New packing slip design

[patternsaver]

I went to print a packing slip today only to find the new packing slip layout.  Now it takes an entire page of paper with lots of wasted white space.  They have including the shipping charge and the sales tax collected  where before these were missing.  I do not mind listing those charges, but it takes extra clicks now to print it and consumes more paper.  

They can never leave things alone.  Who designs these things?

Do you all always include a packing slip?  If so, why or why not?

[coolections]

Just curious why are you even using a packing slip? I have never sent one and never had a problem not sending one.

[by14less]

Most sellers put the packing list inside the item package and seal it up THEN print the shipping label. They now made it backwards. It takes extra steps to print the packing slips now and that adds time to your total shipping process. New corporate dummies rule.

[gloryglorygifts]

I freaking HATE IT. When I was doing my orders today I printed out the "order receipt" instead of a packing slip. They are half a page, so I could use the other half to print the shipping label on. I always include a packing slip in the orders, mostly because the orders are packaged in another area and it's just easier to pack them on our end. I personally think it's more professional too. The only time we leave them out is if the customer requests it.

[firejake2003]

I feel the same way.  I would print the streamlined packing slip for order preparation before printing the shipping label.  Sometimes it might take 2 days to prep an order and I don't want to print the shipping label early because then they send messages about why the package hasn't moved in the mail system.

This is a major inconvenience for people who need a little time to prepare an order before printing the shipping label.  Plus if you use a different shipping label provider, do you have to add the tracking first in order to be able to print the packing slip?

What a pain!

[urban-archeologie]

I too was rudely surprised by the new packing slip layout. It literally doubled the time it takes to ship an item for me. I have two printers: one thermal for labels and an inkjet for everything else. In the old way, the labels came down as PDFs which I could print to the thermal and the packing slip was sent straight to the print driver for the inkjet. The benefit was on my Macbook I didn't have to choose a printer because they were separate types of docs. Now, I have to choose the printer on every single print label or packing slip.

The packing slip actually downloads twice, more clicks to kill. The default slip that pops up is NOT what I want, so I have to edit. It pops up a new packing slip with every selection instead of waiting until I'm done. More clicks, and then it won't remember my selections for next time. More clicks. After the fifth package I just quit using the packing slip. For me, I want a packing slip, not an invoice. If Ebay's goal was to get me to quit putting a packing slip in the package then they succeeded. Congrats.

I did take it out on a brand new roll of bubble wrap. I hope it's still usable. With the literal thousands of technical problems this platform has, they spend time and money on making the packing slip worse. At least give us a choice? It would actually be less complicated than the brand new system.

I've always believed that no one who makes decisions at Ebay has every operated a small reselling business before. If they had, most of these decisions would be different.

Rant over. I'm so over this platform.

[simply-the-best-for-you]

 I was rushing to get to the PO yesterday, a new & "improved" (not) shipping screen was hoisted on me.  This is SO disruptive!   For context, I'm a Mentor & 26 year seller.   The new screen touts the ability to use the great new & improved Packing Slip AFTER I print a label.  Big notation at the top.  BUT there are a number of problems with this.  First off, I can't know the weight of the pkg until AFTER the packing slip is in it, so it doesn't work to print it after.  Secondly, it doesn't work!  After I printed the label (and had to guesstimate postage weight), there was indication of where/how I was supposed to print the magical new & improved packing slip.   None.  It was a complete mystery.   Today, I see they added a buried hyperlink at the bottom in the instructions of how to package.  Being a 26 year seller, I would never look there, I know how to pkg.  I only looked to see if they'd made any changes after my feedback yesterday of no indication of how to access the magical new & improved packing slip.  

So, then  I went to the only other place I know to print packing slips (Shipping Labels page) & printed them there, which forces me to print out the huge, dreaded full page packing slip. 

I just want to also note that even as a 26 year seller, I still found it SUPER disruptive to suddenly be in a new screen that totally changes my routine, while rushing to get to the PO before it closed.  It's really frustating to have NO warning of these changes, especially when they totally change your routine.  

