shipping profile ground advantage

[JBoneCreations]

ETSY! You advertise saving 25% to 30% on shipping labels when using Etsy shipping, but do not allow Ground Advantage on your shipping profiles. So my customers are paying first class prices, you are forcing me to use Ground Advantage, and I am not even saving 10%, let alone your advertised 25%. This is false advertisement, an inconvenience for me, confusing for the customer, and an all around pain.

THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED ASAP.

[BagmakerSupply]

@JBoneCreations: There is no First Class Package rate any more, Ground Advantage is essentially First Class Package for shipments up to 15.99 ounces and Parcel Post for shipments over 15.99 ounces and the postage rates are essentially equivalent, or Ground Advantage is a little lower. The discount that Etsy refers to is comparing their price to retail rates (at the Post Office counter).

[JBoneCreations]

I get that. That's not what I am saying. Under shipping profiles, Ground Advantage does not exist yet. So you have to chose First Class (or some other shipping method).

So, here's an example (not the actual cost/math). A customer buys an item from me and pays $4.00 for First Class shipping (which is set by the profile). Then when I go print the label, First class isn't an option, so it defaults to Ground Advantage. And the Ground Advantage price is $5.00, but you get the "discount" bringing the price down to close to what the customer paid. So no ACTUAL savings for using Etsy. If it had Ground Advantage as a shipping profile option, the customer would have paid the $5.00 and then Etsy would have taken 25% off of that, brining MY price down to closer to the $4.00.

Also, let me explain that I am not out to have the customer pay more for shipping. It feels like too much already these days, and I hate that this is even a thing. But if they are going to advertise saving 25% off retail cost, they need to go good on that promise.

See what I am saying? I hope I am explaining this properly, cause it's an often brought up topic.

[NickiesNest]

They just haven't gotten around to changing the name on the shipping profiles yet.  But choose First Class or Parcel Select (depending on the weight) for your profile.  When the label prints it will be Ground Advantage. (I think the buyer sees Ground Advantage when they order, but am not sure.)

Your hypothetical numbers are wrong. Ground Advantage rates are NOT higher than the old First Class.  They are the same or a tiny bit lower depending on weight and zone.

You save a significant amount by using Etsy labels v. buying on your own.  Up to you whether you pass those savings on to the buyer or use them to offset the fee that Etsy charges you on the shipping & tax amount.  You can set it up either way.

[BagmakerSupply]

@JBoneCreations: In your shipping profiles, are you using calculated shipping? And are you using retail rates or Etsy label rates? Our profiles are set for calculated shipping with Etsy label rates (even though we do not use Etsy labels) and the rates charged to the buyer are exactly what the base commercial rates are. Etsy label rates use the base commercial rate discount which is what almost every other postage provider (Stamps.com, ShipStation, etc) offers.

[SumatraStudio]

it's exactly what is happening to me! it's so frustating! I'm searching on youtube some videos about this issue and can't find anything!

[BlueCatStudioShop]

@JBoneCreations 

The ground advantage prices are basically the same as first class. First class no longer exists. Companies (like Etsy) have like a year or something to change the name of the product from first class to ground advantage. It's been in the news for months and months. And months.

[JBoneCreations]

I am literally looking at the summary before printing a shipping label and they are NOT the same price.

It's saying for the customer it is "Buyer Requested First Class $4.88"

And my option is "USPS Ground Advantage $6.40" and then the savings kicks in and brings it down to the exact $4.88.

It USED to be if a customer paid around $4.00 in shipping, then I was usually charged around $3.20 (which was an actual VISIBLE savings), which I would pass on to the customer by having lower prices.

That being said, if you're sayin that the discount goes both ways and that savings is passed on to the customer and it's just not showing me that, I am completely good with that. That's great even. But the quoted prices at full value are NOT the same and it looks purposefully deceiving. Like they are telling the customer one thing and the seller another and pretending they are passing on a saving that they aren't.

 And yes I know First Class "doesn't exist anymore" I'm just using the language that Etsy is still using.

[CappuccinoLace]

6.40 is the not over 12oz zone 5 retail rate and 4.88 is the not over 12oz zone 5 commercial rate

"USPS Ground Advantage $6.40" and then the savings kicks in and brings it down to the exact $4.88.

It's charging the customer retail rates and of course when you buy, it's commercial rates.

Check wherever it asks you if you want to charge retail vs etsy label rates, and change to etsy label rates.

[JBoneCreations]

I do and have always had it set to Etsy Label Rates.

I appreciate everyone's input, but I feel like I'm either not conveying my point properly or my issue isn't being understood: so I will wrap this up with the bottom line of what needs to be addressed to even start fixing my issue:

Shipping profiles need to be fixed to be able to select Ground Advantage and all references to First Class need to be removed.

Also realized that I put this in technical issues. Which was a mistake, lol.