Return to Sender - eBay Standard Envelope

[mcpw18]

I've shipped thousands of sports cards over the past three years using the ebay standard envelope. I've had fewer than 10 returned by USPS claiming insufficient postage or for being too rigid. But over just the past three weeks, I've had almost 20 returned by USPS. Anyone having the same issue?

I've read that USPS has implemented a new policy of having letters wait at the local post office for a full day before being sent to the regional distribution center. And that USPS offered an early retirement package in January 2025. So maybe these two circumstances have caused new postal employees to handle the ebay standard envelope who aren't familiar with it and reject it. I kind of hope that's the case because that means it might blow over eventually once the personell shake up is settled. I really hope that USPS hasn't changed its policy regarding rigidity, either officially or by custom.

[7catsprinting]

While I have not heard of this we have not had a single scan on an ESE since Feb 5th so there is some sort of problem going on that we are seeing.

[mcpw18]

Thanks for your response. Glad to know I'm not alone. Looks like all my shipments from last week were delivered, but none were scanned at any point along the way.

[blc_sports_cards]

I'm in the same boat.  Just this week, I've had two orders returned for additional nonmachinable postage.  Both orders were a single card in a flexible card saver (not a toploader).  I repackaged it, reprinted the original label, and put it back in the mail.  I'm not playing this game...

USPS is suddenly cracking down on mail deemed "too rigid" for the machines.  I mail relics/memorabilia cards using the 1 oz. ESE label and then take it to the post office to add the nonmachinable surcharge.  I've been doing it like this successfully for months now, because that was the guidance I was given by a post office clerk!  I took one in last week and the clerk told me I can't mail it that way.  He said USPS is cracking down on nonmachinable mail.  He told me it was TOO rigid even though I'm adding the nonmachinable surcharge.  And get this, he said it could damage the mail contents or the machines if it mistakenly ended up with the machinable mail.  Then DO YOUR JOB!  What's the point of nonmachinable surcharge if it's just going to end up with the machinable mail anyway.  I'm at a loss...

[worldcoinauctions]

I just had my first "nonmachineable" return in 2 years. Reprinted the label and sent it again and it went through this time. That was one of 6 sent the same day and the only one returned. 

I have been notified that next month they are cutting out one shipment to the hub a day, anything not in the PO by 10am will wait for the next business day.

[harborauction]

Many USPS clerks are woefully misinformed about rules & regs and what you were told was wrong

By putting a non machinable stamp on an ESE label you are mixing two different classes of mail, "Non-machinable" which, by definition, is not to be sent through the sorting machines and ESE which goes through the machines.

Doing this will likely further confuse mail handlers many of whom have no idea what ESE is to begin with, causing delays & returns.