Trading card sellers dropping the ball?

[funkyfreshmike.2013]

Lately I noticed (at least on my purchases) that more and more sellers are shipping untracked. Currently, I have some old orders that should have been delivered but there's no way of knowing. 

I've also noticed that sellers are getting a tracking number but not actually shipping the cards for a week. I'm trying not to leave negative feedback but I'm sick of this. I'm almost done buying off of Ebay.

[mudshark61369]

@funkyfreshmike.2013,

"Currently, I have some old orders that should have been delivered but there's no way of knowing". 

It has always been incumbent on buyers to keep track of their purchases and delivery time frames.  The last estimated delivery date for each item is shown in the Order details of each listing.

  Since most sellers of cards ship them via USPS, go to the USPS.com site, and sign up for their Free Informed Delivery enhanced tracking service. If you do that, each day except Sunday and Postal Holidays you will get an email with photos in it of the mail being delivered on that day.  You can check a package's or letter's return address in the photo to compare to seller's locations in listings.

"I've also noticed that sellers are getting a tracking number but not actually shipping the cards for a week. I'm trying not to leave negative feedback but I'm sick of this".

Those could be new or inexperienced sellers who have run into ebay's payment hold, or sellers in locations that experienced weather delays or other issues. You can check a seller's handling time on each listing page by clicking on the See details button just to the right of the Shipping: service - cost.  It is also not unusual for seller's who use ebay's special envelope (ESE) shipping/tracking not having scans show up until getting an Out for delivery or Delivered scan.

[gosimus]

@funkyfreshmike.2013 

< Lately I noticed (at least on my purchases) that more and more sellers are shipping untracked >   

As you say, it might be just you.  They examine your feedback received and left history, and check you out the best they can, and conclude that they can trust you not to open a fraudulent not received scam.  With the odds in their favor, they decide to have faith in you and save themselves the expense of tracking. 

[kathiec]

Why do you care so much about tracking? Tracking is for the seller's benefit -- if they don't have tracking proving delivery they'll automatically lose an item not received case. As for the sellers who don't ship for a week, did you bother to check their handling time? It can be anything from one day to 30 days. 

Bottom line is that all you have to do is make note of the estimated delivery dates when you make a purchase. If the item hasn't arrived by the day of the last estimated delivery date you open an item not received case and get a refund. If that's too much for you to keep up with that's a you problem, not a seller problem or an eBay problem.

[pjcdn2005]

Keep in mind that the USPS doesn’t always scan a package when they receive it so it’s possible that the seller mailed the item but that it didn’t get scanned until it was at  at the second or third sorting station.

Also, many trading card sellers use ESE (eBay standard envelope)   ESE packages can not be scanned by the postal clerks .  They are  only scanned by a sorting machine so they wound have been mailed  a few days before you ever see a scan.

[funkyfreshmike.2013]

ok that makes some sense..

[funkyfreshmike.2013]

My experience with tracking vs. no tracking is items with tracking seems to get to me quicker. In most cases i'm able to see if it's at least in my area.  Trading card tracking is not completely accurate..

[tobaccocardyahoo]

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@funkyfreshmike.2013 wrote:

My experience with tracking vs. no tracking is items with tracking seems to get to me quicker. In most cases i'm able to see if it's at least in my area.  Trading card tracking is not completely accurate..

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That is often explicable. A letter with a stamp containing a top loader with a card is often too rigid for the Letter Sorting machines to handle. A problem shared with ESE. If they jam the machine you can expect delays or even destroyed envelopes

[bdmh-enterprises]

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@gosimus wrote:

@funkyfreshmike.2013 

< Lately I noticed (at least on my purchases) that more and more sellers are shipping untracked >   

As you say, it might be just you.  They examine your feedback received and left history, and check you out the best they can, and conclude that they can trust you not to open a fraudulent not received scam.  With the odds in their favor, they decide to have faith in you and save themselves the expense of tracking. 

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Before ESE I would do exactly this on MANY orders..