Ebay Standard Envelope not getting a carrier scan

[cards98765]

Is this a common occurrence for everyone?  It seems I am floating between just above 5-10% not picking up a carrier scan at all.  Most of what I sell is not worth more than $4 (cost of shipping in bubble mailer) so do feel I need to use PWE Ebay Standard Envelope.  However, with more than 5% never getting a carrier scan it is holding me back from earning a top rated seller badge.  Is that what others are seeing when they ship using Ebay Standard Envelope?  I do always leave the barcode free of any tape so it should be able to be read by all the scanners it just isn't happening.  Also complying with weight (easy) and thickness restrictions on using this method.  The discounts for being a Top Rated Seller would be nice but maybe just can't be achieved using Ebay Standard Envelope?  Thanks for any help.

[eunster1313]

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@cards98765 wrote:

Is this a common occurrence for everyone?  It seems I am floating between just above 5-10% not picking up a carrier scan at all.  Most of what I sell is not worth more than $4 (cost of shipping in bubble mailer) so do feel I need to use PWE Ebay Standard Envelope.  However, with more than 5% never getting a carrier scan it is holding me back from earning a top rated seller badge.  Is that what others are seeing when they ship using Ebay Standard Envelope?  I do always leave the barcode free of any tape so it should be able to be read by all the scanners it just isn't happening.  Also complying with weight (easy) and thickness restrictions on using this method.  The discounts for being a Top Rated Seller would be nice but maybe just can't be achieved using Ebay Standard Envelope?  Thanks for any help.

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The USPS is not involved in the tracking or scanning of those Standard Envelopes at all,

so you will never get an acceptance scan or a delivery scan from a postal carrier.

[cards98765]

Reason Quantity 

Not Uploaded at all                                            0    0.00%

Uploaded Late                                                     0     0.00%

Uploaded on time but no carrier scan     10     5.68%

Transaction period: Feb 01, 2022 - Apr 30, 2022

For this requirement, we look at your transactions during the past 3 months. To be a Top Rated Seller, 95.00% of your transactions must have tracking uploaded within your stated handling time, in addition to receiving a carrier scan.

Is the numbers I am showing on the last evaluation . . .from that it sounds like the carrier does scan them?

[crazystuff4sale · Accepted solution]

They only get scanned by machines at sort facilities. They are not always scanned even then. Delivery scans are generated based on an estimate of delivery date as determined by the sort facility scans.

The Intelligent Mail Barcode system was never intended to be used the way the ESE is doing. It exists mainly to assist USPS in it's handling/sorting of letters.

[eunster1313]

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@cards98765 wrote:

Reason Quantity 

Not Uploaded at all                                            0    0.00%

Uploaded Late                                                     0     0.00%

Uploaded on time but no carrier scan     10     5.68%

Transaction period: Feb 01, 2022 - Apr 30, 2022

For this requirement, we look at your transactions during the past 3 months. To be a Top Rated Seller, 95.00% of your transactions must have tracking uploaded within your stated handling time, in addition to receiving a carrier scan.

Is the numbers I am showing on the last evaluation . . .from that it sounds like the carrier does scan them?

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Go here and read the Frequently Asked Questions.

eBay standard envelope

https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/shipping/ebay-standard-envelope.html 

[cards98765]

Thanks . .  so basically using ESE means we won't be able to qualify for Top Rated Seller?  It is what I am interpreting from that but unsure.

[cards98765]

I reviewed those areas again.  I am not sure which one I should be focusing on . . the lost tracking part or another?  Does that traditionally run over the 5%? 

Acceptance scans I know I won't get as using barcode so can only get carrier scans.  Or is it another area on FAQs?

[eunster1313]

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@cards98765 wrote:

Thanks . .  so basically using ESE means we won't be able to qualify for Top Rated Seller?  It is what I am interpreting from that but unsure.

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You Interpretation would be correct.

[kds99]

I'm not sure the situation is that dire. I don't exactly know how it's working, but I have missing "tracking" data also but I show 119 out of 119 for a score of 100% for "Tracking Updated On Time & Validated". What am I missing? Most of my sales are presently using ESE.

[alltheprettylittlethings]

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@cards98765 wrote:

Thanks . .  so basically using ESE means we won't be able to qualify for Top Rated Seller?  It is what I am interpreting from that but unsure.

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No. That's not what it means at all. You need to get the full report of exactly what is not getting a carrier scan. Go to your tracking report and it will list what isn't getting a carrier number  because if you are using Ebay Standard Envelope then you have a tracking number (ESUS) even though it isn't being tracked via USPS.

https://www.sps.ebay.com/sd/reports/tracking

Are you mailing more than one purchased card in an envelope? If you didn't combine all of the cards in one shipment (up to 3 cards per envelope) when you purchased the postage, that may account for the increase in non-tracking items. That happened to me once when I didn't combine the shipping. I had to go back and manually put the ESUS tracking number in for an order. 

[onefootflipper]

I sell almost nothing but cards, use the Standard Envelope for everything and I am a Top Rated Seller.

My 3 no uploads were postcards that I sent with stamps.

[cards98765]

Thanks for the additional replies. . .Granted it is a bit more frustrating as I have no clue why some of mine don't get the carrier scan.  The three card max is interesting to me as I do ship 4 cards in one 100 point top-loader many times.  The first couple times I did that I was worried so took them to the post-office and it met there requirements (in regarding to bendability and width) and those two did get the carrier scan.  However, one of the group I didn't get a scan on was a four card order.

[alltheprettylittlethings]

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@cards98765 wrote:

The three card max is interesting to me as I do ship 4 cards in one 100 point top-loader many times.  The first couple times I did that I was worried so took them to the post-office and it met there requirements (in regarding to bendability and width) and those two did get the carrier scan.  However, one of the group I didn't get a scan on was a four card order.

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It's not so much how many cards or items - it's the weight. I think Ebay just gives the suggestion of 3 cards since it can't go over 3 ounces. 

As far as not getting a carrier scan (the ESUS number) - you could always check your orders after you purchase the standard letter postage to see if it is there.  If not, then you can enter it yourself. It is strange the tracking number isn't automatically assigned when you purchase the postage.

[d-k_treasures]

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@crazystuff4sale wrote:

They only get scanned by machines at sort facilities. They are not always scanned even then. Delivery scans are generated based on an estimate of delivery date as determined by the sort facility scans.

The Intelligent Mail Barcode system was never intended to be used the way the ESE is doing. It exists mainly to assist USPS in it's handling/sorting of letters.

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But the IM serial number embedded in the barcode IS available to the sender for tracing(not exactly tracking, but tracing) - but I'd assume either ebay or PB is considered the sender in this case.

[onefootflipper]

I have shipped up to 21 cards in the standard envelope.

I don't use top loaders. I have more exceptions with top loaders than without them, plus top loaders are expensive. I get damage claims less than 1 in 1000 orders and the insurance always pays off. Top loaders on cheap cards is lighting money on fire.

I normally ship cards 4 thick in a gaming sleeve, with that sleeve taped to the inside of the envelope off center. I alternate left-right from one envelope to the next so the resulting stack seems uniform in thickness.  If they get a bunch of cards I might use up to 3 gaming sleeves in the envelope. If I am going for 21 cards then I use a cut up binder page segment with 7 cards in each pocket.