First post here.....I NEED HELP......eBay shipping tracker not working and I'm getting hit hard !

[cleverkatcreative]

So, I've tried to contact eBay 4 times now.....no success.  Either they act like it's been taken care of, or they just don't have anyone to help me.  They keep sending me a canned response that doesn't fit my issue.

I have a buyer who's routinely purchasing multiple items that total around $500.  She demands I ship priority FULLY insured (I'm happy to do that).  Ebay only offers up to $100 shipping---so I must physically take these items to the post office.

I also add signature restricted, as this buyer has had items stolen.  A side note, due to covid, these folks are signing FOR her (maddening all on it's own since this added feature is about $5.00).

Anyway......so for whatever reason eBay tacking system isn't registering these packages. For each and every item I have been charged as "no tracking updates".  For around 60 items now.  My percentage is down to 85% !!!

I have babied my feedback and ALLmy stats for the 10 years selling here. I've never shipped a late package even once.  This just has me in tears......watching my score fall into the depths and have zero recourse.

What can I do? is there any help for me here? thanks for listening......it felt good just to type all this out.

[mr_lincoln]

@cleverkatcreative   You have been around long enough to know that extra insurance can be added when you either print labels through eBay or at the counter at the Post Office.  If you are buying postage at the post office and paying counter rates then you are missing out on eBay discounts for Priority Mail.   For whatever reason it sounds like you are taking a chance on hundreds of dollars by not paying a small additional fee for full insurance coverage.

When you get a tracking number at the post office I assume you leave with their receipt then type in the tracking number on your sold item.  It is not unusual right now for packages to get no updates with tracking for days if they are taken to the wrong bulk facility.

I strongly suggest you start a Missing package claim with USPS, that may help shake the package loose. 

[cleverkatcreative]

mr_lincoln.....you've missed my point entirely, I'm afraid.

I have paid the FULL FEE for the insurance at the post office.  There is NO missing package. She has received every one.

My problem is that the eBay is not properly able to track these and they are charging me with "NO TRACKING" when I can see the tracking updates on my end !

They cannot see them for whatever reason and they will not listen to me.  My average has now plummeted from 100% to 85%.

All this same woman's packages.  All shipped within 24 hours.  All insured and properly mailed.  I come home from mailing and immediately enter the tracking numbers for each item.  No delay.

I am being punished because the eBay system will not update properly.  These items were all mailed on time.

That's my issue.  Please take the time to read before replying.

[cleverkatcreative]

and as a result....I'm on the heels of losing my 10% discount. Because my seller standards are being hit UNFAIRLY.

Is that the point? are they purposely not helping me so that I lose this benefit? I am so frustrated and I feel completely "unheard" by eBay.  It's as if they just don't care about sellers.

Like I said, I've never had even ONE negative feedback or bad exchange with ANY buyer in 10 years here.

Where is the loyalty? all I'm asking for is someone to assist me with this issue. I get nothing.

[mr_lincoln]

@cleverkatcreative   Actually, I did read it and your original post was not as clear as your 2nd one, so thank you for clarifying the entire issue.  Why don't you try printing your labels through eBay, they automatically upload the tracking number ... maybe the issue right now is with the manually loaded ones you are bringing back from the Post Office.

And so that you know, you do NOT have to take your packages to the Post Office for extra insurance if that is what your original post implied when you wrote " Ebay only offers up to $100 shipping---so I must physically take these items to the post office."  So I was a little confused and concerned you didn't know that you can add additional insurance through eBay's label process ... PayPal's too for that matter.

As to contacting eBay I would suggest the Help & Contact link at the bottom of this page then scroll to the bottom and select their Call back feature ... they usually post the wait time and my experience lately has been good with their call backs.

In any event, I sincerely hope this can be straightened out for you ... Sellers have enough issues with USPS and their slow as molasses delivery time frames right now.  We certainly don't need an issue like you are having suddenly crop up across the board ...

[jrkirk]

This raises a couple of questions. 1) has a case been opened by any buyer? 2) Did you enter the tracking numbers correctly on each package? 3) Why not buy eBay USPS postage on eBay, where tracking is uploaded automatically without errors?

It sounds like the tracking numbers may not have been entered correctly, and buying postage here on eBay would correct the problem, but then perhaps I am not understanding. When postage is purchased here on eBay, there have been nearly zero problems, or at least, that is our experience. There is currently a problem with nearly all mail deliveries being delayed, but that is apparently not your problem because you say all packages have been delivered. Hope this helps. JK

[cleverkatcreative]

OK,  thank you.   I will attempt to add additional insurance via the eBay shipping portal for future shipments.  I only saw the $100 limit for priority.  I tried several times to boost it to the $500 I needed, to no avail.  I also need to add "signature restricted"----which is a service eBay does NOT offer through their shipping menu.

I need to make my buyers happy.  It seems this would be a GOOD thing? instead, it has hurt me greatly.

Here's the other thing......why can't I just take a screenshot of my tracking updates so that I can PROVE these packages WERE tracked?

And have this all cleared up and resolved though speaking with a human being (adept at English)?  

I've tried the help & contact now 4 times.  I've talked to representatives.  One time they even said "it's all cleared up and will be updated by your next review".

