eBay Seller Unable to Correct UPS Shipping Adjustment Errors

by: lessthanthreerecords

I get that you want the discount offered by paying online, but I always pay in-person for this exact reason.  Does it cost more?  That depends how you look at it.  Clearly, paying online is cheaper... until it's not.  I used to print some postage online until the carriers started with these agreements that say they can weigh/measure the packages without the shipper present and charge you more after the fact.  Years ago, if they wanted to verify the weight and measurement, they would need to do it in front of you, which I had no problem with.  I will not give them free access to any amount they decide to skim off my credit card.  Nope, not going to happen!  Just a few months ago, I was shipping something at a post office, and the clerk said it was over 22" when it wasn't.  He measured it three or four times and clearly did not know how to use a tape measure.  I asked for the post master who verified that it was short enough not to get a surcharge (only by 1/2", but still made the cut).  Was it a frustrating experience?  Slightly.  But the absolute worst case scenario was I take the package to another post office.  Way better then letting them do it out of sight where idiocy and/or fraud run rampant.

by: terry55

I had the same problem last year, you need to contact "Deb Nahvi" sr manager shipping experience" or deb@shipping on the community boards

by: iheartjacksparrow

@D. (the Op): You state you use both UPS and FedEx for shipping. Have you had any problems with FedEx sending shipping adjustments? If not, maybe you should ship exclusively with FedEx.

You state the UPS store charges two times what eBay charges for the same box size. How does that equate to the $79 adjustment you are being hit with? It would be helpful if you could give us the amount you charge the customer for shipping, what you pay to eBay for a label, and what the UPS Store charges for the same package.  

by: banda

''My boxes do not bulge in any way''
All corrugated packages bulge if handled roughly and the cardboard weakens.  Or the cardboard can weaken with age or high humidity.  Or a batch of corrugated can be weaker than typical.  A package that large and/or with that large of an aspect ratio will see rough handling in transit and may bend or bulge as a result.

If your 53 x 8 x 29 package is as large as 53.49 x 8.49 x 29.49 when measured, UPS considers it to be 53 x 8 x 29 = 127, less than 130 inches in length x girth, and all is good.

But all it takes is 0.01 inch extra bulge in width and height for your packages to become 53.49 x 8.50 x 29.50 which UPS rounds to 53 x 9 x 30 = 131!!!

Consider the tolerances on the actual dimensions of your box.  If your box maker made it just a little too big, that could also be the problem.

Remember that the nominal dimensions of a corrugated cardboard box are the inside dimensions, not the outside dimensions.  For a single-wall box, that adds about 0.375 inch to each outside dimension.  For a double-wall, it adds 0.75 inch to each outside dimension, which UPS rounds up to another full inch.

I've seen this before where a UPS shipper is near the limit on package size and blames UPS when UPS says their package is over the limit.  I've never seen a case where they received a refund if it happened to more than one identical package in a short period of time.

If possible, you need to trim your package size by a bit to give yourself more margin for dimensional tolerances and bulging.  And/or use a stronger box, but since that will make it thicker, the contents will have to shrink to compensate,  And/or reinforce the contents to prevent bending.  And/or reinforce the contents to prevent compression in one dimension which translates to bulging in the adjacent dimension.

by: banda

Please correct the formulas in my post above to
53 + 2(8 + 29) = 127
and
53 + 2(9 + 30) = 131

Thanks.

by: Ophelia1

One more reason I use Pirateship only, never buy labels thru eBay or any other marketplace.

by: NYSteve

i get that once in a while, too....with UPS and FED EX...its a catch-22 to try to get the added charge reversed, with the carrier easily saying its an Ebay (or Amazon account) and Ebay or Amazon denying they could do something about it.

easy solution, if you ship with UPS or FEDEX alot, open an account with them, tell them you don't want weekly pickups (unless you need it). they will give you rates pretty close to what you are getting thru the marketplace and the customer
service is a whole......... 'nother... ball ....game. Everyone of the  'miscalculations' and surcharges have been reversed with a simple phone call and your own account number...ive had my own accounts for years and ship all my valuables using it.

