Ebay Shipping Volumetric Weight Actual Weight

Good afternoon everyone.

I have a question for you. Through the shipping manager Packlink (Ebay Spedizioni), when filling out the Shipping details section - Default packages, is it better for the weight in kg to be specified as volumetric or actual? Does the rule apply whereby the higher of the two factors will be the one billed? Or will Ebay, once the actual weight is entered, calculate the volumetric weight accordingly? I'm torn between which of the two to enter, since the difference is not insignificant.

Thank you in advance for your attention.

antefex

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Posted 2 years ago·Last reply 2 years ago

11 comments

daxsisko

·2 years ago

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@antefex wrote:
Good afternoon everyone.

I have a question for you. Through the shipping manager Packlink (Ebay Shipping), during the setup, in the Shipping Details - Default Packages section, is it better to specify the weight in kg as volumetric or actual? Does the rule apply that the greater of the two factors will be the one billed? Or will Ebay, once the actual weight has been entered, calculate the volumetric weight accordingly? I'm undecided about which of the two to enter, given that the difference is not insignificant.

Thank you in advance for your attention.

assuming that using the Ebay / Packlink shipping manager is not mandatory, when you want to buy the label you obviously have to enter both the actual weight and the parcel dimensions .... then the amount to pay will automatically appear ( and obviously the higher one between volumetric and actual weight, but this applies to any shipping manager or direct courier used )

antefex

OP2 years ago

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.... then automatically the amount to pay will appear (and obviously the higher one between volumetric or actual weight, but this applies to any shipping manager or direct courier used)

I ran some simulations through, precisely, Ebay/Packlink (which I would like to use as the manager, at least initially), once I enter the kg in the Predefined parcels screen, I am asked to choose the service from among the various shippers (BRT, Poste, DHL, etc.), then address details (sender/recipient) and payment. The cost is the same as initially estimated, plus VAT; it does not seem to me that volumetric weight is applied, which in my case is much higher than the actual weight.

So I gather that the practice is to enter the actual weight at the start, correct?

Thanks.

heavenwelkin

·2 years ago

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The volumetric weight is calculated automatically by the system by entering the length x height x depth measurements.

For example, if you need to ship a set of sofa cushions that weigh 10 kg but the package ends up being, say, 80 x 90 x 40, you get a volumetric weight of 58 kg, so you will pay the corresponding rate for 56 kg of weight.

Then you need to see whether the system accepts such a large volumetric weight; otherwise you have to choose another type of shipping for bulky shipments.

Or else you need to (if you can) make more boxes, splitting the items into multiple shipments.

At this link you can calculate volumetric weight:

https://www.sda.it/wps/portal/sdait.home/sdait.servizi/Calcola%20peso%20volumetrico

Kind regards.

daxsisko

·2 years ago

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@antefex wrote:
.... then automatically the amount to pay will appear (and obviously the higher one between volumetric or actual weight, but this applies to any shipping manager or direct courier used)
I ran some simulations via, precisely, Ebay/Packlink (which I’d like to use as the manager, at least at first), once I entered the kg in the Default parcels screen, I’m asked to choose the service from the various couriers (BRT, Poste, DHL, etc.), then address details (sender/recipient) and payment. The cost is the same as initially estimated, plus VAT; it doesn’t seem like volumetric weight is applied, which in my case is clearly higher than the actual one.

So I take it the usual practice is to enter the actual weight at the beginning, correct?

Thanks.

as I said in my previous post, you need to enter both the actual weight and the parcel dimensions, since if you don’t enter them it simply won’t let you proceed...... then it will automatically give you the "choice" among the various couriers

antefex

OP2 years ago

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Clear. For now, I’ve only run some simulations.

heavenwelkin

·2 years ago

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@antefex wrote:
I don't think dimensional weight is being applied, which in my case is clearly higher than the actual weight.

So I assume the practice is to enter the actual weight at the start, correct?

The user doesn't ask these questions; they just fill in the required data and receive the corresponding services with the respective costs.

It can easily happen that a weight of 10kg corresponds to a dimensional weight of 15kg, but the rate still remains the one for 10kg.

It depends on the broker and the courier chosen.

As far as I know, Poste Italiale with PosteDelivery is the most "generous" when it comes to dimensional weight compared to others, meaning it allows you to exceed the package's volume more relative to its weight.

Kind regards.

antefex

OP2 years ago

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Ok, thanks for the information.

It can certainly happen that a weight of 10kg corresponds to a volumetric weight of 15kg, but the rate still remains the one for 10kg.
It depends on the broker and the chosen courier

Right. I'd like to avoid, if possible, any later charge from the courier.

