eBay

mrsbmcv77 · ‎09-08-2022

I am just putting this out there so it will be known as a possibility.

I shipped an item on the 8th of August and the scanning did not go well from the start. My local PO failed to scan it, did not scan at my regional, and then it got hinky. The package was going from MO to CA, but the next scan was in Baltimore, MD. Sigh. This happens, we have all been there. Tempted to throw maps at USPS drivers. Whatever, this is just a regular aggravation.

Now, it gets stranger. USPS sent it further into MD. Then the tracking ceased. On the 18th, I had enough. I messaged the buyer, told them I was sorry USPS lost their item. It will probably show up eventually, but I was refunding them now, because no one should have to wait 10 days for an item with no explanation. I refunded the buyer and opened an inquiry with USPS.

On the 23rd I got a message from USPS claiming that the item was still being prepared for shipping by the original sender. I saw RED. It took me a couple of days to respond and I still was unable to be kind. However, it got my package to my buyer soon after. The buyer even left me nice feedback and offered to pay (no way was I doing that).

eBay dinged me for late delivery and denied (without reading my reason) my appeal. After reading the policy yesterday, it read to me like sellers will now be dinged any time that USPS delivers late. I heard from another reseller we have been getting dinged for USPS failures to scan, too. (like if there is no acceptance or regional scan, we did it wrong.)

I am considering dropping my top rated to accomodate longer shipping times due to lack of scans. Has anyone done this?

heckofagame · ‎09-08-2022

This kind of thing will happen. With the kind of volumes that these shippers deal with, I'm amazed that they do as well as they do.

Is it convenient for you to take your shipments to a USPS window and ask for a receipt? That way they get scanned into the system before you leave the window.

Don't forget that the Top-Rated Plus gives you a 10% discount on standard Final Value Fees. I find that over the course of the year, this more than compensates for any returns or refunds that I have to make.

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wrong66 · ‎09-08-2022

In the future, I would wait in line and make sure they were scanned. Many local post offices feel it's not their job to scan packages that you just drop off, even though it used to be.

heckofagame · ‎09-08-2022

This kind of thing will happen. With the kind of volumes that these shippers deal with, I'm amazed that they do as well as they do.

Is it convenient for you to take your shipments to a USPS window and ask for a receipt? That way they get scanned into the system before you leave the window.

Don't forget that the Top-Rated Plus gives you a 10% discount on standard Final Value Fees. I find that over the course of the year, this more than compensates for any returns or refunds that I have to make.

tapi-szem · ‎09-08-2022

That may not be possible. One local post office refuses to scan pre-paids, directing (literally taking) customers (when it is their turn after they have been waiting in line) to their automated machine to scan the packages and have them placed in the bin. They claim it is the same as their scan. Well, small print says it is not and packages are not officially scanned until the employee scans them.

Our post office claims they do not have to scan any pickups - upon pickup or upon arrival at unit - because they will get scanned eventually along the line.

wrong66 · ‎09-08-2022

That's your post office. The OP's post office may very well scan them at the counter. There's only one way to find out.

monica-sells · ‎09-08-2022

Short story....This happened to me..for a long time I always used the lobby bin and just dropped my shipments in it. It happened once, then again that it did not scan until it hit the buyers region. I spoke to the local postmaster at the counter, (visually it was perfect because there were about 12 people in line). I explained that because they were not scanning ALL the outgoing mail, we are forced to use the counter. What good is the convenience of the lobby bin if there is no origin scan. We need it, our customers expect it, and, in my case, my partners (ebay, etsy, amazon) require it.

The candid response was revealing. It is in the job description, but if they are extremely busy, if a 'substitute' is on duty, or they are short handed in the sorting area they sacrifice drop-off scans and concentrate and promptness. Not very encouraging.

I was told also, for those that say the local won't scan prepaid, that you need to verify the weight for a receipt.

