How to make shipping by UPS, FedEx reasonable for buyer?

[aramatic]

How can I make shipping by delivery companies reasonable for the buyer without charging the full amount calculated by eBay and then issuing a refund?

I've sold several items and the difference between what the buyer pays and what I pay is often remarkable. To take one example, $64 charged to the buyer and $26 to me when I printed the shipping label. I'm sure buyers appreciate a refund, but I'm equally sure the high calculated cost puts off potential buyers. I've thought about mentioning a refund in my shipping description, but perhaps there's a better way.

[chicweb]

With Calculated Shipping, I don't think that's possible.

I would be great tho to be able to remove x dollars from calculated. Then you could add it to the item price.

But at the moment, I don't think we can manipulate the calculation?

[aramatic]

Yes, that's the problem. And the actual shipping cost isn't known until the label is printed, with deep discounts as much as 89%. I don't like making money out of inflated shipping costs, though, interestingly enough, the buyers I've refunded so far haven't said thanks! One thing I tried was to artificially reduce the size of the package to bring it into line with Canada Post prices but that hasn't worked as both UPS and FedEx start at much higher prices no matter what size the package is.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

@aramatic 

Re: showing correcting shipping with discount.

If you don't have this turned on the buyer will see full price. Why flat rate can be dangerous with current surge pricing and bonus mystery charges.

https://www.ebay.ca/ship/prf/carrier

[ilikehockeyjerseys · Accepted solution]

It sounds to me like you may have accidentally turned off "Show eBay discounted rates" under your Shipping Preferences. 

If you don't have that on, the customer will see the counter rates for UPS/Fedex. Not the discounted eBay rates. 

• To check this, click the Hi (your name)! in the top left corner on the desktop browser.
• On the dropdown, click Account Settings.
• Then on the next screen under "Selling" choose shipping preferences.
• The second last option down should be called Shipping discount settings.
• Check if it says "eBay discount rates". If not, click edit and change it to eBay discount rates.

Otherwise, I don't know why there would be such a discrepancy. 

One piece of advice, do not send shipping refunds until the label is charged to your account. What you see on the eBay labels screen is only an estimate. The price isn't determined until the label is activated, and it is not finalised until it is charged to your account. Your package could be re-assessed by UPS at any time before it is posted to your account. If you refund the buyer before this time, and it turns out there was an error on the eBay label screen, you're not getting that $30 back. 

If I were to encounter a situation like the one you have, and it wasn't a case of eBay discount rates not being active, I would absolutely refund the buyer, but I would wait until the price of shipping was confirmed. You can only consider the price fully confirmed when you see it charged in the payments section of your account. 

[aramatic]

So it was as simple as that. I marvel sometimes at my own ignorance, despite having been on eBay for 20+ years. Or to put it more kindly, there's always something new to learn. Thanks!

[brle_5065]

Help me understand this- eBay told me, I would need to input the weight and dimensions of every item I have listed.  Isn't this the case?  And the price the buyer sees- does that include the eBay fees the seller must pay on those prices?

And then there's the obviously with the Canada Postal strike- I've been selling at a loss- often the item I send is $5- and $22 shipping (plus taxes)-  The actual shipping cost I've been paying is usually around $19.90. allowing me to have a whopping $2.10 for the price of the packaging, gas and my time- of course, I'm charged the full eBay fees on the $22- so I'm lucky if I get a $1.25 out of that $2.10.  This has been hell (yes- I said a bad word that's going to be 'beeped') - Is there a way for the  buyer to pay the discounted rate plus a small fee (I don't know- if it should be a percentage or a flat dollar amount- based on what's involved in cost packaging the item)?  My intention isn't to rip the  buyer off, just the opposite, but I do expect to at least break even when it comes to shipping.  

To suggest this is a bleak Christmas is an understatement. 

[ypdc_dennis]

To use calculated shipping for a listing, dimensions and weight have to be entered and shipping service(s) selected.  You only have to do that for listings that you choose to have as calculated.

You can add a handling fee to the calculated rate for shipments being sent out of Canada.