eBay

discount_oddities · ‎08-22-2023

I wanted to help make it known (which I'm sure veterans of Ebay know this already) that USPS will try to overcharge you. This has happened twice to me.

The first time I shipped a DVD in a yellow padded envelope and it was a shaped in the DVD style case. As it got closer to the destination, USPS sent me a notice saying there was an adjustment on my package. The post office stated that it was a Priority Mail flat rate envelope when it had nothing about Priority Mail on the package. They charged me an additional $11 and change. They claimed it weighted over a pound. So I called their dispute department and had to go through the whole process of disputing. Eventually, I won the dispute and was refunded the $11 and change, but Ebay never applied it to my account. I'm still fighting with them for my credit.

This past week, I shipped another DVD Media Mail (which was the previous one as well), nothing about Priority Mail or even used for packing that said Priority Mail. I received another notice that my item was Priority Mail Flat Rate when it's in a black envelope. I haven't started my proceedings yet of disputing this but again this is happening.

I even shown my local post office and they said that's crazy (as they know me, because I'm there everyday). Ebay will have no part in it other than issuing you the credit and proving it is hard to do as they say "you have no evidence to show it was sent in a standard envelope".

So I just want this to be known and keep your eyes peeled for this in your account funds, because it may sneak up on you or look for the letter that is sent out. Just remember to keep your shipping receipts and the post office receipt (if you dropped it off) as this helps show it was a different service than Priority Flat Rate.

wastingtime101 · ‎08-22-2023

Hey @discount_oddities . This happens to me all the time. It's a pain in the ass, but it's easy to appeal. Send USPS an email verifypostagehelp@usps.gov with the following details:

In order for us to investigate your dispute we must have the following information:

Full Name
Phone Number with area code
Email
10 digit Revenue Assurance ID or USPS Adjustment ID of each record to be reviewed
IMpb or tracking number starting with 94 or 420

I generally describe the problem, as well. Shipped 8 oz t-shirt in plain white polymailer with eBay logo, was up charged based on a Priority Flat Rate Envelope packaging which was not used.

Educated guess: packages sometimes get stuck together or are too close together when going through the sorting machinery so the scans are reading a different package. When you file an appeal, USPS will look at the actual photos taken during sorting and they will see the package and grant the refund.

USPS sends the refund to your original source of payment (credit card, bank, paypal, etc). It will not show up in your eBay account.

https://www.ebay.com/ship/lmng

https://faq.usps.com/s/article/Automated-Package-Verification-Program

GLORIOUS!

12345jamesstamps · ‎08-22-2023

I didn't know one can send a DVD as media mail through the USPS. I guess I learned something new.

A padded envelope is consider a parcel package by the USPS....sometimes there will be words on envelope before purchase like "bubble envelope"....means padded.

Something that goes "media mail" per my USPS clerks it helps to write the words "media mail" on the envelope.

a_c_green · ‎08-22-2023

@12345jamesstamps wrote:
I didn't know one can send a DVD as media mail through the USPS. I guess I learned something new.

If it's recorded media, such as the movies that the OP is selling, it can go as Media Mail. You cannot ship blank DVDs that way.

Ref: https://liteblue.usps.gov/news/link/2013/04apr/Media-Mail-Guidelines.htm

@12345jamesstamps wrote:
A padded envelope is consider a parcel package by the USPS....sometimes there will be words on envelope before purchase like "bubble envelope"....means padded.
Something that goes "media mail" per my USPS clerks it helps to write the words "media mail" on the envelope.

Well, the prepaid USPS shipping label will loudly announce that it's Media Mail, with a large M in the corner, so that's pretty unmistakable, and the color of the package is irrelevant, but I'm wondering if some clueless USPS employee opened it for inspection (Media Mail is subject to opening for inspection to be sure that the contents conform) and somehow concluded that a commercially-recorded DVD didn't qualify. If that happens, the sender is charged the Priority rate instead (if I remember right).

The other possibility is that, as stated previously, the package went through a scanner stuck to a PMFR Envelope. The scanner would read the Media Mail label on top, but a PMFR Envelope barcode ID on the underside (as the two had become stuck together), and assume that the OP's package was underpaid.