eBay

jadav8115 · ‎01-02-2021

Hi everyone,

I am beyond excited about the new eBay shipping method to give sellers a cheaper alternative for cards under $20. A lot of what I recently started selling fall right into this category.

One of my biggest painpoints thus far is providing free shipping without the fear of having to refund someone who isn't necessarily interested in waiting. I am a new seller, and the holiday season forced me to refund many people since the delivery times were delayed across the US. From an eBay POV of the seller, there was no tracking number and the buyer would deserve the refund if they hadn't received the item.

Does anyone have an idea of when this shipping method will become available? The article its mentioned in states in January, but was hoping to get a specific date to prepare my policies.

Thank you!

johnjefprks · ‎01-26-2021

Hi, Its available now. But non of the merchant support reps know much about it. I tried to ship a card this morning using it and looked at the rules. See below. What I am wondering is how are we supposed to ship trading cards with no rigidity to protect the cards?

Bubble Mailers, Cardboard Packages, or any packaging made of plastic material
Envelopes and content that weigh more than 3oz
Envelopes smaller than 3.5”x5” inches or larger than 6.125”x11.5” inches
Envelope thickness is non-uniform, rigid, and/or thicker than 0.25” inches at any point
Envelope has clasps/strings/buttons or similar closure devices
Envelope has recipient address NOT parallel to the longest side
Envelope is enclosed or made of any plastic material

mercertl · ‎01-26-2021

Yeah I read the rules this morning but they seem very vague to me which is why I was wondering what others are using to ship in. Even with this new service I am still not a fan of PWEs!

farmalljr · ‎01-26-2021

Looks to me that you CAN use, for example, a 6x6 rigid mailer? Cardboard packaging sounds more like you cut cardboard pieces to fankenbox a mailer of some sorts.

Don't know, but I hope they expand this to other categories, like postcards.

nobody*s_perfect · ‎01-26-2021

Was that list on the shipping page? It's very similar to the USPS list of "nonmachinable" criteria for letters (see link below). IMHO the ban on rigidity is a deal breaker. The USPS surcharge for nonmachinable letters is 20 cents, which I'd gladly pay in order to be able to use the new service for rigid envelopes.

https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/101.htm#ep1047495

tdrake · ‎01-26-2021

eBay needs to make an "Annoucement" regarding the availability date/time of this, with complete instructions without teasers or suspect gossip from "Griff" or the eBay rep on YouTube last month or hints here and there.

Me, I have a big hoard of low and medium value non-sports cards, all under the $20 limit (most would be $5-$10) that I've not put up for sale in eBay because of the tracking/TS thing. As soon as I know for sure it's active I'm going to list one for a buck - free shipping - and have my daughter in AL buy it and I'll ship it and learn the ropes - get one under my belt listing thru shipping. But that's just me - YMMV

my-cottage-books-and-antiques · ‎01-26-2021

Where did you find these rules?

By the way, I'm pretty sure after this was first announced, Harry---or someone from ebay---confirmed that cardboard mailer (stiff photo mailers) would be OK to use---I guess as long as they don't exceed the weight requirement. But I can't remember where I saw that....

my-cottage-books-and-antiques · ‎01-26-2021

ebay has said there are plans to expand this to other light weight items. But I think they want to learn from the sports cards effort before they add other stuff. From the sound of it, if the sports card effort is successful, it will definitely be expanded.

johnjefprks · ‎01-26-2021

here is one of the other rules. Envelope thickness is uniform, less than 0.25” inches at all points, and not too rigid.

I wonder how rigid is not to rigid.

johnjefprks · ‎01-26-2021

If you look at your shipping options for a single trading card. it will have the Standard envelope option. that will have a link to the rules.

johnjefprks · ‎01-26-2021

If you look at your shipping options for a single trading card. it will have the Standard envelope option click on that and you will see a link to the rules.

johnjefprks · ‎01-26-2021

I read your link. I have shipped cards first class quite a bit, taping to rigid top loaders together and putting it in PWE and never had a problem. I think that link applies to how I did it. I used the standard envelope option this morning on a couple of different orders using the method above to see what happens. I will let you know.

mercertl · ‎01-26-2021

I am shocked we can't use bubble mailers. You can use the #000 4x8 bubble envelopes and put a couple cards in top loaders and mail them and you won't cross the 1/4" thickness. I use to ship them as flats and less than 1% would either be returned or they would arrive with postage due. To me the variable in all this is the USPS because you never know what they are going to do. I talked to them once about shipping and they told me that it literally comes down to the person holding the piece of mail and how they perceive something whether it can go through the system or not. They make no sense at all.

nobody*s_perfect · ‎01-26-2021

Here's the Help page about the new service. eBay has apparently not bothered to announce the implementation. The restrictions on packaging are not as strict as they are in the bulleted list presented earlier in this thread..

https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/shipping/ebay-standard-envelope.html

nobody*s_perfect · ‎01-26-2021

@johnjefprks wrote:
If you look at your shipping options for a single trading card. it will have the Standard envelope option click on that and you will see a link to the rules.

Those of us who don't ship trading cards don't have access to that link and information. Can you share a link which goes to the shipping details pop-up window?