eBay

keimanu · ‎02-24-2020

The local post office tells me that when I use the USPS to post an item that I sell on eBay and prepay through the eBay site, I have only 24 hours to then drop off the prepaid package OR it is subject to an extra charge.

Does anyone have any knowledge of this restriction?

Thanks!

orangehound · ‎02-24-2020

Section 604 of the USPS DMM does have some language that emphasizes accuracy on the printed "indincia" date (section 4.5.1) and a requirement for metered mail (section 4.6.2). But, there doesn't seem to be a requirement for packages.

In practice, sellers frequently drop off pre-paid packages beyond the mailing date without any grief from the USPS ... that is, the USPS system will pass it through without any problem. However, there's always some USPS clerk that wants to do a power play. I wouldn't fight them, but just find another clerk that doesn't give you the harassment.

nobody*s_perfect · ‎02-24-2020

When you purchase a postage label online (through eBay, PayPal, endicia, etc.) the label has a date printed on it, and you are supposed to mail the package on the date that's printed on the label. Many PO's (including yours, apparently) are very strict about this, but others are flexible.

"Postage meters and PC Postage products are collectively identified as “postage evidencing systems.” A postage evidencing system is a device or system of components a customer uses to print evidence that postage required for mailing has been paid. Postage evidencing systems print indicia such as information-based indicia (IBI) or intelligent mail indicia (IMI), to indicate postage payment. ...

4.5.1 Date and Postage Corrections

Mailers may print a date correction or additional postage indicium directly on the mailpiece or on a USPS-approved label under the following conditions.

A date correction indicium is required for any mailpiece not deposited by the date of mailing in the indicium. Only one date correction indicium is permitted on a mailpiece. For all postage evidencing systems except PC Postage systems, a date correction must show the actual date of deposit and zero postage value (“0.00”). Place the date correction as follows:"

https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/604.htm#ep1080496

When you are preparing your shipping label (checking the package weight etc.) before purchase, there's an option to change the date that is printed on the label, usually up to about 3 days after purchase. If you know that you are going to be taking your package to a persnickety PO, then be sure you choose an accurate date.

I have no idea what "extra charge" your pO clerk is referring to.

oldwestcoins · ‎02-24-2020

Why drop it off when they will pickup for free? I go to my local Post Office only a couple times a month. Time is money. FREE FREE FREE

a_c_green · ‎02-25-2020

@nobody*s_perfect wrote:
A date correction indicium is required for any mailpiece not deposited by the date of mailing in the indicium. Only one date correction indicium is permitted on a mailpiece. For all postage evidencing systems except PC Postage systems, a date correction must show the actual date of deposit and zero postage value (“0.00”). Place the date correction as follows:"

Note that the quote above is excluding PC Postage, which is what eBay shipping labels are. They are not metered mail and do not have to enter the mailstream on the label's print date. Their date of mailing is determined by their Acceptance scan of the tracking barcode.

Metered mail does not have tracking or barcodes, and so the meter date must be the actual date of mailing. Stand outside an office building at 4:55 p.m. someday and watch office workers with metered mail sprinting out the door towards the post office. Meanwhile, at the post office, they'll have a bin at the counter to accept bundles of metered mail dropped off by those customers, so they won't have to stand in line.

PC Postage can be accepted on a day beyond the print date. It can be dropped in an overnight bin and scanned in later. A clerk who is refusing to accept a package bearing a PC Postage label that was printed on a previous day is just being a knucklehead, and one who says that an extra fee is required is making it up as he goes along.

remote_controls_and_more · ‎02-25-2020

Never had an issue, a lot of the time I package and print labels within a few minutes of a sale. Probably half my packages go out with a label dated the day before and if it's the weekend they don't get scanned until monday which is at least 2 days after.

nobody*s_perfect · ‎02-25-2020

@a_c_green wrote:
@nobody*s_perfect wrote:
A date correction indicium is required for any mailpiece not deposited by the date of mailing in the indicium. Only one date correction indicium is permitted on a mailpiece. For all postage evidencing systems except PC Postage systems, a date correction must show the actual date of deposit and zero postage value (“0.00”). Place the date correction as follows:"
Note that the quote above is excluding PC Postage, which is what eBay shipping labels are. They are not metered mail and do not have to enter the mailstream on the label's print date. Their date of mailing is determined by their Acceptance scan of the tracking barcode.
....

We are interpreting that section differently. The phrase "For all postage evidencing systems except PC Postage systems..." appears in the middle of that section, not at the beginning of it, so it seems to me that the earlier portion of that paragraph applies to both metered and PC indica.

Anyway, what matters in practice is neither my interpretation nor yours, but what the local PO clerk says. If they won't accept the package a labeled, then no amount of quoting the DMM is going to help.

lightlily_arts · ‎02-25-2020

I haven't had any problems dropping my packages off until the next postal business day. I generally print labels within 20 minutes after a sale as I get a text message from PayPal whenever I receive a payment. Recently we had a holiday weekend so the labels that I printed over the three day weekend didn't get dropped off until Tuesday. If your local post office imposes this restriction you can change the shipping date when you print the labels.