eBay

arkmanofice · ‎01-31-2018

Does eBay have any comment about USPS now not scanning more than 5 packages? There will of course be exceptions on this, but it's said that this is word from corporate. They want to force everyone to use bulk shipping with scan forms.

muttlymob · ‎01-31-2018

When using on-line labels there is no requirement for them to be scanned at the counter --- "acceptance" happens in the back --- or if it is a small office at the distribution center

Retail customers do get a automatic scan at the counter --- it is part of the "face to face retail experience" ...

This was the intention when online labels were first available to the general public. Printing your own postage online was discounted as it was supposed to relieve clerks of some of their work. However, a few years ago the USPS changed the name from Delivery Confirmation to Tracking and is pushing for all scans all the time, no matter where the postage was purchased.

soh.maryl · ‎01-31-2018

Why would you not contact the Postmaster at your USPS facility, get him to tell you what the rule is, write it down, date it and have him sign it? Pull that out of your coat pocket in case there has to be a discussion.

hawgryders · ‎01-31-2018

wrote:
wrote:
When using on-line labels there is no requirement for them to be scanned at the counter
Yes, there is.

wrote:
Retail customers do get a automatic scan at the counter --- it is part of the "face to face retail experience" ...
As is the Acceptance scan for pre-paid labels that were printed at home. The POS terminal menu item for it is "Pre-paid Acceptance." It's on the second row of icons on the first screen of the terminal session.

The cost is less because the "face to face" interaction is NOT required --- you want the "personal touch" then pay the full price ...

ekmadonna · ‎01-31-2018

Hi, there may be no requirement BUT the clerks HAVE TO scan them if you want or request a receipt.

metalline202 · ‎01-31-2018

They are just lazy and every Post Office is a different nightmare. My post office is horrible and just use the drop box; but many times they don't scan the packages and could be several days until it shows up in system.

I found an express Post Office by my house and they are certified. Never a long wait and they scan every package and love me and tell me they get credit for scanning packages and looks good for their business..etc.

justafemster · ‎02-01-2018

I am SO lucky I live in a little tiny town, with an even smaller post office. I know the postmaster and all the clerks by name. They know mine too.

They make sure to scan every package, almost as soon as it hits the counter or the drop-box, because they get additional paid hours. I'm thanked regularly and I reciprocate.

So very lucky!

beautybylynn · ‎02-01-2018

that sounds like a local thing. I give my little p.o. a little gift every once a while. if I buy a big lot and make my money back on one or two items and have a bunch left........Saves me aggravation in the long run!!!!!

kitchen-topia · ‎02-01-2018

...and charge him MORE because the post offices don't carry frpe and Mr. Doofus as to ship in whatever envelope / box that branch has on hand.

wrote:
They don't have the time to scan the 12 large flat rate boxes I'm shipping and paid over $200 to ship, but the guy who comes in carrying a sweater and wants to ship it - they have the time to get him a box, tape it up and put the sweater in there for him?

Good to know.

kitchen-topia · ‎02-01-2018

My town is very tiny (1200 people) and they have acknowledged I, and other ebay/etc online sellers, are keeping the doors open. I was told they are reviewed often on how much business is done in each office. If they DON'T scan - then my packages are considered as accepted at Federal Way, 250 miles from here.
Yes, for 15 years now I have been helping keeping post office at 98537 OPEN.

wrote:
They are just lazy and every Post Office is a different nightmare. My post office is horrible and just use the drop box; but many times they don't scan the packages and could be several days until it shows up in system.

I found an express Post Office by my house and they are certified. Never a long wait and they scan every package and love me and tell me they get credit for scanning packages and looks good for their business..etc.

kitchen-topia · ‎02-01-2018

Well, I have a lot to say today, bear with me.
I would love to have a scan sheet, zip, done and out the door.
When the subject of scan sheets was brought up at my local office I cheerfully explained I sell on more than one site, 3 on eBrat, 2 on etsy, 2 on Amazon, and 2 on my own facebook pages. How sad I am I cannot use a scan sheet(s).

