eBay

rockmwell · ‎02-23-2023

Article 2125, Section 2125.1, Paragraph H of the proposed USPS Ground Advantage Service states:

" Up to $100.00 of General Insurance coverage is included at no additional cost in the price of USPS Ground Advantage pieces THAT BEAR an Intelligent Mail package barcode or retail tracking barcode, or for USPS Ground Advantage pieces THAT BEAR an Intelligent Mail package barcode and for which the mailer pays Commercial Plus prices or uses ePostage, Electronic Verification System, Hardcopy Manifest, or an approved Manifest Mailing System. "

The key words "THAT BEAR" suggest that USPS Tracking will be an optional service for additional fee.

Section 2125.5 list USPS Tracking as one of the "Optional Features" of the proposed USPS Ground Advantage Service.

Need a clarification on this.

Link: https://www.prc.gov/docs/124/124455/Notice%20CP2023-113%20GA.pdf

wastingtime101 · ‎02-24-2023

You're reading too much into it. Any label purchased through eBay, post office, self service kiosk or any online postage provider is going to have a tracking barcode and/or an intelligent mail barcode just like they always do.

Even though we're losing some with this change, the added insurance is a gain as FC and Ground are currently uninsured services.

I gotta have more cowbell.

anasazirose · ‎02-24-2023

Maybe WT101 is correct, that you're reading too much into it, however, if is it the way it reads, then it certainly seems as if the USPS is covering that as a possibility, if not for now, then for the future. What a nightmare if tracking becomes an additional cost option but required for insurance.

Kudos to you for reading it, and catching the verbiage.

beltsnchains · ‎02-24-2023

Let me somewhat digest the first sentance of that paragraph.

"Up to $100.00 of General Insurance coverage is included at no additional cost in the price of USPS Ground Advantage pieces THAT BEAR an Intelligent Mail package barcode or retail tracking barcode"

"Retail tracking barcode" or what is known to us all as "USPS Tracking" is available to all packages if shipping was purchased from local post office at retail price.

"Intelligent Mail package barcode" or IMB (Intelligent Mail Barcode) is provided by USPS licensed mailing services companies, like Pitney Bowes and Stamps.com. This is exactly the same barcode that the "eBay Standard Envelope" gets.

This means that all packages THAT BEAR the IMB barcode will not get acceptance scan at your local post office, unless you purchase the optional regular USPS Tracking. Presently, IMB barcode status check is only available through the companies where you purchased your shipping label from. So this is less work for USPS, more so for the local post offices.

eBay has not fully implemented the eBay Standard Envelope shipping with IMB barcode due to cost and quality of service. Just google how many complaints of not getting even a single scan. If that would be the case, then sellers might opt to buy USPS Tracking. to be protected from INR.

rockmwell · ‎02-24-2023

@wastingtime101 wrote:
You're reading too much into it. Any label purchased through eBay, post office, self service kiosk or any online postage provider is going to have a tracking barcode and/or an intelligent mail barcode just like they always do.

Even though we're losing some with this change, the added insurance is a gain as FC and Ground are currently uninsured services.

My question is: What good is insurance if your package does not get a single scan?

Apparently, as pointed out by beltsnchain, that is the main problem with IMB (Intelligent Mail barcode). Scanning of IMB is not as frequent as the regular USPS Tracking. It does not get scanned at the point of acceptance, which is at your local post office. Nor does it get scanned by postal worker who delivers your package to your buyer's doorstep. Scanning happens only at distribution centers.

This new USPS Ground Advantage will eliminate the most labor intensive scanning of every piece of mail or package at the local post offices. But it will cause extreme havoc to all online marketplaces, including eBay. It will open the flood gate to more INRs.

And yes it is insured, but do you have that extra time to file claim? Or could you absorb the loss of not getting the package scanned at all?

wastingtime101 · ‎02-24-2023

ESE is not related to this discussion at all. ESE is a metered mail service and has nothing to do with Ground Advantage which will receive traditional tracking scans.

Have you ever purchased a shipping label from the Self-Service Kiosk at the post office?

The label is large enough that it has a tracking barcode, however the SSK has a screen that asks you if the label will fit - if you select no then it will print a smaller label that doesn't have the standard tracking barcode. Instead it has a square intelligent mail barcode. Counter clerks can print those smaller labels, too.

eBay labels include both the tracking barcode and an intelligent mail matrix barcode (in tiny form) - it's that thing people keep calling a QR code. (link)

I gotta have more cowbell.

rockmwell · ‎02-26-2023

@wastingtime101 wrote:
ESE is not related to this discussion at all. ESE is a metered mail service and has nothing to do with Ground Advantage which will receive traditional tracking scans.

Have you ever purchased a shipping label from the Self-Service Kiosk at the post office?

The label is large enough that it has a tracking barcode, however the SSK has a screen that asks you if the label will fit - if you select no then it will print a smaller label that doesn't have the standard tracking barcode. Instead it has a square intelligent mail barcode. Counter clerks can print those smaller labels, too.

eBay labels include both the tracking barcode and an intelligent mail matrix barcode (in tiny form) - it's that thing people keep calling a QR code. (link)

What you are telling us is to look at the present and past operational procedures and not what is planned for the coming future. If that's the case whats the fuzz all about it? And it clearly stated in that report that USPS Tracking would be one of the "optional features" of the new USPS Ground Advantage, unless you pay retail price.

The new QR barcode or Intelligent Mail "matrix" barcode is embedded with exactly the same data found in regular USPS tracking barcode. But the report isn't talking about the differences of one barcode from the other or which style of barcode will be used. The report is all about the changes in service.

Section 2125.1 Paragragh F states:

"Postage for USPS Ground Advantage Commercial mail must be paid for by one of the following methods:
- Registered end-users of USPS-approved PC Postage products
when using a qualifying shipping label managed by PC Postage
system.
- USPS-approved IBI postage meters that electronically transmit
transactional data to the USPS.
- Permit imprint"

And those mail services providers will have to use the new Intelligent Mail "package" barcode, which does not embed the same regular USPS tracking code. Maybe they will use this QR code to embed the data but still data is not similar to regular USPS barcode. ESE (ebay Standard Envelope) uses the IMB technology and IMB tracing (not tracking) is provided by mail services providers, like Pitney Bowes, to ebay and other online marketplaces. Apparently, USPS plans to use the same IMB technology used in ESE to this new USPS Ground Advantage.

And SSK is retail price not commercial. Maybe a commercial or commercial plus license with USPS will let you pay commercial price. I don't have one. Who does?

Local post offices are