shipping calculator,research rates doesnt work

[ibleaf]

all my u.s.a buyers are always emailing me about shipping because the shipping calculator doesnt work however for canadians it does,when i put the dimensions/wieght in when doing my listing i try to research rate for the states and it comes up with an error message saying page not available. PLS HOW DO I FIX THIS

[block36]

Hello,

I checked your listings - the shipping coct to USA for 2 T-shirts came as $13.76 and the same cost appears for 3 CDs.

May be for this reason people say it does not work - it is very wrong in comparisson.

To sell on eBay you should have some kind of scale at home (the postal scale is the best).

You have to put the item on the scale together with  the shipping materials, i.e. cartons, or box, etc.

Then you enter this weight when you complete the shipping data.

As far as I know, you can ship your CDs as LIGHT PACKET with the cost relatively low and it is the same for all states in USA.

In my opinion you should do more research with SHIPPING options on the system.

If you have other questions, please ask.

And keep in mind: most buyers want the lowest possible shipping cost for items that are just for fun, and sellers accuracy is expected and it is later reflected in the seller's marks and subsequent recognition.

[tangomusic]

With the weight under 1 kg, the shipping cost for all states is the same - just the difference for AIRMAIL and SURFACE.

[pocomocomputing]

When the shipping calculator does not work, it is the way the listing was set up by the seller almost all of the time. GIGO, Garbage in, Garbage out.

You have to make sure that you are entering the correct dimension and weight ranges for each shipping service selected. eBay checks some dimensions and weight for some shipping services but does not check all for accuracy.

Make sure that you use metric (cm g/kg) measurements and not imperial (inches pounds). Canada Post rates are based on metric measurements so if you use imperial measurements there will be rounding up on dimensions to make the package larger and rounding up on weight to make the package heavier. Then the rates used might be in the next shipping rate range.

In listing 110936192112 7 standard white register covers I see the eBay message for the USA

Shipping cannot be calculated for your area. You can contact the seller for additional shipping costs and services.

The Canada Post option is for Regular Parcel and is okay.

The item appears bulky so I would check that you did not exceed the dimensions or weight for Small Packet.  I assume that you are using Small Packet for this item like your other listings.

The maximum dimensions for Small Packet are a bit complicated.

The maximum length is 60 cm. The total dimensions is L+W+H less than 90 cm.

Now when you set up the listings, you enter the weight and dimensions fro domestic shipping which is Canada Post Regular Parcel for you.  The dimensions and weight are verified for this service and usually not for International shipping services like Small Packet. Bad listing design by eBay Canada.

Another common cause is the minimum dimensions when using Regular/Expedited Parcel within Canada and Expedited Parcel USA. The minimum dimensions for a parcel within Canada is 10x7x0.1 cm. Expedited Parcel USA minimum is 21x14x0.5. So Canada shipping works and USA does not.

Check you listing dimensions to make sure they match the Canada Post minimum and maximum for each service you use.

Also, when you list, test your listings yourself. After listing, go to each listing and enter a postal code for Canada and a zip code for the USA. Then you will see if the shipping is working.

[pjcdn2005]

On you completed listings, the U.S. shipping price is not showing for  the polar bear faucet cover. You have the calculator set to caluclate U.S. light packet but the maximum depth for light packet is 2 cm and it looks like that cover would be more than 2 cm. The calculator can't figure out a price when the dimensions don't match the service you've chosen. The maimum measurements for light packet are the same as the ones for letter post and letter mail.

On your current listings  items 110934930618, 110936192112 and 110936192284 the U.S. shipping price isn't working because you have specified Canada Post International Surface for all 3 listings and that service is available for international countries but NOT for the U.S. You can use small packets USA for items under 1 kg and expedited USA for items over 1kg.

[pjcdn2005]

geez  lol...I guess I should have proofread that post before I posted it..sorry for the typos and other mistakes. 😞

It must be past my bedtime!

[pancit]

"When the shipping calculator does not work, it is the way the listing was set up by the seller almost all of the time. GIGO, Garbage in, Garbage out."

I am not sure I agree with this unless I too am doing it completely wrong.  I have compared the eBay "research rates" with Canada Post and they do not agree.  I have contacted eBay three times and received useless answers.  For my first sale which I have not posted yet, I use the same parcel for all three areas, that is, my parcel is 11x11x22cm and weighs 170g.  To see the eBay shipping rates I click on "research rates".  For Canada, the sample rate is $13.99 from here (Toronto) to Vancouver, yet Canada Post indicates $13.83 for Regular Parcel (there is no "Expedited Parcel" service listed at CP even though eBay offers it).  For US, the sample rate for USA small packet surface is $8.62 to NY, CA or FL yet Canada Post lists the rate as $5.97.  For international, the sample rate for small packet international ground is $10.33 to Australia yet Canada Post lists the rate as $7.16.  If a buyer does the same check they might complain.  What is the best way around this?

[pocomocomputing]

"When the shipping calculator does not work, it is the way the listing was set up by the seller almost all of the time. GIGO, Garbage in, Garbage out."

I am not sure I agree with this unless I too am doing it completely wrong.  I have compared the eBay "research rates" with Canada Post and they do not agree.  I have contacted eBay three times and received useless answers.  For my first sale which I have not posted yet, I use the same parcel for all three areas, that is, my parcel is 11x11x22cm and weighs G.  To see the eBay shipping rates I click on "research rates".  For Canada, the sample rate is $13.99 from here (Toronto) to Vancouver, yet Canada Post indicates $13.83 for Regular Parcel (there is no "Expedited Parcel" service listed at CP even though eBay offers it).  For US, the sample rate for USA small packet surface is $8.62 to NY, CA or FL yet Canada Post lists the rate as $5.97.  For international, the sample rate for small packet international ground is $10.33 to Australia yet Canada Post lists the rate as $7.16.  If a buyer does the same check they might complain.  What is the best way around this?

