New packing slip design
I went to print a packing slip today only to find the new packing slip layout. Now it takes an entire page of paper with lots of wasted white space. They have including the shipping charge and the sales tax collected where before these were missing. I do not mind listing those charges, but it takes extra clicks now to print it and consumes more paper.
They can never leave things alone. Who designs these things?
Do you all always include a packing slip? If so, why or why not?
127 comments
infoandy
·2 years agoIt's been almost a year since the "new" packing slip came out and they still have not fixed it. I've created my own template that resembles the original packing slip layout. I just copy and paste the buyer's name and address and the item title and item number into my template and print it.
stuffygrotto
·3 years agoI don't think anyone has mentioned that you can click on "customize" and then click the "This is a GIFT" option which removes the payment/shipping costs and just leaves the price of the item. You can also customize your message to the buyer. I just did all that today.
simply-the-best-for-you
·3 years ago@fillyourclosetsfrommystore They're not gonna change it back 😞 & yeah it's still a huge pain that is taking me easily twice the time & amount of paper that I used to use. They have rec'd the feedback countless times & they clearly don't care. I think we're stuck with it, the way it is. Despite the almost comical level of errors involved in the implementation including that you could print it AFTER (LOL) you printed the label. Showing that clearly they have no idea how a packing slip is used or what order things must happen in. There were also missing links, it was a nightmare. It's now been IDK, 6-8 weeks & they have quit making any modifications to this monstronsity 😞 It's so frustrating b/c I have to encounter it every single day.
They took something that was quick, efficient & not wasteful & turned it into something that's the exact opposite 😞 It still annoys me multiple times a day!
fillyourclosetsfrommystore
·3 years agoI have always since day one - 20 years ago - included a packing slip. After a few years of plain white paper, I got into the swing of buying 1" colorful, themed border paper, just to make it a little special. AND THEN.....ALL OF A SUDDEN.....this new version shows up and the margins are locked to almost the ends of the paper and i can't use the border paper anymore. It's just another example of eBay not caring about sellers. I have tried different ways to change the margins with no luck. I'd be happy to hear a real solution or just change it back!
rfmtm
·3 years ago@fillyourclosetsfrommystore Why not just reduce the scale to fit within your margins?
ca_reibo
·3 years agoThe new packing slip design is one of the worst changes yet. I always include one, and print it on my thermal printer's 4x6" labels. Now:
* It won't let me print landscape format
* The type comes out so small that you need an electron microscope to read it
* There are tons of unnecessary options from which to choose
* THIS IS THE WORST: It is printing on some of my packing slips that there's an "ebay discount" equal to the total price, so the cost comes out to be zero.
* ebay still decides what "personal note" we might want to include, instead of allowing us to write whatever we choose, as we could in the distant past.
I think that ebay likely has too many web designers with time on their hands, and they keep making changes to justify their existence. I cannot think of a recent change to the selling platform that has been beneficial to sellers-- for example, taking away our ability to look at the sales history for a particular item by clicking on the number sold. They have removed the hyperlink for that. There was a workaround (using the Advanced Search function), but now they have SNAFU'd that too; when you try to use it, it only shows the last sale. And then, of course, there's the transaction fee increase of yet another 1%.
How do I despise ebay? Let me count the many ways.
ebay disgusts me-- so much so that I have stopped selling most items here and use Facebook Marketplace instead. I also get lower shipping prices by using pirateship for certain size packages.
venutian01
·3 years agoGood to know I'm not completely senile, and it's not just me.
In an effort to protect a buyer's privacy, Ebay has made continued changes over the years to make it increasingly difficult for a seller to obtain that information, and they have completely upended that overnight. As a buyer, I don't appreciate this change. There's no need to be supplying that information as standard practice on every packing slip now.
