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Ebay Standard Envelope Delivery
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.
27 comments
kh-samyak
·11 months agoHi everyone,
Due to the age of this thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.
Thank you for understanding.
uffdahhhpostcard
·2 years agoLike a few others here, I have finally given up on eBay Standard Envelope (ESE). It worked great for me for the past year or so (1,000+ shipments) but in the past few months the USPS has had major problems switching over to the new regional processing centers. I wonder how they will perform during the upcoming busy holiday period?
Our local USPS trucks most of the mail 83 miles to the Green Bay processing center now. Sometimes it sits for a week or two and sometimes it gets processed late at Milwaukee. Mondays are the worst. They seem to put a low priority on processing the ESE type mail (treated like junk mail) but high priority on Ground Advantage (must be much more profitable). The tracking is very inconsistent and many times never scanned at all.
eBay complicates the process by putting unrealistic delivery dates on the transaction. I've had customers file a dispute immediately when the item is not received by the short estimate date range and demand an immediate refund. One time the customer agreed to wait another week but eBay dinged me anyway by refunding the customer and closing out the dispute as "non-responsive". Now I just go ahead and refund one day before the required response date just to protect my rating. I know very well some (or most) of the customers do eventually get their package since nothing gets returned, but very rarely does anyone offer to reimburse me.
I also have some of the other issues mentioned here like showing delivered but still not received or no tracking showing up at all. A few customers have accused me of never shipping it since no initial tracking showed up. With no tracking, I can't get reimbursed under the ESE program. We have a 100% feedback rating and rarely had any disputes over the past 20+ years. We now have had 13 disputes in the past 90 days - all for items not received under the ESE program or mailing USPS First Class.
In July I tried a month of just shipping USPS First Class but still had a few problems of slow shipments, item not received disputes, plus about to lose my Top Seller status because no tracking uploaded.
On August 24th I now only ship Ground Advantage in a bubble mailer with cardboard. It is expensive (about $3.85 to $4.25) and I charge the customer $3.75. The tracking is excellent (same day local acceptance scan) and I have no more drama. I know I may lose some sales but so far this is working well for me.
The ESE was a great concept, but recent issues with the USPS delivery times, USPS scanning, and eBay's unrealistic delivery dates given to customers make it no longer worth it for us.
monadnockman
OP2 years agoI know what you are saying. I am considering doing the satme as you because I am also losing my top status. Recently the PO has rejected 3 of my orders saying they should be nonmachineable. Contained two cards in top loaders. They also rejected one order which was one card. I started shipping two or more cards as non machineable which has effected my rate. I dont know why it makes a difference to ebay. It doesnt for foreign orders which I ship a single card for $4.00. I have been with ebay over 20 years and I am not happy how they treat sellers.
goodnu9
·1 year agoSo you're taking a hit on shipping with GA only charging $3.75 when costs run between $3.85-$4.25? You must make it up on the cost of the item? I charge $4.95 when I use GA when my shipping cost averages $4 or more living in NH. eBay still charges 13% on shipping fees plus you have the cost of bubble envelopes, shipping labels, ink, tape, etc for S/H.
bobosaur
·2 years agoWell, the ESE jumped up and bit me in the butt again. I recently received back 2 envelopes for insufficient postage. Both envelopes were no different than the dozens of others I shipped. They met all the requirements! About a year ago I stopped using ESE. But, in a perfect world it's wonderful for both buyer and seller so I started back up early this year. It's just too much of a hassle. I used a thin cardboard envelope and for single or 2 cards I use a Card Saver I. That way it's flexible, less than 1/4" , and even though most of the shipments were ok, I did receive a lot of emails complaining about tracking says delivered but card(s) not there. All that takes time, which I don't have. So, I'm just not going to list single cards anymore. Everything will be in lots so I can use GA. A shame because it is a great concept. I've been w/eBay for 25 years. I wish they would go back to the drawing board on the concept.
goodnu9
·1 year agoDon't give up on ESE. I switched to the 4"x6" envelopes mailing out 1-2 cards. Less hassle than the 4"x9" envelopes. When using the 4"x9" envelopes, don't place the toploader/semi-rigid with cardboard in the middle of the envelope. I put it closer to the end opposite the metered stamp but leave room so that the end is flexible. I have learned a lot by reading the comments on this discussion board relating to shipping.
