Improve your service metrics?

[northernlightsenterprises]

I received this email last night, and curious to how they want me to improve my metrics when I am doing everything correctly? I have 100% positive feedback and 5 stars for shipping speed. I am mostly a trading card shop that sells singles for low value (under $20.00) so I utilize the eBay Standard Envelope for almost all 9800 items I've sold and shipped in last two years.

The eBay standard envelope is very reliable, but the tracking system that comes along with it is not. I'd say 2 out of 5 envelopes I sent never have tracking update once in transit to my customers, but I receive positive feedback from the customer that they received it. 

I have the eBay directions/samples that shows correct size and locations the label should be on the envelope so it's properly scanned at the USPS hubs, but nothing. I have even talked to the Post Master General in my county to see if I am doing something wrong and they all say the same thing. They have zero idea on what the eBay Standard Envelope is or how their systems scan the labels to update the tracking. Well DOPPPPPEEEEEEEEE

With the exception of Saturday going into Sunday I ship all my cards within 24 hours, so why am I the seller on the hook for a service that eBay is providing that is not fully functional? Why do I have to increase shipping times because the envelopes never get scanned or updated like they should?

It's hard to prove you shipped a card when envelopes never get origination scans at the post office or never update once in transit. Luckily I have a pretty good base of customers that are honest otherwise I'd be looking resolution cases left and right. 

How do I proceed?

[zamo-zuan]

One thing I recommend looking out for:

If you are < 1% in INR, you should not be eligible for any penalty, even if very high. If you check the policy page it states this clearly.

But I should mention, one time we were below 1%, and we STILL got the penalty! EBay had confirmed we should not have been eligible, but it happened anyway.

So I highly recommend confirming if you have the penalty or not (if you did, it would be adding 2-3 days to all your estimated ship dates) and/or if you get it at the upcoming review. Their system has glitches, so it's definitely something to look out for! 

[heckofagame]

The eBay standard envelope is technically not a tracked service. It does not get an acceptance scan and there is no way to know where it's at as it moves through the system. 

[northernlightsenterprises]

They sure do not advertise it to buyers that way lol, thank you for the reply.

[northernlightsenterprises]

Thank you for the reply, below is my metrics. 1.18%. I will have to dive deeper into this.

[sticker*pimp]

It looks like 10 customers opened INR cases.  Because Ebay uses the USPS Informed Visibility system through Pitney Bowes(I believe), it is not really tracked.  You have no proof of actual delivery.  You will have to refund your customer but you will be able to submit a claim to Ebay for the refunded amount.  You still get a ding on your service metrics.

[northernlightsenterprises]

YAY, LOL. Thank you for the reply

[nickelsanddimes2015]

Easy fix, ship the item first class or priority with reliable tracking info. You had 10 people open claims for items not received so until there is valid tracking info this won't get better. 

[northernlightsenterprises]

Thank you for the response, for my style of business selling trading cards for $1-$2 on here does not generate a positive result if I have to charge $4 for shipping. Just penalizing the little guys who try to use a service eBay created. 

[nickelsanddimes2015]

I understand so I guess you may just have to fight with them if you know it shows that it was received or take the consequence of the additional 6% final value fees on all your sold listings or your listings not being as visible or your funds being on hold all together until it shows it's been delivered. I wish you luck and happy sales 🙂

[evry1nositswindy]

As a seller, you are not judged on FB or the metrics on the FB page.  You are judged on the items in your seller dashboard.  I check mine often.  It tells you a lot!

https://sellerstandards.ebay.com/dashboard

[mike_jayroe]

Found this on the U.S.P.S. web site. Don't know if it will work or not but maybe you can check into it.

Track your USPS letter mail, flat mail, and bubble mailers for just $.18 per envelope

Add a first class mail tracking barcode to your letter mail, flat mail, and bubble mail for as little as $.18 per mailpiece. Simply enter the recipients address or import a list of names and addresses from a file. Print directly to envelopes of various sizes(#10, A6, A7, and A9) or address labels and apply regular postage to your envelopes. LetterTrack adds an Intelligent Mail Barcode(also known as USPS Informed Visibility® Mail Tracking) above the address block which provides you with the ability to track your mail as it is being sent through the postal system. When a mailpiece reaches the destination post office to be placed on a USPS postal truck for delivery, the mailpiece is marked as Out for Delivery. Since the USPS has now geo-fenced most of the mailboxes in the US and has also equipped their mail carriers with geo-enabled devices, the final tracking event for most envelopes will be Delivered in Mailbox. This tracking event indicates the exact date/time that a postal truck containing an envelope with an Informed Visibility barcode for a specific address has traveled past the mailbox for that address.  Your mail will reach the recipient in 3 to 5 business days since it is being sent via First Class mail.

[mike_jayroe]

Never mind. Just saw that is is first class. Should have paid more attention. Just got up from a nap.