Granted, there are unique situations when, as a seller, it would be helpful if one could quickly reach out to a buyer via phone, but that is an exception to an outlier of a rarity. I ship 1500-2000 packages a year, and I cannot remember what the last year was when I had a fraction of a thought along the lines of "too bad I can't just call them up for 60 seconds".
worldcoinauctions
·3 years agoLOL, I liked the old one! No big deal though, an extra click or 2. I sell coins so each one, in a 2x2 holder, goes in a small plastic bag and gets stapled to the packing slip. People seem to like that.
dchs1974
·3 years agoI agree, I used to be able to use one piece of paper for the packing slip and the shipping label now I am having to use two...at least make the new packing slip only take half the page...also it adds weight, sometimes just a smidgen of an ounce can make a difference in shipping price so the lighter the better.
gatafish
·3 years agoI noticed this change a few days ago. It said you can print out a shipping label and then print out the invoice. How backwards is that. I have 4 items to ship to 1 customer, memorize the items, start boxing them up, go back to my computer to print a shipping label, then print a packing slip, go to my packing table to finish boxing items with a packing slip and then go back to my desk to grab the shipping label to put on the box. Every extra step adds time when I am shipping 10-20 packages every day. They have changed it where you can now mark it a gift so now the price and sales tax is no longer on shipping label. But its still 1 extra step. I also used to pre package items up so its ready to ship when they pay. Now I can't print out a shipping label with the customers name on it if they haven't paid for the item yet. Who's in charge of making these time consuming changes that cost me time which translates to money for me and Ebay?
simply-the-best-for-you
·3 years agoYes, the flow is ludicrous. The fact that Ebay redesigned it w/o knowing how it's used is even more ludicrous. You simply can't print a packing slip AFTER you print the label, it's completely backwards & you won't know how much the pkg weighs. Now, there is a way to print it beforehand, in the dropdown, but it still totally interrupts the flow & it's still this gigantic slip with tons of white space & extraneous info.
At least all of the customizations are now holding except the "this is a gift" which seems to be the ONLY way to not put the price on it. Hey Ebay, Packing Slips DON'T have prices on them! THis whole this is a real mess!
venutian01
·3 years ago(Sigh) I really wish that Ebay would stop hiring graduates from the Rube Goldberg School of Engineering Excellence and Web Design. (Someone has to appreciate this joke)
This is the same as how you now have to click 'see more options' to change font, font size and color etc, when for many years it was there without any additional clicks necessary. It's a change that no one asked for, that improves nothing and is arguably worse.
That said, I noticed that with this new system, every packing slip includes the customer's telephone number. I don't recall that being the case, or did I just never notice that before? The latter is quite possible, so my question isn't facetious.
patternsaver
OP3 years ago"That said, I noticed that with this new system, every packing slip includes the customer's telephone number. I don't recall that being the case, or did I just never notice that before? The latter is quite possible, so my question isn't facetious."
I was curious so I pulled out an invoice from 4/20 to see if there was a phone number. No it was not there at that time. Today I went into my sold file and looked at an invoice. Lo and behold the phone number is now there. If I was a buyer, I am not sure i would like that.
simply-the-best-for-you
·3 years agoI noticed that too & no, it didn't used to be on there. At least not on the version I used, which was the tiny, 3 to a page PS. It had just the bare bones, which is all that SHOULD be on a packing slip.
busybeeshopper12
·3 years agoI've been so annoyed with this all week. Finally got around to posting here. Glad to see I'm not the only one. Thanks again eBay for making changes for the worse.
toomuchstuffagain35
·3 years agoTo those saying "I never needed or used one". Fine, that's your choice.
Those of us who DO use them aren't telling YOU to use them are we?
What we're upset about is that ebay took what was a perfectly simple, easy to use packing slip away that met a whole LOT of seller's needs, and replaced it with a cumbersome, needlessly wasteful and not exactly what we needed rubbish one and we'd like the old one back on the label page.
varebelrose
·3 years agoOut of probably 3000 sales over the years, I do not think I have ever, once, printed a packing slip, and have never understood why anyone would waste the ink and paper to do so.
YMMV.
leq_5030
·3 years ago1 less piece of wasted paper.
moondogblues
·3 years ago"Do you all always include a packing slip? If so, why or why not?"
I hate packing slips. I get all the info I need about what I ordered from the site. The slips go right into the burn pile. Waste of a tree. Most Sellers don't use them and that makes me happy.
allensupplyco
·3 years agoFor the basic consumer I feel the same, but i sell business and industrial goods and usually the customer is a business or somewhat old school and really appreciate the packing slip. I would say its 60/40 in favor per my customer base so I just include it. I really liked that larger font basic slip that has been 86'd from ebay. Luckily pirate ship allows you to add a packing slip when printing a label, so I'll be purchasing/printing over there more often now.
rfmtm
·3 years agoPacking Slips are a safeguard against a damaged external label.
