what the heck has happened to shipping costs??

[grasswire]

I've jumped back into selling on eBay. Today I mailed out my first package. I had charged the buyer $4 for postage. It rang up at almost $16 for postage and delivery confirmation!

Shipping costs have apparently exploded in the last several years. Did they jump when oil was high and never go down again?

GAH!!!

[Vinca]

1. It's foolishly expensive now. I guess the fixed rate boxes are a good deal,

but they're too small to fit much into. Even cards cost more to mail. I had a regular stamp on my brother's musical birthday card but decided to have them weigh it to be sure and it was 3 times as much based on being a little bit larger than a regular letter.

[democraticinsurgent]

2. The May postal hike was sneaky in some ways

Although the first class stamp went up by only 2 cents to 44 cents, the price of a small first class international package (a square, 5 oz package containing one 45 record) to most European countries went up from $4.80 to $5.64. Craziness and certainly not proportional in any way to the main increase.

[sandnsea]

3. Been crazy for a year or two

And the amount the Ebay calculator comes up with is a joke. Very frustrating, especially when items are selling for next to nothing.

[grasswire]

4. and something else weird

I'm selling a large book, very old scientific book. The sell form would not let me charge more than $4 for shipping it. What?????

I know damn well it's going to cost more to mail it. Why is the shipping cost limited now in some instances?