eBay

hafoster · ‎10-21-2017

Will the tracking indicate any action taken by the APV?

A package containing a TV media device is coming by Media Mail.

@berserkerplanet

@lja440

@muttlymob

@partial*eclipse

Since the label is no longer stamped "Postage Due" --

does the APV notify the originating post office of the abuse?

partial*eclipse · ‎10-21-2017

The "A" in APV stands for automated. The machines can detect inconsistencies in package weight, dimensions, type of box and label (flat rate Priority etc.) but the system is not designed to address contents issues. That would still have to be detcted by actual humans, and it usually ocurs at the sender's PO or at the buyer's local PO.

https://www.usps.com/business/verify-postage.htm

berserkerplanet · ‎10-21-2017

Interesting questions.

As partial pointed out, the automated systems presumably don't shake, open, or otherwise inspect packages other than to measure external factors like weight and dimensions (that we know of - Skynet?) and compare to scanned label postage properties.

I don't think APV uses xray machines 🙂

There is the question about whether tracking indicates anything amiss, and also a question I asked a while back about if packages get any physical "stamps" indicating an APV discrepancies, or is it completely visually transparent (or available via an internal reporting system) to anyone downstream of the APV scan at the sort facility?

How extensive is the APV system internal reporting? That is the crux of the biscuit. Is it just a simplistic "scan label, weigh and measure, send discrepancy to billing system to backcharge original postage provider who then passes charges to sender", or is it a more robust system that also flags things and get humans involved? ie: your tv media device scenario that might weigh much less than a typical legitimate media mail book shipment and gets flagged for review?

If your scenario is real (a purchase by you in progress), interested to see what comes of it.

APV info seems to be scarce so far - only thing I've see is the couple of egregious overcharges in another thread (one was reversed on appeal) and another seller purposely overpaying postage to see if a refund was forthcoming (no refund reported so far - but experiment may have been too early in the rollout).

hafoster · ‎10-21-2017

@berserkerplanet wrote:

If your scenario is real (a purchase by you in progress), interested to see what comes of it.

Yes, it's real:

Expected Delivery by: Thursday, October 26, 2017 by 8:00pm

Postal Product: Media Mail
Features: USPS Tracking
October 20, 2017, 3:19 pm Accepted at USPS Origin Facility

October 18, 2017, 8:26 pm Shipping Label Created, USPS Awaiting Item

1. So does Accepted at USPS Origin Facility mean it passed human detection?

USPS says in part about APV:

Current PC Postage revenue assurance practices rely heavily on the manual "postage due" process; detection is an imperfect science

The widespread abuse of Media Mail is a certainty --

and certainly worthy for revenue assurance.

2. Another wrinkle for this package --

it has USPS Street Addressing (sent to the street address of a post office) --

so it might get additional scrutiny.

3. Yet another wrinkle --

it was two-thirds paid with this quarter's eBay Bucks certificate --

so a partial refund for "postage due" will not be possible.

lja440 · ‎10-22-2017

I will say, no the AV will not catch it.

I'm hoping in this case they are dumb enough to put the label on the retail box.

I have little confidence in the system catching anything other than simple weight discrepancies.

As for the eBay bucks issue. It may be an issue but I had a VASTLY underpaid postage package. Postage due amount was more than the total amount paid. Yes it was a misused Media Mail issue. A portable vintage turntable, listed badly with Free Shipping and an idiotically low starting price of $9.99. This was before I knew about the PayPal postage due claim and eBay did close the case first but PayPal did end up refunding up to the payment, I think it was short around $7.