Business buyers general require one.
Personal buyers seem to appreciate it.
It provides a place to put some advertisements and/or a link to your website.
It helps make sure you pick and ship to the correct buyer.
allensupplyco
·3 years agoI really liked the barebones packing slip on the purchase label page, it was perfect for thermal printers. Ebay could have just left that one alone and seperate from the other version with many clicks. Yet another reason to use pirate ship, you can even print them from from iphone over there..
chapeau-noir
·3 years agoI just printed out the gift receipt packing slips for today - I had to keep selecting "gift receipt" but the buyer message I selected is sticky. So that drops the price break-down at any rate.
Someone (here or the other thread?) asked about resizing it for 4 x 6 label printer - I could do that in the print dialog box. Use the Landscape setting and it scales to a readable size.
ed8108
·3 years agosimply-the-best-for-you
·3 years agoSo get this...I managed, by removing almost everything to get this montrosity to a 1/2 page. But, in addition to still being wasteful, my Customizations don't hold, making them practically worthless.
The whole point of Customizations is to keep your Customizations. So now, not only am I wasting all this extra time to re-customize the same screen 4x in 1 session, but it's STILL a resource hog. At least I got it down to 1/2 a page.
gloryglorygifts
·3 years agoSo you have to customize them one at a time. What a waste of time and energy. SMH
chapeau-noir
·3 years agoThe customization is selecting "gift receipt" - that's it - the message (if you select one) is sticky.
I like the fact that it has a QR code on it and URL. I also write things on it and it adds some stiffening to my packages.
bejucoflatsflyco
·3 years agoI use packing lists as pick up list, I print them next to the shipping label and it used to be very easy to pull and get orders going.
Now I need a laser printer for the packing list since the new format is not thermal label 6x4 printer friendly.
When you are picking lot's of items daily, those little simple thermal printer friendly packing lists help a lot to keep your packaging organized and commit less errors as if you were matching, your computer screen to a label to a physical item in your warehouse.
rfmtm
·3 years ago@bejucoflatsflyco If you set your browser to open PDF files like the label with Adobe, just set it to Fit-to-Width and the packing slip will print nicely on a 4 x6 thermal printer.
mybigsale
·3 years agoThe packing slip will fit on the 4X6 label, but it will be useless as the print is too small- microscopic. There were two version of the packing slip. The packing slip available in the print label section had a bigger font that was just big enough to read when printed on a 4X6 label. That version has been eliminated.
rfmtm
·3 years ago@mybigsale It may not be ideal, but it is readable and about the best you can do for now. PirateShip still prints the big font simple packing slip when imported from ebay and is formatted specifically for a 4x6 label.
mybigsale
·3 years agoThe current eBay packing slip printed on a 4X6 is only readable to me with a strong magnifying glass. Something useless to me or my buyers (and unprofessional looking). Upsetting because eBay eliminated the useable packing slip without concern on how it would affect sellers. It would be very easy for eBay to understand sellers wants and needs if they wanted instead of just making seemingly random changes without seller input.
I sometimes use PirateShip, but I haven't tried their packing slip. Thanks for the tip. I will give their packing slip a try.
patternsaver
OP3 years agoIf you use Pirate Ship for a packing slip, do you then have to manually transfer the tracking number to the eBay site or are they somehow connected?
I use Pirate Ship to generate labels for things sold on other websites but have not tried it for those sold on eBay.
rfmtm
·3 years ago@patternsaver PirateShip imports directly from ebay and automatically updates the ebay order details with the tracking number.
mybigsale
·3 years ago@patternsaver
do you then have to manually transfer the tracking number to the eBay site or are they somehow connected?
PirateShip is great and gets your order information from eBay (if you choose). When you complete your label purchase PirateShip automatically updates your eBay Account with the tracking number.
I use eBay shipping for most Priority and 1st Class orders.
PirateShip has cubic pricing rates for Parcel Select and Priority Mail. eBay does not. For compact heavier packages I use PirateShip for Parcel Select/Priority CUBIC RATES for great savings.
For USPS services that do not include insurance, I use PirateShip for their insurance for higher valued items ($50+).
