Losing my Top Rated seller rating
Summary: tgail1 is experiencing issues with eBay's shipping metrics, despite shipping promptly, due to delayed USPS scans in their rural area. powell-collectibles suggests that it is a USPS issue and recommends getting items scanned at the post office, while 5star_general_seller believes eBay should account for such discrepancies. Other participants, like shire123 and mam98031, share their experiences, suggesting solutions like modifying handling time and ensuring packages are scanned. The discussion highlights differences in opinion on whether the issue is with eBay or USPS and explores various strategies to maintain shipping metrics.
I'm having a big problem with eBay's rating of my "on time" shipping. I've been a "Top Rated" seller for nearly 6 years, but in recent months I've seen my late shipment rate increase, and my "uploaded and tracked" percentage plummet, giving me a now "Above Standard" rating. All of this despite shipping out nearly every item same day and having a designated 2-day handling time. I suspect it's because I live in a rural area and my items are not being properly scanned into the USPS system until they reach a major shipping hub (in my case, Houston TX). If that's the case, eBay's rating system has a serious flaw. Is anyone else experiencing this?
tobaccocardyahoo
·3 weeks agoYou are using Ebay Standard Envelope as a shipping method.
You have made a decision which puts your seller rating at risk.
The tracking is known to be unreliable. It cannot be scanned when you drop it off. And how you pack affects both the scans and delivery time. Sellers who ship in top loaders get worse performance than sellers to use less rigid and less protective methods to pack their cards.
My solution is not to sell very inexpensive cards where the cost of shipping Ground Advantage can be multiples of what the card sells for.
ryry-jj
·3 weeks agoIf you take it to the USPS counter you can get it scanned, if your carrier picks it up, you can have them scan it before the package leaves your building. Are you just dropping off in bins or leaving the package on the counter, or what?
mam98031
·3 weeks agoIf you are shipping without tracking that would be why you are seeing this issue on some of your shipments. Without tracking Ebay does not know when you ship an item much less see the tracking.
If you feel that some of your shipments that you are shipping with tracking are not getting the proper attention within your 2 day handling window, try changing your handling time to 3 days and see if that helps.
You want to make sure you do NOT fall Below Standard as a rating for a seller. If that happens there is a penalty fee that will apply to all your sales.
I would also encourage you to contact the PO directly and ask why it is taking so long for those packages that you are shipping with tracking to get scanned. Talk with the Postmaster of that office for the best answers. This is something that few are willing to do because they assume it will result in nothing, but that isn't really true. It often results in a resolution to the problem. But if you don't like what you are being told or you feel you were mistreated, then go to usps.com and file a complaint. Those work too.
https://emailus.usps.com/s/personnel-inquiry
dbmm-media
·3 weeks agoyes
worldcoinauctions
·3 weeks agoMy items get scanned sometime the day after mailing usually, but I've not noticed any hits to my account because of it. Sometimes they take longer, not getting scanned until the destination, but as long as I've printed the label in time it has been marked timely.
thief_in_the_night_100_rating_seller
·3 weeks agoIve never once made a purchase just bc someone had a top rating seller badge, but maybe im different.
shire123
·3 weeks agoI also wonder about one feature on the getting a label page that might be having an influence on this metric.
When you go to get a label for your item, you input the weight and dimensions. But just a few lines down there is a box which is defaulted to "shipping" on the today's date. I have missed changing this a number of times when I would be shipping on the next day.
For me this is a problem with orders that come in later in the day or on Fridays. I am slowly learning to change the "ship" date to the date it actually will be shipped. I know that my PO does scan when I give them the package but I still a 0.5% late ship number.
shire123
·3 weeks agoAnd since I got much more diligent about changing that ship date field my late shipment metric dropped this past month to 0.25%. So maybe late shipments may not be entirely due to nonscanning by the PO?????
powell-collectibles
·3 weeks agoYes – I deal with a similar situation. Some of my smaller items don’t get scanned even when they get to the next destination after the post office. The loft and get a scan at the post office in the buyers city.
It isn’t an eBay flaw. That’s a USPS issue. The solve is completely in my control – I can wait for a scan at the post office instead of just dumping myIt isn’t an eBay flaw. That’s a USPS issue. The solve is completely in my control – I can wait for a scan at the post office instead of just dumping my packages in the bin. Whatever ding I get to my metrics is my fault. I’m good with a dash I know the trade-off.
One thing that you can do to help alleviate, the situation is to have a longer handling time. If you put in something like a week, you are going to be in reasonably good shape.
thief_in_the_night_100_rating_seller
·3 weeks ago · EditedIt IS an ebay flaw if it hurts your metrics and they arent accounting for it to happen.
and adding to your handling time is stupid. Everyone wants the quickest possible delivery.
Such bad advice IMO
fern*wood
·3 weeks agoI personally don't think a longer handling time is stupid. It will allow a longer timeframe to meet the metrics if TRS status is important to you. If you are a quick shipper, ebay will still display a quick delivery to potential buyers regardless of the handling time.
powell-collectibles
·3 weeks agoAgreed that extending handling time is a bit of a goofy workaround. The cleanest is for the seller to get a scan at the post office. I don’t expect eBay to work and expend resources to fix what is in my control and the result of my decisions.
mam98031
·3 weeks agoEbay is NOT the carrier and has nothing to do with when or if a package gets scanned. That is all on the actual carrier you chose to ship with.
thief_in_the_night_100_rating_seller
·3 weeks agoIf you dont work for ebay, you're hired.
His problem is WITH Ebay. He doesnt have metrics with the shipping company. The person offering the metrics has the issue. He cant do nothing about that. But this shouldnt be hurting him either if he is dropping the packages off by the correct time.
If you think otherwise, please start over with 1st grade.
mam98031
·3 weeks agoIs that suppose to be an insult? Because your opinion is different, that automatically makes me wrong?
Ebay has rules for sellers that we ALL have to comply with. If you don't agree with those rules, that is just fine, no one is forcing you to sell on this site. But when you accept the User Agreement so that you can sell on this site, whether you agree with the rules or not, you have to comply with them.
Standard First-Class Mail letters, postcards, and large envelopes do not have tracking. It has ALWAYS been risky for a seller to use these methods of shipment since they can not prove delivery. Not sure how you can argue that point, but I respect your right to disagree.