Seller Penalized when USPS loses items

Question

Why are sellers penalized when an item clearly shows it has been shipped and USPS has it, and it gets lost? USPS has been losing more and more items, and it's affecting our business. There must be a way for eBay to only penalize if it doesn't show tracking progress through the system. I can't find a way to even contact eBay to share this type of feedback. Frustrated when Seller Levels are impacted when we go out of our way to ship early and USPS loses it.

comics-scifi-collectibles · Answer

@steelsox2222 I see that you are using eBay Standard Envelope. You can't file a missing mail search for this type of shipping. If your buyer files a not received refund request be sure to refund them right away before eBay steps in so it doesn't hurt your account. Then you file the insurance claim.

eBay customer service is not going to be any help with this. This is WAAAY above their pay grade if you even get an agent that knows what ESE shipping is.

eBay Standard Envelope is a Metered Mail shipping method and the tracking can only be read by the sorting equipment. You can't look it up on the USPS site like regular tracking you have to use this tracking tool> https://www.trackmyshipment.co/

If a buyer files a not received refund request then you can file an insurance claim to get your money back. See this link>

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/shipping-items/setting-shipping-options/ebay-standard-envelope?id=5308&st=3&pos=1&query=eBay%20standard%20envelope&intent=eBay%20standard%20&lucenceai=lucenceai&docId=HELP1689#section6

For future shipments I recommend dropping your envelopes in the metered mail box at your post office.

You can also review this post by a fellow Mentor that has screenshots of proper packing as the envelope must remain flexible enough to easily bend around standard coffee mug to be read by the sorting equipment. The example is for coins but the same rule applies for post cards and trading cards. A high volume card seller said that he uses a few sheets of standard printer paper around the card to protect it.

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Ask-a-Mentor/Standard-envelope-shipping/m-p/34239169#M5984