I had to repeat this a second day, now I haven't heard it again.

wrote:
What if you have more than 5 but they're not all the same selling ID?

a_c_green · ‎02-01-2018

wrote:
wrote:
wrote:
When using on-line labels there is no requirement for them to be scanned at the counter
Yes, there is.

wrote:
Retail customers do get a automatic scan at the counter --- it is part of the "face to face retail experience" ...
As is the Acceptance scan for pre-paid labels that were printed at home. The POS terminal menu item for it is "Pre-paid Acceptance." It's on the second row of icons on the first screen of the terminal session.
The cost is less because the "face to face" interaction is NOT required --- you want the "personal touch" then pay the full price ...

That argument was trotted out a lot in the early days, but has no basis in fact. The "personal touch" has no retail cost, and a Pre-Paid Acceptance at the POS terminal has no cost either; its line-item price is $0.00. There is nothing unusual or untoward about getting an Acceptance scan at the counter; it's just a transaction like any other, except with the huge timesaving advantage of not requiring any payment processing.

As a result, it is also the fastest counter transaction by far. Anyone issuing orders at the local level to omit counter scans is not only ignoring the USPS directives but also saving virtually no time by doing so.

div_style · ‎02-01-2018

At our public library you may return books by inserting them into a slot with a conveyor belt and a scanner. Done. Hopefully USPS will soon have a similar acceptance process.

List more, sell more. Goodwill that other, uh, stuff.

Feeling sleepy? There's an app for that.

ship_like_a_pro · ‎02-01-2018

wrote:
Does eBay have any comment about USPS now not scanning more than 5 packages? There will of course be exceptions on this, but it's said that this is word from corporate. They want to force everyone to use bulk shipping with scan forms.

@arkmanofice,

Would love to understand more. While I do recommend the use of SCAN forms in order to facilitate efficiency, acceptance scans are required if requested, and in general should be perform regardless.

To reach out to my USPS contacts, could you please message me directly @ship_like_a_pro with details of the issue:

1) tracking numbers that you haven't received acceptance scans on.

2) USPS location (city, state, zip) where the acceptance scan was not provided

3) any additional description that describes the challenge.

I will bring that up with USPS, and have had good success in getting the local rogue office back in line historically.

Thanks!

~Nate

tweetystwades · ‎02-02-2018

I had this problem a few years ago at my PO. I was told they would not scan and give me a receipt, it was a waste of paper. I called the 800#, and was told they could not refuse to scan my packages.

Using the scan sheet is a joke, you have to do everything at once. I have not been able to completely figure it out. It takes much longer than scanning the packages. I also do not print everything at once, I print labels one at a time. We are customers and are entitled to all the same services, it shouldn't matter that we are prepaid. We spend hundreds of dollars a month at the PO, people are getting lazy is the issue. I'v had 30 packages go missing this month because of errors at the sort facility. The acceptance scan and my receipt are the only things saving my account, because I have customers that have been waiting 3 weeks for their packages.

Every time I fill out a PO survey, I request a lobby scanner for prepaid's that give a receipt. You can pay postage for a parcel by machine, why can't they have a machine with a scanner that prints a receipt. I think it would be worth the investment.

I told one of the clecks yesterday what I was going through with my missing packages, I said now you know why I wait in line everyday for a scan and a receipt.

a_c_green · ‎02-02-2018

I told one of the clecks yesterday what I was going through with my missing packages, I said now you know why I wait in line everyday for a scan and a receipt.

In fact, they can print receipts wirelessly from their portable scanner, too, so that any employees working the line can take the package from you, scan it and issue a receipt for it on the spot.

This photo from 2015 shows the equipment they were using in one of the Chicago post offices to do this. There is a portable label printer at upper left, portable receipt printer at upper center (which had just spit out the receipt shown here), and the portable scanner at upper right that drives it all. Neat and quick.