eBay Standard Envelope for Trading Cards - No bar code to scan?!

[kosmosattik]

Against my better judgement I just made my first sale using this method.

The tracking number shows up in the sold record in eBay, it prints on the label, but there is no bar code to scan.  The PO clerk said, "no bar code, no scan, no receipt".

While the clerk was entirely unfamiliar with this shipping method one would presume that the machine reader at the next step or stop would update tracking.  Does anyone know how that's supposed to work without a bar code?

[kosmosattik]

@no_zero369 

Sorry for provoking a mood.  I did say "ad nauseum", right?  I was already aware of the tracking page, but thanks.  I didn't think it outrageous that if the tracking page shows more info than if you click on the tracking link in a sold listing that the PO might show something else.  Oh, well.

Moving on, here's a recent observation that may be helpful, though it might be regarded as a conjecture, so be forewarned!

The ones I've seen encountering long delays have something in common.   The first tracking posts are three consecutive "in transit" postings at the first distribution center all within an hour of each other, then they were hung up for eight days before showing up at the next stop.  The ones that speed through have only a single "in transit" at the first stop.  This may (and I emphasize "may"!) be a sign the packages are failing to scan after three tries after which they go into a punitive limbo.

These were 6 x 8 paperboard mailers with 10 cards each in four penny sleeves taped inside in an envelope, about equal to the purported 15 loose card max.  Just a hunch, but I'm thinking they failed the max 1/4" thickness requirement.  It could be matter of microns.  Another 10 card sale packaged the same way sped across the country in 3 days, but those were some UD basketball cards which seemed to be of thinner stock.

I have not had problems with a few single card sales in top loaders in those mailers.

Do with this what you will.

After some days of lag, eBay posted the 0.91 shipping charges on those delayed mailers.  No upcharge showing up yet. 

[no_zero369]

@kosmosattik 

Hey, sorry for my mood the other day!   My bad.

I think we all have been habituated to the detailed tracking for packages and this is something different so there is an adjustment needed in expectation and performance.  May not be right tool for everyone.

This SE thing is a mess and we all are learning about it as we go, so any observations appear to add to the knowledge base of "how things work" or in this case don't.

I am guessing with the paperboard mailers with multiple cards and in sleeves that the item was to rigid to be processed through the high speed sorting machines.  Likely they got kicked out as "unmachinable" and perhaps one will see extra charges on the eBay invoice as these are "bumped up" to a different cost.

I am kind of interested to see if the SE that get "delivered" scans are being done at LARGE local urban POs and the ones that get no scan are at smaller rural POs.?

[shojib27]

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[kosmosattik]

@no_zero369 

No worries.  We all have our moments.

Judging from my small sample size, I'm not seeing the destination zip code, urban vs. rural, as a factor in getting a "Delivered" posting.  I've gotten "Delivered" on a shipment to Villa Grove, IL in the boonies of central Illinois and to Claremont, FL about 25 miles west of Orlando which is probably exurban or rural.

This leads me to believe that "Delivered" is not issued at the destination PO in these cases, and maybe never.  It is most likely the last scan before put on a truck to those destination zips, perhaps in all cases.

The only ones I've not gotten a "Delivered" for are the two I noted earlier, still slowly in route it would appear.  One has three "In Transit" postings out of Buffalo on 3/19 and nothing since to who knows where.  The other also had three "In Transit" out of  Buffalo on 3/18 but with an "In Transit" at Burton, MI distribution on 3/26 on its way to Grand Blanc, MI.

It occurs to me now (duh!) that if the package failed scanning how am I getting any progress postings at all?

We know the PO is in cost cutting mode, evidently with a hatchet and a blindfold, not a scalpel.  A plausible explanation for the delay is somebody's budget says when they don't have enough volume to justify sending a truck from Buffalo to Burton, MI or wherever the next stop might be, the packages will just have to sit and wait until the volume materializes.   I look on the bright side--I'm shipping trading cards not somebody's medicine.

[unclebookiesportscardsandcollectibles]

I as a seller use this method because of the constant why am I paying for first class mail to get a card and it all depends on the sheer laziness of the postal clerks inputting the tracking number manually. They either do it or they don't do it and It's a dumb practice and a lot of my buyers have taken their anger out on me because of this method. 

I take it as people try to get you to do a PWE and I hate sending like that or they complain about first class mail price or they try to get you to send it for free, because they are doing you a favor for buying a card worth up to or under $20. 

We are all in a catch 22 ... 

[kh-vince]

Hi everyone,

Due to the age of this thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.

Thank you for understanding.