Ebay Standard Envelope not getting a carrier scan

[cards98765]

Is this a common occurrence for everyone?  It seems I am floating between just above 5-10% not picking up a carrier scan at all.  Most of what I sell is not worth more than $4 (cost of shipping in bubble mailer) so do feel I need to use PWE Ebay Standard Envelope.  However, with more than 5% never getting a carrier scan it is holding me back from earning a top rated seller badge.  Is that what others are seeing when they ship using Ebay Standard Envelope?  I do always leave the barcode free of any tape so it should be able to be read by all the scanners it just isn't happening.  Also complying with weight (easy) and thickness restrictions on using this method.  The discounts for being a Top Rated Seller would be nice but maybe just can't be achieved using Ebay Standard Envelope?  Thanks for any help.

[no-plain-white-envelopes]

If you are chasing the EBAY TRS badge let me tell you it really is not worth the headache to get the 5% off from ebay. 

[fallgold4031]

I think that Ebay states in its discussion of the standard envelope that it is not scanned for tracing at the Post Office.  I have used them a number of times without any problems or comments from customers.  I find them most helpful in selling postcards, etc.  Before they were offered, it was very hard to sell a small two or three dollar item when postage for 3 ounces cost almost four dollars!  With the way the Post Office keeps raising rates, it is going to be even harder to sell low priced items on Ebay.  

[66-sportscards]

I have the same problem. I have lost top seller status too. I am doing nothing different...shipping everything next day, but I am selling more PWE Standard Envelopes. I've got more complaints & ppl wanting refunds because of late shipments too. I am about ready to give up on the .93 cent envelope shipments. Maybe it has something in Ohio with their distribution center in Cleveland....they created problems during covid issue. I don't know, but I'm very frustrated.

[44mag-3589]

I am in jeopardy of losing my top rated status also because of ESEs not getting scanned.  Someone said they only get scanned by the sorting machines, I'm not sure I believe that.  I've watched my carrier pick up my mail and it appears he sits in the car at the box and scans them in, at least one of our drivers, another appears to just pick them up and take off and I think he is the reason for me losing my top rated status, this driver has also been known to just leave packages lying on the ground next to the mailbox, while the other pulls up in my drive and leaves them under the porch.  It looks like ebay would have a different standard for those ESEs, doesn't seem fair that sellers of low cost items should be hurt because of this, but as someone else said maybe thats just something those of us who sell cheaper items will have to live with.

[fatheadcrs]

i Talked to post office and the mail carrier that comes to my house both said that the scans start at the next stop after local post office this means that there is absolutely nothing that can be done to ensure the the item scans into system. I usually have the mail carrier pick up from my house when he drops off my mail but even bringing up to the post office wouldn’t make a difference because it’s not scanned there either. I find interesting that I started to have this issue when it was a certainty that I would reach top rated seller status. Also like many others have said the eBay help section states that these envelopes dont require a scan. I don’t know how they say that and still hold seller responsible for something out of their control. Then there is the reply  I got after escalating the issue with eBay  I explained that even though the  item didn’t receive the carrier scan anytime through its delivery trip I received positive feedback from buyer 3 days after I bought label and tracking was uploaded, I would think that  would prove I had gotten the item to  USPS in time. But the email that was sent by the escalation team was that the carrier scans don’t make a difference in your seller rating and won’t be counted against me, even though states right in the seller rating  report that it will effect top rated status,  I tried sending reply with more info and No response.I have gotten 3 calls after requesting help from eBay and the representatives that are the ones  you talk to with general issues say no problem you are correct and they ensure me  that it will be corrected on my account but they have to escalate to another department to have fixed then nothing happens. In any business the reputation of your business  is determined by the quality of work that you put into your business but in this situation i am doing everything correctly and going beyond the standards set by ebay as far handling time , return policy and other standards they set but I’m still having things that I can not  control effecting my seller rating. I really don’t care about the discounts that they provide for top rated seller  it won’t make a huge difference for me with the amount I sell , what I want is for buyers to know they can buy from me with confidence and they will  have a positive buying experience and that is what that top rated seller badge does. 

[msminimin]

I'm at risk of losing my top ranked seller status due to standard envelope not scanning.  The ebay customer service agent told me to use a carrier I trust, and that he's sure my account will recover from this.  I still go to the same post office I always have, the only difference is not I'm using ebay standard envelope instead of USPS First Class.

He also suggested I should figure it out with the post office.  How can ebay offer a service like this when it does more harm then good.  They should be the ones figuring this out, not me

ebay has to have the least helpful customer service I've ever seen

[vintagesun]

I’m dealing with this too, and I’m blown away at the CS agent’s responses. “You’ll be fine” and “I wouldn’t ship that method anymore” are the answers I got. Excuse me, a service you provide and KNOW doesn’t scan or use a real tracking number yet you’re still counting that against me?!? Holy hell, **bleep** is going on??