I previously thought I didn't need PirateShip or a Thermal Printer, now I realize I can't go back to not having them...
mybigsale
·3 years agoFrom within PirateShip go to the Integration settings to add eBay and other seller accounts. Once setup, you can update your seller account(s) order information on PirateShip and have automatic tracking number updates to your seller account(s).
rfmtm
·3 years agoHere is a screenshot of a sample imported from ebay PirateShip Packing Slip, which is a 4"x6" formatted label.
Currently the only problem is PS requires a postal label to be printed at the same time. Please contact PS and help push them to allow Packing Slips to be printed separately and even before buying postage.
kraftique
·3 years agoCreate your own just copy and paste what you want on it.
Save it to Word. You can even have your own emblem if you want.
Your a business so look like one.
chapeau-noir
·3 years agoI just print the pick list now.
infoandy
·3 years agoeBay does it again! Another **bleep**. Can't they just leave things well enough alone? On my end, it doesn't even work correctly. When I select to print a packing slip, it doesn't give me the Preview Screen, it automatically opens up Acrobat with the Packing Slip. Can't make any changes there. I have to close Acrobat, then I can see the screen where I can select what I want to include in my packing slip, but it still does not give a preview. When I click Done, it opens Acrobat with the Packing Slip. Guess I'll have to figure out how to make my own.
somanypostcards
·3 years ago@chapeau-noir
Where do you find the pick list?
somanypostcards
·3 years agoFound the pick list. On the Manage orders awaiting shipment screen click on the order dropdown Print packing slip and more . This shows 4 print options: Packing slip, Order receipt, Address label, and Pick list.
simply-the-best-for-you
·3 years agoBeware for those who want to try this. I just tried it, was so excited b/c it's tiny & doesn't have the price on it, BUT it prints your Custom Label field & my Custom Label has the price I paid, so no way can that go to a buyer 😞
This shouldn't be so hard!
chapeau-noir
·3 years agoI don't use the custom/SKU save to date and number computer/sports equipment so hadn't seen that.
I tried the gift option and it works better - check it out!
simply-the-best-for-you
·3 years agoYeah, the gift option is what I've settled on & everything else off, but it still prints 1/2 page & the Customization won't hold, so I have to select it every time. I've had 7 sales so far today, what a huge hassle!
toomuchstuffagain35
·3 years agoThat's the one I've been using for now, but I'm still working on making a word template so I can do them like the old ones.
little.luxe.armoire
·3 years agoOMG add me to the list of people who think this new design is HORRENDOUS! What a waste of paper.
As someone who buys a lot, I am not "motivated to re-engage" due to the packing slip that comes with my order. I use it primarily as a failsafe in case the shipping label is damaged so that possibly a package could still make it to its buyer.
I will definitely be letting eBay know how I feel.
theretrorogue
·3 years agoAgreed the new one is huge and I use my label printer to print the packing slip.. I need the old one back ASAP.
coreygeorge
·3 years agothe "new" packing slip looks like garbage on 4x6 paper. With the old one, it would format the text correctly to fit and be legible. the new one, you have to shrink 50% and it's awful looking.
patternsaver
OP3 years agoMaybe it is me but every time I try to print a packing slip, the format they provide changes. I tried the "gift" idea. Yes, it leaves off the ship and tax charges but it still takes a lot of space to print it. I used to print a copy of the old packing slip on the back of my postal receipt for my records but not if it is going to take up nearly a full page now.
Yes, I did read comments that I could size down the slip. I would normally do it and did try the 4x6" option. But who can read that one? And sometimes I can use my printer function to just select certain parts to print. But what comes up on their new form seems to change from day to day and sometimes the print button that would take me to my printer is not even there--left with a silly button on their form that directs the printing.
There is no reason for all that extra white space on the new form and now my name appears on the top and the bottom--another "improvement" I am sure.
Overall, what a mess. Maybe it is still in development?
vintagecraze50
·3 years agoIt’s nice but it eats up my expensive ink.
postcardcountry
·3 years agoI print mine in "black" which prints everything black and a lighter shade of black.
mybigsale
·3 years agoI print packing slips using my label printer. The packing slip that WAS AVAILABLE was just large enough to print on a label and be clearly visible. I include the packing slip in the package with written "Thank you". One of the reasons I include it is in case something happens to the shipping label.
