Shipping on Bonanza and Bonanza Shipping Labels

Do I have to purchase shipping through Bonanza?
What sellers are exempt from using Bonanza's shipping labels?
I meet the exemption criteria. How do I opt out of the Bonanza Shipping program?
Where can I find the Bonanza postage-printing feature?
Do I need a special printer to print postage? What if I don't have a printer?
Can I cancel and reprint a shipping label I've purchased on Bonanza?
Can I purchase more than one label for an order?
Do I get a discount on the postage price?
What if I find shipping at a lower rate somewhere else?
Are there any fees for printing postage on Bonanza?
How can I get a Bonanza shipping fund?
What happens when my Bonanza shipping fund runs out?
Can I purchase shipping insurance? How do I file an insurance claim?
Can I configure my shipping labels to be paid for by the buyer?
Can I buy international shipping labels?
What shipping services can I purchase through Bonanza?
Can I change the shipping address on the label?
What happens if I pay too much or too little for a shipping label?
Packing like a pro

 

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Do I have to purchase shipping through Bonanza?

As of November 8, 2023, all sellers are required to purchase a shipping label through Bonanza for orders placed through the Bonanza platform*, unless they meet the exemption requirements and complete the opt-out steps.

Why is Bonanza Shipping built into transactions? Because this allows us to negotiate the lowest rates possible at FedEx, UPS and USPS for our seller community.

For each order that does not have a label purchased through Bonanza, a non-refundable $2 shipping assessment will be added to that month's billing statement unless the seller has met the exemption criteria and successfully opted out. 

If an order is marked as shipped and does not have a shipping label purchased through Bonanza or an approved partner, the assessment fee is added to the bill within 24 hours.

If the order is not marked as shipped and no label is purchased through Bonanza or an approved partner, the $2 assessment will be added to the bill on the first of the following month.

Note that if you purchase a label for the order after your monthly bill has been paid, the charged assessment will be added to your shipping fund for future label purchases.

*Orders placed through external platforms such as eBay are not subject to Bonanza's shipping label requirements.

What sellers are exempt from using Bonanza's shipping labels?

Exempt will be sellers who manage their order fulfillment through a third-party Bonanza-approved API partner (for example, Shipstation), sellers who obtain and fulfill their inventory through a dropshipper service (for example, Doba), and sellers who ship from outside the United States*. 

If you export your Bonanza listings to eBay and a buyer places an order through the eBay platform, you are not required to purchase a shipping label on Bonanza to fulfill the eBay order.

Digital goods listed in the Digital Goods category are not subject to Bonanza Shipping requirements.

 

If you ship from outside of the United States, be sure to set your "Items ship from" location in your Booth Settings.

I meet the exemption criteria. How do I opt out of the Bonanza Shipping program?

If you meet the exemption criteria outlined above, you can opt-out of Bonanza Shipping from your "Selling > Booth settings > Shipping & returns" page. Select the "My inventory shipments are fulfilled by a third party dropshipping service" then enter the name of the service you are using. Be sure to save the changes before navigating away.

Sellers using an approved shipping partner are automatically opted out of the program once they have connected the partner service through the API.

Note that sellers whose "Ships from" address is located outside of the United States will automatically be exempt from the $2-per-order shipping assessment. 

Where can I find the Bonanza postage-printing feature?

When you view an order "Items Sold," you’ll see the option as “Buy shipping.” It’s located right next to the links you already use to mark items as shipped. (Screen shot below)

The "Shipping to" information will automatically populate based on the shipping address provided by the buyer at checkout. You are able to edit the "Shipping from" address if necessary.

Fill in the remaining fields based on the package type (e.g, "thick envelope" or "package") for the shipping service you wish to use for the order fulfillment. Keep in mind that the package type selected will determine the available shipping options (for example, if you select "Envelope" as the package type and choose "First class mail" as the shipping service, tracking will not be available). Ensure that the information such as weight and package size are accurate to avoid additional postage fees.

Click the "Update rates" button once all the information is confirmed to view the available services and shipping costs prior to completing the purchase.

Do I need a special printer to print postage? What if I don't have a printer?

You can use any standard thermal or ink computer printer and plain paper or labels to print a shipping label.

For any standard thermal or ink printer select:

• ZPL (4x4, 4x6, 4x6 75")

• PDF (4x4, 4x6, with QR code)

• PNG  (4x4, 4x6, 4x6 landscape)

Note: You can adjust size in printer settings.

Print the label, put it in the upper-right corner of your parcel, then stick it on using packing tape or strong glue. Just make sure it's stuck on well enough that it won't scrape off or come loose during transit.

Don’t have a printer at home?

For USPS labels, select PDF (with QR code) when purchasing the label. Take the QR code to USPS on your phone and they’ll print the label for free.

For FedEx or UPS labels, select a PDF label. Show the label or an email of the PDF on your phone at a FedEx or UPS store and they’ll print it for free.

