eBay standard envelope categories expanded

[wastingtime101]

This is excellent news! Can we get a list of specific categories > subcategories kyle@ebay ? Things like patches, stickers/decals, greeting cards can be listed in multiple categories.

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Announcements/eBay-standard-envelope-supports-more-categories-effectiv...

Beginning November 1, 2023, in addition to Trading Cards, Coins & Currency, Stamps and Postcards, the following items are eligible:

Patches
Stickers & Decals
Greeting Cards
Seeds

[onefootflippers]

I spent years trying to get them to actually come up with a comprehensive list of allowed categories and they always acted like that was just completely impossible to do, which is strange since the only thing that actually gatekeeps the envelope is the listed category and the weight.

Probably either going to have to wait for others to figure it out via trial and error or try some test sales and send stamp and envelope if it won't generate the standard label.

[wastingtime101]

I'd assume eBay is hesitant to provide a list because they make category updates twice a year. While I kinda sorta understand not wanting to publish the categories on the policy page for that reason, that doesn't mean eBay can't provide the list on this forum with a time/date stamp. Customer service has been known to give sellers a list of eligible categories (quite regularly) when sellers complain they can't purchase ESE labels at the time of sale.

I hope eBay will provide a list here with the category expansion because some of those categories are not as straightforward as coins, stamps, postcards and trading cards.

I haven't dived into the ESE page yet - doing 100 other things right now - it's on the list.

Side note: eBay recently added to their shipping supply offerings for trading cards - posted about it yesterday here:

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Shipping/eBay-shipping-supplies-for-trading-cards-new-Oct-2023/td-p/34...

[kyle@ebay]

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@wastingtime101 wrote:

This is excellent news! Can we get a list of specific categories > subcategories kyle@ebay ? Things like patches, stickers/decals, greeting cards can be listed in multiple categories.

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Announcements/eBay-standard-envelope-supports-more-categories-effectiv...

Beginning November 1, 2023, in addition to Trading Cards, Coins & Currency, Stamps and Postcards, the following items are eligible:

Patches
Stickers & Decals
Greeting Cards
Seeds

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Hey @wastingtime101 I have requested those details and we'll be sure to share any updates we receive here!  

[janetandken]

With all due respect to sellers who embrace expansion of the standard envelope shipping (SES) from 4 to 8 categories:  It ain't nearly enough.  I've been riding eBay's fanny now for quite some time to expand the SES to cover EVERY conceivable category with items that could meet the SES envelope & weight guidelines.  (For me, personally, that includes arts & crafts -- fabric, specifically -- brochures, sewing accessories and kits, and maps.)  Alas, eBay takes this baby step when it could have made a giant leap to help us sellers.

[onefootflippers]

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@janetandken wrote:

With all due respect to sellers who embrace expansion of the standard envelope shipping (SES) from 4 to 8 categories:  It ain't nearly enough.  I've been riding eBay's fanny now for quite some time to expand the SES to cover EVERY conceivable category with items that could meet the SES envelope & weight guidelines.  (For me, personally, that includes arts & crafts -- fabric, specifically -- brochures, sewing accessories and kits, and maps.)  Alas, eBay takes this baby step when it could have made a giant leap to help us sellers.

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I don't see any reason to gatekeep it by category of all. They don't gatekeep other shipping methods by category. 

[fm2000]

Unfortunately, Media Mail is also gated by category, though one can use Pirate Ship to get around that if an item qualifies.

[onefootflippers]

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@fm2000 wrote:

Unfortunately, Media Mail is also gated by category, though one can use Pirate Ship to get around that if an item qualifies.

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Up until very recently it seemed like the only categories they blocked media mail out of were non-book categories that frequently contained books.  That has begun tightening in recent months, although I am still presented with the media mail option with all sort of inappropriate things such as stuffed animals and craft gourds.

[fm2000]

True, it is a recent change, and some of the new changes don't make any sense. (I recently tried printing a media mail label for a graphic novel listed in the "Comics and Graphic Novels" category and couldn't, even though graphic novels are explicitly allowed to be sent media mail, according to the DMM.)

[thefishingmaster2008]

I have been trying all day to revise my greeting card listings but it won’t push through. Was on live chat for some time this evening tying to get help with no luck. The option is there. Once you click on it, it disappears in about three seconds. I deleted my greeting card listings for now. Maybe it’s a glitch that will clear up in a few days. I wonder why shipping options go by category?

[wastingtime101]

@thefishingmaster2008 have you checked the dimensions on your listing? In what category were you trying to list?

eBay made a change related to setting up listings with certain types of packaging. When package dimensions entered exceed eBay's programmed dimensions, eBay will not show you those shipping options when setting up your listing.

To access these services, enter the following package dimensions:

USPS Flat Rate Envelopes: 12x9x1
USPS Small Flat Rate Box: 8x5x1
USPS Med Flat Rate Box: 14x12x3 or 11x8x6
USPS Large Flat Rate Box: 12x12x6
eBay Standard Envelope: 11x6x1

[dhbookds]

@wastingtime101 

kyle@ebay 

It would help even more if the category was shown here:

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/shipping-items/setting-shipping-options/ebay-standard-envelope?id=...

Posting it on the board will be buried after x time.......

[saturdaystoys]

kyle@ebay ...I'm not seeing the specific newly eligible categories listed here.  Were they discussed elsewhere?  It's a great opportunity to bring down shipping costs and to stay competitive in the marketplace.  I'm very interested in making it happen for my store.

From what I can see... there is no indication as to which "patches" or "stickers & decals" categories are understood to be the ones eligible for eBay Standard Envelope use.  Any progress on this front yet?

Thanks!

Dave Mason

eBay ID:  SaturdaysToys

[cctpatches]

I have problems with printing ebay standard envelope labels for 23 different states police patch.  That are in the police patch categories for that state. Here a list of states that Ebay standard envelope services isn't available for AK, CO, KY, IN, UT, LA, IA, AL, SD, ME, NH, ID, OK, RI, ND, MT, OR, MO, MS, KS, AR, WV, and WV.

[wastingtime101]

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@cctpatches wrote:

I have problems with printing ebay standard envelope labels for 23 different states police patch.  That are in the police patch categories for that state. Here a list of states that Ebay standard envelope services isn't available for AK, CO, KY, IN, UT, LA, IA, AL, SD, ME, NH, ID, OK, RI, ND, MT, OR, MO, MS, KS, AR, WV, and WV.

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Send a list of categories to ebayshippingteam@ebay.com where you want eBay to add ESE @cctpatches .