Invalid USPS tracking IDs
I am a seller and recently sold 24 items. Used ebay to print the postage and dropped them off at USPS. None of my packages have arrived. When I called USPS (who was actually helpful) they told me all the USPS tracking numbers that Ebay gave me are wrong and they do not know where the packages are. The weird thing is none of them have been returned to sender. Now all they buyers are requesting refunds.
Anyone dealt with this before? Seems like cannot contact Ebay directly. The stupid chat bot only wants to talk about my purchases. Help!
14 comments
1786davycrockett
·11 months ago@ems_sports_cards
Did any of your envelopes contain top-loaders?
One of the main problems with the eBay Standard Envelope (ESE) is when sellers attempt to mail cards inside a stiff top-loader -- most of the time, the top-loader is too stiff and rigid to quickly pass through the USPS high-speed rollers in the sorting machines: if the ESE is too rigid, the ESE will jam the machines, and get kicked out. Then the ESE is considered to be "non-machinable," and may be returned to the seller marked "insufficient funds" -- although (worst case scenario) sometimes the ESEs are delivered to the buyer marked "postage due."
(And apparently some "non-machinable" ESEs just get sent to the "dead letter" department.)
Also -- never take the ESEs to the post office counter for mailing! Many USPS employees are unfamiliar with ESEs, even though the ESE is legal, contracted business metered mail. But some USPS employees have been known to refuse to accept them, believing that they are "phony" or "counterfeit," and the employees will attempt to charge you for a full USPS Forever stamp.
And some USPS employees have kicked the ESE problem to a supervisor, who may also refuse the ESE, or even just "set it aside", for "future investigation."
Since the USPS counter employees are unable to "scan" the ESEs anyway (their hand-scanners are unable to "read" the ESE codes), just avoid handing the ESEs to ANY counter employee, and drop the ESEs into any of the USPS "blue" boxes; or (best scenario!), if there is a "Metered Mail" slot in your post office lobby, drop your ESEs in there -- using either method, the ESEs will be mixed in with other outgoing mail, and be delivered later that day to the next USPS Distribution Center, where they should receive the initial "scan."
As long as your ESEs have received at least one "scan," you are covered for insurance purposes for "lost" or damaged mail.
Good luck with Em's cards!
momtoabeautifuldaughter
·11 months agoI have been on eBay for over 20 year and sent many many 1000's of packages and eBay has never given me a wrong tracking number.
Something isn't adding up
ems_sports_cards
OP11 months agoSo my replies with the link to images keep getting removed. Not sure why but I think what was used was the standard envelope.
It is just confusing because on the oder page it gives me a tracking id: "eBay Standard Delivery: ESUS282554257" which leads to a page that says "USPS FirstClassLetter Tracking No: 00310202207548719815" which leads to a USPS page saying that is an invalid tracking ID.
You all say this is some sort of scam. Its not. I am just a dad trying to help his daughter figure out what happened to her packages. Thanks for any help.
momtoabeautifuldaughter
·11 months agoYou are using eBay standard envelopes. They don't have normal tracking like a package would. They have a routing code which cannot be read by the scanner USPS carriers use so you don't get am actual received or delivered scan. If buyer open an INR you refund in full and then get reimbursement from eBay, limit is $20 I think
momtoabeautifuldaughter
·11 months agoYou cannot tracking this on USPS website, it doesn't have the same type of tracking packages do.
Once shipped, you and your buyer can track the package within My eBay, SellerHub, or transaction history.
krazzykats
·11 months agoeBay standard envelope | Seller Center
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babyers88
·11 months agoebay standard envelopes do not use a regular tracking number, it's like metered mail and
they are machine scanned in the usps system along the way, it is a special type of limited tracking, many people have this same problem
for more detailed info just google
what type of tracking does a ebay standard envelope use
ems_sports_cards
OP11 months agoThanks for the reply @babyers88. Also new to Ebay. Is this standard envelope? Confusing because they provide tracking #. I cannot figure out how to upload images so i put them all in a google doc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ujh9FCsjeWKySqOzUFu4fG9qohFusXCh7hWal__p0wQ/edit?tab=t.0
ems_sports_cards
OP11 months ago@babyers88 I tried to respond but now I see the response is gone. I tried to put in a link to a google doc with the images of everything. Trying again: Google Doc with 3 images of tracking numbers
It gives me a ebay tracking number and then a USPS tracking #. But you see in the screenshot that on the USPS it says it is an invalid #. When I called USPS they said they do not start with those numbers ever.
Any help would be appreciataed.
murphken
·11 months agoOK, you just joined eBay and you claim the tracking numbers, generated by eBay Labels are wrong? I don't buy it. You can get in contact with customer service. Just a little more persistence.
ems_sports_cards
OP11 months agoOkay. Sorry you dont buy it but it is the truth. So how do I get in touch with customer service. All the links go here or to the bot. I could show you the screenshot of the bad tracking ID if you want.
momtoabeautifuldaughter
·11 months agoems_sports_cards
OP11 months ago@momtoabeautifuldaughter thank you. So a handful of the sellers have said the cards did not get there. I read on another thread that some buyers just do this to get the item for free. Looks like you are saying after Ebay refunds their $ we can get a reimbursement from ebay? They are just basball cards and none were over 20.
Also thanks for your help!
momtoabeautifuldaughter
·11 months agoYou refund them from your funds and then you get your reimbursement from eBay.