New eBay Standard Envelope

[buymycards]

The barcodes on these envelopes are not package tracking barcodes. They are Intelligent Mail barcodes, which can only be read by the processing machines. The clerks cannot scan them and the carriers cannot scan them. You will never have an actual "delivery" scan or an acceptance scan.

If you subscribe to the USPS Informed Delivery, you are told what mail you can expect today. This comes from the IMB barcode that is scanned at the processing plant. The IMB's and the machines are very accurate and 99% of the time you will receive the mail that is pictured on your Informed Delivery email.

If you look at your incoming mail you will see that all of the letters have these IMB codes sprayed on them. A black barcode on the front and a pink barcode on the back.

[AndrewJerome]

Rick, thanks for all the great info. That makes sense. Thanks for such a quick response,

Andrew

[buymycards]

And - no - it seems that none of the Postal employees were informed about this new product.

[ValKehl]

Rick, thanks for your input and explanations. Below is the tracking for an eBay PWE that I shipped on Monday. When you say, "You will never have an actual 'delivery' scan or an acceptance scan," are you saying that the "Delivered" shown on the tracking (in bold print) for this item does NOT represent an actual USPS scan at the actual time of delivery?

Tracking #:ESUS34157478

Carrier:eBay Send

Status:ACCEPTEDIN TRANSITDELIVERED

Delivered

Feb-12-21, 11:20 AM 35771

Out for Delivery

Feb-12-21, 00:49 AM, HUNTSVILLE, AL 35813

Out for Delivery

Feb-11-21, 21:36 PM, HUNTSVILLE, AL 35813

Origin Processing

Feb-10-21, 20:11 PM, BIRMINGHAM, AL 35203

Label created

Feb-08-21, 20:10 PM, Manassas, VA 20110-2834

[prestigecollectibles]

I have shipped a few times using this service and had no issues.
You can actually track it here
https://www.trackmyshipment.co/shipment-tracking

As far as postal employees not nothing anything, that is usually the case. Most of them still don't know you can ship up to 16oz by First Class through eBay shipping.

You can see the progress in your My eBay Manage paid and shipped orders section as shown below.

[buymycards]

Most of these scans are not actual scans of the item.

The in transit scan is generated by one label at the outgoing PO. The clerk scans the label when the truck leaves, and all of the items that were accepted that day show up as in transit.

The out for delivery scan is not an actual scan of the item. When the carrier is ready to go on the route, he/she scans a barcode that says "out for delivery". All packages that are assigned to the carrier will show updated "out for delivery" scans, but the packages were not actually individually scanned.

The 2 procedures above also apply to packages, not just the envelopes.

When the carrier returns from the route, he/she scans a barcode label that says "Return from Route". This updates all of the letters to show as "delivered". This does not apply to packages because they are individually scanned as delivered. So, your envelope was not actually individually scanned as delivered.

[ValKehl]

Rick, thanks for this additional clarification. I hope eBay accepts this "delivered" of a PWE and protects a seller against a purchaser who claims non delivery. To me, this eBay labeling & tracking process makes selling inexpensive cards much more attractive to me.

[Exhibitman]

Honestly, for sub-$20 cards, I am not going to sweat whether the 'delivered' means scanned or not. As long as eBay is happy with the delivery and protects me from claims of non-delivery when it shows as delivered, not my problem.

The 1st batch of these I used actually showed up as 'tracked' before the regular packages I put in the same mailbox at the same time that same day. Weird.

[autograf]

Originally Posted by buymycards

The in transit scan is generated by one label at the outgoing PO. The clerk scans the label when the truck leaves, and all of the items that were accepted that day show up as in transit.

The out for delivery scan is not an actual scan of the item. When the carrier is ready to go on the route, he/she scans a barcode that says "out for delivery". All packages that are assigned to the carrier will show updated "out for delivery" scans, but the packages were not actually individually scanned.

At UPS, we call these PHYSICAL scans and LOGICAL scans. Packages are scanned into a container via PHYSICAL scan and then that container is assigned to a plane and maybe bypassed at another airport to another plane. That would get a LOGICAL scan then and anything in that container would get the same scan. Sounds like you all have something similar there that all the letters are assigned to a delivery truck/route and they just get those LOGICAL scans when they go out and when they come back.

I'm with Adam on not worrying about it as long as eBay accepts those scans as gospel and doesn't start charging me back for shipments people say they didn't get.

[The-Cardfather]

I've been using eBay's new "Standard Envelope" postage option for about two months now (roughly 12-15 sent) with no problems......... UNTIL NOW.

I just got a message from a buyer who complained that the envelope arrived with $3.29 postage due (which he paid). In the spirit of maintaining good customer relations, and knowing that it would be pointless to fight with the USPS over $3.29; I issued the buyer a refund for $3.29. So now I actually lost money on this transaction.

I own a postage scale and I am 100% certain that the envelope was within the parameters set by eBay (under 3 ounces, less than .25 inches thick, etc.).

So my question is........

Has anyone else experienced any similar problems?

[Orioles1954]

I really don’t see the value added with this option. In my 24+ years on eBay I’ve had exactly one problem with charging a buck and shipping in a PWE.

[wheatfan]

As a buyer of usually sub-$5 cards, I have seen a large uptick in items I'll bid-on/buy with the cheaper shipping option now more commonly available. I don't particularly care if its PWE or ESU, but it certainly has increased the number of cards I've considered buying. I've only has one PWE lost in the mail in the years I've been buying, but the added tracking is at least a small protection for the sellers it seems.

