Why are eBay's USPS tracking updates lagging HOURS behind real time?

[mangorunner]

Why do eBay's USPS tracking updates lag hours behind real time?

More than two hours after USPS delivered the item, eBay still shows it "In Transit".  Why are eBay's tracking updates so extremely delayed and out-of-sync with USPS?

[earlyant-77]

Because the tracking updates are batched and not real time. They aren't going to do a call to get immediate info each time you go into your myebay or any other page showing you the tracking numbers.

[mangorunner]

Sure, but two-plus hours is not reasonable.

If you know, how often are batches received and processed?

[earlyant-77]

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@mangorunner wrote:

Sure, but two-plus hours is not reasonable.

If you know, how often are batches received and processed?

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What difference does 2 hours make? Just check the tracking on usps. That would be updated faster.

I would assume every 4 hours would be a good timeframe for ebay to get the info and process it. It depends on how they have it set up.

[mangorunner]

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@earlyant-77 wrote:

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@mangorunner wrote:

Sure, but two-plus hours is not reasonable.

If you know, how often are batches received and processed?

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What difference does 2 hours make? Just check the tracking on usps. That would be updated faster.

I would assume every 4 hours would be a good timeframe for ebay to get the info and process it. It depends on how they have it set up.

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I guess neither of us knows how often eBay's tracking is updated. 

Crazy that my computer can get tracking in real time but eBay's cannot.

Checking the tracking in USPS is useless for what I need: I already know the item was delivered.  1) It was delivered to me, and 2) I already posted a screen shot showing that I have been to the USPS website and captured the screen shot that shows it was delivered.

I need the tracking in eBay to show that this item was delivered.  It is a return and I cannot process the refund in the manner I intend until eBay's information is updated.

It has now been the "good time-frame" of four hours, but still no tracking update.  

Does anyone know the frequency of eBay updating of USPS tracking data?

[buyselljack2016]

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@mangorunner wrote:

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@earlyant-77 wrote:

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@mangorunner wrote:

Sure, but two-plus hours is not reasonable.

If you know, how often are batches received and processed?

---

What difference does 2 hours make? Just check the tracking on usps. That would be updated faster.

I would assume every 4 hours would be a good timeframe for ebay to get the info and process it. It depends on how they have it set up.

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I guess neither of us knows how often eBay's tracking is updated. 

Crazy that my computer can get tracking in real time but eBay's cannot.

Checking the tracking in USPS is useless for what I need: I already know the item was delivered.  1) It was delivered to me, and 2) I already posted a screen shot showing that I have been to the USPS website and captured the screen shot that shows it was delivered.

I need the tracking in eBay to show that this item was delivered.  It is a return and I cannot process the refund in the manner I intend until eBay's information is updated.

It has now been the "good time-frame" of four hours, but still no tracking update.  

Does anyone know the frequency of eBay updating of USPS tracking data?

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@Anonymous     alan@ebay   brian@ebay 

 help the OP

[mangorunner]

Just for the record, at 9:22 PM, eBay finally updated the tracking to "Delivered".  (All times posted by me in this thread are Eastern Time.)  So it took around 5.5 hours for it to update after actual delivery.  I don't know when eBay's previous tracking update transpired, so I don't know how much total time passes between eBay tracking updates.

[a_c_green]

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@mangorunner wrote:

So it took around 5.5 hours for it to update after actual delivery.  

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I don't think eBay has the bandwidth to keep querying for updates on all the millions of shipments it knows about, nor is it likely that the USPS wants it banging on their database non-stop.  If you definitely need near-instant updates on tracking, such as for a return shipment that you're describing here, then sign yourself up for tracking updates on that package number (either texts or email) from usps.com. (You can also sign yourself up for Informed Delivery, which includes an option you can select to receive updates on every inbound package to your address.) 

The carrier handheld scanners typically upload in real time. My delivery alerts from usps.com land in my In box at about the same time that the delivery truck is turning around at the end of our street, two houses down from our place.

[mangorunner]

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@a_c_green wrote:

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@mangorunner wrote:

So it took around 5.5 hours for it to update after actual delivery.  

