Curious about shipping notice

[vettefever17]

Has anyone gotten the new shipping notices with eBay about overpaid or underpaid postage? I recently made a minor mistake of using older USPS Priority boxes that were Flat Rate boxes. I paid for Priority with proper weight on each box, but because of the fine print of Flat Rate was flagged for underpaying. Will eBay penalize an account for this? I paid the necessary up charge. Talk about gouging a customer when the speed would have been the same.

[phaz0rz]

I send Flat Rate boxes by weight almost every day and I've never had a problem. I always put Priority Mail tape over the part that says "xxx Flat Rate Box" on the side.

[TheRealist]

Yes I have received a notice about miscalculation myself. Since yours is priority vs flat rate, if your paying roughly the same then I don't think it's that bigga deal. I received and adjustment because I was off by 5 ounces, which equated to like .25. Who has the time to adjust the weight by .25, it costs more resource to make that adjustment than to just ship it as is.
State-run facilities are inept.

[phaz0rz]

USPS isn't state run. They receive 0 government funding. Hense USPS.com instead of USPS.gov.

@OP, cover up the part that says Flat Rate next time and you won't have any problems.

[dallis]

I've been backcharged once for a package that was ever so slightly over a pound, 16.01 ounce, right after they started doing this.

They marked it up to Priority rate and added the $6.95 for Priority rate shipping ( I think that was the total ) to my bill. I didn't get a refund for the original 15.9 oz package, so I paid twice.

If it's close to the line now I just round it up.

I doubt EB has the infrastructure in place to penalize you yet, but it's EB, they'll be taking steps to punish you as soon as possible I'm sure.

Interestingly enough, USPS is the only government operation that shows a profit, the only reason they're raising rates so much is because they're being required by Congress to fund their retirement fund something like 50 years in advance. If you doubt it look it up, it's a serious shocker.

[phaz0rz]

USPS showing a profit? No, they absolutely aren't. USPS is being eaten alive by the healthcare costs of their retirees. USPS took a loss of $5.6 Billion in 2016 and $2.7 Billion in 2017. So they're headed in the right direction but they're far from profitable. They keep raising their rates to cover their losses. UPS and Fedex are loving it because they get to raise their rates when USPS does, and they don't have billions of $'s worth of obligations to deal with.

[nyc]

Please pay for correct postage when you ship, don’t be a cheat like some people in here.

[dallis]

As I said, all due to the cost of their prepaid retirement funding, if you take that amount out of the equation, the USPS is a highly profitable operation.

[rsot]

Originally Posted by nyc

Please pay for correct postage when you ship, don’t be a cheat like some people in here.

Correct - there are cases of packages being returned for incorrect postage

[jakobrockz]

I used to cover up the flat rate part as well until a new USPS employee starts working in your area and returning all of your boxes for postage due.... lame as hell

[phaz0rz]

Originally Posted by jakobrockz

I used to cover up the flat rate part as well until a new USPS employee starts working in your area and returning all of your boxes for postage due.... lame as hell

Ask for a supervisor at your PO. I'm not sure if the postage cheat comment was directed at me, but it's perfectly legal to send a Flat Rate box by weight or cubic rates as long as you're still using Priority Mail postage. The box says you must use Priority Mail postage. It doesn't say you have to use Priority Flat Rate postage. Sent out 40 Regional Rate A Boxes yesterday with .2 cubic Priority postage. We've never had one sent back or require extra postage.

[phaz0rz]

Originally Posted by dallis

As I said, all due to the cost of their prepaid retirement funding, if you take that amount out of the equation, the USPS is a highly profitable operation.

I understand what you're saying. I just have a hard time considering a business with billions of $'s worth of obligations profitable.

They've managed to cut their deficit in half in one year though. At that rate they shouldn't have any deficit by the end of 2018 so postage rates should decrease a ton (yeah right)..

[vettefever17]

Got it all corrected with proper "non-flat rate boxes" ordered from USPS. The clause of flat rate and regular box size priority is basically weight maximum difference. While yes, it it is technically breaking the rules because flat rate boxes can carry a higher max weight, you are still weighing proper priority postage cost with regular priority. It just seems like it's somewhat abusive towards the customer when really no more service are rendered. But I am not whining, just observing because it was my mistake. It is just part of the game in retail.