Also seeing this for the first time today. I actually did go ahead and take the option for one order where the customer ordered multiple items with “free shipping” and the difference between USPS first class mail and UPS ground was only about 80 cents and the delivery time would be several days sooner. with UPS It seemed like a nice upgrade to give to the buyer and hopefully that will translate into greater customer satisfaction and possibly positive feedback ( my metrics don’t need any help but an extra positive feedback could potentially offset a neutral or negative in the future ). I was glad to see the option.

Interesting. What does it show if you put your cursor on the ? with a circle around it?

I don’t seem to be getting it on mine. Are you getting the “Amazon Sponsored Discount” on all of your orders or just certain ones?

links to: https://sellercentral.amazon.com/help/hub/reference/G7X4G8VWJS9B8UUN

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I’m seeing it on orders shipping to the 48 contiguous states. Orders going to Puerto Rico (no economical UPS service here) have not shown the discount.

I did not see it on any orders today. But they would all have been Priority Mail or UPS/FedEx.

Are you only seeing it to beat First-Class?

That is a good line of reasoning. Sounds too much like a Free Lunch.

It may be a way of Amazon dealing with the clear problems many sellers with 1 or 2 day handling times are seeing with getting an origin scan on time.

Amazon and UPS still have a close business relationship.

I don’t see it on any of my orders, and I ship 99% by first class.

I tried playing with my weights and dimensions to see if I could hit on the criteria that triggers it to appear, but no luck.

@Setalpz, since you, @MonkeyDog_Party_Supp, and @soldbyself have said you see it, would you mind sharing what states you’re in?

I’m wondering if one of the criteria is that UPS arrive on the same date or sooner than the USPS option? If you’re in the central US, that would happen more often than for those on the coast. I’m in Oregon and haven’t seen it on any of my shipments.

I can’t figure out why they are doing this, as it appears to only benefit the seller.

I wondered that too. Maybe Amazon is trying to (re)negotiate their deeply discounted rates with UPS and are trying to bump up their volume?

Could they be offering it only to those suckers sellers who use their shipping automation? Maybe it’s their attempt to un-F***- up the problem where sellers who choose ‘First Class’ as their desired shipping option don’t get First Class offered through Buy Shipping?

Do I remember correctly that you do use the automation?

I saw my today and I do not use shipping automation. I am in Colorado. I had the offer all of my orders.

Selected shipping service

UPS Ground
$6.58 $8.88 - Sat, Feb 19
Amazon Sponsored Discount?

USPS Parcel Select
$8.14 - Fri, Feb 25

USPS Priority Mail Regional Rate Box A
$8.58 - Wed, Feb 23