Furthermore, if you are not an astute, heads-up and eyes-wide-open seller, it is very easy for a (novice) seller to never catch on that for many USPS rates, you lose money on shipping if you use the default amounts that eBay charges Buyers.
eBay charges what the seller tells eBay to charge. If the seller is using the shipping calculator and correctly enters the package dimensions, type and weight then eBay will charge the correct postage to the buyer.
Compare the orange amounts (amount charged to the Buyer) with the purple amounts (the amount that would need to be charged in order for the Seller to break even). In almost every case, the Buyer is charged less than it costs the Seller! Good gravy!
That's what the handling fee is for. eBay calculates the postage only. Not the seller's other costs.
but I wish they were not necessary and that eBay charged a fair default rate to all
This makes no sense. eBay is calculating the actual postage rate. There is no fair or unfair about it. Those rates are set by USPS. Not eBay.
If you are using the shipping calculator in your listings, add an appropriate handling fee to the postage amount. If you are charging a flat rate in your listings, charge the amount you need for all costs related to shipping.