Caution: Avoid using PDF (4x6" on letter) for thermal labels.

Or, shop for printers to make shipping from home a breeze! 

Can I cancel and reprint a shipping label I've purchased on Bonanza?

If you make a mistake and have completed the purchase, you can void the label. Click the "Shipping labels" link at the bottom of the order summary, then click the button to "Void label." This will deactivate the shipping label. The buyer will receive a notification that the label has been cancelled and the tracking is no longer valid. 

The cost of the label will be refunded from the shipping carrier selected and deposited into your shipping fund within the next three calendar months. This is the current length of time that it takes the carriers to process refunds. We know that this is not ideal and are working on speeding this process up.

Please note that you cannot void shipping labels that have been delivered to and processed by the shipping carrier. 

If you still need to ship the item, you can purchase a new label for the order.

Can I purchase more than one label for an order?

Yes! You can purchase multiple shipping labels per order. Click the "Shipping labels" link at the bottom of the order summary, then click the button to "Buy another label" and fill in the required information. Tracking information will automatically be sent to the buyer and added to the order summary.

You can view details about each purchased label by clicking the "Open" button next to the label.

Do I get a discount on the postage price?

Yes. Thanks to a productive partnership with our postage provider, the rates offered are up to 15% below retail USPS pricing. USPS sets the lowest rate that any reseller program can offer. We chose to offer the lowest possible. You might find rates this low for USPS elsewhere, but you won't find lower. Plus, we provide this without subscription requirements or additional fees!

We also offer the lowest rates ANYWHERE for FedEx and UPS shipping labels. In most instances it is actually cheaper for you to ship through FedEx than USPS!

Bonanza has always looked out for the individuals and small businesses selling on our marketplace. We saw that large businesses have an advantage in being able to negotiate lower shipping rates than small businesses. Bonanza Shipping lets us provide those deeply discounted rates to ALL of the sellers in our community.

What if I find shipping at a lower rate somewhere else?

All USPS resellers share the same rates, and therefore USPS prohibits going lower than the rates offered on Bonanza. However, Bonanza offers a lowest-rate guarantee for FedEx and UPS labels. If you have received lower rates than those available on Bonanza, you can request an adjustment. To take advantage of this guarantee, send 30 days of invoicing from the shipper you are using to support@bonanza.com. If you do not have a full 30 days of invoicing, send the most recent invoicing you do have. We're here to work with you! Our team will evaluate the documentation and identify the appropriate credit which will be deposited into your shipping fund. Based on the documentation provided, a new rate will be established for future labels purchased on Bonanza from your selling booth.

Note that the lowest-rate guarantee applies to the cost of the shipping label itself and does not include any processing costs. Avoid credit card processing fees by using a Bonanza shipping fund.

We stand by our lowest price guarantee for FedEx and UPS. So far, no sellers have submitted invoicing that was lower than Bonanza Shipping offers. We'd love to hear from you if you have lower so that we can beat it!

Are there any fees for printing postage on Bonanza?

With our upgraded shipping program, sellers enjoy no label fees in addition to the lowest USPS, UPS and FedEx rates on the market. There's no reason not to purchase your shipping label directly from Bonanza! 

Note that purchasing individual labels will result in a small credit card transaction fee of $.25 per label purchase to help us cover the cost, however that can be avoided by using the Bonanza shipping fund to purchase labels. 

How can I get a Bonanza shipping fund?

Nobody likes having to enter their credit card details for every label purchased. Fortunately, sellers can add lump sums to their Bonanza Shipping Fund. Then, when you purchase another label, we will automatically deduct from the shipping fund balance so you can quickly and easily purchase a label. When you purchase an individual shipping label, the final page of label purchase provides a checkbox to add cash to your Bonanza shipping fund. 

You can also add money to your shipping fund when your balance automatically drops below a specified threshold from your billing statement (Selling > Billing statements). In the shipping fund box at the top of the page, check the box to automatically add funds, then select the amount you wish to add when your balance falls below the threshold you specify from the available drop-downs. Amounts can be selected in $5 increments.

If you end up not using the money in your shipping fund, you can have the balance of the account refunded to you at any time (less the credit card processing fees we paid) via your "Selling > Billing statements" page.

What happens when my Bonanza shipping fund runs out?

If you print postage often, you might enjoy our auto-funding service. When you turn on auto-funding, we’ll refill your shipping fund whenever the balance is low. 

You can find the auto-funding option on your Bonanza Fees statement ("Selling -> Billing statements"). It looks like this:

You can turn off auto-funding at any time by revisiting the same page.

If you wish to withdraw funds that have been deposited to your pre-funded shipping account, visit your "Selling > Billing statements" page and in the top-right corner is a box detailing your shipping fund balance. Click the link to "Withdraw funds" to receive a refund of the shipping fund balance. Please allow 3-7 business days for the funds to appear in your account. Withdrawing funds that have been deposited to your pre-funded shipping account will incur an 8% credit card processing fee. The refundable amount will be displayed prior to you confirming your withdrawal request. 

