Shipped 1st class mail vs Expedited Shipping (USPS Priority Mail®) as stated in the ad

[trurut0]

Question for anyone:

I just recived an item that had the only available shipping method was expedited shipping and charged a fee... shipping &handling stated the fee was for Expedited Shipping (USPS Priority Mail®) service. The Item was shipped 1st class mail.
This would be considered a downgrade in shipping by anyone's definition in 2020 even ebay from what i could find out about shipping policies.

so, I politely messaged the seller and asked it a mistake had been made and if they could refund the amount I paid for shipping. the message received from the seller basically stated that the definition of expedited shipping is determined by them. I sent on more message showing in their listing that Expedited Shipping (USPS Priority Mail®) was part of their listing....their last replay was send it back.

eBays policy states that a seller can not down grade shipping methods.

Let me just say the item was as described and have no problem itself and didn't thing requesting a refund for shipping was/is unreasonable.

Thoughts???

[a_c_green]

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@nobody*s_perfect wrote:
Originally when eBay established its categories, First Class package was under "Expedited". Then a few years ago USPS issued  a memo saying that First Class package would have a standard shipping time of 4 days, so eBay felt they had to demote FC package to the "Standard" category.  That 4-day expectation seems to have vanished, but eBay hasn't re-re-categorized it.

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Throughout most of the year, I've seen no noticeable difference in travel times between my First Class Package shipments and my Priority shipments. However, during the Christmas rush, I saw a noticeable delay in FCP deliveries of an extra day or two (or three), but my Priority shipments seemed to finally get priority, in a way, and all arrived in their usual time.

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@nobody*s_perfect wrote:
Regardless of Expedited vs Standard (based on shipping time), IMHO if the buyer paid for a service that costs $10 but the seller used a service that costs $3, then the seller owes him a partial refund.

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Ayup. I really don't see a gray area here. The seller owes the buyer for the difference between what he paid for in Shipping and what he received instead.

[csbbct]

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@a_c_green wrote:

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@imakesugar wrote:

eBay has started a new program where they only put down the cheapest and the Highest priced options. The other options the Seller listed won’t even show.  

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They won't show an upgraded Shipping option where the estimated delivery date is no earlier than that of a cheaper method. If its estimated delivery date is sooner than that of a cheaper method, then it will be shown.

My listings mostly show free First Class Package shipping, but I always include Priority Mail shipping as an optional upgrade for those who live further away and might want it in a hurry. I never actually see that option myself when viewing my own listings, because I could get the fastest possible delivery to my own ZIP code with the cheapest Shipping method already.

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@a_c_green  I know this isn't the original OP's issue, but just wanted to ask a question on this.  I have been going back and forth in different threads with Brian and Trinton that ALL my listings offer Retail Ground AND Priority options, but most of my listings only show the first option - Retail Ground.  I'm in CT and even when I put in a CA or TX zip code, it's not showing the Priority option when it should.  They have admitted that they're also seeing the problem, but it hasn't been fixed yet.  You state that you're not seeing both options in your listings because you're in your own zip code, but if you type in a zip code from a far-away state in the zip code field on the shipping tab in your listings do you then see both options?  It's very sporadic for me; one listing is good, another is not.   It's frustrating that they're not displaying and I've had issues with sales because of it.

[nobody*s_perfect]

If they don't solve that issue, it will become moot in 2 weeks when the new rates go into effect and dimensional weight applies to Retail Ground.

[a_c_green]

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@csbbct wrote:
You state that you're not seeing both options in your listings because you're in your own zip code, but if you type in a zip code from a far-away state in the zip code field on the shipping tab in your listings do you then see both options?

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Yes. Using my current auction 233463065420 as an example (https://www.ebay.com/itm/233463065420), this is what I see in the Shipping tab when using a home ZIP code of 60606 in Chicago: 

 

If I now change the ZIP Code to 90210 in California, the Priority Mail option appears: 

Now, this is a pretty straightforward comparison where First Class Package is definitely cheaper than Priority for a package going halfway across the country. It might be that in your case, the Retail Ground and Priority options you're testing with are not returning a clear enough difference between the two in either cost or travel time to let your more-expensive option appear. (If you want to try repeating my results, they are for a 9-ounce package in a 6"x4"x4" box.)

I know from past experience that Retail Ground can cost more than Priority in some cases (I think it was mainly short hops and/or lightweight packages), and maybe the eBay algorithm is getting confused when your supposed upscale option actually returns a lower price than the default method, instead of more, for certain ZIP codes.

I would suggest messing about with cost estimates for different package sizes and destination ZIPs using the estimate calculator on the usps.com website, and see what you find out there.

[bgt_masters_of_tiki_d]

The time frame between Priority and First Class is basically no difference in my experience. The only real difference is Priority Mail comes with free $100 insurance coverage. How much did you pay for shipping and what did you buy? Without knowing roughly what you bought and what you were charged for shipping you really can't get much advice on that matter. 

If the seller charged you $15 and its a 3 oz item shipped First Class without insurance that cost $3 to ship you have a legit gripe. Now if its a 15 oz item and you were charged $6. You're sort of complaining just to complain. 

