eBay

somanypostcards · ‎09-04-2020

When I went to print a label today, the "eBay Print Your Shipping Label" page had this suggestion at the top:

"USPS is experiencing significant difficulties across their delivery network. Please consider using other carrier options that may provide a better buyer experience."

It is less than 60 days prior to the Presidential election. The USPS is likely being sabotaged by having multi-million dollar sorting machines put in dumpsters, mail boxes removed, overtime eliminated resulting in mandated daily mail handling routine changes causing mail backlogs and empty mail delivery vans in some instances, and postal employees being given incentives to retire early, all presenting difficulties in handling mail in ballots in the coming election. These USPS delivery problems only began recently when Louis DeJoy was appointed Postmaster General and CEO.

I find it, at best, in poor taste for eBay to undermine the USPS revenue stream at this time with the above suggestion. Sellers should decide what is best for their business and/or best for their country without eBay prompting them to consider abandoning the USPS at this time.

somanypostcards · ‎09-22-2020

Thank you, eBay, for removing the suggestion to consider other carrier options than the USPS from you "eBay Print Your Shipping Label" page.

View Best Answer in original post

mmar5103 · ‎09-04-2020

The USPS has been a money pit for decades. They have undertaken a huge revamping of their outdated systems to bring it into the 21st Century. Something that should have been done many years ago.

eBay is not a political sounding board. Do not make it one. These " problems " did start recently because the system is not working. You have to dismantle things sometimes to fix them, and that is what is happening now.

I still use USPS but opted to raise my shipping fees and offer a faster service, which is not being effected with delays. ( Hmmm... makes you wonder why that is so )

vintagecraze50 · ‎09-04-2020

I have had nothing but outstanding service from them for over 10 years here until all these changes. Last week was a complete nightmare for me with packages late some really late like two weeks late when I used my usual Priority Mail. One completely lost. I sell expensive items. When these packages are like 2 weeks or more late customers get furious and start item not received claims and becuase they are so late Ebay obliges them to get a refund. And guess what, these items then sometimes arrives within a dat or so after the refund and the seller can loose the item and their money over this if the buyer refuses to pay up. I cannot use this service until this all get’s straightened out and it WONT for some time.

somanypostcards · ‎09-04-2020

Multi-million dollar sorting machines are NOT outdated systems. Destroying them increases costs of labor and makes the USPS much less efficient, increasing losses. And rules that result in mail delays are questionable cost savings. I am not against sensible changes at the USPS to make it more profitable. I am also not against eBay's suggestion to consider other carrier options if it is made AFTER the election.

vintagecraze50 · ‎09-04-2020

I really did not want to switch my USPS service at all until the problems I encountered last week. Nor do I want to further bankrupt the USPS by not using them right now. I am furious about how this whole plan has caused so much damage to businesses that have relied on their service, and especially Ebay sellers who HEAVILY RELY ON THEM. These changes could have been done after the election and after Christmas. This postmaster is either their dumbest business person on the planet or this is far more destructive to this election than people are being led to believe. That’s just my opinion.

vintagecraze50 · ‎09-04-2020

“Rules that cause these outrageous mail delays” Yes, one would think that with all this revenue coming in with the Pandemic pandemonium buying and the Christmas season coming up that they could at least get somewhat on the right track, but now THEY WILL LOOSE THE TRUST OF THEIR CUSTOMERS. Who will be gettin out of dodge and shipping their stuff with other carriers. Fantastic business plan.

lightlily_arts · ‎09-05-2020

I'm still using USPS for my packages and watching the tracking for them carefully. Are there any particulars areas that are being affected? I know that some of the sorting stations in Orange county, California have been affected but my packages don't go through there.

lja440 · ‎09-05-2020

Just an update. Since holding the possision of Postmaster General DeJoy has paid the trucking company he holds millions of dolars of stock in over 14 million dollars from USPS in the last 10 weeks.

While USPS has contracts with this company and the numbers to us normal people seem high it is only one companies contracts but this increase is on the scope of things extreme and an obvious money grab.

Through about 100 contracts with XPO Logistics and its subsidiaries, the Postal Service has paid the firm $33.7 million to $45.2 million annually since 2014 for services that include managing transportation and providing support during peak times.

The documents also show a surge in revenue for XPO from the Postal Service since Mr. DeJoy took over on June 15. The Postal Service paid XPO Logistics and its subsidiaries about $14 million over the past 10 weeks, compared with $3.4 million during the same time frame in 2019 and $4.7 million in 2018.

salebolt · ‎09-05-2020

> Just an update.

