eBay.ca sellers - have you experienced the eBay shipping calculator giving a buyer a shipping cost LESS than the actual cost of shipping?

[cathereen]

Yesterday I sold a small item via auction to a lady in Ohio.  She paid very quickly.  Today, when I went in to print out the shipping label on PayPal, the cost of shipping is MORE than she paid me. Now, the difference is not big (approximately $1.30) but I have just never seen this happen before.  The shipping method and package weight/dimensions are exactly the same in the eBay auction she won as they are in PayPal.  I don't get it.  I called eBay to ask them about this and got an unhelpful answer which was, "We don't have control over Post Office rates." Umm, but aren't eBay / PayPal shipping calculator costs tied into current Canada Post service offerings and rates?  Has anyone else had this experience?  Thanks in advance.

[pjcdn2005]

That is odd as the U.S. price that the calculator shows on that listing for both small packet and tracked packet is too low by about 15%.Did you happen to set up a discount for shipping in your preferences? If you did set one up for international it will automatically give a discount for international shipping when you use the shipping calculator.

[cathereen]

Thank you, PJ, for taking a look at that listing and for your response.  Your answer made me think to take a look at my other listings.  What I discovered is that where I've indicated a calculated shipping price (as opposed to flat rate shipping), the shipping amount to the U.S. is too low for ALL of my listings.  I checked my profile, as you suggested, and I have not inadvertently set up a discount.  I will try calling eBay again and hopefully will get a more helpful agent.  I've always found them to be very good in the past, but this last guy seemed like he was in a big rush to get off the phone.  Thanks again.

[ted-mlantiques]

HI. I have had some similar issues when I chose Tracked Packet in the listing, the buyer paid right away. But when I went to PayPal to print the label , the option for Tracked Packet was not there.?? So I had to use Air Mail which cost me about 1.75$ more. Not to mention Expedited which was almost double.

 So I don't choose Tracked Packet any more in the listing since the obviously do not have it set up in PayPal.

[pjcdn2005]

Honestly, ebay reps don't seem to know much about shipping from Canada so they tend to give wrong answers. If you are going to continue to use small packet and tracked packet to the U.S., both of those have a fixed price for each weight category no matter where in the U.S. your package is going.So you could use a flat rate and put in your own amount.The only problem is that tracked packet adds on a fuel charge which isn't reflected in the price so you have to guess at that.

Later on tonight I'm going to try and do a listing and see if I can get the same rates that you did with calculated shipping. Usually the shipping calculator is fine unless the wrong info is entered but I don't think that is the problem in this case.

[cathereen]

You are so right, PJ.  Today I called eBay support again.  I got an agent who was certainly willing to spend time to investigate the issue, but clearly didn't understand the situation at all.  He said to me (after having put me on hold for a while to check on some information) that the reason the shipping calculator would show a lower-than-actual cost to my U.S. buyer is that USPS prices would be lower than what I would have to pay for shipping from Canada. ???? I tried to keep my good humour 😉 and explained to him that eBay buyers from the U.S. should see Canada Post prices in the shipping calculator, not USPS prices.  The call ended with the agent wanting more time to investigate.  He offered to put me on hold while he did that, but I said I'd rather he called me back with his answer.  He agreed that that would be the best way to proceed, but that was about 8 hours ago, and no call-back as of yet.  I suspect it won't happen.  This is just a guess, but I think that the weekend support calls to eBay are answered by agents in the Philippines.  Clearly they don't understand the business differences between Canada and the U.S.  I'll be interested in your report on what you find with the listing you set up tonight!  Thanks again.

[cathereen]

Hi to ted-mlantiques!  I understand what you're describing about the Tracked Packet service being a shipping option on your eBay listing, but then not being enabled on PayPal.  Very frustrating, and an inexplicable lack of business competence by eBay/PayPal.  I don't understand why the two sites would not have launched this as a synchronized offering  I understand, though, that PayPal will catch up effective April 9th, as per the "Announcements"....

http://www2.ebay.com/aw/ca/201303.shtml#2013-03-07101216

[pjcdn2005 · Accepted solution]

Hi again, I totally forgot that I was going to do that. I just tried it now. I used calculated shipping to the U.S. and my prices were the same as the Canada Post prices.

265gr  30x25x2cm

light packet $8.89

small packet air $10.35

tracked packet $16.74 ($15.94+ .80 fuel charge)

The reason your prices are wrong has to have something to do with information that you've put in. You said you checked your discounts on site preferences..right? I just want to make sure that we are talking about the same thing. If you go to Site preferences and then shipping preferences

and look at 'offer specific carrier discounts' Does it say yes or no on the right? If i says yes, click on edit and uncheck the first box.

If it doesn't say yes, then I'm lost. lol
Then I would suggest going to the discussions boards (link is on the left side of this page) and post about your problem on seller central.More people look at those posts compared to here so someone else may have an answer.

[cathereen]

PJ, you are a genius!  I followed your directions and here is what I found...

I went to "Site Preferences", then "Shipping Preferences".  Now, under "Shipping Preferences" I didn't see the item you mentioned..."Offer specific carrier discounts", but I DID see a line that read, "Offer this Canada Post shipping rate".  Beside that line, it read "YES".

So, I clicked on EDIT and another window popped up.  The main title on this new window was "Calculated Shipping Rates".  Below that title, there was a line that read, "Specify a discount on all retail rates for all Domestic and International services".  I was very surprised to see that that was checked off!!  I've un-checked it now, so I'm back to Canada Post retail rates.

Honestly, I don't believe that I checked off that box ever!  Given that I didn't even know it was there, and would not have found it without your detailed instructions, PJ, I am at a loss to say how it was ever selected.

In any case, the problem is now solved.  Thank you so much for your kindness, diligence, and your patience, PJ.  You taught me a lot through this whole process, too.  Take care.