eBay Envelope shipping. Horrible

[thehouseofpatches]

I am getting more and more items that say I  never shipped the item.     Over half of them the customers have given positive feedback on how much they love the item.   Is anyone else having issues shipping this way ?   Any one have any tricks to increase my success rate ?

[wastingtime101]

eBay Standard Envelope (ESE) is a metered mail shipment so it does not receive traditional tracking scans. The clerk at the PO counter cannot scan it and you can't track it on the USPS website. The envelopes are scanned by sorting machinery at distribution centers along the way and tracking will appear on eBay.

Common reasons ESE labels don't get scanned include:
- Overpacking. Envelopes are too stiff. It's not recommended to use trading card top loaders or cardboard mailers.
- Using ineligible packing material such as a bubble envelope.
- Placement of label. Label should be placed in the upper right corner with approx 1/8"-1/4" clearance from edges. If it's placed too far from the corner the machinery won't scan it.
- Placing items like coins in the center of the envelope. The center of the envelope needs to be the most flexible part.
- Printer ink is not dark enough, or label color is too bright (stick to white labels if you can).
- Regional issues with sorting machines, volume processing, etc.

With ESE, a 'delivered' scan generally occurs at the last sort facility before it gets to the buyer, so typically the buyer will receive their order a few days after the delivered scan.

If a buyer files a not received claim, you do have insurance coverage and the claims process is outlined on this page: https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/shipping-items/setting-shipping-options/ebay-standard-envelope?id=...

[mantle1951]

Are you getting at least a first scan on all of them? If you are you are covered by Ebay and will get your money back if buyer files a claim. If i have a ESE picked up today I get the first scan about 24 hours later from then on tracking is sketchy and on many it never shows delivered but they are getting delivered. 

[1786davycrockett]

@thehouseofpatches 

As long as none of your buyers are opening up "item not received" cases against you, don't sweat it -- and, as you state, over 50% of your buyers are providing positive feedback, which is way above the curve.

Seems as if your "success rate" is doing just fine, even without delivery scans.

And, as @mantle1951 has pointed out, if you are at least receiving an initial scan somewhere along the way, you are covered for any losses by ESE insurance.

Success need not be perfect.

[bdmh-enterprises]

I've had great success with ESE. 98% origin scan rate and at least a 90% del scan rate. Been over a year since my last INR.

If you're having some go unscanned here and there they probably just caught the eye of someone that didn't like the look of it that time. If most of them are not getting scanned then it is almost certainly the packaging.

My tips for ESE success:

NO cardboard mailers! It doesn't matter what they say, they are TOO STIFF. PWE only. Patches are inherently flexible so that shouldn't be an issue as long as the envelope is flexible.

Use the smallest envelope possible for the item inside. You want a uniform thickness without a lot of empty space. If there is a lot of empty space in the envelope or the item is a little bumpy (like patches) use a sheet of paper to wrap the item and fill the envelope.

While they are becoming more common and more clerks will be used to them, I still would recommend NOT bringing them to the PO counter. Put them in the letter drop, blue box or leave them for your carrier to pick up. Basically, if they are well mixed in with all the other letters they are less likely to get the stink eye from a poorly trained worker.

Hope these will help. As others have said the true "success rate" is the lack of customer complaints.