Is standard envelope shipping available at USPS counter?

[leareamc]

Is this shipping option something I can purchase at a USPS counter, or is standard envelope only a thing that USPS has worked out through Ebay? Also, if I ever ship something sold on Ebay but do not upload tracking and simply mark it as "shipped", does Ebay's system regard that as a satisfied shipped item or will the item be seen as late shipment or not shipped without official tracking given to the system/customer? 

[tobaccocardyahoo]

Although the underlying technology and bar code is used by USPS for others of their customers, Ebay Standard Envelope is only specific to Ebay. The clerks at USPS Post Offices have no ability to sell, scan or track these services.

Either you buy it from Ebay or you do not buy it.

Shipments without tracking are not shown as delivered, impact your performance, and are not protected from any item not received claims by buyers.

ESE is a flawed service, not always scanned, not always delivered, not marked delivered in real time or in all cases, and often results in delayed or lost deliveries. Ebay offers insurance up to $20 to help ameliorate some of the flaws.

Results vary by seller, items sold and how sellers package. Some sellers use it successfully. Other sellers, like myself find it useless because of its unreliability.

[selforfun]

No, eBay Standard Envelope is a shipping service exclusively arranged between eBay and USPS. While USPS utilizes the underlying technology and barcodes for other services, this particular option is available only through eBay and cannot be purchased, scanned, or tracked at USPS counters.

When was eBay Standard Envelope introduced, and what was available before it?

eBay Standard Envelope was introduced in January 2021 as an economical shipping option for lightweight, low-value items like trading cards, stamps, postcards, and small collectibles. Before its launch, sellers often used alternatives like USPS First Class Package or traditional stamped mail, which were either costlier or lacked tracking entirely. ESE bridged the gap by providing a low-cost solution with basic tracking capabilities.

Can I mark an item as shipped without uploading tracking?

Yes, you can mark an item as "shipped" without uploading tracking. However, doing so has significant drawbacks:

• Items shipped without tracking will not show as "delivered" in eBay’s system.
• This can negatively impact your seller performance metrics.
• Items without tracking are not covered by eBay’s protections for claims of "Item Not Received."

Considerations for Using eBay Standard Envelope (ESE):

While ESE offers an economical solution for shipping lightweight and low-value items, it has limitations:

• Inconsistent Scanning: Shipments are not always scanned at each step, leading to uncertainty about the item's status.
• Delivery Delays: Items may arrive late or, in some cases, not at all.
• Lack of Real-Time Updates: Tracking updates are not always timely or accurate.
• Insurance Coverage: eBay provides insurance up to $20 per shipment to mitigate some of these issues, but it may not fully cover losses.

Is ESE right for you?

The effectiveness of ESE depends on the seller’s needs:

• Some sellers report success with proper packaging and suitable items.
• Others, particularly those needing reliable tracking, may find it unsuitable for their operations.

[leareamc]

I read somewhere that shipments will only show in the system as "not delivered" and you get a ding on your account only if the buyer reports it as not delivered... is this true?

[bdmh-enterprises]

I've sent thousands of ESE and had all of 6 INRs and 2 of those had delivery scans. I think it's an absolute game changing service, as long as the item is suitable for sending in an envelope. I have also NEVER received a defect even with ESE that never get scanned.

BTW the scanning seems to have greatly improve over the last half year. Haven't seen any no scans in months and only 2 of my last 50 show no delivery (one was to the EIS hub lol).

You can get tracked envelope service through other 3rd party shipping sites, but not through USPS. The one I've looked at charged $0.20+ more than ebay.