Expedited Parcel is a business service.  Canada Post website is divided into Personal and Business. Personal is the green tab, Business is the orange tab.

Select the orange business tab, then find a rate, put in your weight and dimensions.  Then when the answer is given, you will see at the top

Join VentureOne™ to Save on Shipping! - Show Savings

and this will show you Expedited parcel rates for Canada.

Please note that if you are shipping an item to the USA, Expedited Parcel USA always shows up since there is no Regular Parcel/Expedited difference like shipping within Canada.

[pocomocomputing]

"When the shipping calculator does not work, it is the way the listing was set up by the seller almost all of the time. GIGO, Garbage in, Garbage out."

I am not sure I agree with this unless I too am doing it completely wrong.  I have compared the eBay "research rates" with Canada Post and they do not agree.  I have contacted eBay three times and received useless answers.  For my first sale which I have not posted yet, I use the same parcel for all three areas, that is, my parcel is 11x11x22cm and weighs G.  To see the eBay shipping rates I click on "research rates".  For Canada, the sample rate is $13.99 from here (Toronto) to Vancouver, yet Canada Post indicates $13.83 for Regular Parcel (there is no "Expedited Parcel" service listed at CP even though eBay offers it).  For US, the sample rate for USA small packet surface is $8.62 to NY, CA or FL yet Canada Post lists the rate as $5.97.  For international, the sample rate for small packet international ground is $10.33 to Australia yet Canada Post lists the rate as $7.16.  If a buyer does the same check they might complain.  What is the best way around this?

In research rates, did you select custom for the Estimated Weight? Otherwise it defaults to 500 grams class. Your rate of $8.52 (not 8.62) is for 500 grams.

You have to put in 170 grams which falls into the 250 gram class for Small Packet at $5.97.

The above is case of GIGO, Garbage in, Garbage out. Now the  cause is inexperience in how the tools work but nevertheless, GIGO.

[pancit]

Well, now that just solved all of my problems!  Who would have thought that 170g did not qualify as "500g and under" - certainly not the three people I spoke with at eBay!  Have you considered working there as an instructor!:-)

[femmefan1946]

my parcel is 11x11x22cm and weighs 170g.

Another thought.

Normally the largest dimension is given first. Would it help if the dimensions were expressed as 22x11x11?

I suspect that unless you were shipping cotton candy that there is actually a typo in there.

mmmm- cotton candy. Just remembered there is a producer at the Brewer's Park Farmers' Market tomorrow who sells maple syrup cotton candy..... sorry, OT.

[pocomocomputing]

Entering dimension in a different order should not make any difference. I just did some testing to see what happens.

Some tools sort the dimensions into descending order so 11x11x22 would become 22x11x11 after input.

For example, the Canada Post Web Site when using Find-A-Rate will accept dimensions as 11x11x22 but on the results page it will show them changed to 22x11x11. If you use the edit details on the results page to go back to your data entry page, it will shows the dimensions entered as 22x11x11.

In the eBay Online Sell Your Item form, it allows you to enter the dimensions as 11x11x22. But once you go to the second page of the Sell Your Item form, the dimensions will be changed to 22x11x11. Now you cannot see this change but if you go back to the first page using an Edit Listing link, you will see the change.  If you submit without looking going to the first page again, when you revise or sell similar, the order will be changed to 22x11x11.

(Note: Dimension checking for the service selected is very poor in the SYI form. Minimum dimensions are not checked. Maximum dimensions are only checked if the largest dimension entered exceed  the maximum length for that service.)

If you use Research Rates in the SYI form, it does not change the input dimensions. So using this tool could have some differences if order of dimensions was important. I would have to try different diemsions to see if it made any difference.

If you use PayPal/ShipNow, PayPal does not change the input dimensions order. This is interesting. If there was a difference, this is not the place where you want it to occur since this is where you buy the label! But I do not think it makes any difference. I should do some test various dimensions with ShipNow to see if there are any differences.

When eBay sends data to PayPal for shipping eBay items, eBay SYI has already sorted the dimensions. So there should be no issues with dimensions order from eBay.

Now as mentioned before, it should not make any difference. If it did, there would be lots of complaints.  There could be a rare situation where it might make a difference.

[green1eng]

Listing for 100 pound engine 24 x 24 x 18, used research rates for UPS ground (too large for USPS).  Example ship from 90601 to 60601, $10 handling fee research rates is 87.64  This looks about right if you look at UPS website.

Go to listing, enter 60601 as your zip, you are quoted $121.06 for shipping!  Even if you have a disclaimer in the listing THIS WILL TURN BUYERS AWAY before they even see the REAL shipping cost!

Called support, they went through my example and agreed with problem, said they'd email me status within 24 hours.  This didn't happen so I called back, this time they said they knew about UPS shipping calculator problems and were fixing it.  Basically blew me off - "don't worry about it".  WELL THAT SUCKS - I CAN'T SELL WITH WILDLY INCORRECT SHIPPING CALCULATOR.

I can't wait for a company that cares about their customers to drive Ebay bankrupt.

[pjcdn2005]

They might be able to help you on the U.S. Packaging & Shipping Discussion board. You are on ebay Canada right now. 🙂

[chaldo2010]

OMG!

" Expedited Parcel is a business service.  Canada Post website is divided into Personal and Business. Personal is the green tab, Business is the orange tab. 

Select the orange business tab, then find a rate, put in your weight and dimensions.  Then when the answer is given, you will see at the top. "

This makes such a difference! I asked this question a couple days ago (ebay shipping rates vs CP rates) and no one has an answer to it yet!

HELPFUL, THANKS! 🙂