Today is the first day I have not included a packing slip with a shipment. The new version prints microscopically on a shipping label making it useless for me. eBay - no concern you just stomped on how I (used) to run my business?
Thank you, eBay! May I have another unrequested change? Stupid question. I have been on eBay for over 20 years. I already know the answer. I would suggest you get feedback from sellers BEFORE you make changes... obviously just talking to myself.🙄
deamaye-9
·3 years agoI completely agree. I print packing slips as a tool for me and the buyer. I always print the packing slip first. Now even when I print the label, there is no option for the packing slip. I use 2 different printers, a Dymo thermal label printer for the shipping label and a standard printer for the packing slip.
I assume this was an ebay choice, so my choice is that my customer will no longer get a packing slip.
Sorry customers
ckimodog
·3 years ago@patternsaver @deamaye-9
I sell supplies on Etsy and it's the same thing. I could not provide the buyer with a receipt or packing slip. And what's with the "free trial" adobe membership?
Confusing to say the least.
rfmtm
·3 years agoTo get a less detailed format close to the simplified one, click on "Customize" and check the box for "This is a gift".
simply-the-best-for-you
·3 years ago@rfmtm Oh, good idea! I bet that leaves the price off. Does it still print an entire page?
postcardcountry
·3 years agoYes, it still takes up a better part of a page.
nuclearomen
·3 years agoi understand those whom include invoice... fine, whatever. No one I deal with for personal or business include them except overseas stuff coming through customs has to have one and 1 seller on here I use for some supplies. Anyways, aside from that. Talking with a seller I know here they said they never use ebay to print their invoices, they use their own system when order goes through ebay, their website, amazon etc... they go to another service they use and print invoice from there...now I know not everyone does enough business selling only here to have that, but you can create your own invoice on plethora of programs - Word for instance (they even have templates you can use) and print you own invoice. Yeah, it's extra work I know, but if the current ebay invoice is causing that much issue maybe do that til something gets fixed? Just a thought.
simply-the-best-for-you
·3 years agoI was rushing to get to the PO yesterday, a new & "improved" (not) shipping screen was hoisted on me. This is SO disruptive! For context, I'm a Mentor & 26 year seller. The new screen touts the ability to use the great new & improved Packing Slip AFTER I print a label. Big notation at the top. BUT there are a number of problems with this. First off, I can't know the weight of the pkg until AFTER the packing slip is in it, so it doesn't work to print it after. Secondly, it doesn't work! After I printed the label (and had to guesstimate postage weight), there was indication of where/how I was supposed to print the magical new & improved packing slip. None. It was a complete mystery. Today, I see they added a buried hyperlink at the bottom in the instructions of how to package. Being a 26 year seller, I would never look there, I know how to pkg. I only looked to see if they'd made any changes after my feedback yesterday of no indication of how to access the magical new & improved packing slip.
So, then I went to the only other place I know to print packing slips (Shipping Labels page) & printed them there, which forces me to print out the huge, dreaded full page packing slip.
I just want to also note that even as a 26 year seller, I still found it SUPER disruptive to suddenly be in a new screen that totally changes my routine, while rushing to get to the PO before it closed. It's really frustating to have NO warning of these changes, especially when they totally change your routine.
I hate being forced to use 3x the resources that I used to. Most sellers I know preferred the small slip, that allowed me to print 3 to a page. Now, it's a WHOLE SHEET OF PAPER wasted for every single package. 3x the printer resources, 3 times the paper & 3 times the weight inside of the package.
Which is the other big problem. Packing slip needs to be printed BEFORE the label, so we know the weight of the pkg. Especially if we're forced into using a whole sheet of paper. This is NOT an improvement. I just want the old 'mini' packing slip & I need to print it BEFORE I print the label.
ETA: I also do NOT want the price paid on the packing slip. Just the address it's going to & a thank you line. That's it. That's why I loved the 'mini' slip. I could get 3 to a page & did not have to remind the buyer what they paid.
toomuchstuffagain35
·3 years agoI totally agree.
Added to which the new packing slip you get from the bottom link (which I never noticed before you posted this) is only the stupid 'order details' form. Nothing like the nice old "mini slip" one.
