Difference in ebay shipping rates,,,

[mart]

Has anyone noticed rates on your invoices you send your buyers being different from shipping rate in the ebay listing?? Two sales were about three dollars higher on the invoice than on the actual listing. Have postal rates went up ??  All my listings have been right on the money as far as shipping charges till now !! One listing was $5.20 but bwhen I looked at the invoice it was $8.60. Anyone know what is going on

[waywardangler]

Mart, are you looking at your own listing that has a "calculated" rate?  If you are, it calculates the Priority Rate for your location and not the buyers.  I am guessing the $8.60 was the buyers Priority Rate based on the weight and their Zip.

[mart]

But the problem is that they pay what is on the invoice but when I print the shipping label it is correct with the amount on the listing. So they are overpaying !!

[waywardangler]

Hmmm, I haven't experienced that problem recently or ever. Are you using PayPal?  If so, you could refund the overpayment thru PayPal. Are you sending the invoice through eBay or is it the automatic one generated by eBay? Do you want to PM me with your user name and I will look to see if anything looks strange?  

Zone 6 at 2 lbs. is $8.60 Priority
Zone 1-2 at 2 lbs. is $5.20 Priority

So let me get this straight, when you print the shipping label and pay for postage, the cost is $5.20 to the address you are shipping to but on the invoice it charges the buyer $8.60? That makes no sense as Priority Mail rates are zoned according to Zip and weight.  A buyer paying $5.20 will be within 150 miles of you where a buyer paying $8.60 will be like 800 miles away or so. Who are you using to invoice...ebay or paypal?  Who are you using to print the shipping label...ebay, PayPal, or USPS Shipping Assistant? Or some other carrier?

A site with some good, basic shipping information...http://www.newlifeauctions.com/shipping.html

[mart]

I use ebay invoicing for everything !! I have emailed one and told them I would refund difference. I have one to do today and I am going to check and see if its the same. Yes , I use paypal !!  Let me check the one today and if its different I may let you check it out !!

[waywardangler]

Have you tried doing PayPal shipping labels?  That is what I use. There should not be any difference because ebay and PayPal are connected. I also print my shipping labels with the postage hidden to keep life easier.

[mart]

Well this one was only about a dollar less and I think thats because paying online is a bit cheaper. I have not hid postage before because all I charge is actual USPS rate. I will just keep an eye on it from now on !!

[waywardangler]

I also charge only the USPS rate but when you pay online, del. conf. is free for Priority and reduced for other classes and shipping rates are lower with Priority than USPS rate sheets..  So if you state $5.20 in the listing and you end up paying $4.90, some people (buyers) think you are overcharging them. It is much easier if the buyer does not see exactly what shipping charge you paid. IMO. I have also paid more in shipping than what I stated, especially if I bump it up to Priority from First Class or if I did not weigh things right originally.  I have also offered Free Shipping and added that in to my up front listing min. bid but that does not seem to drive bidders. As long as shipping/handling is not exhorbitant, I think bidders are willing to pay. I know I am when I bid but when it is a paper pamphlet that weighs ounces and they want $9.00 to ship, I do not bother to bid.

[mart]

I am with you on that !!  I watch shipping charges closely when I bid !! Some are totally out of line !!

[CaryW]

I do agree that it's good if one can hide or remove the shipping price from the label because the buyer could feel they were overcharged and they usually do the feedback right when they receive the item. As far as the difference in shipping, did you put in a handling cost? That's the only thing I could think but I don't think that would cause the problem you have.