Sellers who use certain platforms and marketplaces to purchase USPS shipping labels will pay higher rates effective November 18 on some services, according to an announcement from one such platform.
Pirate Ship told sellers this week that USPS is raising rates for Connect eCommerce, the program that allows platforms and marketplaces to offer discounted shipping rates to their merchants. According to the USPS website, other platforms that offer discounted shipping through USPS Connect eCommerce include LABL; ShippingEasy; DPS; EasyShip; ShipKey; ShipEngine; Adulis; and International Bridge.
This is the first time USPS is raising rates with the Connect eCommerce program, according to Pirate Ship. Here’s how it described the changes:
Priority Mail Flat Rate is increasing up to 6%, because USPS is removing this service from the Connect eCommerce program that provided secret discounts below Commercial Pricing, so the rates are returning to Commercial Pricing levels.
Weight-Based Priority Mail is increasing up to 10% in zones 1-4, but it’ll still have discounts that are cheaper than Commercial Pricing.
Dimension-Based Priority Mail Cubic is increasing up to 23% in zones 1-4 for tiers 0.40 and 0.50—so the largest package sizes for this service are getting more expensive in the lowest zones. But the rates are still cheaper than Commercial Pricing.
Ground Advantage is decreasing up to 16% in zones 1-5, depending on the size and weight of your package.
You can find the full announcement on the PirateShip website.
There’s a discussion ebay boards if the ebay is included in this increase-decrease?
Since Etsy makes a commission on all our shipments, I am disappointed to find that they are not our agent when the USPS decides to charge us randomly. Seems like we’re just profit vehicles.
I’ve had the same basic shipping package for 10 years on Etsy. USPS (through Etsy as the enforcer) charged my “payment account” for a flat-rate box. I use a flat shipping fee, the same box, and same packing material so Etsy’s shipping calculator can’t short me. Now the USPS has decided that my package owed $10 over the usual fee long after it was delivered. Etsy buried the charge in “payment account” and doesn’t offer ways to refute the charge, but does allow the post office to take money. The email with link is pretty phishy too, since the charge doesn’t show up in the app. Seems like a pretty big one-way surprise, like the surprise 15% marketing penalty.
yada yada yada, call it by any technical term you want…the USPS is raising rates EVERY chance they get, worse than any other money grabbing corporation…..the change that should be made is at the top!
@NYSTEVE That is not true USPS did not charge a Holiday surcharge this year like UPS and Fed Ex has.