Does eBay Use USPS? (All You Need To Know)

When eBay burst onto the scene, the world of e-commerce opened like never before. It was like having an international garage sale right at your fingertips. It means shipping things to the furthest corners of the country for sellers, but with that comes the daunting prospect of postage.

Does eBay use USPS for postage or a different shipper? How does pricing work? I have the answers you seek just below!

Does eBay Use USPS In 2024?

E-commerce platform eBay partners with USPS, among others, to offer its sellers easy, convenient and affordable postage in 2024. Top Sellers and sellers who meet a certain volume of sales per month may receive discounted shipping rates under USPS’s Commercial Plus pricing. Sellers can access USPS labels from their eBay accounts with eBay Online Postage.

To learn more about what postage you can purchase from USPS with eBay, how it works and how to print a label, and what other shipping options eBay has made available to sellers, read on!

How Does eBay USPS Shipping Work?

As USPS will attest itself, shipping with the United States Postal Service from your eBay account has never been easier.

According to USPS, “sellers on eBay can do all their United States Postal Service shipping from the auction site,” the page reads.

Further, the page continues, “eBay has introduced Online Postage, allowing sellers to print shipping labels and pay for the postage from their PayPal account.”

Using Online Postage, sellers have access to these domestic USPS mailing classes:

First-Class Mail & First-Class Package

This is the least expensive and the slowest mail class, perfect for business-size envelopes or light parcels less than 13 ounces.

Priority Mail

Priority Mail and Priority Mail Flat Rate deliver in one to three days, max out at 70 pounds, and come with affordable rates.

Also, you can get Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes and envelopes for free from USPS.com and post offices.

Priority Mail Express

The Postal Service’s fastest domestic mail class, Express, delivers the next day or within two days, and it is also the most expensive class.

Additionally, there are no Flat Rate boxes, only envelopes.

USPS Retail Ground

Retail Ground is another slow but affordable shipping option that picks up where a First-Class Package leaves off.

Further, this class is best for packages that weigh more than 13 ounces (max 70 pounds), are in no big rush to reach the buyer, and can be tube-shaped (like posters).

Media Mail

Media Mail USPS

Also known as Book Rate, this economy mail class is for books, videotapes, CDs, DVDs, and other media-type items.

Further, parcels can weigh up to 70 pounds, prices start at just $3.19, and the delivery window is two to eight days.

Moreover, sellers have access to international postage, including Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express International, and First-Class Package International.

Thanks to Online Postage, customers can enter their zip code at the item page they view and find out how much shipping costs.

When they make the purchase, they pay the shipping fee, whatever the buyer has decided.

Then, the buyer uses Online Postage to select the shipping method they will use, create and print the label, and pay the postage.

Also, the latter is done with their connected PayPal account. Remember, while USPS is setting the actual postage price for the seller, the seller is setting the shipping fee for the buyer.

So, it’s up to the seller’s discretion how much of a shipping fee they collect.

If the parcel is being shipped with Priority Mail or Priority Mail Express, the seller can even arrange for a package pick-up.

With that, a mail carrier will pick up the package from your residence, and you won’t have to find a mailbox or post office.

Further, sellers can add insurance to Priority Mail/Express, USPS Retail Ground, Media Mail, and First-Class Package when using Online Postage on eBay.

Finally, USPS prices are competitive, often the most affordable way to ship a package.

But, eBay Top Rated Sellers and sellers who ship at least 300 packages each month can gain access to Commercial Plus prices.

That said, these special prices can save sellers up to 30% off USPS’s already competitive rates.

Is eBay’s Standard Shipping USPS?

eBay sellers can offer standard USPS shipping in the form of First-Class and First-Class Package, Retail Ground, and Media Mail.

That said, these might be considered “standard” because they are the slowest shipping options, with a window of two to eight days and no rush on the part of USPS.

However, eBay sellers can opt for faster shipping options, like Priority Mail (including flat-rate) or Priority Mail Express.

Moreover, these mail classes ship within one to three days and next-day/two-day, respectively.

Ultimately, it’s up to the seller to decide how much they want to charge for shipping up against how much they want to pay for the actual postage.

Can You Print An eBay Shipping Label At USPS?

Rather than print an eBay shipping label at USPS, sellers are invited to print their USPS labels from their eBay accounts using Online Postage.

That said, Online Postage is like having a mini-USPS website on eBay, so sellers don’t have to leave the eBay site or open a new browser window.

Does eBay Use UPS Or USPS?

While eBay is partnered with USPS, which handles over three-fourths of the e-commerce site’s shipping, it is also partnered with UPS and FedEx.

For example, UPS offers domestic Ground, 2nd Day Air, Next Day Air, and Next Day Air Saver shipping, and like USPS, it delivers on Saturdays.

In comparison, FedEx has Ground, Home Delivery, SmartPost, 2Day, Standard Overnight, and Priority Overnight shipping, with residential delivery seven days a week – yes, even Sundays.

Also, UPS and FedEx are better for heavier (70+ pounds) shipments and a wider variety of faster shipping speeds.

To learn more, you can also read our post on whether or not Etsy uses USPS, does Poshmark use USPS, and does Sendle use USPS.

Conclusion

Online commerce marketplace eBay encourages its sellers to ship through its partner, USPS, which offers label creation and printing through the eBay site.

In addition to the many USPS mail classes available to sellers, including Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, and First-Class, sellers can also ship through UPS and FedEx.

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Marques Thomas

Marques Thomas graduated with a MBA in 2011. Since then, Marques has worked in the retail and consumer service industry as a manager, advisor, and marketer. Marques is also the head writer and founder of QuerySprout.com.

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