I'm currently making up my own template to do slips that look like the old one.
simply-the-best-for-you
·3 years ago@toomuchstuffagain35 You didn't notice it b/c it wasn't there! Yesterday, I looked & looked & scoured every inch of the page. Since I printed several, I had plenty of opportunity to look & nothing, nada, zilch. I then filled out the "Tell Us What you Think" link several times & today, voila, there's a link. Still a lot of problems, but at least there's a way to get to it.
I hate this debugging in Production stuff.
firejake2003
·3 years agoI completely agree. This is a backwards move on Ebay's part.
urban-archeologie
·3 years agoI too was rudely surprised by the new packing slip layout. It literally doubled the time it takes to ship an item for me. I have two printers: one thermal for labels and an inkjet for everything else. In the old way, the labels came down as PDFs which I could print to the thermal and the packing slip was sent straight to the print driver for the inkjet. The benefit was on my Macbook I didn't have to choose a printer because they were separate types of docs. Now, I have to choose the printer on every single print label or packing slip.
The packing slip actually downloads twice, more clicks to kill. The default slip that pops up is NOT what I want, so I have to edit. It pops up a new packing slip with every selection instead of waiting until I'm done. More clicks, and then it won't remember my selections for next time. More clicks. After the fifth package I just quit using the packing slip. For me, I want a packing slip, not an invoice. If Ebay's goal was to get me to quit putting a packing slip in the package then they succeeded. Congrats.
I did take it out on a brand new roll of bubble wrap. I hope it's still usable. With the literal thousands of technical problems this platform has, they spend time and money on making the packing slip worse. At least give us a choice? It would actually be less complicated than the brand new system.
I've always believed that no one who makes decisions at Ebay has every operated a small reselling business before. If they had, most of these decisions would be different.
Rant over. I'm so over this platform.
gloryglorygifts
·3 years agoI freaking HATE IT. When I was doing my orders today I printed out the "order receipt" instead of a packing slip. They are half a page, so I could use the other half to print the shipping label on. I always include a packing slip in the orders, mostly because the orders are packaged in another area and it's just easier to pack them on our end. I personally think it's more professional too. The only time we leave them out is if the customer requests it.
by14less
·3 years agoMost sellers put the packing list inside the item package and seal it up THEN print the shipping label. They now made it backwards. It takes extra steps to print the packing slips now and that adds time to your total shipping process. New corporate dummies rule.
chapeau-noir
·3 years agoYou can still print the packing slip before the label - just go into the drop-down next to the order and you'll see 'print packing slip' - I don't know why they put that notice there to print the label first because it's stupid and bass-ackwards.
@by14less
toomuchstuffagain35
·3 years agoProbably because the new link to the "improved" packing slip doesn't appear on the page until AFTER you've printed the label. Except of course, it's not the OLD mini packing slip, it's just a link to the new Order details form.
coolections
·3 years agoJust curious why are you even using a packing slip? I have never sent one and never had a problem not sending one.
mwhonings
·3 years agoI used to be able to print three packing lists on a sheet of paper, now I can only do 1.
I wish they would change it back. It was better and easier to use.
onestopnerdshop
·3 years agoI just saw it and I'm shocked. I always printed these first to take photos with the product before shipment (not like eBay protects its sellers). Not only does this screw up my work flow (will take longer to package now) its a huge waste of paper and ink. I may stop printing them altogether. Unbelievable.
The level of incompetence at eBay is truly mind blowing. Fixing things that don't need fixing and ignoring actual longstanding problems.
mikejack52
·3 years agoAn idiotic change by eBay.
Now I need to go back to order details to print the packing list.
jkramer2
·3 years agoI don't care what the packing slip looks like. What I care about is the ability to print the slip BEFORE I purchase the shipping label. While the weight of the slip and tape used is negligible, it still can put an item over one pound and affect the shipping method. Removing the option to print the packing slip first directly from the purchase label screen is just stupid. Fortunately, you can still print the slip first from the orders screen. I often go directly to the "purchase label" screen from an e-mail, but no longer I guess.
wastingtime101
·3 years agoTo any seller that does not like the packing slip format because it's too long / too many pages on large orders compared to the apparently retired format that was accessible through the label page:
When you generate a packing slip from the "print packing slip and more" option on the Hub Orders page, there's a small link on the lower left of the pop-up window that says "tell us what you think" which pulls up a form that goes directly to the product developers.
