Problems with eBay Standard Envelope

[bkerea66]

I wanted to post this to see if others are having similar problems with eBay Standard Envelope shipments.  This is what I am experiencing:

1.  Tracking is terrible:  I've been mailing a lot of postcards and coins lately and about 70% of those don't ever show that the package has been delivered.  As there is no guarantee of delivery, I feel it's important to confirm with the buyer that they received their items.  In all cases, they received them days before even though tracking shows that they are "in transit" or made it to the destination city but not "out for deliver" or "Delivered".  Obviously, either the PO is not reporting the deliveries to eBay or eBay's system is not updating the listing's history to show delivery.  Ebay needs to fix this.

2.  Packages not delivered or items stolen:  I have had a few instances where the package was never delivered or the items inside was was allegedly removed from the envelope and an empty envelop was delivered.  This is particularly true of coins which can be felt through the envelope.  

In case 1, the lack of delivery notice creates uncertainty when a buyer claims a package didn't arrive.  How can one rely on the tracking saying it wasn't delivered if you can't rely on it to show that it was delivered.

Lastly, it seems inherently unfair for eBay to cover the seller's loss when a package goes missing but not compensate the buyer. From my experience so far with INR claims, most buyers are not aware of the risk associated with this form of shipment.  Personally, I would never buy a coin with this mode of shipment as its too easy to determine there is a coin in the envelope and too easy to remove it. 

[dirk12955]

I use ESU about 400 times a month for stamps.

1)   The tracking is terrible.   I pay no attention to tracking until I hear from a buyer.

2)  Out of 400 shipments a month I hardly ever hear from a buyer.

3)  When I do hear from a buyer,   He always receives the item a day or 2 later.

4)   I never,  ever,  contact a buyer and ask him if he got his item.   I figure if he didn't 

I'd soon enough hear all about it.   Contacting them first is a good way to plant the 

idea in their head that they can claim non delivery while admiring their new purchase.  

[spark-chaser1]

I have only had 1 item ever shipped in a SE. That item never tracked from the beginning, never arrived by the EDD, and almost 3 months later, apparently never will. Sounds like a regular thing.