[LACardsGuy]

Originally Posted by Orioles1954

I really don’t see the value added with this option. In my 24+ years on eBay I’ve had exactly one problem with charging a buck and shipping in a PWE.

Value it adds:
1. tracking
2. you can print a label and not have to get stamps.

and that's about it

[savedfrommyspokes]

Originally Posted by LACardsGuy

Value it adds:
1. tracking
2. you can print a label and not have to get stamps.

and that's about it

When I can purchase forever stamps in bulk at around 35 cent each (off ebay with ebay buck bonuses), the only value here might be the tracking. I knock on wood when I say this, but I have had a miniscule percent of problems using PWE, thus paying 16 cents more for "tracking" has minimal value to me.

[Eggoman]

I add "Do Not Bend" to ALL of mine shipped using the ESU and have had no issues with postage due...so far.

"Do Not Bend" makes the item Non-Machinable and a surcharge applies, but NOT $3.29.

I have had disagreements with the Postal Clerks about this being a Letter or a Parcel, tho... Additional charges do apply IF it is deemed to be a parcel.

[Joe Hunter]

Charles: I would bet it is the "Do not Bend" label that triggered the additional postage. The package is supposed to be somewhat flexible.

[tonyo]

Originally Posted by Eggoman;2081452I

"Do Not Bend" makes the item Non-Machinable and a surcharge applies, but NOT $3.29.

Good point.

my next choice would be "postal employee with a stamp that just doesn't care"

btw,

I've use the standard envelope a few times with no hiccups. Although 2 out of about 15 that I've sent never had any tracking registered whatsoever

[ngrow9]

I'm thinking that the problem could be the clear tape over the mailing label. I thought the rules said no plastic anywhere on the envelope. I've been printing the label directly onto a PWE, and using cut up cereal boxes as inserts in the envelope to help protect the cards, and haven't had any issues thus far.

[buymycards]

Originally Posted by The Cardfather

I've been using eBay's new "Standard Envelope" postage option for about two months now (roughly 12-15 sent) with no problems......... UNTIL NOW.

I just got a message from a buyer who complained that the envelope arrived with $3.29 postage due (which he paid). In the spirit of maintaining good customer relations, and knowing that it would be pointless to fight with the USPS over $3.29; I issued the buyer a refund for $3.29. So now I actually lost money on this transaction.

I own a postage scale and I am 100% certain that the envelope was within the parameters set by eBay (under 3 ounces, less than .25 inches thick, etc.).

So my question is........

Has anyone else experienced any similar problems?

First of all, it looks like it may be over 6 1/8" high. If so, it is too high to be a letter. But the real problem is that you have the "Do No Bend" label on it. That makes it a parcel or a non-machinable letter, depending on the weight and the size.

[The-Cardfather]

Originally Posted by buymycards

First of all, it looks like it may be over 6 1/8" high. If so, it is too high to be a letter. But the real problem is that you have the "Do No Bend" label on it. That makes it a parcel or a non-machinable letter, depending on the weight and the size.

Rick,

Ebay's standard letter requirements are:
No smaller than 3.5” x 5”
No larger than 6.125” x 11.5”
No thicker than .25”
Weighs up to 3 oz.

My envelope was:
5.8" x 8.2", with a thickness of .20"

So obviously, the dimensions of the envelope should not have been a problem.

But you've brought up an interesting issue regarding the "Do Not Bend" sticker.

Can I get some other opinions on this?

[tonyo]

that "do not bend" probably did throw it into another category

One of eBay's descriptions includes "not too rigid"

[MooseDog]

Pretty sure Rick nailed it. In the past, before using eBay postage I've had stuff returned or arrived to the buyer postage due when I put Do Not Bend or Non-Machinable stickers on them. They get dinged for the "package" rate as opposed to the "letter rate".

The size on that one isn't the issue, I send patches in 6x9 envelopes at the letter rate all the time with no problems. They are thin with one piece of cardboard in the package but also bendable.

I think it also matters where you drop the mail off too. I've had zero issues with anything like this since COVID and my carrier is picking up my outgoing mail. We have two different post offices in my are and one Postmaster seems to be a "by-the-book" kind of guy and the other doesn't care because every item I've had sent back was dropped off at that PO.

I find the size/shape rates absurd. For example for a similar size/weight package, one conforming to the 1/4 inch thickness, one not, probably traveling on the same vehicle and route if sent at the same time:

One card in a card save, plain white envelope, letter rate .55
One card in a card saver, eBay shipping .51
One card in a card saver, to Canada $1.20

One card in a card saver in a bubble mailer, package rate = $3.09 and up
One card in a card saver to Canada, package rate $14.09 and up

Originally Posted by buymycards

First of all, it looks like it may be over 6 1/8" high. If so, it is too high to be a letter. But the real problem is that you have the "Do No Bend" label on it. That makes it a parcel or a non-machinable letter, depending on the weight and the size.

[LACardsGuy]

Originally Posted by The Cardfather

I've been using eBay's new "Standard Envelope" postage option for about two months now (roughly 12-15 sent) with no problems......... UNTIL NOW.

I just got a message from a buyer who complained that the envelope arrived with $3.29 postage due (which he paid). In the spirit of maintaining good customer relations, and knowing that it would be pointless to fight with the USPS over $3.29; I issued the buyer a refund for $3.29. So now I actually lost money on this transaction.

I own a postage scale and I am 100% certain that the envelope was within the parameters set by eBay (under 3 ounces, less than .25 inches thick, etc.).

So my question is........

Has anyone else experienced any similar problems?

Yes, this has happened to me twice out of about 50 shipments.