 

Can I purchase shipping insurance? How do I file an insurance claim?

Shipping insurance options vary depending on the service used.

USPS

USPS Priority Mail and Ground Advantage packages are automatically insured for up to $100 at no additional cost. For $100 and under with no declared value stated in the shipment, sellers can make a claim using the USPS website.

Learn more about claims for shipments valued under $100.

If the package is worth more than $100, you can purchase additional insurance at the time you purchase the shipping label. If the package has a shipping value greater than $100, you must input a declared value when purchasing the label.

The shipment will be charged 50 cents for the first $100 of declared value and .005 * the amount over $100. Sellers can file insurance claims by following the instructions on this page.

Learn more about the added shipping insurance coverage and claims process.

FedEx/UPS

Sellers can purchase U-PIC shipping insurance for FedEx and UPS shipments through Bonanza Shipping.

The U-PIC insurance program requires that the shipper input declared value amount and charges 40¢ for every $100 of declared value. So, if the shipper declares the value of $150, the charge is 80¢. 

Need to file a claim over $100?

Don't contact FedEx or UPS directly, but instead use this link:  U-PIC Insurance Claims

If no declared value is input at the time of shipping, the carriers provide up to $100 of insurance for free.  The shipper will have to login to the appropriate carriers’ website and start an insurance claim.

Need to file a claim for under $100? Use these links to contact FedEx and UPS directly:

- Link for UPS insurance claims for under $100

- Link for FedEx insurance claims for under $100

Can I configure my shipping labels to be paid for by the buyer?

Yes! If you use calculated shipping for your items, we offer the option to pass the cost of the shipping label on to the buyer. On our new item form, under the "Calculated Shipping" section, look for the checkbox "Let buyer select service and pay label cost." If you check this box, we will calculate the shipping cost during checkout such that the buyer pays you a sufficient amount to cover the cost of your shipping label.

Do note that since most Bonanza payments are handled by third parties such as PayPal and Amazon, you will still need to use a credit card to purchase your shipping label via Bonanza (since we do not have direct access to the funds that the buyer sent to you). 

Can I buy international shipping labels?

Yes! US-based sellers can purchase international shipping labels from USPS, FedEx and UPS. Note that sellers must provide customs information at the time of purchasing the label. 

 

What shipping services can I purchase through Bonanza?

At this time we support shipping via the United States Postal Service (USPS), UPS and FedEx. When purchasing your shipping label, you will be able to select the shipping carrier when purchasing a label from the order summary.

Sellers are able to compare rates for the shipping services provided by the carriers they select based on the package details that have been entered. This allows you to determine the best shipping option for your package type prior to purchasing a label.

 

Can I change the shipping address on the label?

A buyer's address cannot be edited once a purchase is complete. If the buyer requests that you ship the item to another address, we recommend canceling the order and having the buyer go through checkout again with the correct shipping address. Although many times the request will be for an innocent reason, this policy is in place to protect you from fraud.

Alternatively, you may wish to purchase a shipping label via a third-party provider, such as PayPal or the shipping provider directly (USPS, FedEx, UPS, etc). We always recommend checking with the payment provider (PayPal, Amazon Payments, or Stripe) prior to changing the shipping address to ensure that you do not negate any protection eligibility.

What happens if I pay too much or too little for a shipping label?

Starting September 1, 2017, sellers who purchase shipping labels via Bonanza will participate in the new USPS system for Automated Package Verification ("APV"). In the event you pay too much or too little for a shipping label, the USPS will automatically issue an adjustment for the cost of the label which will be applied to your Bonanza account. The parcel will still be delivered to the buyer. Read more about the APV system. 

Packing like a pro

The process of packing and shipping is an unfortunate business reality (well, unless you’re selling digital goods).

There are a few things you need to consider when packaging up your item: 

• Make sure you choose a box that is a cozy fit for your item. If you sell a leather wallet or a pair of sunglasses, it wouldn't make sense to use a box that would fit a guitar case or a 60-inch TV. On the other hand, you don't want your item to be squished into a box so tightly that it's impossible to remove or ends up damaging the item.
• Whether or not your item is breakable, it's usually a good idea to add some sort of insulation to your package, as it may get shaken up and tossed around in transit. If your item is fragile, you should take extra precautions like using bubble wrap and "Fragile" stickers to ensure its safety.
• Consider adding insurance to the package in the event that it is damaged in transit. You can also add a mandatory signature upon delivery to protect yourself from future liability once the package has been delivered. Insurance claims can be filed using the claim form available on the carrier's website.
• Follow shipping carrier regulations, such as USPS hazardous material requirements, to avoid disruption with delivery or additional fees.

 

Now shipping on Bonanza is a little faster and a lot cheaper. Give it a try, and see how much you can save!