They do read those comments and I suggest submitting your FB about the length of these less compact slips if it's negatively impacting your business.
patternsaver
OP3 years agoWell today I tried to print another packing slip. This time the format was different than yesterday in that you could print it from a print button under the slip which took me to my own computer print function. (Unlike yesterday where you had to print from their function.)
The slip still has the shipping charge and the tax listed and still has tons of blank spaces so it takes up more than half a page.
toomuchstuffagain35
·3 years agoI'll try sending "what I think" from there as well.
I don't understand why their devs don't understand the purpose of a packing slip and include the price and shipping.
Heck, even PayPal's packing slip includes the prices but states "this is not an invoice".
lepke1979
·3 years agoI include it. But set it to two per page so it only uses half the paper. Then do a coupon on the other half. Although will probably stop doing that soon since nobody seems to take advantage of it. But want to try a different promo type first.
I also have it do even pages so it excludes the blank page it's been doing lately.
theformoto
·3 years agoI always include a packing slip, for a few reasons:
1. Nowadays, people order so many things online from so many different places, they forget where they ordered from; they just expect it to show up (myself included). The packing slip is just a reminder of where the package is coming from because, at least for me, I don't have boxes manufactured with my logo on them (like Amazon, Walmart, etc.) and I'm not buying eBay shipping boxes or tape.
2. 87% of my orders are multi-item orders (2 or more different items), 50% are 6-10 different items, and 30% are 11+ different items. All of various quantities. I include the packing slip as a reminder of each item they ordered, and the quantity of each; otherwise, my buyers might think they ordered something they didn't, or I forgot to include something. I use it to basically say "Here's what you ordered, and the quantity of each;" so they can compare it to what's in their package.
If most of your orders are single item, single quantity orders, and you don't care about #1, then I don't see why you need to include a packing slip. Save the paper.
As to the new design, don't get me started.... Once a quarter, I get an order for 100+ cards; so, now I'll have to print out a packing slip the size of a small book.
carolynnq
·3 years agoFrom the seller's perspective, as already mentioned, packing slips can be useful if the outside label gets damaged, or the box comes open, etc.
From the buyer's perspective, packing slips are very useful if one is collecting a lot of similar objects. Years ago, a buyer posted on the board asking sellers to include packing slips. She collected lace tablecloths and it was a pain to have to go and figure out which tablecloth came from which seller.
A couple of years later, I was buying 30-40 vintage white milk glass vases for my son and DIL's wedding. If the vase didn't have a packing slip, it wasn't worth my time trying to figure out who it came from in order to leave feedback. Fortunately, none were damaged so I didn't have to do any detective work to determine the seller of the damaged item.
I've always put the half-page packing slip in, but I'm going packing-slip free from now on (unless they bring the half-page one back).
splendidthreads
·3 years agoI include one for several of the reasons already mentioned.
I think the format must be different for different sellers. I've never had the option of not having the shipping and tax included on the packing slip, even through the "customize" link. They have been included all the years I've printed them through Ebay.
I'm wondering if there's a different place on Ebay that some sellers print from. Mine are done from the "manage orders awaiting shipment" page, under the shipping tab. Then I wondered if the OP printed something that I'm seeing labeled as something different. If I look at the "order receipt", it is shorter and takes up half the page. The "packing slip" now takes up about 2/3 of the page. There is also a "pick list" option, but it doesn't include any information about the seller, so I don't think anybody would include that.
Here's what I see when I go to print each one. Looking at it, I didn't have the option of removing the shipping and tax info from the "order receipt" page either.
Packing slip
Order receipt
Pick list
As an aside, printing from any of these 3 does give me the option to preview and scale the print, so maybe others are coming from a different page. It does that with the actual labels, too.
somanypostcards
·3 years agoI liked the old purchase label packing slip because it had 1 line per item, not 5 lines per item. For large combined orders I would print it before buying a label, use it to pull the items for shipment and order then as listed on the packing slip as a convenience to the buyer, put the items and the 1-sheet packing slip in the package, weigh, and ship. If I cannot print a 1-line per item packing slip before printing a label, I will no longer include a packing slip in my shipments of large combined orders. This much longer packing ship that is not available until a label is printed is NOT an improvement, IMHO.
toomuchstuffagain35
·3 years ago@somanypostcards
I used to do the same and this has completely screwed up my work flow.
