Shipping page defaults to a more expensive method of shipping.

[Dahlyla]

Hi ~ on the last podcast a caller brought up this issue: ‘The Ebay Shipping Page Defaulting To A More Expensive Method Of Shipping’. This is happening to me as well on just about every item I ship. For me it started when my Managed Payments became active.

I have looked for a pattern in this error but cant find one.
Just for FYI:
I use USPS approx 85% and the rest is FedEx.
I use USPS Priority Mail, USPS First-Class Package and USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate Padded Envelopes.

Every time I bring up the ebay ‘Print Your Shipping’ page, the default shipping method is not what I selected when I initially listed the item nor what the buyer selected. (I give a choice for the buyer to choose a shipping method when FedEx and USPS costs are comparable).

Its very easy to just select the default payment method.
I didn’t see a lot of talk about it on the forum so here’s one example so sellers can keep an eye out for it and/ or maybe someone has some input

https://imgur.com/a/bZBnaOe

ALSO, when this happens and I click on the correct carrier, I have to literally click FedEx, UPS, USPS until the correct method appears.

 

 

[So Cal Joe]

This has been happening to me too. I sell items that mostly ship First Class or Media Mail. When I go to the shipping page, it automatically upgrades it to Priority Mail or sometimes Fedex Ground (for books). It does show the buyer selected a cheaper option.

It’s easy to change it back though, but I shouldn’t have to.

[VintageTreasures]

Experiencing the same here. It’s been happening for at least a month or so. I’m not sure when it started because it only happens if I print just one postage label. I usually print in batches and it doesn’t happen when I print more than one postage label at a time.

[Timo]

Yes. Happening to me also. Now I have a Voided label too.

First one since managed payments. Have to see how that works out now.

[buytikiselltiki]

Weird!  Went to ship a 1 pound Priority package today and eBay defaulted to fed ex OVER NIGHT!  Buyer paid 9 bucks, eBay selects $45!

thanks to scavenger life I was paying attention!  C’mon Barry in programming wake up

[MyCottage]

This was discussed on ebay’s Weekly Chat today…it’s a glitch, and they are trying to get it fixed. In the meantime: “Hey…let’s be careful out there.”

[Dahlyla]

Thanks (MyCottage) for letting us know Ebay’s aware of and working on the issue.

[Eliza Bee]

 

I’m new to writing into the forum – I listen to the podcast regularly (love it) and have even started buying  Broad Porch Coffee (love it, too).  But wanted to add my 2 cents about a recent problem I had with the shipping page defaulting to a more expensive method of shipping.

Today I experienced my first shipping label “glitch” with a shipping label on a low cost item I sold.  The item sold was a small bowl and weighed less than 1 pound and was in a 6 x 6 x 4 box.  Based on it’s weight and box size I set it up in my listing to be shipped first class.

The buyer information sheet showed buyer was charged and paid for the first class rate of $5.75.  I proceeded (as I always do) to go to the shipping label page but made the mistake of  not checking what was selected/checked  (by ebay, not me) and clicked “print label” and after the fact found that ebay had “upgraded” my label to Priority Mail.   My shipping cost (even with the ebay label discount) was over $8.00.  The result is that I paid MORE to ship than what I sold the item for!  Well,  I’ve learned my lesson – always check the shipping label page for the correct shipping method I have selected before pressing the “print label” button!!

I’ve learned my lesson (fortunately, it wasn’t too expensive a lesson).  I hope that ebay gets the “glitch” in their shipping label system fixed soon….(I won’t hold my breath).  Until then, I’ll just be more vigilant before reflexively pushing the print label button!

Thanks for all the good advice and updates – it was reassuring to read on the forum that other sellers have also had problems with the shipping label issue

Eliza Bee

[Sharyn]

Note that if this happens to you again, you can cancel the label and repurchase the correct one. I’ve done this a few times.

Go to Orders –> Shipping labels

Find the sale using the buyer’s ID or name.

Under “More Actions” pick Void.

