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USPS 1st Class Letter/Envelope Invalid For Selection
I had a customer request a lesser shipping option to USPS Ground Advantage. When I used the eBay shipping calculator, it showed USPS 1st Class Envelope as an option so I offered that to the customer and he accepted. He has paid based on what I quoted and now it's time to ship. However when I go to buy my label, it doesn't offer USPS 1st Class as an option no matter how I modify the dimensions (and since you can't put in anything less that 1). Now it wants to charge ME over $1 more for ME to ship it to him by forcing me to use USPS Ground advantage.
Has anyone else had this issue?
It shows in the eBay help doc all the requirements for 1st class letters and envelopes. So everything points to this being something that sellers should be able to offer since it returns rates for us to quote even giving us our "eBay Rate".
For eBay: If you're going to have this in the shipping calculator and in the help doc, you need to add notes to sellers that warn us that we won't be able to ship with that option and will need to go to the post office which won't give us our "eBay Rate" or remove it completely so there is no confusion. That or you need to fix the shipping page to allow >1 on the dimensions or have a dropdown to select envelope or letter.
wooden_flower
Mentor2 years agoWhen you send something as a letter, you hand write the envelope and use stamps - there is no label to print because there is no tracking. With no tracking, you will issue a full refund if your buyer says not received.
Items can’t be more than 1’4†think to be sent as a letter.
willi.niels
OP2 years agoThanks for responding. My issue is that nowhere in the help document or anywhere else on eBay does it state that (see attached screenshot below of how it shows on the calculator).
I understand that no tracking would be provided but at least being able to purchase and create a label that shows within eBay that it was made and purchased as record for both the buyer and seller would make sense. If the option does not exist, then it needs to be documented better and/or removed from the shipping calculator altogether. I recently had an issue with a buyer who agreed to pay a flat rate for 1st class knowing that tracking/insurance would not be provided, and it was sent using stamps. He then filed a claim against me claiming that he should have only been charged for the price of the stamps and challenged payment (for both item and shipping) and that is still on hold waiting for his bank (I kept all correspondence proving that he agreed to the flat rate I told him I would charge).
It doesn't even mention it on the eBay help article: https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/shipping-items/usps-ups-package-types?id=4864&st=3&pos=2&query=USPS%20and%20UPS%20package%20types&intent=usps&lucenceai=lucenceai&docId=HELP1522
Again, thanks for taking the time to respond. I'll probably just eat the dollar and send USPS Ground Advantage but just wish eBay would make it clearer regarding that shipping option and what will be expected of sellers when selecting it. I know I won't offer it again going forward.
wooden_flower
Mentor2 years agoI guess they could add an asterisk noting that a label is not available for that service. I doubt that they consider it to be a significant issue.
You can take the envelope to the PO and they can apply metered postage, but I don’t think they can print it without the value showing.
BTW - a large envelope can be up to 3/4†thick, but must be uniform in thickness, and flexible, in case you decide to use that.