Online-auction sellers on eBay, Amazon and other marketplaces were bracing for the new USPS rates that go into effect Monday, May 14, 2007. The immediate question over the weekend was what to do about packages being prepared on Sunday but mailed on Monday, since software programs wouldn't update to the new shipping rates until after midnight Sunday night. eBay sellers mulled over strategies for dealing with this issue on the Packaging & Shipping forum (http://forums.ebay.com/db1/thread.jspa?threadID=1000493252).

A bookseller on the Amazon boards suggested sellers change the date on their computers to Monday so the labels would print with the new rates (http://www.amazonsellercommunity.com/forums/thread.jspa?threadID=134697).

Sellers have been trying to get up to speed on USPS changes for months. The USPS is increasing many rates and is also changing the way some rates are calculating and, in some cases, eliminating services altogether. Seller have been linking to resources on discussion boards to help each other, such as a link to a page on Endicia that explained the new rates (http://www.endicia.com/endicia-usa/hot/RateCase.cfm).

eBay has been preparing its sellers by updating FAQs on its Shipping Center (http://pages.ebay.com/shippingfaq). The company hosted two online workshops, one dealing with domestic rate changes (http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?threadID=2000341780), and another dealing with international rate changes (http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?threadID=2000341784).

Some sellers have posted their concerns that the postal clerks on the front lines may be unprepared for the changes, leading to hassles at the counter. Online sellers are bracing themselves for a challenging week.