Expanding the eBay Standard Envelope

[show-go]

Hopefully, this gets seen by someone who can make a change: 

I sell DVDs and blu-rays as discs by themselves in a simple envelope sent standard USPS delivery. These letters are NOT considered rigid; they ARE machinable letters. USPS has specific guidelines to send a single disc as a machinable letter for only a single forever stamp. This is the same way the Netflix used to send discs by mail. 

Unfortunately, these letters are the foundation of my store and they are not provided with USPS tracking. Instead, I use a deterrent for scammers called LetterTrack, but their tracking system is not allowed for eBay tracking updates. Even though I track these myself and see the letter make the delivery, I still have the occasional scammer saying it didn't show and I have to refund them. 

Low and behold the "eBay standard envelope"! The guidelines for this delivery method are nearly identical to the guidelines for USPS's single-disc machinable letter, i.e. same size & weight restrictions. The eBay standard envelope is only offered for certain categories like Trading Cards, Coins & Paper Money, and Postcards and Stamps. However, this method would be precisely ideal for "Disc Only" sellers like myself. 

If eBay shipping heads and the powers that be see this post, I have a few ideas to make this happen. Create a completely new category for disc only sellers; "Books, Movies & Music > DVDs & Blu-ray Discs > Disc Only". Offer the eBay standard envelopes for this new category. EBay will make a LOT more money due to the amount of these types of sellers and these sellers have tracking for their items. Win-Win. Easy as pie. Please get the ball rolling on this idea. It would make my year. Thank you. 

-Show-GO

[itscalledapostingid]

A disc is not machinable by USPS because it's not flexible.

Specifically this USPS requirement:

Is too rigid (does not bend easily when subjected to a transport belt tension of 20 pounds around an 11"-diameter turn).

[show-go]

You are 100% wrong. I've been doing it for years. See their DMM: 

https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/201.htm#ep1042622

Read under "3.4 Standards for Letter-Size Pieces Containing One Disc (CD or DVD)".

[itscalledapostingid]

That section is for bulk Commercial mail not regular mailings.

Did you see the part about "mailers must submit 5 sample mailpieces and a written request to the local postmaster or business mail entry manager for submission to the Pricing and Classification Service Center (PCSC)."

and "3.12.2 USPS Services for Flexibility Testing."

USPS makes an acception where they wave the non-machinable fee for companies like Netflix and libraries that send 2-way mailings where the person sends the disc back after using it.

Discs won't be part of ebay's ESE because it does not include the non-machinable surcharge.

[mysterycardz]

Millions of DVDs are shipped this way and it is machinable. A DVD is less rigid than the baseball cards I order and receive in these envelopes. 

[itscalledapostingid]

No, a DVD does not meet the flexibility standards to be machinable by USPS.

A lot of big media sellers use logistics services like UPS Mail Innovations that pre-sort the mail for USPS. Those wouldn't be subject to the non-machinable surcharge but it doesn't change the fact that it's not machinable.

 Have a nice weekend.

[dirk12955]

Weren't the zillion DVDs Netflix mailed out machinable?     

[deserdog]

I think this is the stickler in this argument:

An envelope weighing no more than one ounce with one enclosed standard optical disc no larger than 12 centimeters in diameter, that is mailed to or from a subscriber as part of a round-trip mailing under 233.2.8 and 505.1.0 (or 507.1.0), is not subject to the nonmachinable surcharge

[candd205]

I would like to see the eBay Standard Envelope program expanded to other categories as well.

[deserdog]

So if you are SELLING dvds, they are not part of a round trip, and then should be subject to the nonmachinable surcharge.

[dirk12955]

When it was first introduced I wasn't a fan.    I didn't much care about being TRS so I mailed most 

low cost orders with a forever stamp.    When the ES system was introduced I started using it 

for many stamp orders and also the few postcards I sell.   I soon became a believer and was also soon 

TRS in all 3 of my accounts.

We see a steady stream of sellers complaining about the sloppy tracking system.   I don't pay 

too much attention to following my items from here to there, So I won't comment on how bad or 

good the USPS is about scanning the stuff at the time of delivery,  Or right before then.

All I know is,    The system works.   My buyers get their items nearly 100% of the time.    I've had no 

 items damaged (That I know of)  and very rarely is a buyer able to convince me he didn't get 

his order.   

I'm sure the ES system is a money maker for ebay since they put their corporate name on it.   I'd hope to see it expanded to other categories so sellers of cheaper items could take advantage.

[revenue-collector]

CDs and DVD by definition, are rigid.

[buyselljack2016]

The $64K questions is....................  will a mailed CD, or DVD go through the letter sorting/processing machinery?

That is the determining factor. (or at least it would be if a human was eliminated from the process)

[itscalledapostingid]

They are not machinable as defined by USPS.

USPS even has a policy for waving the non-machinable surcharge on discs for subscription services.

That's conclusive. Kinda hard to ignore USPS's published policy on this.

This almost two year thread is settled (again) as far as I'm concerned.

[simba6]

No. USPS just waved the charge under a "sweetheart" deal.  Since Netflix DVDs were returned the round trip some how allowed it.  The postal service was and still is really best suited to machinable flats IE letters.  All the packages require more handling.  Trouble is no one is sending letters much anymore.  More and more bill are paid direct deposit or on line.  With the cost of a postage stamp they should see why.