And packing slips do NOT have item and shipping price on them. ebay doesn't seem to know that.
I'm just going to have to set up a template to copy & paste the info and do my own, the way it used to print out.
cyranojones
·3 years agoI did until today. Never again. Amazon, Walmart and Sam's don't, so from now on it will only be by request.
They've never heard "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
chapeau-noir
·3 years agoThis sounds a bit like the redo of the older style packing slip - so far the packing slips I've printed out have been the usual style.
pcobra93
·3 years agoI always include a packing slip for 2 reasons. One, it allows the buyer to physically see this is what they ordered right when they open the package. Two....it aids in lost package recovery if the label is damaged. If you have ever had a lost package at the USPS you will understand why this is the most important reason.
toomuchstuffagain35
·3 years agoThe one you could print from the labels page was simple & easy and didn't include price or shipping.
They've not redesigned the packing slip, they've just taken away the one you could print from the labels page.
splendidthreads
·3 years agoWhere is the labels page you printed from?
somanypostcards
·3 years agoOn the "Manage orders awaiting shipment" each order has a link "Purchase shipping label." When you click that, until today there was a link on the upper right to print a packing slip.
splendidthreads
·3 years agoThanks, that's basically where I print from, at least the same page. After selecting the items, I use the pull down under the "shipping" link on that page, then click on "print packing slip and more". It gives the option to print the 3 I pasted above. That link is still there for me. It has never given (me) the option to not include the shipping and taxes on the label, and it does appear that I'm printing from a differently-coded page than others do/did before the change you all are describing took place.
I clicked through the "print shipping label" link as if I was going to print a label, and I see now what others were referencing, "We have introduced a new Packing slip tool with new functionalities. You can print your packing slip after generating the label."
You should still be able to print a slip any time you want, and before printing a label. You can print slips for as many items as you want at one time, rather than through each item. This might not be available to others though, if the page you use(d) isn't available to some.
somanypostcards
·3 years agoThanks, I learned something new about checking orders and then clicking on the Shipping drop-down at the top for multiple orders to print a packing slip for all checked. Unfortunately this packing slip takes 5 lines per item, so 40 items result in a 4-page packing slip. The beauty of the packing slip on the Purchase shipping label page was that it was 1-line per item; 40 items resulted in a 2-page packing slip (i.e. 1 sheet of paper). Now I fear that streamline packing slip is a thing of the past.
toomuchstuffagain35
·3 years agoThat's yet another "not understanding" thing. Why on earth would you print a packing slip AFTER the label?
Plus on ebay printing the label immediately moves the order to paid and shipped, so that would be yet another place to go to to find the order to print one anyway.
toomuchstuffagain35
·3 years agoThe usual page for printing individual labels - "print shipping label" on the left hand side of the order in Seller Hub "awaiting shipment". There used to be a blue link on the top right of that label page to print packing slip and it was the one we used to have in 'my ebay' when we had the all selling page with everything in the one place.
Now the link is gone and the other other packing slip options are yuck.
toomuchstuffagain35
·3 years agoI'm another saying WHY?????
There was nothing wrong with the old one.
A packing slip is not supposed to have the price & shipping cost.
samsmagazinesandmore
·3 years agoWHY did Ebay make this change? Why can't they tell us why they think this way is better? If they want to add more info, fine.....but why do they now require that we print the shipping label before seeing a packing slip?
nuclearomen
·3 years agoWHY? because they have an over abundance of employees that do nothing most of the time and need to do something to make it look like they do something and so changes are made all the time. And no, lol, ebay does not inform before they do, they simply do and don't much care what reaction comes.
firejake2003
·3 years agoI feel the same way. I would print the streamlined packing slip for order preparation before printing the shipping label. Sometimes it might take 2 days to prep an order and I don't want to print the shipping label early because then they send messages about why the package hasn't moved in the mail system.
This is a major inconvenience for people who need a little time to prepare an order before printing the shipping label. Plus if you use a different shipping label provider, do you have to add the tracking first in order to be able to print the packing slip?
What a pain!
flp
·3 years agoI don't include a packing slip but I do print out one for myself to keep as a paper copy for my records. eBay prints those slips right in the middle of the paper, (yes, very wasteful) so I've started saving blank backsides from mail I receive and reuse those.