12345jamesstamps · ‎09-08-2022

You can get in line at the post office and get a scan...I have seen people done it. It means waiting in line and not just dropping it on the counter like in my post office in San Francisco. Clerks will usually just throw packages on counter in a bin. Just got to have patience, wait in line and have it scan. Especially with the holidays coming up and new rates coming early this year.

collectfest · ‎09-08-2022

@heckofagame wrote:
This kind of thing will happen. With the kind of volumes that these shippers deal with, I'm amazed that they do as well as they do.

Is it convenient for you to take your shipments to a USPS window and ask for a receipt? That way they get scanned into the system before you leave the window.

Don't forget that the Top-Rated Plus gives you a 10% discount on standard Final Value Fees. I find that over the course of the year, this more than compensates for any returns or refunds that I have to make.

Great advice if they will do it. No post office near me in Dallas Texas will scan your packages even in person and you stand in line.

The good news is I CAN and DO scan using the machines in the lobby. Sometimes it won't give me a receipt, but it will ALWAYS email the receipt. 100% effective thus far.

collectfest · ‎09-08-2022

@monica-sells wrote:
Short story....This happened to me..for a long time I always used the lobby bin and just dropped my shipments in it. It happened once, then again that it did not scan until it hit the buyers region. I spoke to the local postmaster at the counter, (visually it was perfect because there were about 12 people in line). I explained that because they were not scanning ALL the outgoing mail, we are forced to use the counter. What good is the convenience of the lobby bin if there is no origin scan. We need it, our customers expect it, and, in my case, my partners (ebay, etsy, amazon) require it.
The candid response was revealing. It is in the job description, but if they are extremely busy, if a 'substitute' is on duty, or they are short handed in the sorting area they sacrifice drop-off scans and concentrate and promptness. Not very encouraging.

I was told also, for those that say the local won't scan prepaid, that you need to verify the weight for a receipt.

well, not true near Dallas. I discussed with the postmaster because I thought like you did. Was laughed at LITERALLY! Good news on that I know longer tip at Christmas as I have for 30 years!

I called USPS 800#, they agreed with you/me and escalated it as a formal complaint and was put in touch with the regional supervisor. They were the ones who advised me about the lobby machine. It has worked out.

So, may be required of them but at the level of postmaster and regional level, I've had a different experience.

craft-stash · ‎09-08-2022

🎯

the_fancy_fox · ‎09-08-2022

@tapi-szem wrote:
That may not be possible. One local post office refuses to scan pre-paids, directing (literally taking) customers (when it is their turn after they have been waiting in line) to their automated machine to scan the packages and have them placed in the bin. They claim it is the same as their scan. Well, small print says it is not and packages are not officially scanned until the employee scans them.

Our post office claims they do not have to scan any pickups - upon pickup or upon arrival at unit - because they will get scanned eventually along the line.

Our po tried this as well. I pointed out the drop machine specifically says this is not an acceptance scan.

I explained how when they are late scanning an item into the system, ebay will give my account a ding. Too many dings and I have to pay a higher percentage of fees. I did ask, if this is your mistake will you be paying my increase in fees?

my po now scans the packages in. Some clerks don’t give receipts but as long as they scan it, I’m ok with it.

you may need to talk to your post master and if they will not cooperate, get names and file a complaint with the uSPS and let the post master know you will be doing so.

The Race is over
The Rats won.

mrsbmcv77 · ‎09-09-2022

This is not always an option for me. When I used pick up, I had to extended my shipping time. No reliable scans there either. I think I am going to have to extend my shipping time again.

mrsbmcv77 · ‎09-09-2022

That is really good advice for most sellers. I actually never feel my discount since my sales are so low and my cost of selling so high.

mrsbmcv77 · ‎09-09-2022

Isn't it crazy how they all operate so differently??? My husband will literally get different rates on the same package by going to a post office in another town. Ours told me I couldn't reliably get scans at pick up because I do not have a mail carrier officially assigned to my route. Which is confusing since I live in a town and the same annoying man comes to my home with mail almost every day.

mrsbmcv77 · ‎09-09-2022

My post office and the regional hub both failed to scan on this particular package. You would think I printed the label in Missouri, then drove the item to Maryland and somehow dropped it directly at a regional hub instead of a local PO if you went by the tracking.