eBay

brccoins · ‎08-11-2023

I was a seller on ebay for 15 years and had to take a break. It's all different now, and I'm shipping orders through the USPS, not ebay shipping. I get messages from buyers saying ebay says they haven't gotten their packages yet, the ebay status just says tracking information provided, and in a few cases it says shipped. When I follow the USPS tracking status to USPS.com, it says "delivered". Why buyers don't realize they already have received the package is another matter, but does anyone know why ebay posts the wrong shipping status? This whole issue has gotten out of hand, I get 2 - 3 emails a week, and have had 3 cases filed against my store, even though USPS says the item was delivered. 2 cases were dropped after they "found" their purchased item, but I lost money on the 3rd (may be a dishonest buyer).

dbfolks166mt · ‎08-11-2023

I purchase all my shipping labels through Pirate Ship which has about the same discounted rates as eBay but offers a couple of shipping classes that eBay does not. Most notably USPS ground advantage cubic and priority mail cubic. I simply upload the tracking number into the eBay order once I have printed out the label and mark the order as shipped. I also use my CC to pay for the labels and receive cash back from the CC company for those transactions.

I have had some issues with the tracking information between what eBay shows and what the USPS tracking information site shows but those have been few and are generally related to special cases where a package has become lost or where I have filed a claim with USPS.

If the USPS tracking shows the item as being delivered and to the address the buyer had associated with their account at the time of the purchase you should never loose an INR case. That is provided you respond to the INR case within the time constraints and upload the tracking information showing the item as delivered.

As others suggested invest in a printer and save yourself some grief and cash.

susanb1872 · ‎08-11-2023

@12345jamesstamps "And having the seller or buyer complain the shipping cost more than the original shipping label using an eBay shipping label...but that never happens right? "

When you print the label, you have the option to show the postage cost or not. I elect not to show the postage cost so customers do not know what I pay.

lakefor94 · ‎08-11-2023

@susanb1872 wrote:
@12345jamesstamps "And having the seller or buyer complain the shipping cost more than the original shipping label using an eBay shipping label...but that never happens right? "

Correct, that never happens.

The cost savings is significant. Well over $2k per year for what I ship.

I buy from eBay and PirateShip. Can't stand throwing significant money away and having to wait in line to do it.

Our postal carriers and counter reps scan everything. If I have too many packages to fit in my oversized mailbox, I drop them on a designated counter at the post office and run. Never miss a scan.

Have not had an INR filed against me since Christmas time, 2020.

But of course, all the expensive items go UPS. They scan everything there as well at the Pack and Ship joint. A scan is the same as a receipt. Have not asked for a receipt, ever.

Posting ID

janet9988 · ‎08-11-2023

@brccoins wrote:
I was a seller on ebay for 15 years and had to take a break. It's all different now, and I'm shipping orders through the USPS, not ebay shipping. I get messages from buyers saying ebay says they haven't gotten their packages yet, the ebay status just says tracking information provided, and in a few cases it says shipped. When I follow the USPS tracking status to USPS.com, it says "delivered". Why buyers don't realize they already have received the package is another matter, but does anyone know why ebay posts the wrong shipping status? This whole issue has gotten out of hand, I get 2 - 3 emails a week, and have had 3 cases filed against my store, even though USPS says the item was delivered. 2 cases were dropped after they "found" their purchased item, but I lost money on the 3rd (may be a dishonest buyer).

Are you responding to the case with the tracking information?

Lift your left leg at midnight to start off on the right foot. Happy new Year!

fern*wood · ‎08-11-2023

@gurlcat wrote:
Wait, what gives you the idea that TRS sellers get a discount on shipping? I'm TRS and I know I get my final value fees discounted, but not labels to my knowledge. If it's in writing somewhere I'd love to see it.

It is 3% on Priority packages, unless that has recently changed. I can't find anything in the help pages now so I didn't even try to look, but someone please correct me if this is no longer the case.

12345jamesstamps · ‎08-11-2023

I was talking about packages coming postage due because there was not enough postage on the package or seller getting charged more threw eBay after package got mailed...like a surprise additional cost.

gurlcat · ‎08-11-2023

@12345jamesstamps wrote:
I was talking about packages coming postage due because there was not enough postage on the package or seller getting charged more threw eBay after package got mailed...like a surprise additional cost.

