USPS to replace First Class Package, Retail Ground, Parcel Select with Ground Advantage Summer 2023

[wastingtime101]

As USPS implements price & service changes every July (think the first year was August), I expect that's about the time they're planning to roll this out.

https://postalnews.com/blog/2023/02/10/usps-seeks-to-replace-first-class-package-service-with-usps-g...

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — As part of its overall strategy to enhance its shipping offerings, the United States Postal Service today filed a procedural filing with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) notifying the commission of the Postal Service’s intention to replace its existing First-Class Package Service category with USPS Ground Advantage. USPS Ground Advantage will feature two-to five day service standards for packages up to 70 pounds.

The filing streamlines and simplifies package shipping options for customers and enhances the Postal Service’s ground product offering with the anticipated summer 2023 launch of its improved ground product — USPS Ground Advantage.

[tori_729]

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Thank you for finding that information, which is buried in a page that most sellers have never seen. eBay really should put something about this in Announcements, especially since the June 21 original announcement about this new service specifically said, "More information to follow soon."

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I found it when I was shipping something - it talked about how First Class is changing in July and gave me a link for more info. Otherwise I wouldn't have known. Sounds like Parcel Select automatically changes but First Class doesn't. 

Yes Business Policies are SOO helpful! I don't know how I would post listings without it, it's SO much easier now that they are set up. 

[kyle@ebay]

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@wastingtime101 wrote:

If my listings and business policies only show Parcel Select Ground as a shipping service, do I need to update to USPS Ground Advantage?
No. If your listings and business policy has Parcel Select Ground as the sole shipping service, the service name will be changed to USPS Ground Advantage starting July 9.

Question for eBay kyle@ebay : If a biz policy or listing offers Parcel Select along with a non-affected service like Priority Mail, will Parcel Select still be automatically updated to Ground Advantage per above FAQ? Is it correct to assume that Parcel Select being the "sole" shipping service means the sole non-affected service as related to First Class, Parcel Select and Retail Ground? Or does it have to truly be the only service with no other non-affected services (USPS Priority, UPS Ground, FedEx Ground, etc) offered in the same listing/policy?

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Hey @wastingtime101 that's a good question.  At this time, it does truly need to the sole shipping service in order to be updated automatically.  We're working to get further updates on this working when other shipping services are offered on the listing.  

---Edit:   Previously, it was set up where Parcel Select was required to be the sole service offered, in order for eBay to automatically update the listing to reflect Ground Advantage.  This is no longer the case.  Now, your listing CAN offer multiple shipping options, and still have Parcel Select automatically updated to Ground Advantage.  

[wastingtime101]

Thanks Kyle for the quick response.

[fern*wood]

I'm just now seeing this new information.  Total nightmare, in my opinion, and no one is making this information known except a couple knowledgeable posters on the shipping board!!  shameful

Most of my 1300 listings are 1st class package.  When I first heard about this change, I felt in my heart ebay would muck this up and now it's clearly the case.  We are now only a few days out and to just now hear this.  I see no announcement from ebay with specifics.  Is there nothing in the works to automatically switch 1st class package on our listings to the new terminology?  If they are doing that for parcel select, it seems it should be doable.

If it isn't done automatically, when are we supposed to do this?  Magically revise 1300 listings at midnight on the 9th?  So, since there will be plenty of sellers that know nothing about this, what will happen?   Please tell me I've read this all wrong.

[wastingtime101]

Hey @fern*wood . I fully agree that eBay should be auto-updating First Class and Retail Ground, not just Parcel Select.

The only solace I can offer here is that I don't think you need to panic about updating your listings at midnight on the 9th.

Remember earlier this year when Regional Rate was discontinued? eBay automatically updated RR to regular Priority on sellers' listings. But there was a glitch that came up (and still hasn't been fixed). Some sellers offered a choice of RR and Priority on the same listing. When that happened, RR wasn't updated because the system couldn't have Priority twice on the same listing and eBay did not program the update to delete the duplicate. Instead those listings were left untouched for the seller to make manual updates. What happened to those listings? They are still showing calculated RR prices based on the last RR rates.

So if we look at that as an example, we can make an educated guess that for the time being, listings with calculated First Class will still display calculated FC rates. Since the GA rates under a pound match current FC rates, buyers will be charged an accurate ship cost.

To sum it up: you should have a grace period to update listings from FC to GA if eBay doesn't make the updates automatically.

[fern*wood]

I appreciate you (as usual) talking me off the ledge, but that ebay information page you posted earlier was so nonchalantly written as if it was no big deal.  Just by the way you peons need to update your thousands of listings. umkay  No details to help sellers were offered--except by you and others.  Where the heck is ebay and their shipping people?   I don't even know where you were able to find that information and feel sure most sellers have no idea about this.

[wastingtime101]

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@fern*wood wrote:

I don't even know where you were able to find that information and feel sure most sellers have no idea about this.

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I was under the impression that eBay would update all 3 services automatically because to me that's the logical move. I thought the only roadblock would be when sellers offered 2 or more of those 3 services in the same listing.

Last night another poster here offered that link and a screenshot. I was surprised when I read how eBay will be handling it.

If a seller offers Parcel Select and no other service, eBay will automatically update their listings/policies. That's going to impact an incredibly small number of listings. This is going to be primarily a manual process unless eBay changes their published plan in the next week or so.

None of my biz policies will be updated automatically because every single policy offers a choice of services. For me it will be fairly quick to make changes. By fairly quick I think I can have all my policies and accounts updated within about half an hour.