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I don't think eBay has the bandwidth to keep querying for updates on all the millions of shipments it knows about, nor is it likely that the USPS wants it banging on their database non-stop.  If you definitely need near-instant updates on tracking, such as for a return shipment that you're describing here, then sign yourself up for tracking updates on that package number (either texts or email) from usps.com. (You can also sign yourself up for Informed Delivery, which includes an option you can select to receive updates on every inbound package to your address.) 

The carrier handheld scanners typically upload in real time. My delivery alerts from usps.com land in my In box at about the same time that the delivery truck is turning around at the end of our street, two houses down from our place.

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I don't think you understand.  I had the knowledge that the delivery had been made.  I wasn't able to perform the refund until eBay's system reflected the delivery.  It wasn't tracking information that I was seeking; it was info on when/how often eBay syncs their data with USPS.

Regarding your recommended ways to follow USPS tracking, I already do all of that - here's my post outlining the same  from earlier this year:

Ways to Monitor USPS Tracking 

As you described, the USPS tracking data updated immediately on the USPS website when my mail carrier scanned and placed the box in my hand.  Then I had to wait 5.5 hours to make the refund in eBay.

Being that it is the end of 2019, I am doing my best to get all transactions pertaining to 2019, completed and posted within 2019.

[brian@ebay]

@a_c_green wrote:

@mangorunner wrote:

So it took around 5.5 hours for it to update after actual delivery.  

I don't think eBay has the bandwidth to keep querying for updates on all the millions of shipments it knows about, nor is it likely that the USPS wants it banging on their database non-stop.  If you definitely need near-instant updates on tracking, such as for a return shipment that you're describing here, then sign yourself up for tracking updates on that package number (either texts or email) from usps.com. (You can also sign yourself up for Informed Delivery, which includes an option you can select to receive updates on every inbound package to your address.) 

The carrier handheld scanners typically upload in real time. My delivery alerts from usps.com land in my In box at about the same time that the delivery truck is turning around at the end of our street, two houses down from our place.

I don't think you understand.  I had the knowledge that the delivery had been made.  I wasn't able to perform the refund until eBay's system reflected the delivery.  It wasn't tracking information that I was seeking; it was info on when/how often eBay syncs their data with USPS.

Regarding your recommended ways to follow USPS tracking, I already do all of that - here's my post outlining the same  from earlier this year:

Ways to Monitor USPS Tracking 

As you described, the USPS tracking data updated immediately on the USPS website when my mail carrier scanned and placed the box in my hand.  Then I had to wait 5.5 hours to make the refund in eBay.

Being that it is the end of 2019, I am doing my best to get all transactions pertaining to 2019, completed and posted within 2019.

Hi @mangorunner, while I don't have information to share about how often shipping data is synced, I can say that shipping information can take up to 24 hours to update on our site, though it's usually much quicker than this. 

[johnrj1226]

Since  eBay system is up dated by transmissions of info from the USPS it seams reasonable there may  be  a glitch in the transfer of data by USPS or in the receipt by eBay.  Things do happen.  Or the time zone difference maybe having  an effect.

Anytime I have compared tracking info on eBay to USPS they always shows  the  same info.  But  don't compare  frequently. 

Not certain what a delay in receiving a delivery event on real time basis would be a hindrance.  We  live in  GA and ship to the western region - primarily to the west coast states 45%  of our orders. Shipped a total of 1559 packages.  I'm certain a number of deliveries took place while I was sleeping and nothing happened when I woke up - normally 3 to 3:30 am.

Guess you can  stay  up and extra few hours to make up the lag in time before you can process a refund.  I've never had an issue in issuing a full or partial refund any time i did one.

[buyselljack2016]

Have always seen the lag between eBay updates, and USPS site updates, but for a plain old straight forward refund it has not been necessary for it to show delivered(back to me) in order to make the refund to the buyer.

[mangorunner]

brian@ebay, thank you very much for the reply.

@buyselljack2016, you're right: a tracking update is not necessary for a plain old straight-forward refund.  However, if you want to document the condition in which an item was returned, obviously it must be shown as "Delivered" when you do so.

Thanks for the help and comments, everyone.