eBay

pardonedtreasure · ‎09-21-2019

Wanted to see how many other sellers are loosing business because of the new USPS shipping rates. We are finding that the new shipping rates on items over 12" x 12" are drastically higher, and in some cases higher than the price of the item to be purchased. eBay must be feeling the effects as sales MUST be lower with the higher charges. If eBay cannot negotiate charges with USPS to lower them, then perhaps they should negotiate charges with UPS or FedEx. Take the business away from USPS. I know that UPS / FedEx can be selected as a shipping option, but I'm sure you are all aware that unless you are a large company and have an account with them, their shipping charges are higher than USPS, which isn't saying much. I guess we as sellers and eBay will just keep taking the hit. We won't be selling many items and eBay profits will go down. Let's see how it all shakes out at the end of the year.

richard1rst · ‎09-21-2019

@pardonedtreasure wrote:
Wanted to see how many other sellers are loosing business because of the new USPS shipping rates. We are finding that the new shipping rates on items over 12" x 12" are drastically higher, and in some cases higher than the price of the item to be purchased. eBay must be feeling the effects as sales MUST be lower with the higher charges. If eBay cannot negotiate charges with USPS to lower them, then perhaps they should negotiate charges with UPS or FedEx. Take the business away from USPS. I know that UPS / FedEx can be selected as a shipping option, but I'm sure you are all aware that unless you are a large company and have an account with them, their shipping charges are higher than USPS, which isn't saying much. I guess we as sellers and eBay will just keep taking the hit. We won't be selling many items and eBay profits will go down. Let's see how it all shakes out at the end of the year.

There are several responses to the many points in your post6.

First, it is not items over 12” x 12” - it is items over 1 cubic foot. I routinely ship packages that are 18x18x5 and DO NOT pay dimension rates.

Secondly, stop selling items that are larger than 1 cubic foot. Lord knows there is plenty of other smaller stuff available. Dimension rates? Solved.

Third, federal law prohibits UPS and FedEx from undercutting the USPS price on those things (i.e. smaller packages) that the post office WANTS to deliver. Bigger, heavier items - sure take them but stay away from the stuff we make money on.

And finally it is pointless to compare the value of the contents with the cost of the postage. Rates are set based on BOTH weight AND distance without regard to the value of the package. A pound of gold, a pound of lead - it’s all the same to them.

With all that in mind and in response to your first question - no, I am not losing business due to the new dimensional rates. Learn to adapt.

femmefan1946 · ‎09-21-2019

FWIW - USPS rates, particularly for tracked mail, is so much lower than Canada Post rates that there are several companies making a good living charging Canadian exporters to carry their shipments across the border to benefit from the low USPS rates-- even with the company's fees added on.

https://www.canadapost.ca/cpotools/apps/far/business/findARate?execution=e1s1

Even with our high rates, I am making money in part by choosing my products.

There may be a demand for mail order anvils, but there may not be a profitable market.

bigdeals.etc · ‎09-22-2019

Yes. As said above the new dimensional rates don't affect me at all because everything I sell is under 1 cubic foot. If you think about it, that's quite a large volume. If you play 20 questions, 1 cubic foot is in fact larger than a bread box.

Honestly even if USPS didn't have this dimensional rate, I'm already trained to think to never look to sell anything over 1 cubic foot. And to add to that, nothing over 2 lbs unless it fits in a flat rate box and/or envelope.

dhbookds · ‎09-22-2019

@richard1rst

Third, federal law prohibits UPS and FedEx from undercutting the USPS price on those things (i.e. smaller packages) that the post office WANTS to deliver. Bigger, heavier items - sure take them but stay away from the stuff we make money on.

Can you cite any references for that? I've never heard it before.........

To the OP: I'm in PA and I do sell a number of heavy items with dimensional rates ...and what I've seen is almost a complete cessation of sales to the W Coast and drop in sales to Rocky Mtn States. However, sales to the East and Middle States have gone up much over what they were before the increase.

