The Tracking Requirement Is Not Fair to Sellers Who Routinely Sell Multiple Items

[clarkphilatelics]

Tightening the tracking requirement from 90 to 95 percent will penalize sellers who routinely sell multiple items and combine shipments. The metric for tracking should be based on shipments, not items. If one buyer receives 20 items in one shipment on a day with a major snow storm or if the Postal Service fails to do normal scans, just one shipment could knock a seller out of TRS.

I also notice that acceptance scans at the local post office are rarely captured in the USPS database. Scans typically don't show up until the packages reach a regional distribution center. To make matters worse, scans are skipped if adverse weather conditions would result in mail not making cutoff times to be forwarded to other regional centers. What happens then is that the first scan may not be captured until the package reaches the regional distribution center close to the destination.

It seems ridiculous to have to scan paper receipts and somehow get them into the hands of someone at eBay (if this is even possible) to prove that the items were mailed and accepted within the handling period. Sellers should be able to indicate when carrier problems occur or hazardous conditions exist. Two years ago, the local post office was closed every Monday in February because of snow.

I don't understand why eBay would consider Mardi Gras to be source of potential shipping delays while paying no attention to excessive snow, freezing rain, flooding, high winds or other hazardous conditions.

[*eponymous*]

Double post...wonky boards, as usual!

[*eponymous*]

I also notice that acceptance scans at the local post office are rarely captured in the USPS database.

Factually untrue.

Use a SCAN form.  Do carrier pickup if you can, or take your packages to the post office, head to the counter and get an acceptance scan for all your packages at once.

Save yourself some money and print your labels online - electronic rates can be quite a bit lower than counter rates for the obvious reason - personnel!

You need to enter the tracking number into eBay transactions so buyers know what to expect.  Buyers now expect tracking, and they expect to get their stuff really fast!  If you cannot provide your paper receipt with a tracking number that shows online at USPS as "delivered" when a buyer files a case "item not received", you have to issue a refund.

You need to understand:  You are responsible for getting your items into the mail-stream within your handling time - and to delivery within the estimated delivery window.  That is your responsibility solely, not the Post Office's.

If you live where winter lasts for 6-7 months, extend your handling time.  All eBay expects you to do is EXACTLY what you say you are going to do!

[mam98031]

Tightening the tracking requirement from 90 to 95 percent will penalize sellers who routinely sell multiple items and combine shipments. The metric for tracking should be based on shipments, not items. If one buyer receives 20 items in one shipment on a day with a major snow storm or if the Postal Service fails to do normal scans, just one shipment could knock a seller out of TRS.

This is not correct.  I'm not sure where you got this info from, but it is not correct.  Not unless you are shipping separately or you didn't have the tracking number attached to the other items in Ebay.

I also notice that acceptance scans at the local post office are rarely captured in the USPS database.

This may be true for you and not for others.  You need to contact your local PO and get this fixed.  Not everyone experiences this, but certainly some do.

I don't understand why eBay would consider Mardi Gras to be source of potential shipping delays while paying no attention to excessive snow, freezing rain, flooding, high winds or other hazardous conditions.

Ebay frequently announces that certain areas are having weather delays and that they will protect sellers.  You might want to follow the announcement board.  And if your area is having a special problem that you don't see announced, contact Ebay and let them know.

[usgamecollector]

it's funny how everytime there is a glitch in the system their response is "that's why we give you a 10% buffer!" I was just thinking the other day how I definitely have glitches and buyer faults more than 10% of the time.. and then a few days later they announce an even stricter policy. It's baffling.

[mam98031]

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@usgamecollector wrote:
it's funny how everytime there is a glitch in the system their response is "that's why we give you a 10% buffer!" I was just thinking the other day how I definitely have glitches and buyer faults more than 10% of the time.. and then a few days later they announce an even stricter policy. It's baffling.

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WHAT?  I've never heard of the "buffer" you speak of and I'm a long time Ebayer.  Would you please explain in more detail.