This has not happened. Instead, my tracking percentage has continued to plummet.  And I'm simply powerless to do anything about it.  Just seems very unfair.  I count on that 10% discount 😞

[cleverkatcreative]

OK so to clarify further......I have to take these packages to the post office (for the signature restricted add-on).  

So, I have to add the tracking in manually.  Am I just sh*t outta luck? has anyone else run into this issue?

[liawrig.nq8rdwqa3]

I had the same thing happen to me one time recently.  I noticed that Ebay tracking did not mark the packaged delivered - I contacted the buyer and she said yes, she received it.  I tweeted Ebayhelp and told them that they have to mark it delivered.  They said they couldn't, that the PO had to report it delivered to them.  So I put in a missing mail report.  The post office has never updated the delivery....NEVER !    Even today, it's still marked "shipped" and not delivered.  I asked the buyer to leave feedback, maybe that would trigger the status.  I left feedback and it didn't trigger feedback.  OP is right, Ebay postal is broken.  But so many other things are broken too.

OP, were you paid for the order?  If you were paid, then don't worry about it.

the only thing you can do is complain to Better Business Bureau about the software and/or the USPO.

But I bet Ebay knows about the problem.  But it's on the Post office to report back to Ebay.  This is the ONLY site I have that problem with.  I don't have it at AMZ or Merc, or any other site.

[mr_lincoln]

@cleverkatcreative   You can  try posting this issue on eBay's Weekly chat, which happens to be later today at 4 PM EST.  Ask them why your tracking is not updating when using "Signature restricted" purchased at the Post Office? The Chat can be found on the Discussion tab then Inside eBay then Weekly Chat.  They open at 4 and close at 5.  They may not have an answer today but hopefully they can pursue it for you.

On the label flow they do have Signature required listed but not the "Signature restricted" you mentioned ... would you happen to know the difference, I've never heard that term.

The entire shipping issue with USPS is ongoing ... prior to this November in 5 plus years and thousands of packages we never had a single INR claim filed against 3 accounts here.   Since the beginning of November we've had 3 with what looks like anther one coming this week.  We've filed numerous Missing Package claims with USPS and I had one package that I had scanned in at the post office with a number of others and 2 weeks later when the INR claim was filed I saw that neither USPS never had record of the tracking number and all eBay has was the record that I printed the label ... I couldn't even file a missing package because USPS had no record of it ... so that was a total loss.

[cleverkatcreative]

Reply to jrkirk:

#1) no need for case report from buyer---she has received all packages.

#2) YES....I entered each tracking number individually for each item (approx. 14 items in each of 4 shipments to the very same buyer each time).
#2 cont) I'm being charged no tracking on each and every single item (not just 4 packages!!!) making my percentage plummet even faster.

#3) This buyer has had packages stolen and wants a signature restricted add-on......this is NOT available through eBay shipping unfortunately.  Hence me needing to go to the post office physically to honor that request.

Reply to mr_lincoln:
#1) OK, I will look for the chat at 4pm then, thanks.  Yes, I've seen that insurance option, but unfortunately no offer of signature restricted.  This needs to be added in person at the PO location.  
#2) The post office screw ups are maddening for sure.  But eBay should WORK WITH US.  Without us reputable caring sellers----why would buyers even be here? those of us who break our backs to bend over backwards to be good sellers deserve RESPECT in my humble opinion.

Reply to liawrig:

#1) it's very difficult for me to believe that eBay does NOT know this is occurring.  They must by now.  And when great sellers lose their 10% meager discount......cha-ching for THEM right? 

#2) yes, I was paid for the order.  But since I've sent this buyer 60+ items----everyone being marked as "no tracking updates" my shipping percentage has dwindled from 100% (the way it's been for all these 10 years) to now 85%.......all from this woman items not being updated in EBAYS SYSTEM.

The real crux is that I CAN see the updates on MY end.....they simply cannot. And they are docking me for it and refusing to do anything about it !

[supercharger-parts]

Are you sure you can't purchase from USPS click and ship on their website.  I'm pretty sure you can do signature restricted.......but you may also be able to do a "hold for pickup" at the post office where she would have to go and then show ID and sign as well.  That might save you the fee there, and way less likely to get stolen or signed by someone else..... but no eBay shipping discounts and you can copy and paste the tracking. 

I have one recently that said it did not scan on time, I have the USPS tracking that says it did, I have not called yet.

[mr_lincoln]

@cleverkatcreative   wrote in reply to liawrig, "#1 it's very difficult for me to believe that eBay does NOT know this is occurring. They must by now. And when great sellers lose their 10% meager discount......cha-ching for THEM right? "

eBay knows FULL WELL this kind of thing is happening, they have in front of them ALL the tracking history from every shipment that they can look at any time they want.  A number of us have been harping on them about the whole shipping issue and their solution (via their announcement) does not truly address the issue ... its a band aid in my opinion and a used one at that.

[stuff-from-jewel-and-the-gang]

signature confirmation is anyone at household/address ... restricted is often a specific person with identification or a person over the age of 18 / 21 at the address.

[fern*wood]

After you manually add the tracking numbers to your listing, are they clickable?