I should say that I'm in the country and only have access to UPS/Fed Ex if we drive 20-30 miles, so don't use them........

ed8108 · ‎09-22-2019

Drop those larger packages off at your local post office and pay retail ground rates.

Some sellers may wish to extend their handling time on those bigger items to allow for an accumulation, with perhaps fewer trips to the PO.

nobody*s_perfect · ‎09-22-2019

@ed8108 wrote:
Drop those larger packages off at your local post office and pay retail ground rates.....

USPS policy officially allows Retail Ground only for Zones 5 - 9. It can be used for Zones 1 - 4 if the package must travel via ground, such as hazmat or live animals.

richard1rst · ‎09-22-2019

@dhbookds wrote:

Can you cite any references for that? I've never heard it before.........

@dhbookds

That statement is based on a conversation with my post master. To my post office I am a fairly large shipper and, as such, everyone at my local post office knows me by both sight and name. On that basis I am able to get to my postmaster probably easier than the casual customer. I have had many occasions to interact with my post master on a variety of items. I have always felt he is a fair and honorable person. Based on that I am willing to accept his statement at face value. But short of thumbing through a pile of arcane laws, no I can not cite the specific rule. I can only assume that he knows what he is talking about.

pardonedtreasure · ‎09-22-2019

Beg to differ on the 1 cu. ft. We constantly have boxes such as an eBay box (size 16x12x8) and if it is going to the West (anything from Texas West), yes the rate is drastically higher now with the dimensional change. eBay has also removed USPS Retail Ground from many zones and has changed it to USPS Parcel Select. Even though it is the same as ground, the cost did go up. Perhaps you don't ship West. I'm sure if rates went up for USPS handling smaller items and you were told "stop selling smaller items", you wouldn't be in agreement. eBay can negotiate with other companies such as UPS and FedEx to resolve the expense issue. If USPS wants to keep the business, then perhaps they would have to lower their pricing.

richard1rst · ‎09-22-2019

@pardonedtreasure wrote:
Beg to differ on the 1 cu. ft. We constantly have boxes such as an eBay box (size 16x12x8) and if it is going to the West (anything from Texas West), yes the rate is drastically higher now with the dimensional change.

16 x 12 x 8 (1536 cubic inches) is LESS than one cubic foot (1728 cubic inches) and therefore dimensional rates do NOT apply. Are you sure you are entering the right dimensions?

cad777864 · ‎09-23-2019

@pardonedtreasure wrote:
Wanted to see how many other sellers are loosing business because of the new USPS shipping rates. We are finding that the new shipping rates on items over 12" x 12" are drastically higher, and in some cases higher than the price of the item to be purchased. eBay must be feeling the effects as sales MUST be lower with the higher charges. If eBay cannot negotiate charges with USPS to lower them, then perhaps they should negotiate charges with UPS or FedEx. Take the business away from USPS. I know that UPS / FedEx can be selected as a shipping option, but I'm sure you are all aware that unless you are a large company and have an account with them, their shipping charges are higher than USPS, which isn't saying much. I guess we as sellers and eBay will just keep taking the hit. We won't be selling many items and eBay profits will go down. Let's see how it all shakes out at the end of the year.

Let me enlighten you, President Trump pulled out of the UPU last OCT 12, 2018, BECAUSE we were PAYING for ALL of CHINAS shipping. This is the VERY reason USA rates kept climbing. So he had to give a one year notice. Of course USPS noticed this and did there BIGGEST rate hike, a money grab. Before the UPU agreement ends.

YES, it hurt a lot of sellers who ship bigger than a cubic, sales were lost in that area, also USPS killed international shipping, but made it enticing to buy from china for there so called FREE rate WE HAD TO PAY FOR.

So now this ALL ends OCT 12 2019. A day to celebrate, NO MORE paying for chinas shipping.

Trump stated if USPS does NOT lower our rates, he will make sure they do.

So i am sure he will have to fight for it, but USPS will now be saving BILLIONS a year without china, so BILLIONS a year they should lower shipping costs. AND THAT IS A FACT. Anyone who feels we should be paying for chinas shipping, well, there are not words for that. There has to be a agenda.