[lloydsteventaylor]

i feel for you because i dont understand why ebay would cause angst with sellers over this change. my 2 cents is that 90% is fantastic why change to 95% ? now to your point i sometimes(though rarely )i get multiple purchases from the same buyer. in that case i treat that purchase special and get it to the post office for the acceptance scan no matter what because it affects my % greatly.  

[mam98031]

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@lloydsteventaylor wrote:

i feel for you because i dont understand why ebay would cause angst with sellers over this change. my 2 cents is that 90% is fantastic why change to 95% ? now to your point i sometimes(though rarely )i get multiple purchases from the same buyer. in that case i treat that purchase special and get it to the post office for the acceptance scan no matter what because it affects my % greatly.  

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While I understand why you would treat it special, you two are mistaken on how Ebay handles this.  If you have a buyer that purchased 20 different items and you shipped them all together.  As long as you have the tracking number posted for each of those 20 items, that showes that they were shipped together.  Ebay counts that ONCE, not 20 times.  But if you don't enter the tracking number, or do separate shipments / tracking for the 20 transactions, then the outcome could be as you describe.

[Anonymous]

Hey everyone,

This topic is being discussed here: Performance standard change

Thanks

[raquel_bayarea]

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@clarkphilatelics wrote:

Tightening the tracking requirement from 90 to 95 percent will penalize sellers who routinely sell multiple items and combine shipments. The metric for tracking should be based on shipments, not items. If one buyer receives 20 items in one shipment on a day with a major snow storm or if the Postal Service fails to do normal scans, just one shipment could knock a seller out of TRS.

I also notice that acceptance scans at the local post office are rarely captured in the USPS database. Scans typically don't show up until the packages reach a regional distribution center. To make matters worse, scans are skipped if adverse weather conditions would result in mail not making cutoff times to be forwarded to other regional centers. What happens then is that the first scan may not be captured until the package reaches the regional distribution center close to the destination.

It seems ridiculous to have to scan paper receipts and somehow get them into the hands of someone at eBay (if this is even possible) to prove that the items were mailed and accepted within the handling period. Sellers should be able to indicate when carrier problems occur or hazardous conditions exist. Two years ago, the local post office was closed every Monday in February because of snow.

I don't understand why eBay would consider Mardi Gras to be source of potential shipping delays while paying no attention to excessive snow, freezing rain, flooding, high winds or other hazardous conditions.

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Hi @clarkphilatelics, 

When a carrier scan is captured does not impact the calculation for Tracking Requirements. The timing of scans do impact the calculation in your Late Delivery Rate, however. 

The tracking requirement for a transaction relies on two components:

1. Timeliness: You upload the tracking number on eBay within your stated handling time 

2. Validity: A carrier scan at any time during the delivery process for the uploaded tracking number

The first component (you uploading the tracking number) is required to occur before the stated handling time but not the carrier scan. The carrier scan in your Tracking calculation is only for confirming the tracking number is a valid one. 

Regarding Late Shipment Rate: 

If we find a carrier scan that occurs on or before your stated handling time, your transaction will be calculated as on time. If the first carrier scan occurs after your stated handling time, we then look for a delivery confirmation before the transaction’s estimated delivery time. Estimated delivery time is based on your stated handling time, the selected shipping service, and when you receive cleared payment. If both the first carrier scan occurs after your stated handling time and the delivery confirmation scan occurs after the estimated delivery time, the transaction will be counted as a miss in the On-Time delivery requirement.

If there is a delay in carrier scans that results in an ultimate late delivery as well, we have protections in place for that. Take a look at what we do in protections today on the Seller Center. This includes what information to have with you if you need to work with customer service directly. http://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/seller-protection/index.html 

More details on the Seller Performance calculations can be found at the links below:

Infographic of how On-Time Shipping Rate is calculated

Overall Details of the Standards Program and your On-Time Shipping Performance