Shipping costs as a seller not making sense

[blazin100]

Hello,

I'm confused and am sure I'm missing something, but I offer free shipping and have routinely bought shipping labels through ebay. For the order, I was quoted a cost $9.25. When I look at my Payments, it's showing a fee of $22.49. There have been many like this and I wouldn't have purchased labels for that price as I'd be losing money on those transactions. Could this fee of $22.49 be for multiple labels and it just doesn't show the other labels?

Thanks!

[wastingtime101]

Hey @blazin100. When you purchase UPS shipping labels through eBay, there is a warning message on the label page that tells you it's just an estimate and there are links to click for more info.

Go to that transaction in the second screenshot, and on the right click the View link. Does it show you a breakdown of the $22.49 charge?

You should see an adjustment for dimensional weight. Even though your package weighed approx 2.2 lbs, the dimensions were large enough for you to incur dimensional weight charges which means a higher billable weight.

https://ir.ebaystatic.com/pictures/aw/shipping/DIM_Weight_Guide.pdf

UPS implemented holiday (peak season) surcharges that are still in effect.

On top of that you'll see things like fuel surcharges, potential residential delivery surcharges, extended delivery area, etc.

When you use a service like UPS or FedEx you need to know exactly what you're doing because there are so many surcharges to contend with.

[kensgiftshop]

With both FedEx and UPS, the price that Ebay shows is just an estimate.

Both like to add extra charges and you don't get the final bill until after the package has been delivered.

[blazin100]

Thanks, unfortunately there is no cost breakdown provided. I verified the package size (20x20x1) and the weight with a very accurate postage scale. I am going to stick with USPS because they've charged me consistently according to the quotes.

Thanks for the answers! I had printed and shipped 5 packages today via UPS ground and I pulled those before they picked up. I'm going to now figure out how to cancel and reship via USPS. The shipping ended up costing more than the product price, then eBay fees on top of that....

It's just unfortunate it took a week before I was billed by UPS to realize this. I sent out many packages in that time frame. Oh well, live and learn!

Below is the (lack of) cost breakdown from the View link:

[leaky-bucket-labs]

I dont do nothing through ebay. I give free shipping and go to the post office myself.

Ebay likes to take fees out of my shipping costs and tax me on them twice. forget that

[ms.rodriguez*]

This is 100% false. Ebay does not tax you twice.  IF you mean that ebay charges the commission on the fee and on the shipping fee, you are still paying the same commission.    It does not matter if you offer free shipping or not.

The following example will result in the same ebay commission

10.oo item and 5.oo to ship = 15.00   

$15.00 and free shipping = 15.00   Ebay will add the sales tax and it will be exactly the same for both.  It does NOT matter where you buy your shipping label.   ON the 15.oo , ebay also adds the sales tax and will take 12.9% of that sales tax fee too.

When you buy the postage at the post office, you are paying more too.

[autotran]

Get the free eBay stamps.com account and these problems will go away. Their is no residential charge and no fuel charge either at the present time. But I do have to drop them off at UPS or a UPS store. Also, stamps.com offers up to 85% discount on some UPS export shipments. My price has not changed yet from the quoted calculated price on any of my UPS shipments yet. Also if you want to use FedEx get your own personal account and any problems you have with them will go away also. Dave

[monroe67]

"I dont do nothing through ebay. I give free shipping and go to the post office myself.

Ebay likes to take fees out of my shipping costs and tax me on them twice. forget that"

Do you think you're tricking eBay out of their fees by adding the shipping costs in to the cost of the item? 
Because you're not.  

I also don't think you're doing yourself any favors by "giv[ing] free shipping" and then buying the postage yourself at your local post office.  Of course, I don't know about selling on eBay's Canadian site, but eBay does offer reduced postage costs for sellers from the United States; that is, when we US sellers purchase our postage through eBay, it will cost us (and our buyers) less than if we took our envelopes and/or packages to our local post offices.  I don't know if eBay offers similar breaks on Canadian postage rates for sellers in Canada.  

I am unclear on how you believe eBay is "tax[ing] you twice."  
Even in Canada, corporations like eBay and unincorporated businesses do not tax.  
Governments tax.  I am pretty sure that the various Canadian provinces impose and collect sales tax, as well as perhaps counties or cities.  

[iamrhinotrading]

I rarely use UPS, however this shipping quote offered the best value soooo😒 last the week of Dec 2022, against my better judgement, I shipped an item via UPS.  Hand deliver this PRE-PAID package to my local UPS store whereas the clerk scans & weighs the box - I'm out in a jiffy.  Package was delivered on time . . .  all seems well, right?  NO!  Two weeks later, UPS slams my seller's account for an ADJUSTMENT CHARGE nearly the same price of the only sale I had that day.  Item price is $12.00 and the erroneous adjustment charge is $12.42!  No other explanation offered aside referencing the pkg I hand delivered as before mentioned.  I offer 1 day shipping therefore I must ship this new sold item next day via my own $ YET UPS ERRONEOUS DEBIT HAS CLEARED WITHIN 1 HOUR ( compare how eBay burden sellers to wait for 1-2 DAYS until a buyer's payment CLEARS yet carriers get paid IMMEDIATELY from unprocessed payments👎!)   I have my receipt from dropping off this pkg to UPS with no conflict mentioned by the clerk re: PRE-PAID  VS. WEIGH & MEASUREMENT. 

Sellers work hard for every sale so for any 3rd party to whisk away with your profit without discussion or approval is totally UNACCEPATABLE.  Yes eBAY was notified of my dispute which they have referred to UPS after multiple apologies with assurances eBAY didn't authorize the 2nd debit.  When I inquired abt a provisional credit to pay for shipping my new sale Ebay declined; apologies & action are not aligned.  AGAIN 🤔🔎 WHY ARE 3RD PARTIES ALLOWED TO MAKE PAYMENT ADJUSTMENTS WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE OR OVERSIGHT?1?  . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . D E V E L O P I N G . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

[pjcdn2005]

@leaky-bucket-labs 

You pay fees on the the total amount that the buyer pays. If you buy your label at the post or buy it through eBay you still pay the same amount in fees.

It is slightly less expensive to buy your labels online than at the post office even if you have a CP small business account.