PayPal Community

Hi egoflos,   >>>How do I get my money back??<<<   Sorry to read that  you may have been overcharged 4 times before you noticed the problem and came here.   I would suggest you email PayPal customer service and send them a link to this thread https://www.paypal-community.com/t5/forums/replypage/board-id/eBay/message-id/2739   and these threads https://www.paypal-community.com/t5/Products-and-services/USPS-rates-higher-through-PayPal/m-p/32748#M3098 https://www.paypal-community.com/t5/How-to-use-PayPal/Postage-calculator-Incorrect-Parcel-Post/m-p/32793#M10706   Ask them to escalate the issue out of India or wherever they are and back to Corporate Headquarters in California.   Please post PayPal's email response(s) to your message here.  Thanks   ... View more

Hi Flint,   I found the error in PayPal's calculator.  It has to do with a special USPS pricing spec that USPS calls balloon pricing.   Parcel Post "Balloon Price" Items that weigh less than 20 pounds and measure more than 84 inches but not more than 108 inches in combined length and girth (distance around the thickest part) pay the 20-pound Parcel Post® zoned price.     Length is the longest dimension. Girth is the distance around the thickest part.  i.e. to calculate girth take the two shorter dimensions, double each then add them together.     Your package was shipping at Zone 5 rates.  Zones range from 1 to 8, based on the distance the package is being shipped, so zone 5 is for packages shipping mid-range distances.  The zone 5 rate for a 4 lb. package is $9.20 and this is what PayPal should have charged.  Add 19 cents for delivery confirmation and your total should have been $9.39.  You could have "tricked" PayPal into giving you the correct rate simply by not telling PayPal you had a "Large Package".  Just because one of the dimensions (length) is over 12" doesn't by itself increase the price from the standard rate.  It just (arbitrarily?) triggers the "balloon pricing" calculation after prompting you to enter the dimensions.   The balloon pricing check (combined length & girth) for your package should have been: 16 + (15 x 2 + 13 x 2) = 16 + 56 = 72 inches, which is less than the 84 inch threshold, so no balloon pricing.   It appears that PayPal may not even be doing the balloon pricing calculation, because I can't see any way that they could get to over 84 inches, even if they used the two biggest dimensions for girth that still is only 75 inches! 13 + (16x2 + 15x2) = 13 + 62 = 75   So I assume that when you tell PayPal you have a "Large" package they always assume that means you have a "Balloon" package!   The Zone 5 rate for a 20 pound package is $16.94 - add 0.19 for delivery confirm and your total is $17.13   Thus your package has "ballooned" from four to twenty pounds!   PayPal needs to pop some balloons in their shipping calculator!   Now the question is whether PayPal passes the entire postage charge on to USPS.  If they do, then USPS would be the sole beneficiary of this overcharging.  But if PayPal keeps some of the postage charges (as a commission or whatever) then both USPS and PayPal could be beneficiaries of these overpayments.  PayPal may have some special contract with USPS because they only charge 19 cents for delivery confirm (vs. the 80 cent retail walkup charge at the post office).  If not then PayPal would be eating the 61 cent difference between 19 and 80 cents.   I wonder whether any such contract would be public information?     ... View more

Chicagobay,  you're on the right track.  I played around with the USPS site's calculator and looked up their Price List and finally figured out what is going on.  There is indeed an error in PayPal's calculator!   I unchecked the Large Package and found that the price is still $15.90 for my package.  Checking the USPS price list, that is the regular price for a 9 lb. package shipped to Zone 8 (the highest price zone, i.e. long-distance cross country).   So just because the length (longest dimension) of a package is over 12" doesn't by itself mean the price will be higher.  It is just the (arbitrary?) trigger to ask for the package dimensions to check this special price specification:   1. For parcels that measure in combined length and girth: More than 84 inches but not more than 108 inches, and the piece weighs less than 20 pounds, use the 20-pound price (balloon price) based on the applicable zone.   Length is the longest dimension. Girth is the distance around the thickest part.  i.e. to calculate girth take the two shorter dimensions, double each then add them together.   Parcel Post "Balloon Price" Items that weigh less than 20 pounds and measure more than 84 inches but not more than 108 inches in combined length and girth (distance around the thickest part) pay the 20-pound Parcel Post® zoned price.   PayPal's calculator quoted me $25.51 which is indeed the 20-pound price for Zone 8!  My 9 pound package "ballooned" up to 20 pounds!   This should not have happened with a 20 x 20 x 6 package.  The combined length and girth is: 20 + (20 x 2 + 6 x 2) = 20 + 52 = 72 inches, which is less than the 84 inch threshold for balloon pricing.   So how did PayPal get over the 84 inch threshold?  Probably by using the two biggest dimensions for the girth calculation, relegating length to the shortest dimension!   6 + (20 x 2 + 20 x 2) = 6 + 80 = 86 inches which is over 84 inches, voila!     PayPal needs to burst some bubbles and pop some balloons in their shipping charges!     ... View more

Yes, delivery confirmation is available for Parcel Post.   It costs 19 cents if you buy it from PayPal and 80 cents if you buy it at the post office.   If you buy it at the post office, then go back to your PayPal account and manually update it to indicate that the package shipped and enter the tracking number manually into PayPal as well.     ... View more

I just had a similar experience Feb. 18, 2010.  Ebay correctly calculated $15.90 shipping for my Large Parcel Post package but Paypal was asking me to pay $25.51 (plus .19 delivery confirm, total $25.70) - nearly $10 more!   I stood in line at the post office and paid $15.90 cash.  It was worth it to me to pay the clerk 80 cents for delivery confirm rather than the 19 cents Paypal would have charged.   I since manually marked the item as shipped in my paypal account and added the tracking number.   I wonder if there is an issue with paypal's calculator program.  My dimensions were 20 x 20 x 6 inches. Maybe I should try (20 x 6 x 20) or (6 x 20 x 20) and see if it gives  me a different result? Package was 8lb. 11oz., shipping Zone-8   My message to customer service Help+Contact+Us+Next+Gen > Shipping options Message: My item just sold on ebay.  Buyer paid $15.90 as per the ebay  shipping calculator: USPS Parcel Post, from zip 432xx to 956xx, large  package, 8lb. 11oz. Dimensions (20x20x6). I verified on usps.com that  $15.90 is correct amount.  However when I go to paypal to confirm &  purchase my shipping label, paypal says the cost is $25.51 plus 0.19  delivery confirmation total $25.70 - why is paypal charging nearly $10  more!?  Thank you   Paypal response   In review the shipping calculator is an estimate and is not the full  cost for the item and shipping. Their can be a few variables but as the seller you will need to  understand that the cost can change and to make sure you have  concessions in place if it is over. Sincerely Brian PayPal ... View more