USPS shipping calculations not working correctly

[sextons-sweet-deals]

When I have heavy items, I select "Calculate shipping by buyer's location". I then select USPS ground shipping, Will select package or large package, enter the dims, and the weight. I normally add extra weight to compensate for USPS / eBay mis calculations.

Just the last few days, it seems to be getting out of hand!

sold an item that I set up to weigh 5.10 lb

Printed out the shipping information. It shows shipping was only $8.50 (???)

After packing the item and weighing it, it actually came to 4.30 lbs.  (I have my own scale)

Now, when I get on the USPS website and enter this information, ground shipping is $12.00

It just happened again this morning on another item. 

shipping on invoice says $8.91 for 4.14 lbs. 

USPS website says $$12.95

Any thoughts?

Note: I don't print my labels, but I understand if I did, it would only be about a 10% savings (maybe less) so that doesn't seem to be the answer. 

[nobody*s_perfect]

$8.91 is the price to ship 5 pounds to Zone 4 via Parcel Select Ground.

$12.95 is the price to ship 5 pounds to Zone 4 via Retail Ground.

Both services used to be known as Parcel Post: Parcel Select Ground is the online service and Retail Ground is the same service when purchased over-the-counter at the Post Office.  

As you can see, the savings from purchasing postage online is substantially more than 10%.

"sold an item that I set up to weigh 5.10 lb

Printed out the shipping information. It shows shipping was only $8.50 (???)"

$8.50 is the price to ship 6 pounds to Zone 3 via Parcel Select Ground, so that's a difference in Zone as well as in weight.

If you intend to continue to purchase your postage at retail prices, then you should set up the shipping calculator in your listings with Retail Ground rather than Parcel Select Ground.

[sextons-sweet-deals]

thank you, but eBay has it set up based on zip code. Not zones

the rates you stated would the one issue I have is based on zip 46236 to zip 35160, dims are 12" x 10" x 8", and weight 4.14 lbs. 

Just seems hard to believe that I would save $3.04 just for printing a label at home. Does this mean that eBay / USPS calculation rates on our listings are based only on if we print our own labels?

thank you

[luckythewinner]

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thank you, but eBay has it set up based on zip code. Not zones

Correct. The distance between the "ship from" and "ship to" zip codes is used to determine the zone. Zone 1 is 50 miles, zone 2 is 51 to 150 miles, etc. 

the rates you stated would the one issue I have is based on zip 46236 to zip 35160, dims are 12" x 10" x 8", and weight 4.14 lbs. 

46236 to 35160 is Zone 4, and you would round this up to 5 pounds. 

https://postcalc.usps.com/domesticzonechart

Just seems hard to believe that I would save $3.04 just for printing a label at home.

And for others, it might hard to believe that a seller would not check to see what the discount was.

Does this mean that eBay / USPS calculation rates on our listings are based only on if we print our own labels?

You have the option of passing the discount on to the user, or keeping it yourself. 

https://www.ebay.com/ship/prf/carrier

[dhbookds]

Does this mean that eBay / USPS calculation rates on our listings are based only on if we print our own labels?

Parcel select is ONLY available on line, you can't pay for that at the PO, it is the cut rate the PO gives for printing the label on line........i.e not taking up PO personnel time to handle it.

Retail Ground is the same "service" as parcel select, and you can specify it in a listing.......but you cannot pay for a label for it on line, has to be taken into the PO......

If you specify Parcel Select in the listing......and then take it into the PO, you will get charged the Retail Ground rate, which is more......

Unless you choose otherwise specified..........the listings will charge the retail rates to the buyer, but when/if you print a label, the seller will get a cut rate......various %'s.  Media mail does not get a cut. 

[nobody*s_perfect]

Yes, on that particular package you could save over $4 by using online postage (Parcel Select Ground) rather than retail (Retail Ground).

The shipping calculator in eBay listings is set up to show retail pricing by default, but if you choose Parcel Select Ground, then the online rate is shown because it is an online-only service. That's why I recommended that if you intend to continue to purchase your postage at the retail prices, your listings should be set up to calculate the postage cost for Retail Ground rather than for Parcel Select.

USPS rates are set up by zones. eBay uses the ZIP Codes to determine which Zoned price to show. The way USPS zones work is like a bullseye with the sender at the center: The closest locations would be your Zone 1, and farthest would be Zone 8. You can generate your own handy 1-page Zone chart, based on your ZIP Code, here:

https://postcalc.usps.com/DomesticZoneChart

It will show you that if a package originates in a ZIP Code that begins with 462 and goes to a ZIP Code that starts with 351, that would be Zone 4.

[nobody*s_perfect · Accepted solution]

Online postage is cheaper than retail because it saves the USPS more than just printing the label: The clerk doesn't have to weigh and measure your package or discuss the potential shipping options. You just hand over the package and that's that. In fact for over 90% of postal customers, if you use online postage then you can request "Carrier pickup" and never have to set foot in the PO again.

[fern*wood]

Printing labels online saves quite a bit of money, and on top of that is the top rated seller discount.  That doesn't include the convenience of having the tracking numbers entered for me and never needing to enter a post office.  

[nobody*s_perfect]

The TRS additional discount of 3% is just for Priority Mail.

[fern*wood]

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@nobody*s_perfect wrote:

The TRS additional discount of 3% is just for Priority Mail.

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I can't imagine listing over 1400 items and not offering Priority mail--free shipping supplies and insurance included.

[nobody*s_perfect]

I can't imagine listing over 1400 items and paying retail prices for postage!

The new Parcel Select Ground prices that went into effect on January 9 are much lower than Priority for farther distances and heavier weights, so Parcel Select Ground now has a bit more  credibility than it has had for the previous few years.

[sextons-sweet-deals]

thanks for the helpful feedback