eBay

brickrules20 · ‎01-08-2020

Hi, so I listed 33 LEGO minifigures at different prices, and put in all the shipping info into the listing. I'm sending them First Class Mail, and offered free shipping. The listing charge showed it as $1.30 across the board. My first one sold today and the shipping charge is now $3.06. I changed nothing in-between when I listed and when it sold. Anyone know why this happened? thanks in advance.

nobody*s_perfect · ‎01-08-2020

When you set up the shipping calculator, there's a drop-down menu for "Service" and another one for "Package type." Your buyer was charged at the postage rate for a "flat" (AKA Large envelope) because the menu for package type was set to Large envelope rather than to Package/thick envelope. If the package type is set to "flat" that's what the buyer will be charged for, even though the listing itself will show "First Class package" because that's what was chosen in the other menu )for service).

eBay only prints labels for services with tracking, so you can't print a label for a flat through eBay. Also, your items don't fit the USPS criteria to be mailed as a flat.

The easy solution is to fix your shipping calculator in your active listings so that the package type is set to package rather than to Large envelope.

martin2001 · ‎01-08-2020

If the figures have uniform weight (approximately) set up a flat rate First Class Package to avoid surprised. If the weight is below 4oz, to most places the postage is below $3.00. If you are on one of the coasts the postage to the other may be around $3.50 (will change somehow after 1/20). Under the current rates if you set flat postage to $3.50, you won't lose on postage

nobody*s_perfect · ‎01-08-2020

There's no need to switch the listings to flat-rate postage and then guess at or estimate the cost. The listings will show the correct postage if the package type is set correctly.

Online postage for a First Class package up to 4 ounces currently costs $2.66 - $3.09 depending on distance (Zone). When the new rates for 2020 go into effect on January 26, the cost will be $2.74 - $3.18. Listings that have been set up with calculated shipping will show the new prices automatically.

brickrules20 · ‎01-13-2020

I switched to the envelope option and it still says $1.30.

brickrules20 · ‎01-13-2020

It looks like the shipping calculator is the problem. Regardless of what I put on the listings page, when I go to the shipping calculator it re-sets it to package.

kensgiftshop · ‎01-13-2020

@brickrules20 wrote:
I switched to the envelope option and it still says $1.30.

You need to choose package.

Have a great day.

earlyant-77 · ‎01-13-2020

The OP has free shipping, though.

I assume they are getting the different charges when printing the label, not having it show correctly in the listing.

nobody*s_perfect · ‎01-13-2020

@brickrules20 wrote:
I switched to the envelope option and it still says $1.30.

Of course, because choosing "envelope" is the mistake. You need to choose "Package/thick envelope" if you want to charge the buyer for a First Class package.

eBay only sells labels for services with tracking, so the only type of First Class label they sell is for packages.

nobody*s_perfect · ‎01-13-2020

@brickrules20 wrote:
I switched to the envelope option and it still says $1.30.

Of course, because choosing "envelope" is the mistake. You need to choose "Package" if you want to charge the buyer for a First Class package. I'm not sure which shipping calculator you're using. Here's what the option looks like in the basic eBay tool.

lja440 · ‎01-14-2020

@brickrules20 wrote:
I switched to the envelope option and it still says $1.30.

No if you have $1.30 then it is set for flat-large envelope. You want to change it FROM envelope to package.

You need to think in terms of the physical characteristics of what you are shipping. Think of a flat-large envelope. This would be similar to putting a magazine in a large manila envelope. Able to be bent or folded and less than 3/4" thick. THIS IS NOT WHAT YOU WANT.

You need a package. This covers anything in a box or poly bag that has a thickness of over 3/4" or a uneven thickness.

brickrules20 · ‎01-14-2020

Lol, ok, I finally got it straight. It now shows the First Class shipping at the correct rate. Thanks for the help everyone, and sorry it took me so long to grasp what you were saying.

lja440 · ‎01-15-2020

It's not all your fault. eBay could simplify things by not offering letter and flats during the listing process.

fern*wood · ‎01-15-2020

@lja440 wrote:
It's not all your fault. eBay could simplify things by not offering letter and flats during the listing process.

Then all the sellers that ship that way would raise heck.

lja440 · ‎01-16-2020

@fern*wood wrote:
@lja440 wrote:
It's not all your fault. eBay could simplify things by not offering letter and flats during the listing process.
Then all the sellers that ship that way would raise heck.

No, they could still ship that way by adding the flat letter or flat rate to the items starting price and listing with Free Shipping. After all if they are shipping that way they are using stamps and not printing a postage label.