Canada Post Tacking on Extra Charges for Shipping labels and NOT notifying me with an Explanation

[nowthenandagain1]

Hello Sellers

For the last month I have noticed that when I purchase a shipping label from Canada Post through eBay's system I am charged an amount, lets say of $17.65 for an item. When the postage amount for the label clears through my account (usually within 4 to 5 days) I am being charged an additional 50 cents bringing the total to $18.15. (this is only an example) This week ALL the labels I had purchased were increased. I have called eBay and they told me that the extra charge was through Canada Post and they have nothing to do with it. Canada Post has NOT notified me of the reason why any of the items warranted an extra amount tacked on. We're not talking several dollars here. On average about .40¢ to .60¢. I am quite aware of Canada Post's charges when a package is oversized or over weight. But it is NOT that. This has become each and everyone of my deliveries and only, as I said, for small amounts. I get no notification from Canada Post and nothing from eBay. Something tells me this may have to do with the price of gas fluctuations??? If it is, why are we not being notified??? We SHOULD be charged the amount that we were told it would be. Just take a look at the drop down menu in ORDERS on your My eBay Page. At the bottom of that drop down menu you’ll find Shipping Labels. Go to that and compare the prices there to the ones you are being charges.  Once again Canada Post is gouging. As if the HUGE amounts they charge for gas wasn't already enough.  

Do any of you remember the time Canada Post had their hands slapped for overcharging customers who used manifests (early 2000's). We were given hundreds of dollars as retroactive reimbursements for the overcharges they had made. This stinks of the same Canada Post tactic.  eBay Canada should be requiring an explanation from them as well. They basically have given Canada Post carte blanche to debit my account. Not good business practices if you ask me. I would NEVER be allowed to do that AND.....This has NOTHING to do with dimensions, cubed weight whatever. When I am quoted $11.22 for a Small Packet Air label weighing 250 grams with dimensions of 21x16x13 cm for delivery to California from Ontario it should be $11.22  To find that my eBay account is debited for $11.93 has nothing to do with weight or size.  Canada Post is required to honour the Small Packet fee of $11.22. I want an answer. 

I'm going to complain to Canada Post and get a complaint ticket. I can only contact the Ombudsman/Woman with one.  I would urge anyone else out there who is experiencing the same thing to also complain. 

I'd appreciate hearing from any one whether you are Canadian or American. 

 Thank you

[mrdutch1001]

I suspect the rising fuel surcharges, in which there is nothing that can be done about that...except wait and hope they go back down...

[pjcdn2005]

Could you please give one or two specific examples of what the label said you would be charged, what you actually were charged as well as the service, dimensions,weight and buyers location.  I have an idea on what the problem might be but want to check something first. Thanks.

I thought that fuel charges only change at the beginning of the month so I would be surprised if that is the problem. But I could be wrong.

[msmaggie060]

And don't forget, there is another increase in the fuel charge coming as of May 2nd. 🥺

[dinomitesales]

This is most likely related to fuel surcharge fluctuations and the timing of when you bought the label and when it was actually billed.

Not a direct answer to your question, but I would highly recommend you stop using eBay Labels. Not only are there random weird quirks like this, but any amount you spend through eBay Labels is NOT being attributed to your individual Solutions for Small Business Account. The discount eBay Labels is giving you is just a Level 1 CPC discount; if you spend a lot in shipping in a year you can easily move into a higher discount tier with CPC and increase your savings. I see you don't currently have anything listed for sale so I'm not sure how likely you are to spend enough on shipping to reach a higher discount tier, but just thought I'd pass along the information anyway in case you didn't know. I use (and have been happy with) Shippo to purchase my shipping labels.

[msau4301]

Hello,

I use Shippo and it is also connected here to my eBay account so all the info for customs (if needed) gets carried over. I have occassionally received small "upcharges" as you say, not high amounts but they can add up.

With Shippo the invoice does give the reason, in all of my cases the explanation was "underpaid package, sampled dimensions given (then the size)". Since the label is purchased on line, we could be saying any size or weight and until it is in Canada Post's hands (they do re-check it), any errors or extra charges wouldn't be known until then. In my particular case I often used "sell similar" and would sometimes forget to adjust the actual package size. I found that even 1 inch difference could sometimes make a difference! For instance I use boxes 31 x 11 x 11 (or so I thought) until I got one of the notices and re-checked it was actually closer to 31 x 12 x 12, depending where it's going even that can make a difference. I changed my sizing to account for this 1 inch difference and it hasn't happened since. (Co-incidence or luck I can't say for sure.)

And of course, as others are saying could be the dreaded fuel surcharge different from when label bought and scanned by CP. If you do try Shippo (and I am happy with them too) their invoice is broken down and will tell you the reason for the surcharge. I've been lucky and haven't had any for a few months now. Good luck!

[pjcdn2005]

My account somehow got 'unhooked' from ebay. Last time I tried to print a Shippo label I didn't have any luck so I'll have to try and link ebay and Shippo again when I have some time.  I don't like using ebay labels mainly because of the transaction number that they add in as a tracking number on small packets.

[lucitabby]

also discussed here......

https://community.ebay.ca/t5/Seller-Central/May-2-Canada-Post-fuel-surcharge-increase/m-p/477733#M13...

[msau4301]

Mine had been "unhooked" at some point when I hadn't used it for a while during the early part of the pandemic. There was a "sync orders" or something I had to do to update it (I messaged Shippo at the time and they told me the steps, sorry I forget now.) The other thing if you haven't seen it, is if you go to "Purchase label" just from your orders page it automatically brings you to the eBay labels BUT there is a very small little button near top right "Go to Shippo" and that brings you there with the item information carried over.

[pjcdn2005]

Thanks for the info.  I will have a look for the little Shippo link!