Shipping Letter or Package

[sgd1952]

Hi,

I am still learning the ropes of selling and shipping. I set up a small flat item to ship first class letter but when I go to print the label it shows up as a package and will not allow me to change that.  Now I used the eBay shipping calculator to figure out shipping options, then set up my listings using that information. The listing shipping option was set to letter. Is there something I am missing? I am just trying to figure out how this works. 

Thanks,

Scott (sgd1952)

[wastingtime101]

Your most recent sales are for DVDs - if that's the item in question then you will need to ship those at package rates @sgd1952. DVDs cannot be shipped as a letter. They are too rigid, and if a USPS employee didn't flag them then they would crack as soon as someone put them in the letter sorter and potentially mess up the machinery with all the broken pieces.

When you set up the listing you need to choose package for items like that. They should not be shipped unprotected.

eBay allows sellers to offer letter service, but since it's untracked eBay does not sell postage for that service.

[monica-sells]

@wastingtime101 explained it perfectly....also, if I recall, the 'category' may not allow envelope (which must be flexible/bendable)....so, it would not offer that option when you go to print that label (much like media mail is not offered from certain categories)

[nobody*s_perfect]

---

@wastingtime101 wrote: .... DVDs cannot be shipped as a letter. They are too rigid ....

---

A rigid item can be mailed as a letter, but must pay the 30-cent "nonmachinable surcharge."  But you can't purchase that label through eBay.

See 1.2.d:

https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/101.htm#ep1047495

[nobody*s_perfect]

---

@monica-sells wrote:

@wastingtime101 explained it perfectly....also, if I recall, the 'category' may not allow envelope (which must be flexible/bendable)....so, it would not offer that option when you go to print that label (much like media mail is not offered from certain categories)

---

eBay has a special service which they call "standard" envelope which indeed must be flexible and which is only available for items listed in a few selected categories such as trading cards.

https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/shipping/ebay-standard-envelope.html

[sgd1952]

Thanks all of you for responding.   Your comments are very helpful and I am really pleased that so many sellers answer these inquiries.  I am a new seller who got hooked just trying to get rid of some things that have been packed away forever.  While DVDs started out as a main product mostly because I had a lot of those, I am expanding into other areas.  Most of these DVDs were stored in cases that hold lots of them.  Once I sell these off I will stick to only ones in original cases.  I don't know much about selling on eBay but I do know a lot about the post office. No matter what you pack something in,  they will find a way to damage it.  In fact of the over 100+ DVDs I have sold in the past 3 months only one was damaged in shipping and that one was shipped in a jewel case wrapped in bubble wrap inside a small bubble wrap package. It was shipped as media mail too.  I think we all have to deal with a small percentage of damaged or loss shipping as part of the cost of doing business.  My secondary question has not been answered. That is if you ship something outside of eBay while you can mark it shipped how do you mark it delivered and does eBay count it against you if you can't?

Again I want to thank all of you for responding,

sgd1952

[wastingtime101]

---

@sgd1952 wrote:

My secondary question has not been answered. That is if you ship something outside of eBay while you can mark it shipped how do you mark it delivered and does eBay count it against you if you can't?

---

When you add tracking to the order, the system will automatically recognize delivery.

When there is no tracking there is no way to mark it delivered.

The risk is the buyer can file an item not received claim. When a buyer files an item not received alcim and you can't prove delivery with tracking, eBay will force a refund unless you do it voluntarily.

When you ship without tracking it will affect your "tracking uploaded on time and validated" metric - read more about that on your Seller Dashboard. The metric measures 3 months worth of shipments and only matters if you want to maintain Top Rated Seller status. eBay requires a 95% or better rating of the tracking metric to maintain TRS.

[nobody*s_perfect]

It is not possible to mark an item as Delivered. Imagine the potential for fraud!  Delivery confirmation can only be provided through a tracking number and the carrier's Confirmation of delivery.