The only times I've had that happen (like 3 or 4 times out of a couple thousand packages) it was either because I straight up guessed the weight or straight up lied about the weight to keep it First Class tier or whatever. And I may or may not have done both those things a lot more times than they caught it.  😆.

But it has definitely never come to the buyer's attention, just a small charge to my account and a mildly chastising auto-generated message in the email. It absolutely never happens when I do use the scale and report the honest weight, which is 99% of the time.
Maybe 98.

97 -MINIMUM!

gurlcat · ‎08-11-2023

@fern*wood wrote:
@gurlcat wrote:
Wait, what gives you the idea that TRS sellers get a discount on shipping? I'm TRS and I know I get my final value fees discounted, but not labels to my knowledge. If it's in writing somewhere I'd love to see it.
It is 3% on Priority packages, unless that has recently changed. I can't find anything in the help pages now so I didn't even try to look, but someone please correct me if this is no longer the case.

I guess that might depend on what you consider 'recently.' I've been a TRS for "only" about 4 years, so maybe they ditched that perk before I gained the status. Not only am I certain a shipping discount wasn't in the list of perks when I was trying to decide if they were worth committing to 1-day handling and free returns, but if that discount were there, I would think I'd see it as a line item in the purchase price, like how it shows my FVF savings as a separate line item.

fern*wood · ‎08-11-2023

I'm not talking about TRS-plus. It is/was for plain ole TRS status.

lakefor94 · ‎08-11-2023

One of my main categories in computer related items comes in at 9% FVF and then they knock off 10% of that. Maybe that puts it somewhere near 8%?

I would not want to be without it. (TRS+)

I will take whatever they might give for shipping discount as well;)

Posting ID

brccoins · ‎08-11-2023

Sure, but this still doesn't answer why ebay doesn't provide tracking information for shipping purchased at the PO. I'm dealing with 2 cases now where ebay says the package has tracking added but then doesn't have any updates after that which are very much available on the USPS site. I'm about to be out over $100 after paying ebay $2000 plus and the PO $600 plus in the last month and for no reason except ebay doesn't follow their own policy, which is to provide tracking before the estimated delivery date and have the tracking information state that the item was delivered to the city, state, zip. All that was done yet I am being hounded by ebay which doesn't allow responses, this email is not monitored so don't respond, and they aren't looking at information I can see. I even have chats that say, yes you've done everything, but case closed because I haven't done anything. THis is beyond frustrating after paying loads of money and not having them live up to their own rules. Sorry to vent, but this has been a very bad ebay day.

brccoins · ‎08-11-2023

Thanks great answer. My problem now is I've lost a case even though I did all the required steps on their site based on many years of selling on ebay, and I can't even amend the response because ebay won't let me. They appear to be only looking at the buyer side, the buyer provided nothing besides I didn't received the item whereas I gave documented proof that the item was delivered per ebay's requirement. This is his 3rd such response in a month but ebay sides with him. The buyer made no response to me and ebay says I never contacted him, which I did thru their app twice. Very bad for sellers if this is the norm. I don't think they look at tracking unless the purchase of postage goes through ebay, which is not a seller friendly practice.

brccoins · ‎08-11-2023

Is there ever any issue with weight differences? Like you calculate one weight but the PO has another. I see what your saying and I'll likely switch but ebay shouldn't be operating this way not tracking correctly if you don't buy postage through them.

lakefor94 · ‎08-11-2023

What exactly did the tracking state?

If it said "delivered to agent for final delivery", it went to a freight forwarder and eBay's system does not recognize that as delivered and you have to appeal it to win.

If it has "delivered" all you have to do is re-enter the tracking into the INR case before it closes out and it is a slam dunk win for the seller.

Posting ID

susanb1872 · ‎08-11-2023

@12345jamesstamps "..packages coming postage due because there was not enough postage on the package or seller getting charged more threw eBay after package got mailed...like a surprise additional cost."

I have never had this problem. I have a scale so I always compute the correct weight. Once I rounded up to the next cost level and the PO refunded me $1.23. I've never had a buyer contact me saying they were charged postage due. For large or heavy packages, I will take them to the post office to get weighed before I list an item so I can input the correct weight.