eBay Standard Envelope

[maeci8rwd]

I have been shipping low value baseball trade cards in an eBay standard envelope to reduce buyer shipping cost.  Tracking is hit-and-miss as expected with this shipping method but once delivery is made tracking is updated to show that the envelope has been delivered.  Lately I have noticed that this is not the case.  I am finding examples where sellers tell me that they have received the item but tracking only shows that it went through my local post office.  Anyone also experiencing this problem?   I guess that this is a USPS issue but why the change?  What 'agreement' does eBay have with USPS regarding tracking with these envelopes?  Thanks.

[onefootflipper]

My other account is all standard envelope.

 The only thing that actually tracks them is the automated sorting machines.  The delivery is estimated. Sometimes this breaks in certain places or gets delayed system wide. Sometimes the envelopes make it all the way to the destination without ever getting a scan.

The best suggestion I have is to fire and forget the envelopes.  Don't check up on them later, don't message the customer. Just think of it like a stamp. Just assume that it gets there unless you hear otherwise.

The entire real purpose behind the tracking is to protect the sellers that previously used stamps from the customers who claimed to not receive every single thing they ordered that was sent with stamps.

[wastingtime101]

eBay Standard Envelope (ESE) is a metered letter 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.

There are a lot of regional issues going on right now with USPS, facility consolidations and staffing issues that have been all over the news. These types of shake ups could easily cause delays or what was already a service with spotty tracking to become even less reliable in terms of tracking. As the previous poster said, that doesn't mean the envelopes aren't arriving just fine.

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=...

[tobaccocardyahoo]

There is a direct correlation to the reliability of the scans and delivery to how you pack your cards,

The more rigid your package the worse the results. Ebay's recommendations for how you can pack are IMO very optimistic.

[1786davycrockett]

@maeci8rwd 

" I am finding examples where sellers tell me that they have received the item but tracking only shows that it went through my local post office.  Anyone also experiencing this problem?   I guess that this is a USPS issue but why the change?  What 'agreement' does eBay have with USPS regarding tracking with these envelopes?  Thanks."

SinceUSPS considers the ESE  to be just another example of contracted business metered mail, there is no special "agreement" between eBay and USPS -- no more so than the contracted business metered mail which you may receive from a credit card company, or your utility company, or any of the other businesses that may send metered mail to you through USPS.

And, since there is no way for a USPS delivery person to "scan" your ESEs as they are delivered to residential homes, the only final delivery scan available is to the local post office matching the residential ZIP Code of the buyer.

There are no "new" changes to the USPS policy on ESEs -- other than significantly later deliveries, especially for items which are too thick or too rigid.

[wastingtime101]

eBay posted an announcement here.

"We are aware of an issue with eBay Standard Envelope shipments not displaying tracking events on eBay. We are working to resolve this issue and are in the process of updating the display of tracking events for the impacted shipments.  

If your shipment is impacted and you have an Item Not Received claim due to this issue, your item will be eligible for the included shipment protection. Additionally, eBay will automatically protect your service metrics for Item Not Received cases."