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No More Cheap Shipping for Chinese Sellers

sellercentral.amazon.com

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Re: No More Cheap Shipping for Chinese Sellers

#71

Post by resters »

Not sure why everyone thinks this is a good thing. If the Chinese government wants to subsidize shipping so that US consumers can buy products for less money, what is the harm?

The reason postage is expensive in the US is because there is a legal monopoly on first class mail, and very little competition for premium services (which is why Amazon decided that launching its own shipping carrier would be highly profitable).

So the blame for high US shipping prices rests with the US government, certainly not with anything China is doing!

Re: No More Cheap Shipping for Chinese Sellers

#72

Post by rjtavares »

ajnin wrote: post #23

Can someone shed light on the subsidy structure behing the current model, are shipments from China being subsidized by shipments from other countries or is there government money involved ? In any case this kind of subsidy is not necessarily bad for developing countries, and it was probably instrumental in China's phenomenal economic growth, but it is now in the conquering superpower category, it's time it loses this…

There's a good Planet Money episode about this: The Postal Illuminati (https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2018/08/01/634737852/epis...)

Re: No More Cheap Shipping for Chinese Sellers

#75

Post by dev_dull »

> This is great news for U.S. sellers, especially eBay sellers.

Exactly the intended consequence. Why should US taxpayers subsidize shipping costs for products to come from China? It made no sense at all in today's economy unless the only thing you care about is paying less for your goods regardless of the consequences, which I don't think is a majority position of adults today.

Re: No More Cheap Shipping for Chinese Sellers

#76

Post by ComputerGuru »

ajnin wrote: post #23

Can someone shed light on the subsidy structure behing the current model, are shipments from China being subsidized by shipments from other countries or is there government money involved ? In any case this kind of subsidy is not necessarily bad for developing countries, and it was probably instrumental in China's phenomenal economic growth, but it is now in the conquering superpower category, it's time it loses this…

I think the issue was in mistaking China for a developing country for so long. It’s different from western countries, but not undeveloped. Its size, population, culture, heritage, and history all play a role in how the ethnocentric West misinterpreted it.

Re: No More Cheap Shipping for Chinese Sellers

#77

Post by wincy »

dmix wrote: post #43
magduf wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Huh? I'm not sure what this has to do with taxes or government spending. The USPS doesn't get tax money; it's financed by its customers, like any other business, it just happens to be wholly owned by the federal government. Postal rates are high because they're forced by the UPU agreement to deliver Chinese mail for almost nothing, so they pass the costs on to US customers.

What is the UPU and how'd they get this power?

There’s a really excellent planet money podcast about this. Back when the US was a major exporter the UPU was great for US merchants.

https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2018/08/01/634737852/epis...

Re: No More Cheap Shipping for Chinese Sellers

#78

Post by mielecmichal »

The problem here is an organization which has a right of regulating the market by setting artificial rates. The shipping price should depend only on private companies their pricing policies.

Bad thing is that people blame China instead of the United Nation bureaucracy. :(

Re: No More Cheap Shipping for Chinese Sellers

#79

Post by decoyworker »

thfuran wrote: post #61
decoyworker wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've even fantasized about a tax for the movement of goods no matter how they're moved or how carbon neutral the method.

For what purpose?

Not sure. I'ts an unfinished thought but something I've toyed with in my mind. Mostly because I prefer local and the movement of goods is unnecessary a lot of the time. Environmental reasons for the most part- moving unnecessary junk around the world is still excessive even if it's done efficiently.

Re: No More Cheap Shipping for Chinese Sellers

#80

Post by DocTomoe »

magduf wrote: post #5

This actually sounds like a good thing. It costs Chinese shippers almost nothing to send stuff directly from China, while it costs me quite a lot to send stuff within the US, largely because I'm subsidizing all the Chinese shippers. Moreover, for me to send any parcel (even very small ones, like 2 oz.) outside the US costs a small fortune these days, again because I'm subsidizing the Chinese shippers.

Somehow I doubt that this will lead to more affordable shipping in the rest of the world.
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