eBay shipping cost

This weekend i sold the last of some special ink cartridges and the buyer was to pay shipping. After the auction ended the buyer paid 46.36 in shipping + the item. When I went to print out the shipping label my cost was $63.34 - $7.00 for buying shipping thru PayPal/eBay so my actual shipping cost was 56.36. But that's $10.00 more than what he paid. Did I do something wrong? I have sold these in the past at smaller lots and this was the last of what I had. So it's the same ad I just relist it for the next auction. It's hard to be upset about this when the item is all profit as I got them free. Just don't want this to happen in the future.

Thanks

USPS raised fees on a lot of their stuff at the start of the month. I'd check thee first. Sometimes, eBay shipping is weird. I've had a few cases where I could ship via Priority Mail (Not in a Flat Rate Box) for less than Parcel Post. Lat week, an item I was shipping had 49% off Priority Mail, but only 23% off of Parcel Post. The buyer received free expedited shipping in that one.

I'd see if your discount amount has changed, and then check the USPS fee changes

Weigh any item your going to sell and enter it into the post office website . Set the zip code to 90210 Cali being your on the east coast and select priority mail . That is the max your item will cost to ship . You should use the priority flat rate boxes when possible as this will also help save you money on heavier items . There are a few different flat rate boxes long rectangles used for clothing I believe that might fit your item .

You could always do the calculate shipping option as well if that tickles your fancy . It will ajust depending on buyers location .

I look into those options for the future. All these items where odd boxes 24 inches long 10 inches wide 14 inches deep.

For future, get some of the regional rate boxes. A regional rate A box costs about $8-9 to ship for me, and can hold 4 hard drives with tons of packing around them. A small flat rate will only hold one drive, and costs a little over $5.

Also, you can print multiple shipping labels on eBay per transaction. I've had a few times that I've shipped a lot of small, heavy items in two flat rate boxes for less than the cost of just sending them in a larger box.

Call ebay and ask them....see if the discount they get for you was applied. IF there system screwed up they can give you a credit on fees.

I find ebay shipping to be easy and accurate if you do it right. You need choose calculated shipping and enter accurate weight and accurate box dimensions. If you do that, ebay will calculate the correct shipping. If the shipping rates change mid-auction, they will get it right. Also, the shipping your customer pays is based upon the rate at the post office (unless you tell them to pass your discount along to the customer) so your discount will actually only lower your cost. Yes, sometimes Priority comes out cheaper than parcel select, mostly on light and small items. The post office does this intentionally to promote their preferred product. Flat rate is your friend on heavier items but not on light items. But, no doubt, one of the most important items is the box size for accurate pricing...

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Originally Posted by harsas

I find ebay shipping to be easy and accurate if you do it right. You need choose calculated shipping and enter accurate weight and accurate box dimensions. If you do that, ebay will calculate the correct shipping. If the shipping rates change mid-auction, they will get it right.

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It must have been a glitch or something. The box weight and size was set when I opened the auction. Nothing that I know of changed unless eBay is bait and switching the shipping like if it's set to parcel select and when set the auction but when you go to print shipping label it shows 2 day priority. I'm still new to eBay with only 11 sales. I'll learn one day. Plus I use the eBay iPad app. May need to go back to the laptop to do sales.

Thanks

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Originally Posted by Tincankeith

This weekend i sold the last of some special ink cartridges and the buyer was to pay shipping. After the auction ended the buyer paid 46.36 in shipping + the item. When I went to print out the shipping label my cost was $63.34 - $7.00 for buying shipping thru PayPal/eBay so my actual shipping cost was 56.36. But that's $10.00 more than what he paid. Did I do something wrong?

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Yes

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Originally Posted by Tincankeith

I have sold these in the past at smaller lots and this was the last of what I had. So it's the same ad I just relist it for the next auction.

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I suspect that is what led to your problem
If you just relisted the item and did not make the changes to the shipping Calculator the price for a bigger and heavier package is going to be higher then for the original smaller package


As a BONUS for you >> In a Bad way
You are also running into Dimensional weight
With USPS if the package is larger then 1 cubic foot and going a decent distance (Zones 5 - 8 ) you are charged on how much weight that size package would "Normally" weigh
So even though your package weighs in at 5 pounds >> You are charged for 11 or 20 pounds
Cubic foot of course being 1728 cubic inches
Your package of

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Originally Posted by Tincankeith

items where odd boxes 24 inches long 10 inches wide 14 inches deep.

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comes in at 3360 cubic inches

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Originally Posted by Tincankeith

It must have been a glitch or something.

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If using the eBay shipping Calculator with USPS the only "Glitch" I have seen is the GIGO situation
The Calculator is very accurate

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Originally Posted by matador

USPS raised fees on a lot of their stuff at the start of the month.

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Rates went up for First Class Parcel and Media mail
With the Media Mail the "Tracking" is now FREE >> So it was actually a discount for up to 8 pounds
Priority stayed the same

I do not use Parcel Select so not sure on that one
Anything too expensive to ship Priority goes out FedEx

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Originally Posted by Tincankeith

It must have been a glitch or something. The box weight and size was set when I opened the auction. Nothing that I know of changed unless eBay is bait and switching the shipping like if it's set to parcel select and when set the auction but when you go to print shipping label it shows 2 day priority. I'm still new to eBay with only 11 sales. I'll learn one day. Plus I use the eBay iPad app. May need to go back to the laptop to do sales.

Thanks

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There are two possibilities, if the weight was right. First, the box size was wrong. Second, there is a glitch that I have found (as an aside, I have found ebay software in general to be rather "buggy"). On certain settings on the listing page, when you change them, they will refresh the page. Pricing comes to mind but there are others as well. You need to allow the page to refresh (change the item and then click in the white space) before you continue. If I don't do this, I have had the software reset anything I changed in between refreshes. Weight and shipping method are the things that get reset most often. DO NOT hit the refresh in your browser. This is something that ebay software does on its own. I have been selling on ebay for more than 15 years and I have developed some habits to avoid problems. The first is, every time the page refreshes (you go back to the top of the screen), double check all of your settings and then double check again before you go to the confirmation page. Also do a copy (to clipboard) of the text in your listing. Then after you list the auction, ebay shows you a link to check the auction. Use it. I have often found errors in the listing and then need to go back and fix them. The copy of the body text is because I have actually had ebay change my text back to the original auction that I uses as a "sell similar" for the new auction. I hate to have to rewrite the text...

As for the shipping label, you can actually change shipping weights, package sizes and shipping method before you buy the label (change dimensions and weights). Of course, the customer has already paid so this can cost you money if you did not get the listing right. I have paid many a shipping fee learning to navigate eBay's software. Trust me, it has gotten a lot better than it used to be...

Great information. thank you