Ebay standard envelope shipping defects

[trevysells]

I keep getting close to getting top rated seller but I have been shipping a lot of ebay standard envelopes and anytime they are late I get a late shipping defect that ebay won't remove even if I dropped them off in time. A lot of times the first scan on these is days later in another city. I'm not sure how that is my fault or how to avoid it. Any help is appreciated.

[broto_64]

Doesn't matter when the scan happens, all that matters is that it gets to the buyer on time.
Perhaps you have it listed under Priority and are mailing it Ground Advantage?
You have to check all your details, often the devil is in the details.

[mr_lincoln]

Hi @trevysells 

ESE (eBay Standard Envelope) scans are not done at Post Offices, they are done on automated highspeed mail sorting machines.  The code is completely different than a package bar code.   The last scan for ESE is the mail sorting machine closest to the Post Office they go to for delivery to customers.

You will be battling the defect issue as long as you sell items that ship via ESE.  

[trevysells]

The listings are set to the correct shipping, "eBay standard envelope". And they did get delivered after the estimated window but the issue is the first scan showing on tracking was at the destination sorting facility even tho I handed these directly to a post office worker within handling time.

[trevysells]

That is unfortunate. It seems there should be a different way to prove handling time for the ESE than standard shipping. Half of mine get origin scans and half don't so I just have to hope they get delivered in time. Thanks

[mr_lincoln]

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@trevysells wrote:

That is unfortunate. It seems there should be a different way to prove handling time for the ESE than standard shipping. Half of mine get origin scans and half don't so I just have to hope they get delivered in time. Thanks

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@trevysells 

Actually, since the whole "tracking" for ESE is DIFFERENT than the standard USPS package tracking the eBay Seller Metric should also be completely different AND Sellers should NOT be as penalized by a system is that is NOT a door to door tracking process.

[rainbowcomicsandcards]

We had issues with this when we would put them in mail box or drop off at counter at the post office. We found that our local post office has a slot in the lobby for mail to drop off (think its called metered mail or something similar)  but since I have started dropping the ESE envelopes in they seem to get scanned at the origination so don't have any more late shipping issues and its helped our rating.

[cardxcraft]

I never hand ESE to postal clerks, it confuses them.  I put them in outgoing if there's no meter mail drop slot.

[mr_lincoln]

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@rainbowcomicsandcards wrote:

We had issues with this when we would put them in mail box or drop off at counter at the post office. We found that our local post office has a slot in the lobby for mail to drop off (think its called metered mail or something similar)  but since I have started dropping the ESE envelopes in they seem to get scanned at the origination so don't have any more late shipping issues and its helped our rating.

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@rainbowcomicsandcards 

Good to know ... but I think the Seller Metrics should be handled differently than the regular bar code tracking since the process is completely different.  I view this as an oversite by eBay.

[bdmh-enterprises]

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@mr_lincoln wrote:

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@trevysells wrote:

That is unfortunate. It seems there should be a different way to prove handling time for the ESE than standard shipping. Half of mine get origin scans and half don't so I just have to hope they get delivered in time. Thanks

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@trevysells 

Actually, since the whole "tracking" for ESE is DIFFERENT than the standard USPS package tracking the eBay Seller Metric should also be completely different AND Sellers should NOT be as penalized by a system is that is NOT a door to door tracking process.

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My ESE run about 5% no del scan and 1% no scan at all, and I have never received a defect for any of them. For quite a while I thought they were treated different until coming on this forum and seeing complaints like the OP's. I'd love to know what the difference is between us and what mechanism is used to determine on time delivery when there are no scans. I'd say less than 30% leave FB so that's probably not it. Is eBay specifically asking customers if they receive items to determine this? Am I just really lucky that no scan ones are the ones having FB left and that's it?

Also FYI, the Intelligent Mail Barcodes used for the "tracking" now use geo tagging, so in many areas they now get marked 'delivered' when the carrier enters the fence of the recipient. Which has noticeably cut down on the "why does the tracking say delivered when it's not?" messages.

[bdmh-enterprises]

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@cardxcraft wrote:

I never hand ESE to postal clerks, it confuses them.  I put them in outgoing if there's no meter mail drop slot.

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100%! It definitely helps to have them mixed in with regular mail. My carrier takes mine or I use the letter slot at the PO.

[trevysells]

This is good to know. The post office I usually go to does not have a separate box for metered so I usually hand them to a worker but I have seen the metered boxes at other locations. Thanks.

[trevysells]

So this is where it gets weird and I think it probably has to do with how the defects are automated. I have had a few with no delivery scan and there was no issue, no defect at all. The ones I get defects for are those with a delivery scan that is outside the original eBay estimated delivery window. So because it is outside the estimate and there is no original scan proving I dropped it off in time they automatically assume me, the seller, is at fault and not a delay in shipping out of my control.

[bdmh-enterprises]

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@trevysells wrote:

So this is where it gets weird and I think it probably has to do with how the defects are automated. I have had a few with no delivery scan and there was no issue, no defect at all. The ones I get defects for are those with a delivery scan that is outside the original eBay estimated delivery window. So because it is outside the estimate and there is no original scan proving I dropped it off in time they automatically assume me, the seller, is at fault and not a delay in shipping out of my control.

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Oh wow, that is interesting. Almost all mine do get origin scans. I definitely think NOT giving them to a clerk will help with that. I leave them in my box for the carrier to take and dump in a bucket with all the other mail he collects. If your PO has no letter slot a blue box will work as well. They need to be machined and your clerks must be doing something to avoid that.

[wastingtime101]

You can still be Top Rated with a longer handling time @trevysells , so if your ESE are not getting scanned for a few days, by extending your handling time to accommodate that, yet still shipping next day (or whatever you normally do), that will give you some wiggle room to get the first scan.

My local sort facility is good about scanning my ESEs. I'm also careful with how I pack to make sure there are no kickbacks.

How are you packing your cards? Sometimes using top loaders makes the envelopes too stiff and cause issues with scans.

I'll post some general info below - if it helps great and if it doesn't apply to you just ignore.

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eBay Standard Envelope (ESE) is a metered letter mail shipment so it does not receive traditional tracking scans. The clerk at the PO counter cannot scan it and you can't track it on the USPS website. The envelopes are scanned by sorting machinery at distribution centers along the way and tracking will appear on eBay.

Common reasons ESE labels don't get scanned include:
- Overpacking. Envelopes are too stiff. It's not recommended to use trading card top loaders or cardboard mailers.
- Using ineligible packing material such as a bubble envelope.
- Placement of label. Label should be placed in the upper right corner with approx 1/8"-1/4" clearance from edges. If it's placed too far from the corner the machinery won't scan it.
- Placing items like coins in the center of the envelope. The center of the envelope needs to be the most flexible part.
- Printer ink is not dark enough, or label color is too bright (stick to white labels if you can).
- Regional issues with sorting machines, volume processing, etc.

With ESE, a 'delivered' scan generally occurs at the last sort facility before it gets to the buyer, so typically the buyer will receive their order a few days after the delivered scan.

If a buyer files a not received claim, you do have insurance coverage and the claims process is outlined on this page: https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/shipping-items/setting-shipping-options/ebay-standard-envelope?id=...