Uploading tracking on time

[rathmik]

I've noticed that I've received a mark on my store performance regarding "failure to upload tracking on time" and that is just nonsense. The date of this was 3/14, which is a Tuesday, and given the item was sold on that date, and the fact I live less than 1/4 of a mile from the Post Office which was open on that day, my habit is to immediately take the package to the Post Office. It's not that I didn't upload the tracking on time. What it actually is all about is the failure of the Post Office to upload the tracking when I hand them the package. Anyone who has paid any attention to how sloppy the USPS system has become lately has probably experienced this same sort of failure. How am I responsible for their failure? If you'll bother to read my reviews, you'll see that one of the things you can count on from me is extremely fast shipping. Granted this negative mark on my reputation isn't that big a deal, but I do not like being "dinged" for something which I did not do.

[rathmik]

To further prove my point about this, the Ebay App shows that on 3/14/2023 @ 8:42 AM USPS was in possession of the item, but the next thing shows that at 9:14 AM the USPS  "awaits item". This clearly shows that the Failure to Upload Tracking Information on Time is entirely the fault of the USPS. Please stop giving me negative remarks on my stores performance when it is NOT my fault.

[twinkling.smile]

@rathmik 

Here you can appeal a defect.

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/selling/seller-levels-performance-standards/appeal-defect?id=4871

[rathmik]

Just not seeing how that is going to work. Was hoping Ebay would look at it since they probably can see the tracking on it, and then correct themselves. It's not that it really matters because I know I did nothing wrong, but it's a matter of pride with me. I try very hard to run a tight ship but I can't compensate for things that are beyond my control, i.e. a dysfunctional postal system. But thanks any way.

[twinkling.smile]

Did you notice the link "Appeal a defect" near the bottom of the help page?

I recommend to appeal the defect. You never know what will happen in the future.

You also can contact eBay with a click on "Contact us".

Then add 'agent' in the chat box that popped up.

And make a choice for a chat or a call to you.

[rathmik]

Yes, and if you'll let me I can explain how this happened: On 3/14 @ 5:49 AM I filled the order for this item which generated a tracking number. At 7:49 Am, ebay sent the next tracking info saying "USPS Awaits Item". (note that this is exactly 2 hours) At 8:49Am the item was hand delivered to the clerk at the post office and was scanned right then showing that "USPS was in possesion of the item". At 9:14 AM ebay generated another tracking message saying "USPS is awaiting item". (Keep in mind the Post Office here, where the item was scanned, doesn't open until 8:30AM) By this time ebay's system is detecting that "tracking wasn't uploaded on time" and I was given a performance failure even though USPS had the item in hand. At first I thought the problem was with the USPS, but when the Postmaster showed me the tracking on his laptop, you could clearly see that the second awaiting item message was generated by Ebay, thus resulting in the appearance that I had failed to upload tracking on time. If there was a way to remove that second "awaiting item" message from the ebay system, this never would have happened. It was a "perfect storm" of a sort started by me filling an order 3 hours before the Post Office was open and clearly shows I did nothing wrong. I am trying to get a phone call from the Appeals Department so that I can explain this to them as well.

[twinkling.smile]

Good luck.

Please let me know the outcome.

[rathmik]

So far the ding I got from Failure to Upload Tracking is still on me. I've called numerous times. I don't know what else to do. I guess I'm going to just have to wear it.

[mr_lincoln]

Hi @rathmik 

-A while back I shipped 4 packages at the same time and left with a receipt from the Post Office with all 4 Acceptance scans and tracking numbers.  Later that week a Buyer filed an Item not received claim so I checked tracking on the packages shipped that day.  Low and behold 2 of the 4 packages never registered on the USPS site or eBay's tracking ... just showed the Post Office was waiting for the package.  I wound up having to refund that Buyer BUT the other one got their item and left Positive FB.  So there were two dings through no fault of my own ... a few weeks go by and I checked my Dashboard the dings had been dropped, checked the Sold files and the FULL tracking history was uploaded to both items AND the person who filed the INR actually got their package on time, they just worked the system and got a free item

-I now have a new ding because I did a Local Pick up and eBay's poor programming does not automatically drop the shipping metric on a Local Pick up sale ... so I have to call to get that ding removed.  You would think they would have that one figured out right?!?