Best regards to everyone.

heavenwelkin

·2 years ago

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@antefex wrote:

Right. I’d like to avoid, if possible, any possible later charge from the courier.

Best regards to everyone.

If you manage to weigh the parcel exactly once it’s sealed and enter the measurements of the 3 sides with a rounding up correction (for example 35.3 cm becomes 36 cm), you can be sure that no extra shipping charge will be applied.

Once you’ve entered the parcel details correctly, you pay and you’re all set.

Best regards.

daxsisko

·2 years ago

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@antefex wrote:
Okay, thanks for the information.

It can definitely happen that a weight of 10kg corresponds to a volumetric weight of 15kg but the rate still remains the 10kg one.
It depends on the broker and the chosen courier

Right. I’d like to avoid, if possible, any possible later charge from the courier.

Kind regards to everyone.

with Ebay/Packlink you CANNOT be at ease...... even if you enter the correct data : the advice is to remove the direct debit from your Paypal account so that automatically they DO NOT take the money from the account ,

the thing can also happen with other online managers, the difference is that there is no directly associated account

heavenwelkin

·2 years ago

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@daxsisko wrote:
with Ebay/Packlink you CANNOT feel safe...... even if you enter the correct data : the advice is to remove the direct debit from your Paypal account so that automatically they do NOT take the money from your account ,
this can also happen with other online providers, the difference is that there isn't a directly associated account

The problem and/or possible annoyance is that every time you buy a label on ebay shipping, the automatic debit on your paypal account gets set up.

So for every label you buy you should log into your paypal account and go look for the option for direct debits (it's not that easy to find, but if you want you could save the page link) and disable the automatic debits.

Alternatively you should pay with a credit card, but you wouldn't have the convenience and ease of the protection offered by paypal.

In any case, even by removing the paypal debit, you would still have a debt with the shipping provider that would eventually need to be resolved in order to keep using the service (given that lately shipping rates have been particularly advantageous) maybe by first filing a dispute with packlink and then, if necessary, with paypal in case the charge was not consistent with the size and weight of the item shipped.

Personally, since the ebay shipping provider has existed, I have never received extra charges; I have always entered weight and measurements in excess (12.1 kg I entered 13 kg and 23.1 cm I entered 24 cm).

Those who complain about extra charges need to see whether they use my same method or whether they round down, where a 12.5 x 20.4 x 15.7 package becomes 12x20x15 instead of 13x21x16 or even declares weights and measurements that are clearly lower in order to fit into the cheaper rate.

I simply wanted to add this information for completeness, then everyone decides as they see fit.

Best regards.

daxsisko

·2 years ago

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@heavenwelkin wrote:
@daxsisko wrote:
with Ebay/Packlink you CANNOT feel safe...... even if you enter the correct data: the advice is to remove the direct debit from the Paypal account so that, automatically, they do NOT take the money from the account,
this can also happen with other online providers, the difference is that there is no account directly linked
The problem and/or possible annoyance is that every time you buy a label on eBay shipping, the automatic debit is set up on your Paypal account.
So for every label you buy you should log into your Paypal account and look for the option for direct debits (it's not that easy to find, but if you want you could save the page link) and disable the automatic debits.
Alternatively you should pay by credit card, but you wouldn't have the convenience and ease of the protection offered by Paypal.

In any case, even if you remove the Paypal debit, you would still have a debt with the shipping provider that you would eventually need to resolve in order to keep using the service (given that lately shipping rates have been particularly advantageous), maybe by first filing a dispute with Packlink and then eventually with Paypal if the charge was not consistent with the size and weight of the item shipped.

Personally, it has never happened to me since the eBay shipping provider has existed to receive extra charges; I have always entered weight and measurements in excess (if I entered 12.1 kg, I entered 13 kg, and if I entered 23.1 cm, I entered 24 cm).
Those who complain about extra charges need to see whether they apply my same method or whether they round down, where a 12.5 x 20.4 x 15.7 package becomes 12x20x15 instead of 13x21x16 or even they declare clearly lower weights and measurements to fit into the cheapest rate.

I simply wanted to add this extra information for completeness of the discussion, then everyone decides as they see fit.

Kind regards.

confirming what I said in my previous post, as regards the Ebay / Packlink shipping provider I refer you to the various posts on the topic (or anyway even a web search) where it is quite easy to find complaints from various sellers (not to mention those of which I have direct experience, also because I know various sellers personally....) who complain about subsequent charges, often for weights that are out of the ordinary despite small packages (...... evidently they ship material made up of elements unknown on earth, given the high specific weight......) .... and I limit myself only to the "weight" issue, since there have been other problems......