(btw, i think the issue is the boxes dont always go thru the measurement scanner, squarely on the conveyor belt)

by: salvagepanda

Yes, this is the UPS rate adjustment scam. No matter where you buy your labels, if you go back and look at the purchase history a few weeks later you will see alot of UPS "adjustments" This is a scam that UPS is pulling. There is gonna be a class action against UPS soon.  

by: Working It

I agree with NY Steve. Get your own UPS account. There are variations of types of accounts. I've had different types through the years. I currently have a "Smart Pickup" account, and pay no weekly surcharge, and a pickup is scheduled as soon as I print a label. We ship a  lot of heavy crated items, so it's mighty nice to have UPS pickup, too.
The discounts are not quite as good as Pirate Ship (or eBay), but the customer service is SO worth the difference. I've also never had any overcharges.  

by: Snapped

Independence (own account) in every facet possible for one’s own business processes is, and always has been the only way to (mostly) avoid the issues such as described here.  

Those who would depend on eBay will get what they pay through the nose for.  Or rather, more likely not even that.  Even when their ‘systems’ ARE working.  

by: RanchCracker

I've been an eBay member and seller for over 20 years.  I've always maintained 100% positive feedback and eBay is the best online marketplace for me to use.  One FedEx shipping adjustment has brought everything to a grinding halt!  This is an extreme case!  Kindly note that I'm a relatively normal guy. I'm not into drama.  I don't scam in any way.  I'm no conspiracy theorist. The Earth is NOT flat, and birds are real.  I'm a lucid, mature man, and I'm pretty sharp.  eBay emailed me with the details of a postage adjustment.  The amount is slightly under $4, but the original postage label was less than $8; this can't be right.  A closer look shows I paid for 15 OZ, but FedEx is charging based on dimensional weight of .94 LB.  (I think many sellers see ounces vs pounds and opt to pay $4 rather than deal with the math.)  I do the math and discover 15OZ and .94LB differ by .0025 LB. There's no way FedEx wants an additional $4 for such a tiny increase in weight when the postage label cost less than $8.  (The label was purchased from eBay using the eBay format.)  I went to the sold item and bumped the weight up to one full pound.  Guess what?  Label costs the same amount I originally paid!  I contacted eBay customer service and the call goes very well.  The CSR followed my logic, and my math, then he put me on hold to call for authorization to remove adjustment.  He returned and told me it was done.  The End.

10 days later I get another email.  This simply says funds will be taken from my account.  I'm skipping a lot of details for brevity, but it's just more of the same.  eBay CSRs are outstanding.  I made 3 calls and spoke to 3 different CSRs.  It required minimal effort to explain the circumstances and they got it.  The next step is where things broke down.  The inconsistency also drew suspicion.  The 1st call, adjustment was removed.  Second call I'm referred to call FedEx to dispute the adjustment that's part of eBay's bill.  On the very same day I'm on 3rd call with CSR and now there's suddenly an official desk to address postage adjustment disputes.  The guy with this job is Julio.  Julio was OK.  He said it could take several days, but he called me on he very next day.  At this stage of the game I would expect to see some kind of evidence to substantiate the postage adjustment.  I got this instead:  "The postage adjustment has been deemed valid.  The charge stands.  This decision is final."  I'm kind of old school.  I tend to base things on logic and common sense.  I also find myself depending on the merits of reasoning.  I applied these concepts effectively, or so I thought.  Julio uses obstinance in place of reasoning.  No matter what I said, Julio responded with an awkwardly long pause followed by, "The postage adjustment has been deemed valid.  The charge stands.  This decision is final."  I started to lose my composure after the 4th or 5th time he repeated the phrase.  I was getting irritated with Julio, but I realized my conduct was unreasonable and quickly gathered myself.  I doubted the part about the decision being final, but Julio resorted back to obstinance when I requested him to escalate the matter.  At any rate, I had exhausted the resource of eBay Customer Service.

I turned to the eBay User Agreement and learned that the decision recited by Julio was not final.  I could demand arbitration, but first I was required to return a completed notice to The eBay Litigation Team by Registered Mail.  For some reason, I found hope that I could expect a reasonable response.  I filled out the form with care and stayed the path of remaining polite patent, and non-accusatory.  In turn, my notice prompted no response in return.

Now I stand ready to submit my Demand For Arbitration.  Submission of my demand will coincide with making a report of fraud to the United States Fair Trade Commission.  I've officially abandoned the "non-accusatory" portion of my strategy and included copious amounts of finger-pointing in it's place.  

In the absence of any prior arbitration experience I feel that I'm at a disadvantage.    Arbitration differs from Small Claims Court in that representation by an attorney is permitted.  eBay rules require arbitration by written submission which doesn't bother me a bit.  I wouldn't be shocked if eBay fails to show up but, if they do, I kind of expect them to petition for dismissal by accusing  me of filing a frivolous action