Community Chat, April 28 @ 1:00 pm PT - eBay standard envelope

[brittanie@ebay]

Hi everyone! 

Thanks for joining us for the Weekly Chat. This week we’re joined by the eBay standard envelope team. They are here to address any questions you may have about this shipping option and the recent expansion to additional categories. 

You can read more about the program itself here, here and here.

We are also aware that USPS First Class Package is not showing up as a shipping option in the listing flow for some members in the mobile app and desktop. This is urgently being worked on and we anticipate a quick resolution.  

To post your question, click Reply in the lower right corner of this post, type your question, and hit submit between 1-2 PM Pacific Time. The format of our chat mirrors the format of our Community Discussion Boards, where each post will appear in the thread chronologically. We’ll review each question as it comes in, and will quote the original question in our reply. This quote and the reply will appear later in the thread, so just keep scrolling down to see our answers.

The chat thread will remain open until 2 PM PT, at which point the thread will be closed from additional responses. After that time, the team will continue to work on responding to any queries that might still be unanswered.

**Please note that while off-topic questions will not be removed, they will be answered after the chat closes, to allow priority to remain on the topic for this week's chat. Thanks!

[vermonteyecandy]

Hi. I was wondering why it says each listing is limited to 3 postcards. I can fit 5 postcards in an envelope and keep it in the specs for size, depth and weight. Thanks.

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Edit: A reply to your post can be found here

[bsktstuf]

I have many items I sell in collectibles category that would fit just fine in this size envelope under 3oz, will that be made available for that category and others?

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Edit: A reply to your post can be found here

[sloppygoose]

Hello, Thank you for being here.  I have been charged with more than 1000 standard envelope fees in the last 2 weeks.  There is no way to match those fees up with specific orders.  Will that be fixed?

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Edit: A reply to your post can be found here

[star.fighter]

Hi- i am mostly a (power) buyer, and lately, i have had a ridiculous number of sellers taking advantage of the covid shipping delays. they don't ship for days and days... but they don't enter any tracking number because it's not required.   we have no way to know if the package is sent or not, and ebay doesn't require them to mark that it's shipped... so, i have no idea if it's been shipped or not.

We aren't supposed to bug sellers about shipping, so i just wait and wait... until the arrival date. but then when that date arrives and no package...if i go to ebay form to say i haven't received my package, there is a huge banner that tells us to be patient about the shipping.

I do try to be patent.

After a week or more of not receiving past the due date, i contact the seller to ask status. some will tell me they shipped... others will give all sorts of excuses, and i keep trying to allow them time. unfortunately, i allowed one person too much time and i apparently am totally out the money. In that case, he finally marked the package as "shipped" on April 20, but i am in the same state and it didn't arrive. so, did he ship it? doubtful... but it is now over 30 days past the initial arrival date, so i cannot even be automatically covered.

How do i handle this? On one hand, we are being told to be patient, and we don't have any status to reference...but on the other hand, if i don't report the seller in time, I LOSE.

I know ebay is different because it's individual sellers -- not professionals. however, the sellers are making ME feel like i'm not being understanding if they don't ship in a reasonable timeframe. I don't want to come across as insensitive...but, this is now very rampant. I have had 3 sellers this month just not ship. One finally reimbursed via ebay, and i am still waiting on responses from the other 2.

I am active within the ebay community, so i understand this. but, someone who isn't active would not. this is not good for ebay or for any of the other sellers on here -- it trashes ebay's image, and creates bad impressions of ebay.

no matter what... i need some guidelines and suggestions as to what i should be doing when there is no tracking number. Once the receive date is past, do i then give the seller covid space, or not? if i send a mssg, they have excuses... so, then i end up waiting longer. but, i hate to open a not-received too soon. HELP!

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Edit: A reply to your post can be found here

[mgcman8888]

Are there plans to add Puerto Rico and other territories to the Standard Envelope service?

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Edit: A reply to your post can be found here

[yixness]

I was wondering if there is a place where we could recommend or vote for additional categories that we would love to see this as a shipping feature?  For example, I have a ton of POGs (flat cardboard circles, essentially) that would be great in this program.  

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Edit: A reply to your post can be found here

[nate@shipping]

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@vermonteyecandy wrote:

Hi. I was wondering why it says each listing is limited to 3 postcards. I can fit 5 postcards in an envelope and keep it in the specs for size, depth and weight. Thanks.

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Hi @vermonteyecandy , 

Thanks for the feedback. We are recommending 3 postcards as the limit to account for thickness and rigidity. Appreciate you checking the specs for size, depth, and weight. Those are very important to follow when using eBay standard envelope.

~Nate

[star.fighter]

as to the new envelopes... if those are the same ones used for trading cards, then why do they not show delivered?  the last info on the tracking is only"out for delivery," and a couple of them were actually delivered the next day.

otherwise, i love that ebay is offering those!!  it is so helpful for trading cards.  if this is not about the trading card part, then never mind... lol

i was typing too fast and didn't see the links.  sorry,  thanks!

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Edit: A reply to your post can be found here

[allellington]

I sell postcards. Up until now, I have used 1st class shipping with tracking and one-day handling with 100% positive feedback. I would like to use the service but I have heard there are a lot of issues with the tracking. I don't know if I can be safe still doing one-day handling since I don't know if or when the tracking will be picked up. 

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Edit: A reply to your post can be found here

[vermonteyecandy]

So if we have a listing with 4 or 5 cards, will they be allowed to ship this way? Or will ebay take them down or ding us? 

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Edit: A reply to your post can be found here

[vintage_antique_finder]

Hello!

I'm so excited that you guys are finally offering this option since up to this point I have to process everything through stamps.com, which has gotten glitchy at best and super frustrating at worst.

Anyway, at this point, I still won't be able to use this service since we ship all our antique and vintage postcards between two pieces of chipboard - we'd still be ok on weight and thickness, but I need the ridged/non-machinable option added as well so the post office doesn't mangle my merchandise through their sorting machines.  If this option becomes available, then I will definitely be switching to this service!

Again, very excited about this option - just need that non-machinable add-on as well so our cards stay safe in the mail.

I hope this makes sense!

Thanks 😃

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

I'd like to see a screen shot of an actual Standard Envelope label. Thanks.

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Edit: A reply to your post can be found here

[postcardcountry]

I have read many complaints about a lack of scanning and therefore tracking where these envelopes are. 

Can you fully explain what is supposed to happen?  And then, what communication have you had with the USPS about the lack of scans.

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Edit: A reply to your post can be found here

[jen@selling]

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@bsktstuf wrote:

I have many items I sell in collectibles category that would fit just fine in this size envelope under 3oz, will that be made available for that category and others?

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Thanks for joining today's chat, @bsktstuf and for selling on eBay!  For now, we have the service open only in Trading Cards, Postcards, Stamps and Coins & Paper Money.  We launched the service in January and are pleased sellers are excited and happy with the service. 

We'll continue expanding to more categories as we know there are many items that benefit from this service (like seed packets - something I buy too often? 😁).