Ground Advantage "Tracking Not Allowed"

[bkerea66]

I'm curious if anyone else has had this issue.  Prior to the change to Ground Advantage I would send flat items less than 16 oz. via First Class Mail.  FCM did not provide tracking.  I have now sent items packaged as usual in flat envelopes using Ground Advantage which now comes with "free" tracking.  The PO has returned my envelopes with a label that says "Tracking Not Valid On Letter or Flat Size Mail.  For Tracking Service on Non-Parcel Mail, Use Priority or Certified Mail".  So, it appears one can no longer mail light weight flat mail (that you don't want tracking for and which is not considered a "Parcel") without paying extra for Priority.  Does anyone see this different?  Am I missing something?  Thanks.

[nobody*s_perfect · Accepted solution]

USPS merged First Class package (along with Retail Ground and Parcel Select Ground)  into Ground Advantage.  They did not change the other two types of First Class mail: Letters and flats.  You can continue to mail your eligible items as flats, but as always you cannot purchase postage labels for them through eBay.  In other words, from the perspective of somebody who mails their items as flats (AKA Large envelopes), nothing has changed.

If you want your items to be eligible for shipping via Ground Advantage, just make them ineligible to be mailed as flats, such as making them rigid or over 3/4 inch thick.

[bkerea66]

Thanks for your response.  I understand what you are saying.  I had packaged this item such that I thought it would be considered too rigid but apparently not.  I guess I will just have to use firmer cardboard in situations like this.

[nobody*s_perfect]

Two layers of corrugated, with the grain going in different directions, should be sufficient.

[bkerea66]

I talked to my friend at the PO today and he was pretty disgusted that it was returned as in his words "someone at the main PO was being...well let's just say "overly particular" and it could easily have been sent along as a parcel.  He suggested the same thing but I'll need to see how much that increases the weight and thus, cost as I can't void the label and try again if the price goes up.  I'm sure I can add postage though.  Thanks again.

[nobody*s_perfect]

The postage cost won't go up, because the postage cost for Ground Advantage is the same for any weight up to 4 ounces.

You can check postage costs here:

http://www.ebay.com/shp/Calculator

[ltldpr]

@nobody*s_perfect 

"If you want your items to be eligible for shipping via Ground Advantage, just make them ineligible to be mailed as flats, such as making them rigid or over 3/4 inch thick."

So, if I use a padded envelope, for say, some cabinet door pulls, and double the envelope over, tape it together, as long as it's at least 3/4" thick, I can use Ground Advantage, and it'll include tracking?

Also, what if I wanted to allow the buyer a choice between Priority Small Flat Rate Box & Ground Advantage using the above method? Is that even possible since the listing tools only allow for a single weight & set of dimensions? The PM box will weigh more and won't have the same dimensions as a folded over padded envelope (or even one that's not folded over).

Hope that made sense.

[nobody*s_perfect]

Just enter the weight and dimensions for the envelope.  Dimensions don't really matter unless the package has (1) length over 22 inches; or (2) volume over 1 cubic foot (i.e., 1728 cubic inches).

[bkerea66]

Just to resolve this...I added a stiff piece of cardboard and mailed it with the original label.  No extra charge for the added weight.  Thanks to all who posted.