Top Rated Selling Tracking Not Required for Sales Less Than......

[survivorsedge]

I thought I heard that if you are a Top-Rated Seller, items closing for less than a certain amount do not require a tracking number to maintain your TRS status (won't be held against your TRS status).

Is that correct?

If so, what is the amount and does that include postage charged?

[I sell patches and stickers that have have a value of $6.95.  Charging an additional aprox $4.44 in postage negates the 'good deal' for the buyer.  What I have done in the mean time is opened a second store where I sell the patches and bumper stickers. ]. 

[buyselljack2016]

Never heard of such.

[mtgraves7984]

Is that correct?

@survivorsedge 

As you've asked the question... I've never heard of that, either.

Could you be mistaking it with the Seller Metric for "Tracking uploaded on time and validated"? Because if that metric falls, you're TRS status might be affected after a time. 🤔

Note that my answer comes from a seller who always ships with tracking...

[evry1nositswindy]

Opening a second account for these non-tracking items is a good idea.  That being said, I DON"T think it's a good idea to ship without tracking.  That is one of the very few seller protections we have.

[survivorsedge]

The policy might be completely nonexistent.  Haven't been able to find it on eBay.com, but still looking. 

Thanks for the replies.

[evry1nositswindy]

https://www.ebay.com/help/sr?query=top+rated+seller&origin=1  Look here.  You will find that this doesn't exist...urban legend maybe.

[nobody*s_perfect · Accepted solution]

The basic Help page about seller performance and becoming a TRS does not make any reference to a threshold for the requirement for tracking.

 https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-policies/seller-standards-policy?id=4347

The only way around paying for First Class package postage (i.e., $3 and up) is if you sell in the 3 categories that offer eBay's special "Standard shipping" for trading cards etc. This shipping doesn't have regular full-service USPS tracking but it does meet the requirements for seller performance evaluation.  Alternatively, as mentioned in another post, set up a separate selling ID for items that are mailed as letters or flats, without tracking.

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

[mountainmommie]

I've never heard of this. And as a matter of fact, when you ship without tracking your seller dashboard gives you a percentage of sales regarding items (within the past 3 months) that have been shipped without being tracked and validated. It shows a threshold of 95%. If you fall below this, you cannot receive/maintain TRS status.

I sell mostly inexpensive items and have for years. Price of sale, to my knowledge, is irrelevant.

[ebooksdiva]

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@survivorsedge wrote:

I thought I heard that if you are a Top-Rated Seller, items closing for less than a certain amount do not require a tracking number to maintain your TRS status (won't be held against your TRS status).

Is that correct?

If so, what is the amount and does that include postage charged?

No, It is not correct, to maintain your TRS you have to have shipping validated, for that to happen you need tracking. 

[I sell patches and stickers that have have a value of $6.95.  Charging an additional aprox $4.44 in postage negates the 'good deal' for the buyer.  What I have done in the mean time is opened a second store where I sell the patches and bumper stickers. ]. 

Good plan. Then you won't have to worry about TRS.

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[mountainmommie]

Seller Dashboard does. It lists a threshold of 95% tracking and validation (within the past 3 months) as a TRS requirement.

I only know because I'm constantly tempted to abandon all responsibility and accountability for stamps and a wing-and-a-prayer .... 

sigh

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@mountainmommie wrote:

Seller Dashboard does. It lists a threshold of 95% tracking and validation (within the past 3 months) as a TRS requirement....

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I meant that it doesn't mention a dollar value threshold for the tracking requirement, which is what the OP was asking about.

[mountainmommie]

Oh, yes ... the semantics. Why does OP care what dollar amount to keep TRS when it isn't the dollar amount (regarding tracking & validation) that keeps the TRS standard to begin with. I get that dollar amount affects TRS as a whole ....

Obviously above my pay grade.

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@mountainmommie wrote: .... Why does OP care what dollar amount to keep TRS ....

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OP was hoping that lower value items were exempt from the tracking requirement, so he could ship more than 5% of his items in PWE (i.e., without tracking) without jeopardizing his TRS.

[mountainmommie]

Got it. I'll stay in my lane. The one way off to the right where we don't read between lines well.

[fm2000]

I know from personal experience, it doesn't matter the value, any items shipped without tracking (in a regular envelope) counts against you when it comes to TRS status. You are allowed up to 5% of items shipped without tracking without losing TRS, so you might opt to use a regular envelope in very limited cases when you can afford the metrics hit (and can afford to lose the item too, of course.)