eBay

bkerea66 · ‎08-18-2023

So I have been a bit frustrated of late regarding the unreliability of tracking for ebay standard envelope and would like the communities input on how this is supposed to work. Ebay touts this as a great thing but I have numerous examples of items being delivered that never show up as delivered in the tracking. This creates potential scamming opportunities for dishonest buyers as they can easily claim something wasn't received (even though it was) by simply monitoring the tracking that is never updated by eBay or the PO. They can then file a INR claim which the buyer can't defend. Of course this goes back to the long standing policy at eBay that the buyer is always protected even though the seller had nothing to do with the item being lost.

I have found nothing on eBay's website that explains the agreement they have with the PO to do this tracking. I've talked to my local post office folks and they report that their system does not provide the tracking. If you try to input the eBay tracking number into the PO system you'll see this is true. If you ask customer service where the item is they can't tell you either. My observation is that the items are scanned in some way at the main post office (not the local one) and that info is sent to eBay somehow for posting on the seller page. It might be scanned again at the main destination PO but I'm not sure. I've seen some comments that indicate this to be true and that that is the final "delivered" scan even though the item hasn't yet been delivered by the mail carrier. The only other option seems to be that the mail carrier scans it before delivering it and that info is again forwarded to eBay somehow.

Does anyone know for sure how this tracking works and a general question....what is eBay doing to ensure that an item being "tracked" can be found??

P.S. I am aware of the insurance but again....to the buyer's benefit...not mine as I'm out the value of the item.

itsjustasprain · ‎04-01-2024

@safetyfirst5-91 wrote:
Track your Standard Envelope here: Tracking ESE

But can Parcelsapp.com actually tracking the routing codes used on eSE envelopes? Routing codes are not the same as bar codes and the sample number given in the link above does not work anyway.

booji_girl · ‎04-11-2024

The short answer is, no. The "Tracking #" for ESE is not something the USPS uses in terms of recording or updating an envelope's location.

It CAN be used if you need to contact customer service, a post office, or a regional transit hub as an additional identifier (just as any other thing you write on an envelope can help identify it). You could also include it as a detail on a missing mail search request, but they "highly" recommend including an actual tracking # if you file one of those. I save my ESE labels and photograph all my outgoing packed orders, so if something is taking too long, I can send the buyer a copy of the exact label and a photo of the mail piece along with info about Informed Delivery and other possibly helpful info. Here's some of it below:

Note from above, USPS tracking #s are only available for envelopes if they were sent registered mail, signature confirmation, certified mail, COD hold for pickup, or if the sender bought insurance from USPS.

Delayed mail and packages? (usps.com)

Where is my package? Tracking Status Help (usps.com)

Informed Delivery - Mail & Package Notifications | USPS