free shipping on item that costs only $9.99 -- shipping cost is $13.95???

[rfleming2100]

I can not figure out how a seller can sell an item costing $9.99 with free shipping from the States to the States when the shipping should cost approximately $12.95?  What am I missing???  I want to sell on eBay but find it very difficult if I don't provide free shipping like everyone else.

Please help....

[terrycanarsky]

Without knowing specifics, I can only make a couple guesses.

1.  The state the seller is allegedly shipping from is a front for an Asian seller (yes, it's a thing now) and shipping is subsidized.

-or-

2.  The item is lighter weight than listed, and the seller has a less expensive method (1st class instead of priority, for example) which helps offset the expense.

Other than that, no idea. Confuses me, too.

~M

[partial*eclipse]

---

@rfleming2100 wrote:

---

 .. the shipping should cost approximately $12.95?  What am I missing? ... ....

Where are you getting that $12.95 figure?  You can't name a specific cost for a zoned service.  Shipping 2+ to 3 pounds via Priority Mail costs $6.61 - $14.90 depending on distance.  How much does the package weigh? Is this a seller who uses FedEx Smartpost?   Or maybe it fits in a flat-rate envelope or small box? 

[smileytown18 · Accepted solution]

Many sellers use flat rate envelopes or boxes, plus ebay gives discounts on USPS labels .
But I would assume its a front for a seller in China. Ask a question for such an item and see the reply you get. If its stilted English-its translated and overseas.

[robot-hands]

Why are you are trying to compete with people that are giving stuff away for free?

Pick something else to sell from the hundreds of billions of things that already exist.

[hardwarefinds]

The chinese can ship to the US for pennies.we are subsidizing for their shipping.

Thats why our postal fees went up again.

Its extremely unfair and something should be done

[robot-hands]

AGAIN

Don't compete with someone you can't compete with. Playing a game you will always lose...that's just insane.

There are BILLIONS UPON BILLIONS of things to sell that are not currently being made, sold and shipped from China.

Pick one. Pick a thousand.

[hardwarefinds]

I cannot even think of a hundred

[hardwarefinds]

It's not that I want to compete with the Chinese or not.

It's that I don't like a third party. ..the usps to put me at an tremendous disadvantage....and that our shipping rates have to cover the losses the ups makes on their China dealings

[robot-hands]

You actually cannot think of 100 things that are not currently being made in China?

It's almost EVERYTHING on Earth from the beginning of time until last year.

It doesn't matter what you pick, only what you pay for it.  

[hardwarefinds]

It ever occurred to you that the Chinese are infringing on every copyright on the planet. ...you think you got a unique product, they will copy it.

On top of this we are subsidizing their postal rates....

You pay more for your shipping cost yourself because of this, money you could have spent on your family's fun.

Please don't be so naive.

[hardwarefinds]

the-postal-service-is-losing-millions-a-year-to-help-you-buy-cheap-stuff-from-china

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/storyline/wp/2014/09/12/the-postal-service-is-losing-millions-a-year-to-help-you-buy-cheap-stuff-from-china/?utm_term=.331733465ccc

[robot-hands]

So the Chinese are bootlegging

Tableware from the 1890s?

Photography equipment from the 1900s?

Halloween postcards from the 1910s?

Hand crank telephones from the 1920s?

Beauty products from the 1930s?

WWII medals and badges from the 1940s?

Children's books from the 1950s?

45 RPM records from the 1960s?

Cereal boxes from the 1970s?

Concert t-shirts from the 1980s?

Board games from the 1990s?

I can tell you assuredly they are not.

Again

           stop competing where you know you will always loose.

Or do it your way, what do I care. There are more customers for me then.

[thatswhat]

Actually we are paying for Chinese goods to be delivered by the USPS. The Chinese pay the USPS nothing or very, very little. The postal service losses millions every year delivering cheap stuff from China, and they raises your postal rates to pay for it.