If I didn't use biz policies I'd be looking at a more dire situation due to the number of listings I'm dealing with. I'd be using the bulk editor for sure. Hopefully the bulk edit tool can help in your situation.

[fern*wood]

Finally...

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Announcements/USPS-introduces-the-new-ground-shipping-service-USPS-Gro...

[wastingtime101]

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kyle@ebay wrote:

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@wastingtime101 wrote:

If my listings and business policies only show Parcel Select Ground as a shipping service, do I need to update to USPS Ground Advantage?
No. If your listings and business policy has Parcel Select Ground as the sole shipping service, the service name will be changed to USPS Ground Advantage starting July 9.

Question for eBay kyle@ebay : If a biz policy or listing offers Parcel Select along with a non-affected service like Priority Mail, will Parcel Select still be automatically updated to Ground Advantage per above FAQ? Is it correct to assume that Parcel Select being the "sole" shipping service means the sole affected service as related to First Class, Parcel Select and Retail Ground? Or does it have to truly be the only service with no other non-affected services (USPS Priority, UPS Ground, FedEx Ground, etc) offered in the same listing/policy?

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Hey @wastingtime101 that's a good question.  At this time, it does truly need to the sole shipping service in order to be updated automatically.  We're working to get further updates on this working when other shipping services are offered on the listing.  

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Hey kyle@ebay - the announcement just posted does not make that clear in the slightest. Anybody reading the announcement will believe Parcel Select is being updated automatically, regardless of other services being offered.

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Announcements/USPS-introduces-the-new-ground-shipping-service-USPS-Gro...

Hey @fern*wood - the announcement says you'll have 30 days to make changes to your listings and biz policies.

And @iamalwaysright you asked about return labels yesterday. According to the announcement USPS will accept FC labels for a short period. The length of time is not specified but the info may be floating out there if you want to look into it.

[fern*wood]

Probably a stupid question, but the announcement says if we have 1st class pkg, they will automatically print as ground advantage.  (I know the rates are the same)    So, why do we still have to revise within 30 days?  

[norskmediashop]

Thank you for that fern*wood, it just still infuriates me that ebay states: If you ship with First Class Package, you will need to update listings to USPS Ground Advantage over the next 30 days.

If they automatically change over parcel then first class should automatically change over too, its ridiculous that all of it is not and now being put on us to figure out how to go about this.

[wastingtime101]

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@fern*wood wrote:

Probably a stupid question, but the announcement says if we have 1st class pkg, they will automatically print as ground advantage.  (I know the rates are the same)    So, why do we still have to revise within 30 days?  

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Because that's referring to the labels you're purchasing. It has nothing to do with what's offered on your listings.

At some point if listings still offer FC they'll produce errors when FC is removed on the back end. Anything can happen from buyers not being able to check out to eBay hiding the listings from search if they're not in compliance with currently available shipping options. No idea how eBay will handle it.

eBay deleted the announcement and re-posted it. Here's the new link:

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Announcements/USPS-introduces-the-new-ground-shipping-service-USPS-Gro...

[stainlessenginecovers]

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@fern*wood wrote:

I'm just now seeing this new information.  Total nightmare, in my opinion, and no one is making this information known except a couple knowledgeable posters on the shipping board!!  shameful

Most of my 1300 listings are 1st class package.  When I first heard about this change, I felt in my heart ebay would muck this up and now it's clearly the case.  We are now only a few days out and to just now hear this.  I see no announcement from ebay with specifics.  Is there nothing in the works to automatically switch 1st class package on our listings to the new terminology?  If they are doing that for parcel select, it seems it should be doable.

If it isn't done automatically, when are we supposed to do this?  Magically revise 1300 listings at midnight on the 9th?  So, since there will be plenty of sellers that know nothing about this, what will happen?   Please tell me I've read this all wrong.

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@fern*wood you can 'bulk' edit the 1st Class items fairly quickly: Edit/Domestic Shipping/Change to: clicking 'Ground Advantage' when it shows up (I would assume 1st Class would be gone from the choices). 

[wastingtime101]

Announcement was posted a third time. Doesn't look like any changes were made.

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Announcements/USPS-introduces-the-new-ground-shipping-service-USPS-Gro...

The United States Postal Service is consolidating its ground shipping options by combining USPS Retail Ground®, First-Class-Package®, and Parcel Select Ground® into a single service: USPS Ground Advantage™.  

Here’s what to expect on eBay beginning July 9th:  

Printing labels on eBay 

• We’ll update labels automatically. If you had a sale with First-Class Package or Parcel Select Ground, the label will print and display as USPS Ground Advantage™. 
• If you printed your label prior to July 9th, USPS will continue to accept packages with the previous services for a period of time. 

Updating your listings on eBay 

• Listings with Parcel Select Ground will automatically be updated to reflect USPS Ground Advantage as the shipping service.  
• Only First-Class Package services are moving to Ground Advantage. First Class Mail for letters and envelopes will remain unchanged. 

• If you ship with First Class Package, you will need to update listings to USPS Ground Advantage over the next 30 days. Business policies will also need to be updated. 
• If you ship letters and envelopes with First Class Mail, no changes will be required. 

• Listings with Retail Ground will need to be updated to USPS Ground Advantage. 

On July 9 USPS is updating rates for some services, please see our previous announcement. 

For more details on USPS Ground Advantage and FAQs, visit our Seller Center.  

As always, thank you for selling on eBay. 

[fern*wood]

Bulk edit will be a guessing game for me on many items.   I can't remember which items were 15 oz versus over a pound unless it shows that to me on the bulk edit form.  That's not a feature I've used except maybe once years ago.   I guess I'll do the best I can and see what happens.