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New low cost shipping option for eBay...

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Brad

Active member
Aug 23, 2008
9,891
14
So they are allowing your cardboard mailers to go thru?
Yes. I’ve received a couple that are 4x4 size, they just were inconsistent on scanning. I read some people had issues on Blowout with them, but they also handed the, to a clerk vs dumping them in a regular mailbox
 

mrmopar

Member
Jan 19, 2010
6,187
4,099
Are you saying the option to ship cards under $20 cheaply has possibly gone away? If so, that would be a damn shame. Other than the USPS telling me they are delivered 1-2 days before they actually are or no tracking updates at all, this is one of the best things to hit ebay in a long time. Have probably received half my stuff recently in these types of packages. No damage or loss yet. I wish more sellers would be aware and offer it.
 

Gjb70

Member
Aug 1, 2015
661
0
Are you saying the option to ship cards under $20 cheaply has possibly gone away? If so, that would be a damn shame. Other than the USPS telling me they are delivered 1-2 days before they actually are or no tracking updates at all, this is one of the best things to hit ebay in a long time. Have probably received half my stuff recently in these types of packages. No damage or loss yet. I wish more sellers would be aware and offer it.

It wasn’t an option on my phone but seems to work on my computer. But I’ve seen claims online of eBay saying they stopped it. Sure hope that’s not true.


Sent from my iPhone using Freedom Card Board
 

Brad

Active member
Aug 23, 2008
9,891
14
It worked for me this morning for a sale. I hope it doesn’t go away.
 

DeliciousBacon

Well-known member
Apr 23, 2011
3,444
94
Warwick, RI
Are you saying the option to ship cards under $20 cheaply has possibly gone away? If so, that would be a damn shame. Other than the USPS telling me they are delivered 1-2 days before they actually are or no tracking updates at all, this is one of the best things to hit ebay in a long time. Have probably received half my stuff recently in these types of packages. No damage or loss yet. I wish more sellers would be aware and offer it.

I've mentioned it before, there are many technical reasons why these ebay envelopes get weird scans, like delivery before actual delivery, or scanning to the wrong zip codes. The way they are constructed is not a proper scannable barcode, and given that there was zero info passed down from the USPS higher ups that helped launch this concept, they only work if the carrier delivering them knows exactly what they are. Out of more than 60 people in my office, I am the only person who knows what they are; I showed a supervisor one I received, and he said it was the dumbest ******* thing he's ever seen. I've received a few dozen myself, maybe two-thirds show Delivered on ebay, and all have the zip code of the main RI processing plant, not where I live.

I can see ebay wanting to get rid of this service, if only for the fact that isn't done properly. It's almost as if the person in charge of the USPS is actually trying to further reduce confidence in service, thereby driving people to a competing business that they still own a massive controlling interest in. Oh, wait....
 

Dilferules

Well-known member
Aug 10, 2012
1,948
1,746
Auburn, WA
I've mentioned it before, there are many technical reasons why these ebay envelopes get weird scans, like delivery before actual delivery, or scanning to the wrong zip codes. The way they are constructed is not a proper scannable barcode, and given that there was zero info passed down from the USPS higher ups that helped launch this concept, they only work if the carrier delivering them knows exactly what they are. Out of more than 60 people in my office, I am the only person who knows what they are; I showed a supervisor one I received, and he said it was the dumbest ******* thing he's ever seen. I've received a few dozen myself, maybe two-thirds show Delivered on ebay, and all have the zip code of the main RI processing plant, not where I live.

I can see ebay wanting to get rid of this service, if only for the fact that isn't done properly. It's almost as if the person in charge of the USPS is actually trying to further reduce confidence in service, thereby driving people to a competing business that they still own a massive controlling interest in. Oh, wait....

There was one that showed delivered that I didn't receive a month or two ago and I happened to be at the P.O. so I asked about it. The teller (or whatever you'd call the person at the counter) had never seen such a tracking number and insisted the tracking number has nothing to do with the USPS, even when looking at another one I had received. I have a hard time believing that - even though the tracking numbers don't seem to work on usps.com, eBay has tracking info for some steps in the process and when they are delivered and it's not like there are eBay employees out there at the sorting centers scanning them and riding along in mail delivery vans. And even though the tracking info is off a bit sometimes, I don't think eBay is just pulling the tracking updates out of their butts.
 

DeliciousBacon

Well-known member
Apr 23, 2011
3,444
94
Warwick, RI
There was one that showed delivered that I didn't receive a month or two ago and I happened to be at the P.O. so I asked about it. The teller (or whatever you'd call the person at the counter) had never seen such a tracking number and insisted the tracking number has nothing to do with the USPS, even when looking at another one I had received. I have a hard time believing that - even though the tracking numbers don't seem to work on usps.com, eBay has tracking info for some steps in the process and when they are delivered and it's not like there are eBay employees out there at the sorting centers scanning them and riding along in mail delivery vans. And even though the tracking info is off a bit sometimes, I don't think eBay is just pulling the tracking updates out of their butts.