burron1
·2 years agoI ship a lot with the Ebay Standard Envelope program...Basically it's a nightmare and neither Ebay or USPS seems to care about fixing the problems. I've had items taking ip to 5 weeks to be delivered, they are showing that items are delivered when they haven't been, and the Post Office will not acknowledge to the client that the tracking number is a legitimate tracking number!!! Items never received by the buyer never ever end up being sent back to me,...they just disappear into the mist!!! Ebay should be working on these problems and having these corrections addressed...Have you ever noticed that Ebay is never wrong??? Very upsetting that this program is costing me tons of money with no end in sight...
monadnockman
OP2 years agoI do not list as much as you but I have some of the same issues. Several times they just never show up as far as I know. My last instance the person let me know it showed up weeks later and he paid me. How many times in the past has it showed up later and we never know. I have been with ebay many years. I use to think they worked for the seller, than i thought they worked for the buyer now I know they ony work for themselves. If tracking wasn't an issue I would do away with standard envelope and switch to USPS Ground but a lot of my Items list for $1.00 and shipping would be more than the item. I continue to use Ebay Standard Envelope and hope for the best.
tobaccocardyahoo
·1 year agoThere is no solution possible. USPS is seeking additional revenue without investing in new equipment.
The items on Ebay which have the greatest need are no worth enough a lot of effort to Ebay. Ebay has made a change. It now displays a warning if you intend to buy ESE, telling you to be sure you meet the packaging requirements.
Had one last postcard listed which had ESE shipping. It sold this weekend. I shipped it GA. It was not an expensive piece but was worth more than $1 sports card and I did not lose money on the sale.
Having to deal with an unhappy customer is not anything I want to do. And this is America and I get to choose whether to do something stupid or not.
goodnu9
·1 year agoIt's a constant battle using ESUS tracking labels. I decided to sell my cheap $1 cards using the 4"x6" envelopes instead of the business size 4" x9" envelopes. No returns or not being track with the smaller ones. The USPS machine operators use their "Judgement Call" to determine if an envelope will go thru a machine. A clerk told me this when I complained about my envelopes being returned. Imagine, not using any type of measurement/weight device but looking and weighing with their hands! So the machine operator comes in wasted from the night before, on drugs, **bleep** off mood, family problems and decides a big NO on your envelopes! 🤣 I have had many 4"x9" envelopes returned with an elastic band but only the top envelope marked "add 46 cents" for being non machinable. I can tell they weren't run thru a machine. Envelopes still looked fresh. So I would reprint the label that was marked and would mail them all out the next day. Guess what? They all show tracking and I didn't do a darn thing to them!
Anytime I get a defect in my Seller Dashboard relating to no scans, I would call eBay and explain the situation and to have the defect removed. It works 100% of the time. Fight if you're in the right!
nylvseller
·2 years agoso are you guys saying you are putting $1.12 and stamping the pwe non machinable?
monadnockman
OP2 years agoOn 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.
12345jamesstamps
·2 years agoI 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
OP2 years agoI 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
·2 years agoDoesn't that hurt your seller rating shipping so many items with no tracking?
fm2000
·2 years agoShipping 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
OP2 years agoI 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.
wastingtime101
·2 years agoHi @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=5308
monadnockman
OP2 years agoThank you for your information. Perhaps I need to explain this better to some people when this issue occurs.
tobaccocardyahoo
·2 years agoI 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.
monadnockman
OP2 years agoSelling 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.
jacobfw
·11 months agoBuyer here. I've literally had two cards go missing within the last week even though they say they were delivered, and even cards that have arrived have taken longer than using USPS. If you're a seller please do not use ESE. It is not a reliable or professional service.
mr_lincoln
·2 years agoHi @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.
monadnockman
OP2 years agoYou have a valid point and I thank you for your reply.
solidguitar1961
·2 years agoWithout 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.
monadnockman
OP2 years agoI 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.
tobaccocardyahoo
·1 year agoYES because non-machineable is not sent through the letter mail sorters.