eBay's calculated shipping is less than what it actually costs?

[3islanders]

Is anybody finding that after you enter size & weight for your items, the amount eBay charges buyers based on that information is less than what it will cost you to ship it?  I don't sell much at all, but this is the 2nd time it's happened.  For an Expresspost item, eBay charged the buyer 'x' amount, and when I checked Canada Post's site with the same info, it's more.  We are already losing money when we charge shipping honestly at cost, because they charge fees on that...  what the heck with the shipping prices?  😠

[3islanders]

I know the fuel surcharge thing is random... now that Cda Post has redone their website it seems to be harder to find the small-business rates, and yes I do have a card.  It does seem that eBay is charging buyers the business-discount rate, so those who don't have it would be losing out. 

I don't believe I have any "built in discounts" since I wouldn't know where to find such a thing. 

I don't buy shipping from eBay; I take it to the post office.  Yeah, I know: old school.  I do usually get expedited there. 

Pretty much zero reason to register to collect sales tax given how few items I sell, or am interested in selling, on eBay. 

So far, my bubble wrap and boxes are free because I never throw anything out and have a stash of both.

LOL, yes, I recall Canada adopting the metric system some time ago...!!  😛

[flipistics]

It's not random. It's based on the average price of diesel in Canada over the past 1 or 2 weeks. If you have any discounts set, it would be under Account Settings -> Shipping Preferences -> Domestic Shipping Discount. Until very shortly ago, you didn't get the same discount rate over the counter as you did online. They changed that a few weeks ago. Prior to that, you would have been paying more than what eBay labels showed you.