Shipping question

[hms1016]

I sold for the first time.  I estimated the weight, but do not have a scale.  Do I have to use the shipping label?  Can I just take the item to the post office and ship it?  Will I be charged by eBay for the shipping amount it charged the customer or will the money be paid to me if I ship without using the label through eBay?

[divwido]

You can ship it at the post office.  Just remember to write down the tracking number and post it on eBay.

No, you will be charged what the post charges, which has zero bearing on what you were paid. 

Shipping money is simple-you get what the buyer paid and you pay from that.  If it costs you more-that's out of your pocket.    And no, the post office does not get paid by eBay, you must pay them.

Oftentimes, eBay is a little bit cheaper, but that would require a scale.

[nobody*s_perfect]

"Do I have to use the shipping label?  Can I just take the item to the post office and ship it? "

No; yes.  You can take the package to the PO and pay for your postage there, but it will cost more than purchasing the label through eBay.

"Will I be charged by eBay for the shipping amount it charged the customer "

No.  The buyer's entire payment including shipping and handling goes into your eBay account; eBay doesn't care where you use that money to purchase postage. They will not deduct the cost of a shipping label if you don't purchase it through eBay.

[albertabrightalberta]

FYI, I used a $10-20 food scale from Bed, Bath and Beyond. It weighs up to 10 lbs. (depending on which you get) and has more than paid for itself in 15 years! 

https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/ozeri-pronto-digital-kitchen-scale/5220282?keyword=di...

[glasser]

Good advice here already. Just remember that the USPS averages up. Meaning if the item weighs any fraction of weight above a whole pound you pay for the next highest weight. For example, you have a package that weighs 3 pounds 4 oz. You will pay for 4 pounds.  If you have a bathroom scale you can try that and see what happens. Digital ones pretty good at giving weight in precise increments.

And if you are going to be doing more selling as @albertabrightalberta says invest in a scale! I got a great one for $5 at an estate sale goes up to 25 pounds.

[richard1rst]

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@glasser wrote:

 invest in a scale!

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A DIGITAL scale.