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.

[cleverkatcreative]

This buyer has left MANY negatives for sellers over the years.  She says the packages were "stolen".  In an effort to protect myself (and her) we add this extra feature.  This way only SHE CAN SIGN.  She said she has crooked delivery people who just sign her name and she's furious about it.

She also said that even when sellers say "pick up at PO only" they deliver them anyway.

All this said.......even though I am paying for this 'extra service' she has indeed had delivery people sign for her anyway.  They state "covid-19" as their reasoning.  

My feeling is this......I'm sending an almost $700 package out.  I don't want ANY possibility of not being backed up by eBay, the post office.....nobody.  This way both the buyer (and myself) are covered.  

I actually think I've received a notification that I'd need special signature for these, too, due to the high value? anyway, I want everyone to be very safely "covered".

I absorb the cost of sending these packages out myself.  They have been about $23 each.  Now on top of it all, I'm losing my 10% discount through no fault of my own.  

[cleverkatcreative]

THANK YOU......thank you for verifying that it isn't only ME here.  What can we do? can we collect a bunch of sellers and plea for someone "higher up" to listen to us?

They are yanking our 10% mini-discount for this stuff ....I say 'mini' with a grain of salt.  It adds up !

[cleverkatcreative]

Fern*wood you said :

"Which shipping metric are you getting the dings for?   When you say she waits 2-3 weeks to pay, I'm assuming she doesn't pay as she goes and asks you to wait and ship when she is finished buying."

I'm getting dinged because the post office and/or eBay isn't privy to tracking updates.  Despite my buyer receiving these items.  I can track some on my end, yet I'm getting dinged.  

Yes, she waits to pay.  Then pays in one big lump sum, and I ship the following day (and race home to enter the tracking number).

[mr_lincoln]

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@ra_201044 wrote:

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@mr_lincoln wrote:

@cleverkatcreative   You are getting a lot of help here ... something else I thought about, it wasn't until recently that our local Post Office changed their receipts to JUST show the 22 digit tracking number.  Prior to that (earlier this year) they had a number that was really long BUT only the last 22 digits were the actual tracking number.

I don't know if ALL USPS sites have this update on their software systems or not. 

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@mr_lincoln 

The longer number always starts with 420, then the next 5 digits are the destination zip code. It's in a separate 'block' in the code 128 label. The actual tracking # then follows that in it's own 'block'.

Either one can be tracked. 

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The old receipt did not separate the blocks in the character stream ... the only number shown on eBay labels has been the last 22 digits ... what I am curious about is what info the 2D code has in it ...

[cleverkatcreative]

mr_lincoln.:

Yes, getting some good replies and I appreciate all the back & forth here.  Now I know it isn't just me.  I bet there are droves of us having this happen. Especially right now (the post office is all kinds of screwy).  But......this is not OUR FAULT. Right?

When I manually enter my tacking number, the USPS automatically pops up into the box next door (so I know eBay system acknowledges it).  I always enter the proper code.

[cleverkatcreative]

**** I just want to add that I know I've stated differing amounts for her packages.  They've ranged in price from $500 to almost $700.  But each was fully insured and sent with restricted delivery.  

I have to do it this way, you guys.  This buyer annihilates sellers.  Lots of negatives left for people.  I have babysat my feedback ratings the same way I have my tracking upload percentages.  I screw myself over financially at times doing this, too.  But it is what it is.

[hgitner]

We absolutely get track #'s from the PO when we drop off the packages... and a receipt, though it is not a scan sheet.... and yes the metrics drop when no scan sheet is used....

[signsandtshi78]

Sadly not sure there is much we can do. I kicked this can as far up the hill as I could and got no results. Prob just have to grind back my power seller rank and top rated over Jan and Feb. At least its the slow season. Never worried to much about the 10% as it just covers minor minor things. It sucks, but yeah it is prob calculated on their part. Every selling platform has issues this just happens to be one of Ebays.

