eBay are calling on their US sellers to petition the PRC to keep postal prices through USPS affordable for online retailers.
eBay say that they believe that the PRC should use proceedings to ensure there is a competitive and accessible delivery market that supports low-cost and reliable shipping alternatives so that small Internet-enabled retailers can compete, grow, create jobs, and offer new competitors to established retail giants.
eBay argues that higher USPS prices reduce the competitiveness of small retailers and restrict their ability to grow. Equally they say, stifling growth from small businesses also reduces the overall ecommerce package volume that is critical to the USPS.
Fundamentally, eBay are asking their sellers to petition against requirements that require the USPS increase package shipping prices to cover “institutional” costs – a percentage of the price for every packet sent over and above the cost of the service is tacked on raising costs for the small businesses using USPS.
The crux of the petition says “We respectfully request that the PRC eliminate current minimum contribution requirements and the potential that the US Postal Service (USPS) would be forced to artificially increase prices for package delivery.”
if you are based in the US, you can sign the petition on eBay Main Street, eBay’s grass roots lobbying website.
As an afterthought, I wonder if eBay UK will be lobbying Ofcom (who under the Postal Services Act 2011 regulate Royal Mail), to keep UK postal services affordable?
4 Responses
How about sellers and buyers pettition ebay to reduce their 10-11% fees to 0% they charge on all postage!!
Damm cheek ebay have asking companies to reduce costs while increasing theirs all the time!
wow. it’s like big tobacco lobbying health centres to replace their air filters more often, due to the effect on peoples lungs.
We do need something like that for the UK, apart from the regulated 2nd class standard letter, everything else is rocketing at about 10% per year, especially airmail services and signed for.
Unfortunately, as a privatised company, Royal Mail’s order of priority will be:
– Shareholders
– Bonuses for executives
– Preventing strikes by disgruntled workforce
– Keeping the toothless regulator happy
– Charging as much as they can get away with
Customer service and affordability don’t figure in their thinking.
If in doubt, refer to every other privatisation in this country.
Should have a banner at Dover and Heathrow – “Welcome to Britain – Everything Is For Sale!”
I see Royal Mail’s 2017 annual price hike is available now.
Headline grabbing penny rise for standard stamp for the media to swallow.
Big rises (10-12%) on airmail (the media won’t read that bit)
Big rises for franking, too, unless you’re on mailmark.
The narrowing gap between franking and stamp mail now renders it uneconomic.
You either go back to stamps or ugrade to one of their other systems.
Worrying for international trade – we’re already much more expensive compared with Europe and the US when it comes to airmail services.
These big airmail rises won’t help at all.