eBay will flip listings that use calculated shipping to show its discounted eBay Labels rates by default on October 1, according to Liz Morton at Value Added Resource. Sellers who got the email have until September 25 to opt out, and can switch the setting back later, and nothing changes for flat-rate or free shipping. Many sellers use the spread between the discounted rate and what they charge for boxes, tape, and packing time, and to absorb eBay’s cut, since Final Value Fees and Promoted Listings ad fees both come off the full total including shipping and tax. eBay’s own opt-out form lists that reason first. The switch takes effect three days before USPS wants its holiday peak rates to start, on top of a temporary 8% increase already running into January.
