Ebay Standard Envelope Delivery

[monadnockman]

Quite often I have a buyer contact me and tell me the item was delivered but there is nothing there. Sometimes the item shows up the next day or two, sometimes never shows up at all. I end up refunding the individual even though it shows it has been delivered. I had two items happen on the same day this month, one showed up the next day one never.

I am considering doing away with ebay standard envelope and shipping items in a Plain White Envelope without tracking. Is this a wise move or should I just continue the way I am going.

[solidguitar1961]

Without tracking anybody can say they didn't get . I think it depends on what you're selling ,some categories tend to have higher INRs than others , from my observations on posts on the community boards. 

[mr_lincoln]

Hi @monadnockman 

You can file claims if you use ESE, you cannot file claims by using just a stamp.  eBay standard envelope | eBay

It is basically "Metered mail" and the scanning is done on machines and not at Post Offices or by Postal carriers.  

You may want to consider selling more valuable items and using Ground Advantage which provides door to door tracking and comes with $ 100 built-in insurance and you can add insurance for items over $ 100.

[tobaccocardyahoo]

 I decided that ESE is too much hassle and generally worse than shipping without tracking. Seems to work for stamp dealers whose products do not jamb the sorting machines, but top loaders are a problem, no matter what Ebay says, and shipping without a top loader is a crap shoot.

I do not use any untracked shipping services. I no longer use ESE. ESE is not scanned at the delivery address. If it isn't worth a buyer paying for a real tracked shipping service, it isn't worth me listing the item and wasting my time dealing with post sale issues.

You have many items listed which do not pass my minimum price filter. Is a missing $2 card worth wasting time your time on? Is it worth having a customer for? If it is, ESE might be marginally better than a stamped envelope.

[wastingtime101 · Accepted solution]

Hi @monadnockman . eBay Standard Envelope (ESE) is a metered mail shipment so it does not receive traditional tracking scans like a package would, and the clerk at the PO counter cannot scan it or track it. The envelope is scanned by sorting machinery at distribution centers along the way.

With ESE, a 'delivered' scan generally occurs at the last USPS sort facility before it gets to the buyer, so typically the buyer will receive their order a few days after the delivered scan.

If an item doesn't have a delivered scan and a buyer files a not received claim, you do have insurance coverage and the claims process is outlined on this page: https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/shipping-items/setting-shipping-options/ebay-standard-envelope?id=...

[12345jamesstamps]

I haven't lost anything last year or this year to date. 

I do use tracking for expensive items... inexpensive items I use a plain white envelope without tracking.

My items without tracking usually get cross country 4-5 days...and that makes my buyers happy and I get "repeat buyers".

Tracking items and metered mail items seems to take longer than using ordinary stamps lately.

[monadnockman]

I ship a lot of cards on another website in a PWE without tracking. The cost for shipping one card nonmachineable is 1.12 I have less problems with that than I do Ebay Std Envelope.

[monadnockman]

You have a valid point and I thank you for your reply.

[monadnockman]

Selling sport cards quite often an item is only $1.00 or more. I ship more expensive items by USPS Ground or Priority mail. It is the less expensive items and ESE that gives me a problem. I seem to have better luck on another site where I use a PWE without tracking and have a minimum charge for one card of $1.12 with nonmachinable marking.

[monadnockman]

Thank you for your information. Perhaps I need to explain this better to some people when this issue occurs.

[monadnockman]

I pretty much agree with you. I have had much better results with a PWE without tracking verses ESE.

My concern then is I might not have enough Dollars shipped to keep my status. 

[thirteen_twenty]

Doesn't that hurt your seller rating shipping so many items with no tracking?

[monadnockman]

On April 9 an ESED Was delivered to the individual two weeks after the delivery date shown. In the meantime he received a refund. Just wonderful.

[fm2000]

Shipping without tracking affects TRS status, but does not affect sellers otherwise. Some don't care about about TRS, some do. (I absolutely do, and use ESE just for that reason, and never had a problem with it.)

[monadnockman]

I had two in one day using ESE the last one was delivered two weeks after the delivery date that was shown. What do you use for an envelope I have tried several different things, If you dont have a problem what do you use.