I hate being forced to use 3x the resources that I used to.   Most sellers I know preferred the small slip, that allowed me to print 3 to a page.  Now, it's a WHOLE SHEET OF PAPER wasted for every single package.  3x the printer resources, 3 times the paper & 3 times the weight inside of the package. 

Which is the other big problem.  Packing slip needs to be printed BEFORE the label, so we know the weight of the pkg.  Especially if we're forced into using a whole sheet of paper.   This is NOT an improvement.  I just want the old 'mini' packing slip & I need to print it BEFORE I print the label.  

ETA:  I also do NOT want the price paid on the packing slip.   Just the address it's going to & a thank you line.  That's it.   That's why I loved the 'mini' slip.  I could get 3 to a page & did not have to remind the buyer what they paid.   

[nuclearomen]

i understand those whom include invoice... fine, whatever. No one I deal with for  personal or business include them except overseas stuff coming through customs has to have one and 1 seller on here I use for some supplies. Anyways, aside from that. Talking with a seller I know here they said they never use ebay to print their invoices, they use their own system when order goes through ebay, their website, amazon etc... they go to another service they use and print invoice from there...now I know not everyone does enough business selling only here to have that, but you can create your own invoice on plethora of programs - Word for instance (they even have templates you can use) and print you own invoice. Yeah, it's extra work I know, but if the current ebay invoice is causing that much issue maybe do that til something gets fixed? Just a thought.  

[rfmtm]

To get a less detailed format close to the simplified one, click on "Customize" and check the box for "This is a gift".

[deamaye-9]

I completely agree. I print packing slips as a tool for me and the buyer. I always print the packing slip first. Now even when I print the label, there is no option for the packing slip. I use 2 different printers, a Dymo thermal label printer for the shipping label and a standard printer for the packing slip. 

I assume this was an ebay choice, so my choice is that my customer will no longer get a packing slip.

Sorry customers

[ckimodog]

@patternsaver @deamaye-9 

I sell supplies on Etsy and it's the same thing.  I could not provide the buyer with a receipt or packing slip.  And what's with the "free trial" adobe membership? 

Confusing to say the least. 

[toomuchstuffagain35]

I totally agree.

Added to which the new packing slip you get from the bottom link (which I never noticed before you posted this) is only the stupid 'order details' form. Nothing like the nice old "mini slip" one.

I'm currently making up my own template to do slips that look like the old one.

[mybigsale]

I print packing slips using my label printer. The packing slip that WAS AVAILABLE was just large enough to print on a label and be clearly visible. I include the packing slip in the package with written "Thank you". One of the reasons I include it is in case something happens to the shipping label.

Today is the first day I have not included a packing slip with a shipment. The new version prints microscopically on a shipping label making it useless for me. eBay - no concern you just stomped on how I (used) to run my business?

Thank you, eBay! May I have another unrequested change? Stupid question. I have been on eBay for over 20 years. I already know the answer. I would suggest you get feedback from sellers BEFORE you make changes... obviously just talking to myself.🙄

[simply-the-best-for-you]

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@rfmtm wrote:

To get a less detailed format close to the simplified one, click on "Customize" and check the box for "This is a gift".

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@rfmtm   Oh, good idea!  I bet that leaves the price off.   Does it still print an entire page?  

[simply-the-best-for-you]

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@toomuchstuffagain35 wrote:

I totally agree.

Added to which the new packing slip you get from the bottom link (which I never noticed before you posted this) is only the stupid 'order details' form. Nothing like the nice old "mini slip" one.

I'm currently making up my own template to do slips that look like the old one.

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@toomuchstuffagain35   You didn't notice it b/c it wasn't there!  Yesterday, I looked & looked & scoured every inch of the page.  Since I printed several, I had plenty of opportunity to look & nothing, nada, zilch.  I then filled out the "Tell Us What you Think" link several times & today, voila, there's a link.   Still a lot of problems, but at least there's a way to get to it. 

I hate this debugging in Production stuff. 

[vintagecraze50]

It’s nice but it eats up my expensive ink.