Ebay Standard Envelope has to be non-machinable?

[noirscards]

The post office clerk just told me today i didnt pay enough. That they had to be over $1 and be non-machinable. Is this true? i only paid 63cents for them. He also said they arent tracked even though they have a tracking number??

[1786davycrockett]

@noirscards 

To assist you, it would be helpful for you to supply more information.

What is the weight of the envelopes in question, as there are strict weight limits on the eBay Standard Envelope (ESE).

Are the envelopes in question too rigid?  The ESE must be flexible enough to pass rapidly through the high-speed automatic sorting rollers, which necessitate that the envelopes be able to bend about 45 degrees.

USPS treats the ESE the same as all the other hundreds of thousands of pieces of metered mail which it processes daily.  The "tracking" number on the ESE can NOT be hand-scanned at the USPS counter, or by a hand-scanner held by a USPS carrier.  Instead, the number is machine-scanned by high-speed sorting machinery at the next USPS Distribution Centers, often located in cities or counties far distant from the post office where you mailed your ESE.  

Thus, it may take a day or two for the first "scan" to appear on eBay tracking -- it will NOT appear on the USPS Tracking site, since it is not a USPS tracking number -- it is the registered eBay metered mail number.

Furthermore, for more timely service, the ESE should be mailed in the "Metered Mail" slot in the post office lobby, rather than handed across the counter to a USPS employee or mailed from your own mailbox or a neighborhood mailbox.  

For further assistance, please provide information regarding the questions regarding the weight and flexibility of the envelopes with which you had problems.

[noirscards]

Thanks for that info. The weight of everything I mailed was not even an ounce each. Only one card per top loader. Each envelope could bend at least 45 degrees without hitting the top loader. I will put them through the metered mail slot from now on.

[itscalledapostingid]

They need to be machinable. It's just 1st Class letter service...same as mailing with a 1st class stamp.

The barcode is different than a tracking number. It's an Intelligent Mail® Barcode:

https://postalpro.usps.com/mailing/intelligent-mail-barcode

[slippinjimmy]

Tangentially related...

devon@ebay 

The help page for ESE needs an update!

FCPS should now refer to Ground Advantage (yeah I know people will be referring to First Class Package for years).

Prices, are these the old ones prior to July 9th?

[cardxcraft]

Taking EsE to the front desk or any human at USPS only causes issues as most are not familar with the service.

I send out a lot of these and I always drop in the slot.  Not to toot my own horn but my acceptance and delivery scans are 100%.  I have it dialed in.

[onefootflipper · Accepted solution]

Never ever hand them to the clerk. 

I encourage everyone who uses standard envelope or who is thinking about it to watch this video on it and the best ways to get them through the system with minimal troubles.

https://youtu.be/f9SPX370_IE

[1786davycrockett]

@noirscards 

"Only one card per top loader. "

If your top loader is too stiff, it won't go through the high-speed rollers -- instead, it will simply jam up the mail running behind it.  Then it will be removed by hand, and probably be marked "insufficient postage".

Better to use a penny-sleeve, since the value of the cards can be no more than $20.00.

[devon@ebay]

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@slippinjimmy wrote:

Tangentially related...

devon@ebay 

The help page for ESE needs an update!

FCPS should now refer to Ground Advantage (yeah I know people will be referring to First Class Package for years).

Prices, are these the old ones prior to July 9th?

---

Hey @slippinjimmy. Thank you for alerting me to this. I have this sent over the to the Shipping team and the pricing that is showing does appear to be the old pricing prior to July 9th. I will work with them to have that updated.

[benjoh1976]

Toot your own horn all you want, but my superstitious butt would knock on wood - I'd be afraid of jinxing myself! 🙂

I'm in 100% agreement on just dropping in the slot.  The one time I mailed a bunch of them along with some 1st Class Pckgs I had a weird discussion with the employee.

[thelongball]

About 2 months ago I received a test envelope right from eBay Corp. It came to me the same way I've sent mine since the start. A 9 x 5 envelope with the top loader, in between a piece of paper with a small piece of tape to keep the top loader centered. I've had no issues with this method since the start. But yes don't take it to the counter as the postal employees know nothing about it and will want to run it thru as a package. They are of the belief that if your selling something, its a package. Almost a attitude of frustration like we are trying to cheat them. The sample that eBay sent me came to me just fine also. 

[cardxcraft]

I definitely knocked on wood, even though its getting harder to find these days.  

Regarding the EsE, it really is about dialing it in and following strict guidelines. 

I disliked the program initially because I wasn't getting scans and had customer refusals...no doubt they were getting postage dues, up rates and non-machinables.  My fault.

Now I have my system down and streamlined, which if I follow, there should be no problems as the USPS process is automated.  Knock on wood.

[devon@ebay]

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@slippinjimmy wrote:

Tangentially related...

devon@ebay 

The help page for ESE needs an update!

FCPS should now refer to Ground Advantage (yeah I know people will be referring to First Class Package for years).

Prices, are these the old ones prior to July 9th?

---

Hey @slippinjimmy! I just got word that the help page should be updated by end of day today to

•  Reflect accurate ESE rates
• Change 'First Class Package Service' to 'First Class Mail Service' (which is accurate as ESE should be compared to FCMS, which is not part of USPS Ground Advantage)

[bardowncardsllc]

How do cards, even top loaded, not constantly get damaged if they are being bent "up to 45 degrees"?

I use semi rigid cardboard mailers that are well within the stated dimensions, ratios and parameters and I have had nothing but problems...taking 40 days, returning incorrectly for postage due, some perhaps vanishing into thin air, etc.

[bardowncardsllc]

I too received a sample not too long ago..ironically it was literally the exact same semi rigid cardboard mailer w toploaded card setup i use.  It's ironic because i have nothing but issues w this program..packages taking 40+ days, being incorrectly returned bc the USPS employee doesn't know how to do their job, etc etc