume.  It’s still cheaper with ebays discount than it is with USPS.  No solution yet, as the surcharge should be assessed to buyer equally and not just taken out of sellers profits.

[9dals]

Yes I know rates temporarily increased 10/27 is when eBay implemented it - but they aren’t surcharging buyer - buyer still pays $7.75.  The extra 42 cents comes out of my pocket.

so if rates when up than eBay hasn’t changed rates for buyers, just taking more profit from sellers.  I get 5% discount for store & top rated seller.

[9dals]

Thank you - yes they did implement increase from 10/18 to 12/26.  It’s for e-commerce only. Unfortunately, eBay hasn’t implement increase to buyer, just takes extra fee from sellers.

[9dals]

The changes were to take place on 10/18 

ebay implemented it on 10/27.  They only charge the sellers the add’l 42 cents as they did not increase fee buyer pays.  No resolution as to why they don’t surcharge the buyers fee.

[9dals]

I use the regular flat rate envelope not padded or legal size

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@9dals wrote:

Yes I know rates temporarily increased 10/27 is when eBay implemented it - but they aren’t surcharging buyer - buyer still pays $7.75.  The extra 42 cents comes out of my pocket.

so if rates when up than eBay hasn’t changed rates for buyers, just taking more profit from sellers.  I get 5% discount for store & top rated seller.

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The new USPS surcharge only applies to online (Commercial) rates.  The retail rate of $7.75 was unaffected, so that's what eBay still charges buyers.

The official surcharge is 40 cents for Priority Mail and Parcel Select Ground, and 25 cents for First Class packages.  

On eBay, Top Rated Sellers get a 3% discount on the commercial prices for USPS Priority Mail, so the recent price increase for eBay labels might not be exactly 40 cents, due to rounding.    A Store subscription has no effect on the rates you pay for postage labels.