why are buyer's being charged USPS priority mail rates for first class packages over 13 ounces?

[olsoncityblues]

I use calculated shipping on my listings. I sell a lot of items that are under 16 ounces packed and buyers are shown the First Class rate for those. Suddenly buyers are being charged USPS Priority rates for my items that are listed as more than 13 ounces. Earlier this week, I sold an item with a shipping weight of 14 ounces, and the buyer was only charged eBay's USPS First Class rate for packages 16 ounces or less. Is this a glitch? I haven't seen an announcement that eBay has changed their policy regarding First Class parcels over 13 ounces. 

[a_c_green]

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@olsoncityblues wrote:

I use calculated shipping on my listings. I sell a lot of items that are under 16 ounces packed and buyers are shown the First Class rate for those. Suddenly buyers are being charged USPS Priority rates for my items that are listed as more than 13 ounces. Earlier this week, I sold an item with a shipping weight of 14 ounces, and the buyer was only charged eBay's USPS First Class rate for packages 16 ounces or less. Is this a glitch? I haven't seen an announcement that eBay has changed their policy regarding First Class parcels over 13 ounces. 

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I think the distinction here is whether the listing is showing the buyer USPS retail rates or on-line pricing. Retail First Class Package rates cap out at 13.0 ounces, so any item heavier than that would go by Priority Mail. If you're showing on-line rates instead, you can show a First Class price up to 16.0 ounces.

That retail-vs.-on-line setting is a seller preference, although at this moment I can't find where the darn thing is. In the meantime, you can just show buyers the 13-ounce rate to keep it as a First Class Price, since that charge is the same for all package weights from 12.1 ounces through 16.0.

EDIT: Okay, I found the setting I was thinking of. Go here: https://www.ebay.com/ship/prf/carrier and see if you have the on-line discount options checked.

[olsoncityblues]

Thank you! I never knew that settings page existed. I want buyers to be shown retail shipping rates on calculated First Class packages, and I have not changed any of my settings or preferences in months. So why did this start happening today? When a buyer purchased a 14 ounce package yesterday, they were charged eBay's FC rate. I have done a bulk edit on package weights and changed all 14 oz to 13 oz. I appreciate your input.

[artmuzeum]

I know that USPS recently went up in price on anything over a certain length. I believe that the max length for anything First Class now is 22". I was sending out a poster that normally would be shipped First Class but now it would have to be shipped Priority Mail because it is 26" long. Before this change I could send a 26 inch long box that weighed 12 ounces for around $6. Now the price is $15 since it only qualifies for Priority Shipping. I go with FedEx Ground/Home instead which is at around $11. All of this is through the eBay shipping service.

[wastingtime101]

When you use calculated shipping, charge retail rates and choose First Class, anything over 13 oz will charge the buyer a Priority Mail rate because at the retail counter the FC limit is 13 oz.

In order to get around this, you can enter 13 oz on the listing form for anything that weighs between 13 - 15.99 oz. The online rate is the same for 13 - 15.99 oz and your buyers will be charged the retail rate for 13 oz. You can enter the actual weight when you  purchase the shipping label.

The other option is to work out an average flat rate cost and use that instead of calculated.