Then, you can go back to your All Orders page and repurchase a label.

You should probably contact the buyer and just explain what you did. They will probably get several messages from eBay and be confused about what is going on.

[IndySales]

Mine is defaulting to the MOST expensive option, like overnight, 1-day, etc. Been an issue for around 3 weeks at this point. Issues like this should be #1 on their list.

[Temudgin]

I have been getting the involuntary “upgrades” as well so I’ve been paying particular attention so as not to buy the wrong method and have to void it. But one of today’s labels was crazy.  EBay charged my buyer about $17 for a 3 lb package going to Nevada by Priority Mail, though he could have chosen to pay about $15 for FedEx Home/Ground.  When I went to print the label on eBay, the default selected was FedEx 2 Day Express. But it was only going to charge me $12 for it, and indicated that I would “save” about $55! So I took it, though with the horror stories of FedEx billing vagaries I will keep a close eye on my account.

Another crazy thing though is that the expected delivery date stated is four days away.

[Timo]

Something else on this page bothers me. The package dimensions are shown in reverse order.

A package that is 7x4x3 is shown as 3x4x7. Why’s that?

[MyCottage]

Why? No one knows. But the issue has been brought up numerous times on Weekly Chat, and has been submitted to the Shipping team. I’m hoping they correct it sooner rather than later…..

[buytikiselltiki]

Had another “big spread” Priority Mail chosen by buyer at $8.50 – default selection FedEx overnight at $69.14!

and yeah, the dimensions ARE suddenly backwards.

really funny, mild  annoyance, but funny!

[Arrowhead]

Does anyone know if we can totally eliminate shipping services that we don’t use from our account? We only offer USPS on our listings but that hasn’t stopped Ebay from making Fedex or UPS the default option on many of our sales. I thought that, at one time, we had to opt in to even use those carriers. Maybe they stopped that, I can’t recall.

[So Cal Joe]

In my latest order, the customer paid for USPS Priority Mail and the shipping page defaulted to FEDEX ground which was not even being offered. Yes, a cheaper and slower option.

This has really got to be a mess for new sellers that are just learning the basics.

[VintageTreasures]

Arrowhead, I also only offer USPS shipping and I’m also having eBay select carriers I’ve never used or offered (at much higher prices).

Luckily this was the way I caught the first “shipping upgrade”, Fedex was chosen and it caught my eye since I ‘ve never shipped anything via Fedex. After that I checked each time and found it only happens when I only print one postage label at a time.

[Amatino]

Okay, this one is the reverse problem. Buyer purchased an item that weighs over a pound, comes to 1lb 10oz shipped, and it says “buyer selected” first class. Charged the buyer only $8 shipping. I had to send it Priority (cheapest option for the size of box) for just over $10. How can buyer select First Class if the weight is over 16oz? I thought there was an auto weight restriction  for FC items?

I tried really, really hard to squeeze it into a PFRE, but no dice! 😀

[Arrowhead]

That’s odd- according to the podcast, and from what I’ve seen, ebay seems to have largely fixed the glitch that caused the shipping page to select shipping options that the customer had not chosen. I’ve seen the problem that you’re describing when shipping internationally, where they can actually select a shipping option that shouldn’t be offered.

[Sharyn]

To double-check your sold listing, do a “sell similar” and see what shipping options were offered. If FC was not, then call eBay. They should cover the difference.

[Arrowhead]

That’s a great idea. I was wondering how to verify the shipping options that we had on a listing.

[Dahlyla]

The glitch is not fixed.

I accidentally mailed a UPS label on a package at FedEx yesterday. Didn’t realize it until I was checking up on tracking for a few packages today.

I’m packing now and its defaulting to UPS.
I’ve never used UPS.

I’ll run up to FedEx tomorrow and see how they handle this type situation. Not much else I can do except…pay better attention to this default glitch.

 

 

[Dahlyla]

Update to my last post:

Tracking shows package well on its way to destination via UPS so thats good.

Thanks for listening 🙂

 

 

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