[seiowasportscards]

This is becoming a huge issue. I have numerous emails back and forth with CS. It is a different answer every time. Every time I ask how I can prevent this from happening they refer back to the policy about keeping buyers happy by making sure stuff is shipped on time. I am well aware of this. Its why I haven't missed a ship date in 2 years until this envelope shipping started saying I have out of thin air. It's almost like fraud. Ebay knows this is wrong, they know their system is broken. But they still try to blame the seller and USPS for their proprietary "tracking" that doesn't work. I'm not sure how they can hit us with a negative mark when the buyers aren't even opening claims, I've even had a few positive feedbacks on items "not scanned on time"

[sports_yugioh_and_pokemon_cards]

yes I agree with everything you said 100% this is a huge issue. I dont understand how some sellers are saying that they use ebay standard envelope a ton and have had 0 problems with " uploaded on time but no carrier scan" if they are to be believed then it is happening to some of us and not others. it almost seems like something fishy might be going on cause it happens to me at least 2 out  of every 15 cards I ship via standard envelope 

[sports_yugioh_and_pokemon_cards]

yeah this is a huge issue. it really sucks that we could lose top rated status when we do everything correctly just because of something that is outside our control. Life is really unfair lol anyway as you said its not about the miniscule discounts its about what the badge says to potential buyers. in addition to the "enhanced visibility boost" that ebay claims it gives to top rated sellers. (although I'm currently still a top rated seller and it certainly seems like my listings havent seen enhanced visibility compared to before) 

[lepke1979]

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@sports_yugioh_and_pokemon_cards wrote:

yes I agree with everything you said 100% this is a huge issue. I dont understand how some sellers are saying that they use ebay standard envelope a ton and have had 0 problems with " uploaded on time but no carrier scan" if they are to be believed then it is happening to some of us and not others. it almost seems like something fishy might be going on cause it happens to me at least 2 out  of every 15 cards I ship via standard envelope 

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What kind of envelopes are you using and do they ever get a scan? Even if it is at the last part of its journey a week or two later.

[cattts]

Hope this helps.  Ebay standard envelopes do not require an acceptance scan. So why do they ding you on your metrics for uploaded on time but no carrier scan.  I worked for the USPS 33 years so I know that your mail carrier cannot record a scan with their hand scanners.  The Post Office window clerks cannot scan them with the POS system.  If your letter does not run through a DBCS ( Delivery Barcode Sorter ) they never will have a scan. For example they travel through the mail system by being processed manually.  All the clerks I have talked to have no explanation either.  I have complained numerous times and I am about to lose my Top Seller Rating after 24 years.  Standard envelopes must not be counted in the seller metrics. More sellers need to call and file a complaint.  

[htownmma]

I just barely held on for trs this period, so I decided to start doing 2 day handling rather than next day. So this upcoming g month will be my last for top rated. It's too stressful, especially with holidays coming and tons of delays that are out of sellers control.

It's messed up that Ebay penalized sellers for using Ebay standard shipping. If other sellers can maintain top rated despite 

 most orders being Ebay standard God bless them.

I will say out of hundreds of cards i shipped , none have been lost, just severely delayed with scans and delivery and some returns due to postal errors.

If Ebay didn't penalize sellers standard shipping would be fine, but unfortunately if you're like us and use it a lot your tracking rating will take a huge hit

[htownmma]

Yeah I love it when I take the mail to the front desk but they aren't scanned internally till the next day, so Ebay marks it shipped late etc.. Best part is you can't appeal as they will deny it anyways, basically saying it's your problem for not buying 1st class shipping...

[critical_hit_gaming]

I just lost my top-rated seller status this month due to 5 no scans from single trading cards I shipped. I live 2 blocks from the post office, I package every day and ship every morning. Every single package they say didn't get scanned STILL arrived on time and shows complete... just no origin scan.

Frustrating to run a business and do everything correctly only to have eBay change your status due to a scanning issue. 

I had to issue a refund last week because a customer claimed they never received the item, it wasn't scanned so I couldn't see where it was. I gave the refund because I offer a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee. Got a message 4 days after the refund from the customer saying the card arrived in the mail. Well they got the refund, they kept the card, I am out $$$ and I got a no scan which dropped my top rated.

I'm looking at ETSY or Amazon at this point because it has been a slow decline for my shop since 2019 when I started. Fees go up, shipping goes up.

My wife has an ETSY and the USPS shipping did not increase for her as it did for my shop since last week when they raised rates for USPS eBay shipping.

CS here is no help, it's not worth it.