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USPS rural Area
 

USPS shipping is a nightmare for rural zips. Why is there no way to add these into eBay's rate tables? Am I missing a setting somewhere, or is there a workaround to avoid losing money on these specific shipments?

Re: USPS rural Area
 

Shipping a 4oz package to a rural area costs over $7, which is outrageous. While eBay encourages sellers to offer free shipping, impossible to maintain the same pricing for rural customers while covering those costs.

Re: USPS rural Area
 

Adjust your prices. Everyone is having to deal with this price increase.


For those USPS shipments that now cost over $7 to send, it's cheaper to use the Fedex economy service.

Re: USPS rural Area
 

Does Fed EXP Ground charge more for rural area?

Re: USPS rural Area
 

Is it more than 2 inches thick?

Re: USPS rural Area
 

everything has gone up,from texas to florida a 5 oz package is $5.89.
Dont forget $100 insurance is included.

Re: USPS rural Area
 

Everything hasn't gone up. It's just certain sub-pound shipments going to rural zip codes. I watched the new rate go into effect on Saturday. Shipments to those zip codes went from costing $6, to $7.50-$7.90.


As a result, I left ten shipments in a Fedex dropbox yesterday. It was the first time in my selling career using Fedex (always used USPS for small orders and UPS for large orders since I can walk them into a UPS store). The shipments USPS wanted $7.86 for, Fedex was willing to ship for $6.97.


@OP - you can print Fedex economy labels from eBay, same as you can print USPS labels.

Re: USPS rural Area
 

Thank you, @phaz0rz. When I used FedEx Economy in the past, USPS handled the final delivery. If a package was refused, USPS returned it and charged the sender for the return shipping. I am unsure if that is still their standard practice.

Re: USPS rural Area
 

Is customer refusing packages really that big of an issue for you? I have maybe one in 500 shipments refused and most of the time if they are, it's because I asked the customer to refuse it (in cases where I had to ship an order twice).


When I saw that $7.86 price tag on Saturday, Fedex became a lack of options rather than a choice.

Re: USPS rural Area
 

YES,NO ONE does a better job for the LAST MILE delivery than the post office,it collects $x.xx for doing so.
I think this is why we see USPS working on Sunday

Re: USPS rural Area
 

So fedex has the best rate now?

Re: USPS rural Area
 

It depends,in US,Fed Exp is supposed to be classy,thats what its customer service tells me,the Fed Exp guy,6 ft 2 inches tall in uniform,fit and trim ,come to the front desk and drop off the packages .
It is used by businesses,and Fed Exp drivers often get frustrated trying to get into an apt complex when the leasing office agent is not there to let him in as he is away showing apartments.
Fed Exp is really for businesses,not individuals like us.

Re: USPS rural Area
 

It only applies to rural/less populated parts of the country. Montana, Maine, lesser known parts of California, Mississippi, Texas, and Virginia are some of the places I've had to use Fedex for this week because of the new USPS rates.

It's going by population density - with Cali, TX, and VA I had to use Fedex for an order but I've also had orders ship to other parts of those states this week via USPS with the same rates as before.

Puerto Rico, Alaska, Hawaii, APO/FPOs, and territories don't qualify for Fedex economy so shipments going to those places went from costing $6 and some change to $8 and some change via USPS Ground Advantage.

Re: USPS rural Area
 

Have you ever looked in to DHL?

Re: USPS rural Area
 

Years ago but it's too expensive to use for anything small being shipped domestically. I think there's a USPS/DHL last mile partnership that still exists but I don't have any way to access that program or its rates.

Those last mile partnerships are the only competition to USPS Ground Advantage. Fedex's version is Ground Economy and I'm given access to that through eBay shipping. UPS's version is Ground Saver and I'm able to get those rates through stamps.com or through eBay shipping.

Neither of them give me DHL rates and it would be super expensive getting quotes straight from the DHL website with no sort of discount.

Re: USPS rural Area
 

What I have to do for you not to try and block me. I'm having PMs conversations with some popular people on here and you come visit my page and want to end me lol
Thank in advance not trying to harm anybody

Re: USPS rural Area
 

DHL is bigger than Fed Exp or UPS,many Europeans and Asian vendors use DHL

Re: USPS rural Area
 

I don't think DHL has ever been bigger than UPS or Fedex.


https://i.ibb.co/YTk713jF/d.png

Re: USPS rural Area
 

Maybe slow down a bit. It's annoying when people rush to spam 25 posts just to send a PM and it kind of defeats the purpose of having that requirement.

Re: USPS rural Area
 

It was spread out in different groups ,different topic subjects you wouldn't even notice me. It's very annoying to spam in one place. this place not the most active with active members And you want to respond to a PM in a timely matter thats just human nature.

Re: USPS rural Area
 

DUDE, STOP with this 25 post count posts.

Re: USPS rural Area
 

If people keep doing this, I'm gonna turn on manual moderation so no matter how much you post you won't get through.

Re: USPS rural Area
 

Well, you can communicate with them in the open forum.

If I wanted to end someone, I'd already have ended them without any kind of warning....

So for now, you can post in the open forum, not DM.

Re: USPS rural Area
 

Yep I am seeing this also. It is like $7.75-$9 for 4 ounces in low populated areas. Of course the highest conversions I am seeing in these locations are for me cheapest goods which now removes any profit from the sale. Shipping back in 2015-2016 used to cost $2.50-$3 for the same fee. Soon it'll be $12+.

Re: USPS rural Area
 

Thosr rural areas may not even have a post office,so USPS will have to make a special trip to deliver package(s).
AMZN uses drones,

Re: USPS rural Area
 

Does the Fedex economy option show for you in eBay shipping? It's $1 cheaper

Re: USPS rural Area
 

I doubt Fed Exp is going to charge less for rural area,I will stick with USPS.

Re: USPS rural Area
 

I'm stating that Fedex is cheaper as a fact, not asking.


https://i.ibb.co/93s2jk5s/asdgjhj.png

Re: USPS rural Area
 

Once I have to ship priority to China,I found out it is cheaper to use USPS priority express guarantee than FED EXP INTL,but you must drop them off at specific USPS location before certain hours.
It turns out Fed Exp will come and pick up the package,these USPS priority express guarantee is handled by Fed Exp and it is cheaper than using Fed Exp .

Re: USPS rural Area
 

USPS will come and pick up the package too but it's always better to take Priority Express packages to the post office just in case:hs:

Re: USPS rural Area
 

Fed Exp only comes to some USPS post office before closing to pick up these packages,your local post office may not be on the list,even if it is on the list,your local postman may not return to the local post office before the pick up time.
But these days I have not have any Chinese buyers ?

Re: USPS rural Area
 

Yeah.. it's been years since I've had any Chinese buyers. Never understood why they would buy from me in the first place.


Like half of my orders are South American dudes using forwarders these days. Miami is single handedly keeping eBay profitable since most American buyers default to Amazon.

Re: USPS rural Area
 

Chinese used to buy from us and resell them in their own auction sites,they are looking for their own antiques,after the Communist Revolution,many antiques are destroyed OR taken out of the country,THEY WANT THEM BACK !

Re: USPS rural Area
 

Always figured it was more for reverse engineering purposes

Re: USPS rural Area
 

Here's another example for an order from this morning. 4oz parcel going to the middle of nowhere in ND. $1.17 less for Fedex.


https://i.ibb.co/8gdzjrDY/hdfhh.png