[nobody*s_perfect]

Priority Mail includes $100 of insurance if you're a Top Rated Seller; if not, or if purchased at retail at the PO, the coverage is only $50.

Neither of those matters to the buyer since they have full coverage under eBay's buyer protection policy (AKA Money Back Guarantee).  Insurance benefits the seller.

[ed8108]

Breach of contract when you pay for  specified shipping, USPS priority mail, but a seller substitutes a less costly standard of shipping, & pockets the cost difference.

[trurut0]

The item in question was server memory ...light but, not cheap. I needed the items to start a project.

the reason for buying the item where i did...

the seller was less than 50mis away and shipped priority. (expected to be delivered in 1 maybe 2 days)

(I've been able to receive items from CA to FL in 3 days using fast and free.)

So,  overall cost was not just shipping. I  paid extra for not only shipping but, tax and a premium on the item.

which I was OK with paying... to have the item received quickly.

as for  "You're sort of complaining just to complain. "  I sure if a buyer paid a seller only 80% of an item sold you would not tell the seller the same thing. 

[corvettestainless]

I think ebay stated that they would NOT show add'l shipping options if the 'lower priced' option would do the same thing. Since local, ground or 1st class would get there in the same time as Priority, they will not show the 'option'. 

This was 'to not confuse the buyers'..... 

[corvettestainless]

If you paid more for Priority, then I stand corrected- if they shipped for a 'cheaper' way, they should not be doing that and should pay you back the difference. Horrible seller to have to be told to do that..... 

[a_c_green]

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@corvettestainless wrote:

If you paid more for Priority, then I stand corrected- if they shipped for a 'cheaper' way, they should not be doing that and should pay you back the difference. Horrible seller to have to be told to do that..... 

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That's exactly what the OP says happened; yes.

Quoting from their Original Post: "I just received an item that had the only available shipping method was expedited shipping and charged a fee... shipping &handling stated the fee was for Expedited Shipping (USPS Priority Mail®) service. The Item was shipped 1st class mail."

[trurut0]

Here is the message i sent the seller and their response;

"I received the item you sent and works as described, but I think there was a mistake. The only option when purchasing the server memory was expedited shipping (Priority Mail) which I paid.
When I got the item, it was received via 1st class mail. I know that mistakes can be made and that ebay changed its shipping policies back in September which is why I'm bringing this to your attention.
Since the shipping method is also part of the item description, I would like to request the difference in $$$ between 1st class mail and expedited shipping, I think that is only fair.

Thanks,"

the seller responded;

"Expedited shipping, by definition, is the process of sending a parcel at a faster rate than would normally be customary. Therefore, what is deemed “expedited” will depend on the company policy of the shipper."

my next response was just ebay policy on shipping&handling and the chart in the 2nd post... trying to explain how expedited shipping was defined. Even showing a picture of their own ad defining expedited shipping.  

anywho, I would have accepted so something like "oh, sorry our bad" now the only option give was return the item... with no option within ebay to just claim a partial refund.  So, I guess i'll just keep it and leave the seller negative feedback.

[a_c_green]

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@trurut0 wrote:

"Expedited shipping, by definition, is the process of sending a parcel at a faster rate than would normally be customary. Therefore, what is deemed “expedited” will depend on the company policy of the shipper."

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What a pile of word-salad nonsense. The "Expedited" term in this case belongs to eBay, not the seller. It means what eBay says it means. It is that which eBay uses for Priority Mail shipping. Not First Class Package. This is not a gray area.

If the seller flat-out refuses to refund the difference between what you paid for and what you got, a Negative would be justified here, but be sure to keep it clear and businesslike; e.g. "Paid for Priority Mail shipping but seller used First Class; won't refund diff." (79 letters) Something like that which makes it clear what the problem was, and that it wasn't your fault.

[fab_finds4u]

PM is a subset of First Class Mail.  They both go air mail. PM gets loaded first.  If there's no room for all the FC it goes out on the next truck to the airport.   

There is a cost difference for the postage but by the time the seller pays for a bubble mailer, packing supplies and insurance their shipping expense could be the same or even higher than PM shipping and handling.  

If you paid xx for it to be delivered by xx and it arrived by xx you should quit being so petty.   Personally, I wouldn't care what the LABEL on the package said if my item was delivered on time.  

[trurut0]

First no airmail involved, the seller was only less than 50mi away and the item was deliver in 3 days... normal PM is shipped directly from the hub to my PO.,   first class in not.. its routed normal is routed thru an additional hub or 2. 

"There is a cost difference for the postage but by the time the seller pays for a bubble mailer, packing supplies and insurance their shipping expense could be the same or even higher than PM shipping and handling. "

-- Not the buyers problem

it maybe petty to you .... and maybe because of the field Im in and trying to find cost savings in every produce designed. Where a 1/2 of cent save up to a few million dollars, is the company just being petty over a few cents??

if thats the case please feel free to send me $1 every time you make a transaction 🙂

like I stated above ...Time was the determining factor for ordering from the seller, not the cost. By all past orders (not only ebay) the item arrived two days late.  (by my calculations not ebays expected delivery date but, by every other packaged ordered going thru the same hub (where this item started it journey)with PM)