E-BAY SHIPPING ENVELOPES TRACKING DOMESTIC

[blueshirtssports]

I SEE A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT TRACKING AND CLOSING OUT ITEMS. RECENTLY I HAVE HAD TROUBLES WITH TRYING TO GET CLOSING OUT OF ITEMS I HAVE SHIPPED. OF 128 SOLD ITEMSTHERE WERE 64 ITEMS NOT SHOWING FINAL DELIVERY OF THESE ITEMS WHICH REQUIRES ME TO CONTACT E-BAY. NOT ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO I HAVE SPOKEN TO HAS ANY IDEA ABOUT THIS SERVICE, WE CANNOT CALL THE POST OFFICE BECAUSE THE ESUS NUMBERS ARE NOT IN THE U.S. POSTAL SYSTEM. EBAY STATES THAT TRACKING IS INCLUDED . THEY NOW ADD TO SOME OF THEM THAT TRACKING MAY BE LIMITED ON SOME ITEMS. DON'T OFFER A CHEAPER SERVICE IF YOU CAN'T PROPERLY CONTROL IT BECASUSE YOU CAN OPEN UP PROBLEMS FOR SELLERS TO REFUND FOR UNDELIVERED ITEMS. I WANT HONEST ANSWERS FOR ONCE AS TO WHY THIS IS OCCURING. 

[steady2304]

It is occurring because eBay is trying to use a USPS service that is not a traditional tracking service.

The eBay standard envelope service is actually a metered mail service used by the post office for bulk shipping and junk mail. It can only be scanned by sorting machines at USPS hubs. 

The Postal clerks and mailmen can't scan them, and they should only be dropped off at the Post Office in the metered mail slot in the lobby. They shouldn't be dropped in the mail box or the blue boxes or handed over at the counter. This just slows them down.

When the ESE hits the 1st sorting center after the seller drops it off it usually, but not always gets a scan. Then it should get a delivered scan when it arrives at the sorting center closest to the buyer. It can then take anywhere from 2 days to many weeks to be delivered.

This is eBay's attempt to allow sellers of lightweight flat items a little protection.

It is definitely not a great system and definitely has it's flaws.

[blueshirtssports]

Not a valid reply as my Post Office does not have a metered mail slot. Everything is handled by a counter only.

The system has way too many flaws and it's time to correct flaws or discontinue the service because as usual you are opening sellers to problems.

[1786davycrockett]

@blueshirtssports 

What method are you using to ship your cards?

Are you attempting to ship top-loaders?

What type of envelopes are you using?

If your post office does not provide a "Metered Mail" slot, does it provide any exterior, after hours mailing acceptance method?

[blueshirtssports]

1. Ebay envelope service under $20.00

2. TOPLOADERS YES.

3. ARMALOPE MAILER

4. ONLY OPTION IS BLUE MAIL BOX

[bdmh-enterprises]

First let me say that if/when the ESE's get scanned is NOT important. All that matters is whether or not the customer receives it. Until there's a complaint you shouldn't be worrying about it.

Now, as to the why they are not getting scanned. If they can't be machined, they won't get a scan. The most important qualities to insure being machinable are FLEXIBILITY & UNIFORM THICKNESS.

I've used top loaders in the past fine, but you can only put one in a #6 or two side by side in a #10 envelope. I now use and recommend semi-rigids which I've stacked 3 or 4 successfully.

Cardboard mailers of any kind will NOT be machinable due to lack of flexibility. This is likely your problem. ESE is meant to be used with regular envelopes as they go with regular letter mail.

It doesn't really matter whether you use the Meter Mail slot, the Letter slot or any mailbox to send them. Taking them to the counter though will be more likely for an unknowlegable clerk to decide they're not machinable when they are.

I would highly recommend studying both the ESE requirements on ebay as well as the 1st class mail requirements at the USPS website. Understanding all the ins and outs will lead to greater success with these.

[tobaccocardyahoo]

It really is not relevant that ESE is metered mail.

What is overwhelmingly relevant is that it is Letter Mail and must meet the machineabilty requirements for Letter Mail.

Top Loaders are the kiss of death to machineability in many though not all sorters. All seems to proceed just fine until one hits a sorter it jams. When it does, it might not get scanned or it might be destroyed, or it might sit in a bin for weeks after it is removed from the sorter.

At some sorting stations, it may be preemptively removed and a postage surcharge for non-machinable might be applied.

I have not tried the semi-rigids as a solution, I will not increase a cost in order to use a cheap shipping method. I will just not sell cheap items which do not justify a proper shipping methods with proper tracking.

Someone else can have the business for those cheap items, I find the people who buy them to be high maintenance buyer, any way.

[fm2000]

Don't use top loaders, that is causing the problem. Like all letter mail, ESE envelopes must be fairly flexible to go through the sorting equipment. 90% of the issues people have with ESE is that the envelope is too rigid.

As long as it gets at least one scan, you are covered up to $20 if the buyer says they didn't get it.

ESE is just metered mail like many businesses use everyday to send bills and such. You don't have to go to the post office and deposit it in a special slot. You can put them in any mailbox or have your mailman pick them up, just like many businesses who use metered mail to send out bills etc. do.

[jg.mason]

I have a 100% success rate using ESE. I think it's great. I use a 5x7 heavy weight envelope, put the card in a 2 mil top loader sandwich that between to index cards and add the packing slip in the envelope then place the label in the upper right hand corner. I have given mine to the mailman dropped them in the blue boxes and put them in the out of town mail slot at the post office. I use a couple different post offices and none of them have a metered mail slot.  One time I gave it to the clerk and I noticed it took an extra day until it got to the sorting center, it was like they didn't know what to do with it so I no longer give them to the clerks.

[1786davycrockett]

@blueshirtssports 

". Ebay envelope service under $20.00

2. TOPLOADERS YES.

3. ARMALOPE MAILER

4. ONLY OPTION IS BLUE MAIL BOX''

Right off the bat (no pun intended), I can see two major problems immediately -- you are using top-loaders inside Armalope envelopes, which combined are too rigid to bend around the high speed, automatic USPS roller systems -- so those envelopes are probably getting kicked out as "non-machinable."

They may either be sent to your buyers marked "postage due" (which will not make your buyers happy), or eventually returned to you marked "insufficient postage" (but don't hold your breath -- those returns seem to have a very low priority with USPS lately -- I've been waiting since August for such a return).  

So stop using top-loaders -- use a penny-sleeve instead.  And, instead of a thick Armalope envelope, just use a #6 or #10 plain white envelope.  Cut a couple strips from a cereal box (or a 12-pack soda carton) to fit snugly inside the envelope, and slide your penny-sleeve inside.

I've been using that method for years, with NO returns, and NO complaints from buyers.

And it saves $$$ on top-loaders and Armalope envelopes, too.