PayPal Multi Shipping Tool Needs USPS Small Flat Rate Box NOW!!!

[Brimstone]

The USPS introduced their new Small Flat-Rate Box almost a year ago and PayPal still has not added this box and rate to their shipping tools. As a vendor I have a responsibility to offer my customers the safest, lowest-cost shipping options and while there were a few work arounds available to allow the correct rate for this service using the PayPal Shipping Tools, there are not anymore. As most USPS customers are aware there was a rate increase this week. The new rate for Priority Small Flat rate boxes is now $4.95 up just 5 cents. The new default Priority mail package rate when not using a flat rate box is now $5.30 - $5.50, an increase of 30-50 cents. While this may not seem like much to the occasional shipper, those of us who ship 50-100 packages a week are feeling cheated having to pay this increase, and are now have to charge our customers an increase they should not have to pay either. Please join me in requesting this and all the other flat rate options be added to the PayPal shipping tools.

[skyeguy2003]

You are correct, buying flat rate envelope postage and applying it to the small flat rate box was a work-around before the price changes. You should ask your local Postmaster if you can still do this, and apply an additional 10 cent stamp. It would be up to the PO that accepts your packages, and may be an option. The excuse I got from PayPal, were the software change is up to USPS, who provides the software to Paypal. If that is really true, don't you think PayPal does enough USPS business to give them the right to insist on the change? Yes, NOW!!!!! would be good.

[FLGROOMER]

I called Paypal and spoke to someone in shipping and she said the post office will identify the label as a small envelope and not a box.  It is in the code.  Anyway, I am not in love with the small box.  The small tyvek envelope is not a fixed rate but is better in size and flexibility.  Actually, the post office lists a lot of box sizes that are not fixed rate.  They even have a 7x9x2 media box, perfect for my books, which is good at the media rate.  Really cheap.  Only need to add confirmation to it.  Thanks for the info.

[StevenA]

I ship a lot of small items that are more then 13oz and if I could print lables for small flat rate boxes it saves my buyers Money

[DexSinister]

First, I wouldn't for a second believe a "Paypal shipping rep" who told me that evil meeanines "wouldn't let Paypal buy the option to ship small boxes. Frankly, that's just stupid - but there IS a trend in customer service to tell customers any random thing in order to get them to stop asking questions or demanding performance.

Second, the problem has a very easy solution:

• Print a Flat Rate envelope label
• put the flat rate envelope label on a flat rate envelope
• Put the item in a small flat rate box
• put the box inside the envelope.

  Yes the envelope is bigger than the box, and no, there is no thickness limit on the envelope.

As for the mailing date, this is again a simple programming issue. If you've ever shipped off the USPS site, you'll notice that it advances the shipping date to the next day at 5pm your-local-time. It is hardly rocket science. It's pretty easy to look up time zones vs. zip codes even if you don't want to pull it from the computer's clock.

Given the amount of shipping that "Paypal" is doing, they ought to be able to get Pitney-Bowes to jump through fiery hoops. I haven't worked directly with PB for years (they're just too expensive vs. other alternatives) but thay're a capable company that doesn't tell shippers, "no you can't ship that way".

It's a programming issue.

[rmbmlb]

I agree I can never seem to get the same rate on an envelope bubble type as the post office.  if I have enough I take em there.

[NickK]

ABSOLUTELY.. I contacted PP re this and got their no-brain, no-thinking involved canned (but personalized) answer that they offered blah blah blah.  Obviously our questions are important to them.. answering them, however, is irrelevant.. insistence is futile. 

[mona]

I  agree. I have had issues with pay pal and it stinks. Why are they doing this to us? To make more $$$ from us. How simple is it to update their system. How long does that take? Maybe they are waiting to make a lot of money from us to pay a programmer! Good excuse ha?

As far as the date goes,go to the drop down box where the "date shipped" is and click on it. You will see tomorrow, the next day and the next days date so you will have the right date on your pkg. when going to the post office. It's not the fault of the postal service. As far as pay pal goes-maybe it's not the quickest and safest way to go when there is no respect for the customer. Maybe we should try another method.

THEY ARE RIPPING US OFF !!!

[FLGROOMER]

Actually Paypal shipping person said the post office would not offer the small box a part of the deal.  It is not Paypal who can't change the software.  It is not what was in the bargain.  On the other hand, Ebay has a lot of choices including co-branded boxes.  I am looking at other size boxes with the post office.  They have a lot, even better sized next up from the small.  For my books the media size, gets an even better rate than the fixed small.  Priority mail isn't necessary.  I've had media mail get here in three days anyway.  Though not a fixed rate, it is still cheaper.

[StevenA]

Yes Please add small flat rate and large flat rate boxes to you package size options in Paypal we all need it to keep are shipping cost down

[greenlaserinusa]

I just went to print a shipping label this morning and was suprised to see SMALL FLAT RATE BOX as an option!

Hooray!!