[hgitner]

we get tracking  labels from USPS that we attach to all our packages.. so when we take them to the PO they are scanned in.. all our packages we ship with stamps have tracking #'s,....

[ra_201044]

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@mr_lincoln wrote:

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@ra_201044 wrote:

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@mr_lincoln wrote:

@cleverkatcreative   You are getting a lot of help here ... something else I thought about, it wasn't until recently that our local Post Office changed their receipts to JUST show the 22 digit tracking number.  Prior to that (earlier this year) they had a number that was really long BUT only the last 22 digits were the actual tracking number.

I don't know if ALL USPS sites have this update on their software systems or not. 

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@mr_lincoln 

The longer number always starts with 420, then the next 5 digits are the destination zip code. It's in a separate 'block' in the code 128 label. The actual tracking # then follows that in it's own 'block'.

Either one can be tracked. 

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The old receipt did not separate the blocks in the character stream ... the only number shown on eBay labels has been the last 22 digits ... what I am curious about is what info the 2D code has in it ...

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@mr_lincoln 

They aren't separated so you can see them - a code 128 barcode has the ability to set up certain 'blocks' of data, each beginning with a specific 2 character function code. 

The 2D barcode had the tracking #, service level, address, destination zip, carton #/# of cartons, etc., and for the more advanced user('05 block'), PO number, UCC number, and/or other info that also are in different 'blocks' in the 2D barcode. The difference in these 'blocks' are that they are preceded with the same type of function code, plus a code as to what the 'block' pertains to. Only the '01 block' is mandatory. The '05 block' and others are optional for regular users. This is also the same as the 2D UPS Maxicode(the bullseye barcode), and the fed ex 2D barcode.

In theory, if you even have only a third of a 2D label, most of the info can be retrieved from it.

[fern*wood]

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@hgitner wrote:

We absolutely get track #'s from the PO when we drop off the packages... and a receipt, though it is not a scan sheet.... and yes the metrics drop when no scan sheet is used....

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I thought you said you used stamps.

I've never used a scan sheet and have 100% on both my shipping metrics.

[cleverkatcreative]

Oh, signsandtshi78......this is really a perfect way to end a fabulous 2020.  Just a nice cherry on top.  I'll be losing my power seller ranking, too, I guess? I think that 10% discount adds up (but maybe I'm fooling myself there?).

I guess my only hope of ever getting my shipping percentage back up is if she stops buying from me?
Now there's a helluva conundrum.  Hoping for someone who buys a lot from you to STOP buying from you 😹 doesn't feel right.

I agree all platforms have their own bugs. Which is why I've stayed right here this whole time.  Bugs we know are better than bugs we don't? this is just a new bug for me here......it feels more like a tarantula than a potato bug.  

[cynthealee2]

@cleverkatcreative 

I had the SAME thing happen.... eBay just wasn't connecting the dots.

1) I ship ALL items through eBay

2) the tracking simply didn't register for 1 buyer who had over 400 cards in 11 different orders

3) the ONLY way I got it fixed was I got blues from the board to look at it, and the email and then it magically fixed itself and I didn't lose TRS over that fiasco.

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Losing-TRS-over-a-glitch-are-the-phones-working-and-can-some-o...

See if going through this process fixes it.

[hgitner]

yes we use postage stamps, we get pre-printed track labels from the USPS and put them on all our packages, when we take them to the PO they are scanned in ( by the track label ) and we are given a receipt with the same track #'s as the packages, when we enter into the ebay system they are trackable.. we just do not get the scan sheet... and not having a scan sheet does lower metrics....

[cleverkatcreative]

YES, YES, YES ( doing cartwheels right now and I really shouldn't be, lol).

My issue IS the same one you had.  Thank you so much for replying.  I'm going to read through your thread.  Not sure who 'blues' is, but maybe this person can help me solve it, too?

And maybe also offer a way that I can avoid it in the future. Although maybe that's mentioned in your thread? if so sorry--I'll get there 🙂

PS what an ADORABLE grandbaby !