Why shipping fee different from search result page to actual listing page??

[shinev47]

Hey guys, I want to know why the shipping fees

showed on my item search result page different so much from the SAME  item’s actual listing page (after clicking into it). how can I adjust this back to norma? Can someone help??

[soh.maryl]

Can you post an example?  

[wastingtime101]

Since you're in Taiwan @shinev47, the most likely explanation is the seller is using eBay International Shipping and they do not have package dimensions entered on their listing form. When that's the case, shoppers will see different shipping costs in search results and on the listing. The seller probably has no idea this is happening because EIS is a new program.

If the seller enters package dimensions on the listing form, that will result in the same shipping cost showing in search and on the listing, and it will also provide a more accurate cost instead of something that's estimated by eBay based on category.

[shinev47]

thanks for the kind reply. In this case of dimension entering, which shipping fee (in these 2 pages) is more accurate and should apply at check out? 

[wastingtime101]

It should be the one on the listing. Add the item to your shopping cart and you'll see the shipping amount before you pay. If the shipping is too high you don't have to complete checkout and can instead delete the item from your cart @shinev47. 

Oh wait, I re-read your question and you're wondering which of the 2 ship costs will be closest to accurate if the seller enters dimensions. That's pretty impossible to say. The rate you'll see if the seller doesn't have dimensions is an average based on category. So entering dimensions might increase, decrease or keep the rate approx the same. There's no way to know in advance.

[wastingtime101]

I can give you one example, but keep in mind this one example is just that - a single example and not representative of all listings.

A seller on this board was running tests. Without dimensions we saw a ship rate of $43.24 in search and a rate of $88.26 on the listing. After dimensions were entered we saw a ship rate of $56.28 in both search and on the listing. This was for a sweater.

[pjcdn2005]

hmmm another similar post from the Canadian board from a different poster.  I had forgotten about the ebay international glitch though so will ask the buyer to check if that's how the item was being shipped.

$56 to ship a sweater seems awfully high.

[shinev47]

thanks so much for the example. Yet does it mean that if seller doesn’t enter item dimensions, eBay is going to be general

item size to charge for shipping? Clearly in listing, shipping is $88 with no dimension entered and if a buyer check out, $88 shipping is what they will be charged. But if the seller put in dimension numbers, the shipping get lowered to $56 on listing page and that’s why buyer will pay at check out instead of $88.

am I getting this concept right? 

[pjcdn2005]

The buyer will pay whatever it says in the listing.  If the seller enters the dimensions and weight in the listing before it is purchased, the shipping will be based on that amount.  It won't have anything to do with the amount that you originally saw when you were searching. 

Keep in mind that this situation normally refers just to listings that use eBay international shipping.  I've never seen other situations in which the search price was different than the shipping price in the listing unless the buyer was not signed in and was not using their country's location to search.

[wastingtime101]

You're getting the concept right shinev47. As PJ said, this only applies to listings with the eBay International Shipping service.

PJ, $56 does seem very high to ship a sweater at first glance, but it's hard to say for sure. It's a bulky sweater. Say it weighed 3 lbs packed. That would mean a high domestic ship cost plus a high international ship cost. Not entirely sure how EIS is calculating rates and no idea what the exact weight was of the sweater in the example. But I can see how the $50 range is plausible for something heavy/bulky, though still on the high side. It's a down side of using a program like EIS instead of shipping direct: higher cost to the buyer for heavy items.

[shinev47]

I wonder what are the ways of direct shipping method that a seller can use if they decided to give the buyer a break with lower shipping fee by not using EIS??

[pjcdn2005]

I would use usps first class international if that country had delivery confirmation (delcon) with first class.

There is a list of the countries on the following page:   https://pe.usps.com/text/imm/immc2_022.htm

You would need to have combined shipping rules so that the shipping was combined automatically.

Some sellers are more comfortable with EIS as it offers more seller protection but some still do ship directly using usps.

[wastingtime101]

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@shinev47 wrote:

I wonder what are the ways of direct shipping method that a seller can use if they decided to give the buyer a break with lower shipping fee by not using EIS??

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You're in Taiwan so there may not be any significantly better options. As a seller I would not ship direct to Taiwan even though I ship direct to many countries. I'd only go through a program like EIS that offers more protections.

USPS Priority rates to Taiwan start at $59 for a 1 pound package, going up exponentially from there, and that doesn't include insurance, packing materials or whatever else the seller might charge for.

USPS First Class to Taiwan is not tracked after it leaves the US. On top of that USPS has a lot of guidelines to follow such as:

1. First-Class Package International Service items containing dutiable articles must be sent with Registered Mail service.
2. Addresses must be complete and written when possible in Chinese characters in addition to English.
3. The Chinese postal authorities recommend the addition of Via Taiwan in the address of articles intended for the Quemoy and Matsu Islands.

It can get complicated shipping to some regions. I would not push the seller on shipping direct @shinev47. You don't want to be a problem buyer before the transaction begins. You can send a polite note asking if there are more affordable shipping options, but don't suggest any specific services. If the seller is willing to ship using something other than EIS they can do their own research. For you to suggest something that might not be tracked or might come with a lot of rules it can look to the seller like you're trying to scam them even if that's not your intent. Tread carefully.

It's other locations like Canada or the UK where US sellers might find more affordable rates shipping direct to the buyer.