eBay Standard Envelope for Trading Cards

[quinncouture]

WHY has eBay not remedied the tracking issue with these god awful ESUS “tracking numbers”? I feel like every single card under $20 I have ever shipped via this method has either A) been reported by the buyer as not delivered even though tracking shows as delivered, or B) the “tracking” does not show as delivered at all. I’ve never had one sale via this method go smoothly I feel like. 

I completely understand how the process with these envelopes work and the dimensions the envelopes must adhere to. I measure every single envelope I ship with one of the actual cardboard cutout things they use at the post office to make sure the envelope is not too thick. I also weigh every single envelope myself before I physically bring them to the post office and hand them to the teller who then also does the cardboard test and weighs it for me because they know me at this point. I do this at 6 different post office locations around my house and at my work. I’ve never shipped an envelope not within eBay specifications. The tellers will then take the envelope and put it behind the counter for me. I don’t drop them in mailboxes ever. I physically hand them to the post office workers. The fact that my envelopes are fine going out from my post offices and then seem to disappear later on tell me that this tracking that eBay hodge podged together isn’t universal and the ones paying for it not being delivered are the sellers.

How does it make sense that I must pay for a missing card if the tracking for that card shows that it was shipped and is moving through the system and then just stopped updating and never says delivered? Sometimes it will show additional tracking details after sending it as it moves from one USPS to another and from one state to another. WHY do I then Pay for it if it isn’t received by the delivery date? It literally SHOWS YOU THAT THE POST OFFICE SCANNED IT at different locations. Wouldn’t that be a post office report? Why am I paying For the postage and the card I’m out when I am clearly not in possession of the item being returned.

I understand That handheld scanners don’t scan these envelopes and that they are only scanned through the scanning machines. But why are they half the time just never scanned again after leaving my post office? I had one envelope with a card inside returned to me via the post office with a return to sender stamp FOUR MONTHS AFTER SENDING IT. They said the parcel was 

I understand if a buyer doesn’t receive their card that sucks, but they’re still getting refunded. I’m not getting fully refunded for any of these. When I do the stupid eBay insurance thing to recoup my money for the missing card, they only refund the $1.11 or whatever it is shipping cost. They don’t pay me for my lost card. I literally don’t understand why this is even an option and why I haven’t stopped shipping this way before today. 

[1786davycrockett]

@quinncouture 

Sorry to hear that you're having problems with the eBay Standard Envelope (ESE).  

When you receive a notification that your ESE has been "delivered," that ONLY means that it has been confirmed "received" at the post office matching the ZIP Code for the recipient's address, and NOT for the recipient themselves:  it may take at least one additional day to be delivered to your buyer -- and many more days if the "delivered" notification is marked on a weekend or during a holiday period.  

So use the "delivered" notification as the STARTING point for the final "delivery" period to your buyers.

In addition -- you may be unfortunately stalling (or eliminating) the initial "shipped" notifications on your ESEs by handing your envelopes to a postal clerk -- if you simply drop your ESEs in the "Metered Mail" slot in your post office lobby, you should receive an initial automatic machine-scan within a few days from the next USPS Distribution Center (and maybe even as early as the day following your shipment).

By handing your ESEs to a postal clerk (or a postal delivery driver, or dropping your ESEs into a "blue-box," or your own home mailbox), your ESEs are becoming mixed up with other mail, which then has to be sorted either by hand (at your local post office), or by machine (at the USPS Distribution Center), whereas dropping your ESEs into the "Metered Mail" slot will ensure that that bundle of metered mail will be processed quickly into the metered mail automatic sorting system.

Additionally -- that initial "metered mail" scan should guarantee that any of your lost ESEs will be insured for the full value of the contents of your items, and not just the shipping charge -- another good reason to use the "Metered Mail" slot, rather than handing your ESEs to a postal clerk.

Finally -- the flexibility of your ESEs is critical to the speedy delivery of your shipments:  if your ESE can not EASILY be folded around a pill bottle, you may encounter a problem with the rollers on the automatic sorting machines.  I recommend "penny sleeves" rather than top loaders, inserted between two pieces of the carton material used for soda pop or cereal boxes.

I've been using the ESEs for the last two years, with NO problems and NO customer complaints and NO returns -- simply using the methods which I've outlined above.

Good luck!

[worldcoinauctions]

I would have to say they work well for me. Sometimes I've had to refund buyers, but I've always gotten my shipping cost and item cost back from ebay (and that is rare, most just go through). I never hand them to a clerk, mostly I drop them in the blue box about 10 minutes before it gets picked up.

[onefootflippers]

I have been using the program since it started and my exceptions at this point round down to zero.

1. Never, ever, ever hand a standard envelope to a post office employee. Drop it in a box like a normal letter. I cannot stress this enough. I actually extend this to never handing any package to the postal employee behind the counter. It is the number 1 way for problems to arise with shipments that would otherwise be problem free. 

2. You are probably overpacking, which is causing your envelopes to get caught in the sort machine and shredded.  Search youtube for videos on how to pack standard envelope. 

[doug_5857]

 I use the ESUS shipping solely and every day every envelope has delivered. It makes a huge difference how or where you place your label on the envelope. The stamp has to be exactly placed on the envelope in the upper most right hand corner so the machines can read them. If you place your label where the stamp is more than 1/2 inch from the top of the envelope the machines will miss every one. I can tell just by the placement of your label when you send me an order if it was tracked all the way thru or not. Here is a sample of where I place my label EXACTLY. I mean I could place the label lower as you can see but I trimmed off all excess paper so it looks nice and neat for the customer. Remember he pays you. Please let me know if this helps you. Like I said its all where you place that stamp.. Good luck and will hope you let me know how if it helps.

[12345jamesstamps]

I use a thin cardboard fitting the exact size of the envelope and use a .66 stamp for domestic and $1.50 for International. I have been able to put up to 4 trading cards in an envelope. Do I use tracking? Not for anything under $20. USPS hasn't lost anything this year and have had no complaints from buyers.

Guess I have been this year so far.