[twinkling.smile]

@rathmik 

@mr_lincoln 

This is horrible.

(It's better to move to the Netherlands, where I live. )

[mr_lincoln]

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@twinkling.smile wrote:

@rathmik 

@mr_lincoln 

This is horrible.

(It's better to move to the Netherlands, where I live. )

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@twinkling.smile , @rathmik 

The horrible part is when Sellers get dings through no fault of their own because a 3rd party on a transaction failed to do their part.  It's one thing to make note that it happened, it's a completely different issue to penalize the Seller for it.

Most of the Seller metrics are subjective at best ... 

[rathmik]

This is getting sorta frustrating. I just hand delivered a package to the USPS clerk, she scanned it, I go home and check the tracking to see what it did. It still shows the USPS is awaiting the item. I don't know the answer to all of this. All I can do is do my  job and the rest is out of my control. If I catch dings for it, well, there's nothing I can do about that either so I guess I'll just have to wear them and press on.

[mr_lincoln]

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@rathmik wrote:

This is getting sorta frustrating. I just hand delivered a package to the USPS clerk, she scanned it, I go home and check the tracking to see what it did. It still shows the USPS is awaiting the item. I don't know the answer to all of this. All I can do is do my  job and the rest is out of my control. If I catch dings for it, well, there's nothing I can do about that either so I guess I'll just have to wear them and press on.

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@rathmik   Sometimes there is a lag between when they scan the item and when that info is transferred to eBay via the API software residing between the two companies.  I would be more concerned if on day 2 there was no registered tracking on eBay.  Check that tracking number on the USPS site and see if it is in their system yet.

The other thing you can do to see if it is an issue local to THAT post office is ship another package at a different Post Office.  I would do that if it were me.  We have over a half dozen post offices in a 5 mile radius, you may not have that type of postal saturation where you live but it would be worth a try.

[rathmik]

Tracking seems to be working correctly now. I'll tell you what the Postmaster in my town told me and then I'm pretty much done talking about this.

As far as First Class packages go: When you hand in to the clerk your package, they will scan it. Then all First Class packages end up in a bin that has it's own tracking number assigned to it and your tracking number will not show movement until it is delivered. At the moment it reaches wherever it is going, the delivery guy is SUPPOSE  to scan it, but that doesn't mean he/she will. (I've had first class packages that completely disappear as far as scanning/tracking goes once initially handed to the USPS but the customer tells me they got it..and it was never scanned upon delivery)

Priority packages are different. Supposedly those are scanned along the way resulting in you being able to see where it is and when it gets delivered. Again, if the person actually putting it in the receivers mailbox fails to scan it there, all bets are off.

And that's really all I can say about it. I do appreciate Ebay fixing whatever it was that was causing the trouble and keep in mind that computer systems are a funny beast. They mess up and cause chain reactions causing other messes...

As for using "other" post offices, it won't matter here. They funnel all mail to the same place and then it goes on....just to make things a little worse, using the outside drop bin here will seriously slow things down as far as tracking goes. I suspect it may differ from town to town, but here it's really not a good idea to use those outside bins since it could be adding a couple of days to the package before anyone ever scans it the first time.

[mr_lincoln]

@rathmik wrote: " ... I'll tell you what the Postmaster in my town told me and then I'm pretty much done talking about this. ..."

-Good post

-USPS's tracking system is bookended by human involvement - inbound acceptance scan and the outbound delivery scan on all classes with a tracking number.  If the humans don't do their part errors can happen

-In between the inbound and outbound legs are the bulk package centers, I have been through 3 of them and know how they work

-The potential for a glitch in the API software between USPS and any of their internet venues (eBay, Etsy, Etc) is always a possibility as is  an anomaly on the equipment in the bulk centers ... it happens