eBay

mitchellsimon22 · ‎11-17-2019

Hi EBay Community,

I’m enjoying my new business on EBay. The app and website seem easy to use and so far no real issues. However, some of the online instructions related to shipping still don’t make sense to me. I like using EBay’s discounted shipping labels which you purchase after a sale is made. What I’ve noticed is the First Rate Postage charged to my customers is higher than what I pay. Because EBay says they provide a 26% discount (2019) on first rate postage to me, am I to assume the shipping charge sent to the customer is what I would pay if I went to the post office instead of buying EBay’s discount shipping postage?

Thats how it appears those calculations are made by EBay. Once you list an item and provide your packages weight and dimensions and postage choice, EBay seems to know as much as it can how much to charge. But apparently it cannot know if you the seller will pay for the discount EBay postage or the retail postage at the post office after the sale. So they charge the highest rate for the class of postage you choose when you list the item (in my case it’s always First Class postage).

That then means if my customer paid the full retail postage but I bought the EBay discount, they just overpaid on shipping in every case. In my case it’s often around a $1. I don’t mind pocketing that but if I had a preference I’d prefer to save my customers as much money as possible.

It seems like maybe EBay should ask sellers on ever listing if they will commit to the EBay shipping label and pass on the shipping discount....or maybe being new I missed something?

- Mitchell

pjcdn2005 · ‎11-17-2019

Help If you want your buyers to pay what you are being charged you can change your setting Here and check off the carrier discounts you want to specify. Msny sellers do charge retail rates to their buyers to cover the eBay and PayPal fees as well as pay for any packaging costs etc. Of course you can also include those costs in your item price rather than your shipping price.

dhbookds · ‎11-18-2019

Thanks for the link, PJ.............. I checked mine......... I've never used the discounted rate (for the reasons you mention)..........and I never use Fedex (we are in the boonies and would have to drive 20 miles to drop it off)...... BUT I was surprised to see Fedex checked off to use their discounted rates to buyers........ I changed that......

Just a suggestion for others to check to be sure theirs are set up properly..........

nobody*s_perfect · ‎11-18-2019

If you don't use FedE anyway, it really doesn't matter whether it's checked off or not.

dhbookds · ‎11-18-2019

@nobody*s_perfect wrote:
If you don't use FedE anyway, it really doesn't matter whether it's checked off or not.

True..........but who knows what the future will bring? Point was I didn't KNOW the option would be applied IF I did use Fedex...........I'm glad I could correct it now........rather than find out after a sale........when/if I did use it.......