Using the Retail Ground Shipping Option

[oilsofasgard]

Since June 23rd 2019,  All the carriers have doubled/tripled/quadrupled their shipping prices due to over sized packages bigger than 12x12x12.

I'm an Etsy seller too and was selling my stuff with great results until June 23rd this year. 

All sales are virtually flat, either Ebay or other website. 

The post office said Retail Ground is ONLY for Retail businesses, big biz.  Whatever the rates we got a few months ago are now what big biz get now.  

The question is:   If someone purchases a product of mine and tries to use the Retail ground option, will it allow me to print and pay for a label ?

[pjcdn2005]

No, you are not able to print an online label for Retail Ground.  You can buy postage for  retail ground at the post office but only if the item is going to zones 5-9 OR if the item is not allowed to be sent by air (something with alcohol) or if it has live animals.

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@oilsofasgard wrote: ... The post office said Retail Ground is ONLY for Retail businesses, big biz. ...

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No, that is completely backwards.  The "retail" in Retail Ground means that   the postage can only be purchased  at the Post Office counter.  It's a shipping method available to your granny who's sending out a Christmas gift.  But that's why you cannot print a label for Retail Ground through eBay: It's simply not an online service.

[3eyedfishcatcher]

You may want to look at the parcel select option. This is like priority buy a little less expensive. The draw back is the labels do not get insurance and the delivery time is usually double that of priority.

[oilsofasgard]

They completely refused to give Retail Ground shipping on two of my packages.

Now who do I talk to ?

[nobody*s_perfect]

As noted in the other post, Retail Ground is available for Zones 1 - 4 only if you are mailing contents that must be shipped via ground, such as hazmat or live animals.

[oilsofasgard]

Was doing that, however, was like .10 cents cheaper.

[oilsofasgard]

So.... Diesel fuel is cheaper than Jet fuel ?

This one fellow I sold to was creative in getting his package sent cheaper than the product.  He had an account with another carrier.

He paid and printed a label for RETURN and the price went from $42 to 25 on a $30 item he bought.   Clever.   So what's the difference in sending an item one way or another?    He might have had a retail ground option ???

[disneyshopper]

Did this buyer purchase from you using ebay?  If the buyer filed a Returns Request, and you accepted the return, and the buyer printed the return shipping label using the Returns Request, the cost of that return label will be less expensive than the original shipping because companies like ebay have contracted with the USPS for special rates when returning merchandise.

[oilsofasgard]

Spoiler

That's completely what they told me.  Retail businesses only.  

[oilsofasgard]

This was from Etsy.   He had a FedEx account, and did it that way like I purchased from him.  Quite clever. 

[oilsofasgard]

Was at the post office when they said that too....  Can't argue with them.  

[buyselljack2016]

@oilsofasgard 

You need to find another Post Office. Someone there is confused.

[oilsofasgard]

I'll call again tomorrow

[lja440]

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@oilsofasgard wrote:

They completely refused to give Retail Ground shipping on two of my packages.

Now who do I talk to ?

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I work for USPS. 

Retail Ground can be used by ANYONE  at the retail counter at your local Post Office. This simply is a GROUND service. It is best for items that should not or can not be shipped by plane. 

Parcel Select is the SAME SERVICE only with postage purchased on line. 

These options can save some money with larger heavier packages but as they travel by truck only delivery times can be long.  For smaller packages (under 1 cubic foot) unless very heavy you will not see any or much savings in cost.

Parcel Select and Retail Ground do not have any built in insurance but they do include tracking.