posted on February 6, 2004 04:55:34 PM
***Coming Soon: New Shipping Features***
Date: 02/06/04 Time: 03:19:34 PM PST
eBay and PayPal have teamed up with the US Postal Service and UPS to deliver even more shipping convenience with our new integrated shipping features. Currently, sellers can buy and print UPS shipping labels from their PayPal accounts. In mid-February, we will introduce a new feature called Online Postage that will allow sellers to print US Postal Service shipping labels with Delivery Confirmation™ and pay for the postage from their PayPal account.
After an item has sold, a seller will be able to print a shipping label from either shipping service directly from My eBay or the Item page. Once the label is purchased, both the buyer and seller will be able to track the delivery status of the package on eBay and PayPal. More detailed information will be available when these features are introduced to the site.
There will be no surcharge for buying UPS labels or US Postal Service Priority Mail® and Express Mail® labels with postage and Delivery Confirmation (which costs $.45 at the Post Office™), and sellers will not be required to offer PayPal in their listings to use this product. Save a trip to the Post Office™ by using Online Postage at eBay and PayPal together with the US Postal Service’s new Free Carrier Pick-up service!
By mid-February, eBay and PayPal together will have a total shipping solution (the eBay Shipping Calculator, US Postal Service and UPS labels, and USPS and UPS package tracking) to help members save time and money, and be able to more easily track the delivery of their items. In March, sellers will also be able to buy USPS First Class®, Parcel Post® and Media Mail® labels.
posted on February 6, 2004 07:55:56 PM
Ummmmmmmmm.......I use the USPS.com site now to print my own postage at home and I pay with my Paypal credit card and you can check a box on there that sends an e-mail to the person you are sending the item to- to let them know the package is shipped and yes they can use the tracking number provided to see where their package is and yes the delivery con on there is free. And yes I can just send all my packages with the mail-man when he delivers my mail so.... what is the new wonderful thing than- that will be happening aren't I already doing it?
posted on February 6, 2004 08:13:39 PM
I don't think it has a thing to do with it - I think that it has to do with getting a third bite at the apple.
First bite- Ebay fees to seller
Second bite - PayPal fees from seller
Third Bite - PayPal fees from Post Office when you pay for your postage.
Why would ebay care about shipping scharges considering the large percentage of people who use PayPal to collect the fees. They get their money one way or another. If they were to try to dictate business modules to people via demanding actual postage charges they would loses a large number of sellers. Do you think that the large companies that are utilizing ebay now like Sears, Sharper Image etc are going to stick around when it is no longer cost effective to weigh every single item and evaluate each shipment based on weight and destination? People will put up with alot from ebay but dictating dictating that large of a portion of their business module is not one of them.
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on February 6, 2004 08:44:55 PM
Greed!! Lawsuits over feed back, Dept of Justice letters,,,feed back system is a joke! NPB's can and do leave unjust feed backs. Square trade has settled 200.000.00 cases X's $20.00 bucks! Money!!!! Higher and higher and higher e bay fees!!!!! NPB's out the ying yang and E bay STILL makes MONEY and WE sellers lose? I am GLAD I pulled up my boot straps and started going BACK to the Swapmeets. Real people,, 3 years here,,things have changed,, community, hahahaha. this is no more community than the man in the Moon,,,,E bay is about GREED. More fees. MORE! MORE! MORE for them and,,,,You use to get a REAL e bay rep, now, canned responses.....They are a Big buiness and they treat the sellers as such,,,,They are the Antique Malls,Don't like our ways,,,,leave. Another will fill this space.
MY Powersellers logo.
Annnnnnd,,,,,,The beat goes on...yeah the beat goes on,,,,,
posted on February 6, 2004 09:22:37 PM
My 2 cents for what its worth.....
PayPal already massacres the seller if there is a whimper of discontent from the buyer. Sellers are guilty until proven innocent. I am not for putting all my eggs into one basket and being held hostage if my paypal account is frozen. Doesn't seem like a wise move.
There are other programs out there that do the same thing. I understand the motive is the bottom line. eBay and PayPal already get enought "bites" from my auctions.
posted on February 6, 2004 09:51:18 PM
I got tired of playing the PayPal - Prove It! game and so this past week I made the call and next week I will have my own merchant account hooked up to my check out. No more bothering with PayPal, now I control my destiny and don't have to worry about doing unusually high sales one month and having them lock everything up.
