Confusion in USPS Shipping

[polaris903]

As a first time seller, everything else seems to be straight forward except shipping methods. I am just trying to sell some of my trading cards ,  but having trouble in understanding the differences and advantages (& disadvantages) for each shipping methods.  

As for USPS shipping options,  there seems to be 3 methods. 

1. USPS Ground advantage 

2. USPS First class mail Large envelope

3. Ebay standard envelope for eligible items up to $20 

As I tried to list my card, I am not very sure which one to choose.  Would anyone elaborate them in detail?

My first question is:

I will pay shipping fee in the post office or ebay will deduct it  automatically? 

If the customer is in international, the fee will be automatically adjust?  

Are they all tracked in USPS?

and etc..

[pcmwire]

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@polaris903 wrote:

As a first time seller, everything else seems to be straight forward except shipping methods. I am just trying to sell some of my trading cards ,  but having trouble in understanding the differences and advantages (& disadvantages) for each shipping methods.  

As for USPS shipping options,  there seems to be 3 methods. 

1. USPS Ground advantage 

2. USPS First class mail Large envelope

3. Ebay standard envelope for eligible items up to $20 

As I tried to list my card, I am not very sure which one to choose.  Would anyone elaborate them in detail?

My first question is:

I will pay shipping fee in the post office or ebay will deduct it  automatically? eBay doesn't deduct shipping automatically but it is much cheaper to use their commercial rates to buy shipping than to go to the retail counter.

If the customer is in international, the fee will be automatically adjust?  Yes, but take note that international shipping gets very complicated. If you ship internationally yourself you will have to fill out customs forms and other such paperwork. You can also opt into eIT or eBay International Shipping where eBay takes care of the exporting for you (read up on international shipping in eBay seller help section for details). 

Are they all tracked in USPS? Basic mail does not have a tracking number and you should only use a service with tracking since without it you have no defense against a buyer claiming an item wasn't delivered (read up on eBay Seller Protection for details). All Ground Advantage will have tracking. Not sure about the other two you listed.

and etc..

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Someone else may have more expertise with the nature of the specific items you are selling to decide on the "best" methods specific to your items.

Generally when listing it is a good idea to provide multiple shipping options for the buyer (up to 4 options are generally shown to buyers), especially if you are not offering free shipping. 

[1786davycrockett]

@polaris903 

The eBay Standard Envelope (ESE) is intended ONLY for USA domestic shipments. 

The ESE can ONLY be purchased through eBay, as it is considered to be contracted business metered mail.  Therefore, you can NOT purchase it at the post office, or from any other venue than eBay.

The ESE "tracking" is inconsistent, and is supposed to be added at the next available USPS Distribution Center -- and NOT at the post office from which it is mailed.  Additionally, the initial "tracking" may not appear for several days (or never); and the "Delivered" scan only indicates that the ESE has been received at the post office matching the ZIP Code of the buyer's address -- and NOT the actual residence of the buyer.  It  may take several additional days to actually be delivered to the buyer's address.

There are two major problems that have been reported with the ESEs:

1) -- It is CRITICAL that the ESE be VERY, VERY flexible -- you should be able to bend the ESE nearly in half, since it will be traveling at high speed (over 52,000 letters per hour!) through a huge series of automatic rollers.  If the ESE is too THICK, it will jam the rollers, and be kicked out -- resulting in the ESE being recategorized as "nonmachinable," which will add an additional charge to the ESE, which in many cases is passed along to the buyer.   Your buyers will not appreciate the extra, unexpected cost.

2) -- The method of actually mailing the ESEs is tricky.  Some post offices refuse to accept them at all, and other post offices automatically add "nonmachinable" fees.  The method which I have been using for over two years is simply mailing the ESEs inside the post office lobby, in the slot reading "Metered Mail," since that is how the ESE is classified by USPS.  Do NOT hand the ESE to the USPS counter employees or USPS delivery drivers -- they are probably not familiar with handling this form of contracted business metered mail (which is usually mailed in bulk), and it may be returned to you for "insufficient postage."  Additionally, do NOT drop the ESEs into the USPS "blue boxes," or a residential mail box, or with business mail where you work -- all three of these methods may delay the initial "scan," as your ESEs will be mixed in with other unsorted mail -- while the "Metered Mail" slot in most USPS lobbies is intended ONLY for metered mail, and receives faster attention at the USPS Distribution Centers.

Finally -- as I mentioned previously, I've been shipping stamps, stickers and trading cards for several years using the ESE -- with no problems, no buyer complaints, and no returns.

Experiment for yourself!

[fm2000 · Accepted solution]

You probably won't be using large envelope ("flat") rates for trading cards, which can only be purchased at the post office. ESE must be purchased on eBay, and GA rates are much cheaper when purchased on eBay versus the retail rate you pay at the post office in person.

For trading cards under $20, ESE is really the only option, because other sellers will sell the same card and use ESE instead of GA and always beat your price (ESE is currently 0.64 and GA starts at about 4.50) . Some have had difficulties with ESE, I have never had an issue with it personally. Just has to be VERY flexible (absolutely no top loaders!) My mailman picks up my ESE along with my packages, never had to go to the post office to use it. Just bear in mind the ESE tracking is not regular package tracking and can be unreliable. ESE is really great for items of small value that would be unsellable if they had to be sent GA, and would be an insignificant financial loss if they were lost in the mail.

If you are selling a card over $20, more than a few trading cards in one sale, or one that won't fit in a regular envelope, you have to use GA.