Those tracking numbers actually do not have anything to do with the USPS, believe it or not. If I try to type one of those into my scanner at work, it comes up as invalid. Go to USPS.com, and try to track one; they aren't in the USPS system. What IS in our system is the barcode above the address on one of those ebay mailer labels. However, that is not supposed to be used for tracking, it's used for various internal processes, and Informed Delivery, if you have that. Almost every single letter has that bar code, it encodes info so it can be sorted and routed to the proper hub, then office. That's the actual code that's scanned on one of those; I assume ebay is storing both in their system, in order for there to be an actual Delivered scan.
 

Dilferules

Well-known member
Aug 10, 2012
1,948
1,746
Auburn, WA
Those tracking numbers actually do not have anything to do with the USPS, believe it or not. If I try to type one of those into my scanner at work, it comes up as invalid. Go to USPS.com, and try to track one; they aren't in the USPS system. What IS in our system is the barcode above the address on one of those ebay mailer labels. However, that is not supposed to be used for tracking, it's used for various internal processes, and Informed Delivery, if you have that. Almost every single letter has that bar code, it encodes info so it can be sorted and routed to the proper hub, then office. That's the actual code that's scanned on one of those; I assume ebay is storing both in their system, in order for there to be an actual Delivered scan.

Ahhhh I see, so eBay kind of backdoor engineered/cobbled together a "tracking" system on their own using something USPS was already doing with practically every letter. Kind of neat.
 

gt2590

Super Moderator
Aug 17, 2008
38,657
3,246
Near Philly
So I’ve got a bunch of singles for that set I working on delivered this way and all have arrived quickly and in great shape.

Most used those thin white cardboard envelopes and the cards look great.

One guy even blue taped the top loader to a separate thin cardboard piece and put in that way.

The whole process seems to work great IMO...
 

Pinbreaker

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2008
10,131
287
Laguna Niguel, CA
I've been using this and have had some success.. One of my recent sales, the guy said the card was delivered with a crease in it.. He asked if I had another one which I didn't and I told him to file a claim and to see how they process the new PWE system.. He filed the claim and EBAY put the money on hold and I received a message to fill out some information including my paypal address.
I replied that EBAY no longer uses paypal and that they have a new EBAY Payment system. They replied that they needed the paypal info to file my claim.. I looked at the site and it was being handled by a 3rd hand company.. I kept in contact with the buyer to let him know what I was doing and asked if he received anything in his messages.. He said he didn't.. after a certain time I sent him a refund ($10) and a few days later I received an email that my claim had been processed and I received a $10 payment thru Paypal..

So EBAY is just using a 3rd hand company to cover the insurance for these cheap cards.
 

mrmopar

Member
Jan 19, 2010
6,187
4,099
There are not enough sellers offering this. Either poor marketing on ebay's part or sellers are just lazy. I am almost exclusively singles buyer these days and although I try to bunch items, I am looking less and less at other listings and just stopping at what I wanted originally. Looking at other listings can be dangerous. Very tired of paying $4-5 for a $10 card to be shipped.
 

WizardofOz1982

Well-known member
Sep 30, 2017
1,736
1,498
Oklahoma
There are not enough sellers offering this. Either poor marketing on ebay's part or sellers are just lazy. I am almost exclusively singles buyer these days and although I try to bunch items, I am looking less and less at other listings and just stopping at what I wanted originally. Looking at other listings can be dangerous. Very tired of paying $4-5 for a $10 card to be shipped.

Yeah. Lots of lower level 90s inserts on ebay that would be bought right now if I didn't see $1.99 plus $4.99 shipping.
 

mrmopar

Member
Jan 19, 2010
6,187
4,099
Most people seem receptive to it, if they were unaware, but others like the two I reached out to last night were not. Difference might be in approaching them up front vs after you already won. These two cheap cards I won for cheap, actually in hopes of winning some others, but was skunked otherwise. Now I ask both to consider the standard way and both said no. Apparently it's new and hard to understand or to defer from your worn out beaten path! The funny part is they would do better sales wise I think, if they offered this option.
 

Brad

Active member
Aug 23, 2008
9,891
14
The fact it comes with $20 protection is great. Delivery scans are not always consistent so the seller is still protected. You just have to wait 30 days to file a claim
 

Pinbreaker

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2008
10,131
287
Laguna Niguel, CA
The fact it comes with $20 protection is great. Delivery scans are not always consistent so the seller is still protected. You just have to wait 30 days to file a claim

The claim I filed was within a week of the customer getting his card.. I refunded him the $10 and the company EBAY uses, deposited $10 in my paypal within a week or so..
 

tramers

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2008
23,286
2,287
hickory nc
HOW do you get refund when USPS lost mailer ? Refunded buyer [ over 30 days not arrived ] tracking stopped at one point . Just spent 20 minutes with ebay ---GHHGCFJHJK
 
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