Large Envelope shipping confusion
I just sold something that I recently changed the shipping service to First Class Mail Large Envelope, thinking that was acceptable for first class mail packages to be shipped in small bubble envelopes but I was wrong. After I sent the invoice and the buyer paid, lol and behold First Class Mail Large Envelope was NOT included in the shipping options to pay online. I further read that it can only be purchased at the PO unless you use stamps.com, is really for paper documents and doesn't even have tracking. Why on earth would eBay even allow a seller to ship non trackable merchandise is beyond me, especially after finding out that tracking labels were changed to being obtained by only subscription Pitney Bowes customers. That's just asking to be scammed by a buyer! eBay needs to really take this down along with First Class Mail letter (that's also not trackable). This should not be listed as an option to ship.
I read on another post that there are tracking labels/stickers but it seems to have been changed to commercial members of Pitney Bowes that have to pay something monthly ($14.99 I think) to be a member. I am not going to pay $14.99 a month. Look at this link here:
https://link.usps.com/2023/01/17/service-update-3/
A google search turns up this as a result:
Luckily I am only out a difference of $1.40 but effective immediately I am getting rid of the Large Envelope option as well as international Large Envelope. eBay only shows me USPS Ground Advantage for the cheapest option.
wastingtime101
·2 years agoA lot of sellers entire business is selling items that qualify for letter / flat postage, untracked. Why should eBay restrict sellers from using that service? I've shipped countless untracked letters and flats over the years. While I know I'd have to refund if a non-receipt claim is filed, so far I've had honest buyers in those categories. Most buyers are honest.
eBay just recently added letter / flats to the list of services - decades overdue. This is not an error and they should not be removing it.
It's up to the seller to know whether or not their item meets a carrier's physical requirements before selecting any service from the list. Sellers need to police themselves to make sure they're following the carrier's rules because if they're caught breaking the rules, it falls to the seller, not to eBay, to deal with the carrier's consequences.
Fortunately you figured it out before shipping and your loss of less than two bucks is basically nothing. Could have been more significant than that. The only item in your list of active and sold listings that might qualify for the service is item 186186430059.
statelineracer
·2 years agoThe biggest problem that arises is the fact that as a "Top Rated Seller" you MUST upload tracking. I recently shipped and item in a first class envelope and was dinged for not uploading tracking. It seem that first class document are the last unverified item in the postal system. No, I don't expect my carrier to scan ALL the mail but why not offer tracking for say $1?
epicdecals
·2 years agoTHIS ^
I lost my Top Rated Seller status years ago after they implemented the tracking requirement change. I only use first class letter/large envelope. Then again it doesn't really matter anymore. How come you can have tracking on a $0.50 item from china but not a $5 sticker shipped across town?
I go to my local post office and buy stamps since metering companies are such a ripoff unless you ship hundreds of items a week. Their fee is the cost of your effort basically.
I'm going to try that letter option in ebay and see what happens today. I don't see a large option though. I used it before a few years back then it vanished. I saw it as an option in my listing but it's not an option to buy in shipping labels rn.
nobody*s_perfect
·2 years agoThis page about eBay's Standard Envelope might clarify this service for you:
https://www.ebay.com/sellercenter/shipping/choosing-a-carrier-and-service/ebay-standard-envelope