And the following paragraphs that were conveniently left off from the NYT article:

A spokesman for XPO attributed the uptick to the expansion of a contract with the Postal Service that was amended in December, months before Mr. DeJoy was selected to lead the agency.

David Partenheimer, a spokesman for the Postal Service, said that Mr. DeJoy had no involvement in contracting decisions and had recused himself from any involvement in dealings with his former company.

and it continues on to describe how he divested control of decision making as part of a deal vetted by the Post Office ethics dept prior to taking the position.

https://archive.is/SYoib

salebolt · ‎09-05-2020

@lightlily_arts wrote:
I'm still using USPS for my packages and watching the tracking for them carefully. Are there any particulars areas that are being affected? I know that some of the sorting stations in Orange county, California have been affected but my packages don't go through there.

We're seeing delays mostly in the larger coastal cities, NJ, NY, and parts of CA when shipping from Chicago area. There were some long delays in Ohio and PA months ago during the COVID scare when they shut down some distribution centers. Seems like tracking is being skipped in many areas.

If you ship from different post offices, you should consider shipping only from the zip code used for generating labels. Shipping from another zip code could cause issues if you have to track packages that haven't been scanned. eBay has no facility for selecting the ship from zip code that I can see. It seems to be based on the account address.

lja440 · ‎09-06-2020

@vintagecraze50 wrote:
“Rules that cause these outrageous mail delays” Yes, one would think that with all this revenue coming in with the Pandemic pandemonium buying and the Christmas season coming up that they could at least get somewhat on the right track, but now THEY WILL LOOSE THE TRUST OF THEIR CUSTOMERS. Who will be gettin out of dodge and shipping their stuff with other carriers. Fantastic business plan.

That is DeJoy's goal, to gut USPS. Beside stock in XPO Logistics he owns millions in UPS stock. While he is funneling USPS money into his trucking company hand over fist he is also wanting to have people shift their package shipping to UPS for another influx of cash into his own pockets. The man is corrupt same as most of tRumps sycophants' .

lja440 · ‎09-06-2020

@somanypostcards wrote:
Multi-million dollar sorting machines are NOT outdated systems. Destroying them increases costs of labor and makes the USPS much less efficient, increasing losses. And rules that result in mail delays are questionable cost savings. I am not against sensible changes at the USPS to make it more profitable. I am also not against eBay's suggestion to consider other carrier options if it is made AFTER the election.

Indeed. I a lowly rural carrier can point out many ways the Post Office could make money.

#1 If we must treat it as First Class then they should pay First Class postage. I am spending half my sorting time sorting political mail. I have customers that have on avarage a stack of 1" to3" of mail from tRump right now. ALL begging for money and all paying non profits rate. Even the large full cover cardstock pieces which in order for me to case I have to fold in thirds. (the dems mail out less by far but are not blameless on this either)

#2 Same with the evangicals. I have no issue with Guideposts or your little local churches getting a break but sorry if you head a church, wear $5000 suits, get $500 haircuts and drive a fleet of cars that have pricetags that could put a kid through collage YOU ARE NOT A NON PROFIT and should not be able to mail your pleas for money at a non profit rate.

These 2 groups actually constitute roughly a third of all my letter mail. Over the next 2 months this will expand to over half if 2016 was any indication. If they were paying $.55 instead of $.02 USPS wouldn't have any problems.

lja440 · ‎09-06-2020

@mmar5103 wrote:
The USPS has been a money pit for decades. They have undertaken a huge revamping of their outdated systems to bring it into the 21st Century. Something that should have been done many years ago.
eBay is not a political sounding board. Do not make it one. These " problems " did start recently because the system is not working. You have to dismantle things sometimes to fix them, and that is what is happening now.
I still use USPS but opted to raise my shipping fees and offer a faster service, which is not being effected with delays. ( Hmmm... makes you wonder why that is so )

I call **bleep** on that. The only equipment that USPS has that is outdated is the LLV fleet. Our sorting machines are top of the line and maintained at the highest level.

https://www.businessinsider.com/usps-mail-sorting-machines-how-they-work-in-photos-2020-8#the-usps-e...

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=usps+sorting+machines+flats+sorters&&view=detail&mid=2C3F6F181F...

vintagecraze50 · ‎09-06-2020

Thanks for this tell tale update. This guy is helping to disrupt and destroy businesses online with all the problems he has caused. All to turn a buck for himself.