I am going to keep track of transactions next couple months to see if I am paying more for my merchant account that for PayPal. Transaction fees and percentages are lower but there are a couple flat fee charges that will have to be factored in. If anyone is interested in the comparison let me know.
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on February 6, 2004 10:16:49 PM
This new USPS/ebay shipping gambit lets the new and infrequent listing sellers in on the ease and cost-savings of using some online USPS features? The tracking number for the buyers on the auction page may be the only real improvement to the pros. I wonder if the post office pays anything to ebay to possibly get some new business?
-------------- sig file ----------- *There is no conclusive evidence that life is serious*
posted on February 6, 2004 10:38:40 PM
I'm sure they pay PayPal fees just like everyone else. I also don't see infrequent sellers using the service since I think the percentage of the that have a postage scale over in the corner to weigh their packages on going to be pretty rare.
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on February 7, 2004 05:45:00 AM
Hi...its a nice idea...except that the Post Office does not track.
Track an item...sometimes the seller can follow the movement of the package. Often, the seller nor buyer can't.
For instance, we sent a confirmed delivery package. It never arrived. A trace was put on it by the Post Office. It was never located.
Still, no requirement for the local Post Office to scan in the package.
So, even though we may purchase it online, there is still no proof (ie paypal chargeback) that it was ever mailed.
Additionally, when clicking on the Post Office tracking page...go two pages back...and read what that says.
For fundemental tracking, the seller has to use UPS or FEDX.
thanks
YES, eDC & RETAIL DC are NOT tracking -- the USPS specifically states that this is NOT tracking! Although my personal experience with eDC is about 99% scanned
HOWEVER: PayPal has approved Delivery Confirmation for proof needed in the Seller's Protection Policy.
For the purposes of the SELLERs PP, DC IS adequate as "online tracking" as required by PayPal. So, who cares if it is not true "tracking?"
The one time some pretzel-choker tried the "non-delivery" scam on me, PayPal accepted the eDC as "online tracking," and found in my favor!
posted on February 7, 2004 08:47:21 AM
Hi Tomwii... thanks for your insights.
Our challenge was with two items.
Both mailed with delivery confirmation. One lost somewhere...post office couldn't find it. Buyer never signed for it...we had to refund.
The other one, buyer received the item - never had to sign for it...Post Office showed no delivery.
The Post Office told us, if the delivery confirmation is not done at the counter, then we don't know if you ever mailed it.
posted on February 7, 2004 10:43:13 AM
So whats the big deal?? Right now, anyone can use "click & ship" Its great except you can't insure a package & am not going to self insure a $100.00 piece of china. So I have to drag it to the PO anyway. I do not use UPS, I have an account with FedEx Ground & use them for anything over 3 lbs.
..i was wondering about that..and, i "aint" about to ship with no insurance..i cant afford being self insured-plus it keeps everybody honest..
..i ship media or priority, including zone chare[CHART], that is 3 pages long..i dont access no computer, i shuffle the paper..
..EXAMPLE..customer zip is 92227, thats zone 8, weighs 5lbs;;; cost is 12.15, itis just that simple-and quick...i c/paste address to label; so i dont pay for labels either..i dont have to stand in lines either, but everyone certainly is not that lucky..annnnnnnnnnnd, i do understand that part of our business...
myoldtoy
[ edited by myoldtoy on Feb 7, 2004 01:17 PM ]
posted on February 7, 2004 01:26:20 PM
myoldtoy; This is why I use FedEx Ground over 3lbs. Your 5# pkg by FedEx Ground would go for approx. $7.00. At 3# the rates are about the same, but after that FedEx Ground saves a bundle plus the first $100.00 of value is insured at no extra charge. After that it is 35 cents/100.00. Your $12.15 doesn't include insurance.
[ edited by sanmar on Feb 7, 2004 01:27 PM ]
posted on February 7, 2004 01:34:23 PM
YOU RIGHT SANMAR: my only point was not shipping 5 lbs/and its cost, but rather than perform all the point and click, [I] just refer to 3 pages - would be same for zone 2, 2lbs, etc....takes me a matter of few seconds to know what gonna cost..i was agreeing with you...
AND, fedx is more competitive many times, this i know; but -FOR ME-they are sometimes guilty of being late on pickups...i dont live back in the swamp, but very close..so, its my problem more than theirs..
myoldtoy
[ edited by myoldtoy on Feb 7, 2004 01:35 PM ]
