eBay Standard Envelope Test Mailing

[glassofwater]

I hope that t means eBay makes eBay labeled envelopes. I would buy those

[jduds]

Originally Posted by hotcalsun

Received a test that I thought was good. Hard cardboard envelope with a top loader inside.

I'm guessing I've shipped >2500 of these since they started, I think I end up with about 1/100 that either gets lost or some sort of indentation damage. Which, because they are insured is no big deal -- just file as part of the return and everyone is whole.

Early on, I did have an experience where a handful of small post offices would return or put postage due, but that seems to have subsided.

My post office will deliver them, but any I send out in anything other than a PWE gets returned. I've had long conversations with the powers that be there including going over their written policies. They won't take them even with the non-machinable stamp because it goes against "their training" which apparently supersedes written policy in their book. They also claimed I should be happy they took them for so long letting me "get away" with it. My guess is they got tired of dealing with all five or six I sent out a week as it must've been too laborious.

[chilly55]

Well, seems what I stated earlier was correct. I found this under Ebay's Standard Delivery Terms of Service.


Most notably is this outlined roughly a 1/3 of way down on the page.
This complies with USPS DMM (Domestic Mail Manual).

Your Parcel must comply with the size and weight limits which are shown when you select a delivery option at the time you place your order. A failure to comply with these limits may result in delays, postponement or cancellation of the Services. You may also be liable for additional charges.

Nothing greater than 3 OZ.
MUST be a letter (no packages) with sizes not to exceed:
6.125” Height
11.5” Length
0.25” width/thickness
Envelope thickness is uniform, less than 0.25 inches at all points, and not too rigid
Envelope contains NO clasps/strings/buttons or similar closure devices
Envelope has recipient address parallel to the longest side
Envelope has an aspect ratio (length divided by height) between 1.3 and 2.5
Envelope is NOT enclosed or made of any plastic material
Maximum $20 (not including Tax) item selling price
eBay enabled categories only

NOT Supported:

Bubble Mailers Cardboard Packages. or any packaging made of plastic material
Envelopes and content that weigh more than 3oz
Envelopes smaller than 3.5” x 5” inches or larger than 6.125” x 11.5” inches
Envelope thickness is non-uniform, rigid, and/or thicker than 0.25” inches at any point
Envelope has clasps/strings/buttons or similar closure devices
Envelope has recipient address NOT parallel to the longest side
Envelope is enclosed or made of any plastic material


I've highlighted the key parts. This is in line with the USPS DMM. It's possible many get away because, typical USPS, communication from office to office is horrible.

This was taken directly from this page. I tried to make it a link, but comes up an error. So I broke the link between the https and the :

https ://pages.ebay.com/sell/standarddelivery/termsofservice.html

Just putting this out there for those who think that the USPS shouldn't return the envelopes, are damaged from machinery, or don't get tracking. What I stated in my previous post is accurate. What Ebay has stated on the terms of service page mirrors what the USPS DMM states.

Top loader = non machinable rate. Card saver = letter rate.

I don't care who is getting away with this or that, this is just a public announcement to let everyone know the rules. What you do or don't do is for you to decide. But no one who reads this can claim ignorance when something is returned or is charged additional postage.

[mrchipz]

Originally Posted by chilly55

Well, seems what I stated earlier was correct. I found this under Ebay's Standard Delivery Terms of Service.


Most notably is this outlined roughly a 1/3 of way down on the page.
This complies with USPS DMM (Domestic Mail Manual).

Your Parcel must comply with the size and weight limits which are shown when you select a delivery option at the time you place your order. A failure to comply with these limits may result in delays, postponement or cancellation of the Services. You may also be liable for additional charges.

Nothing greater than 3 OZ.
MUST be a letter (no packages) with sizes not to exceed:
6.125” Height
11.5” Length
0.25” width/thickness
Envelope thickness is uniform, less than 0.25 inches at all points, and not too rigid
Envelope contains NO clasps/strings/buttons or similar closure devices
Envelope has recipient address parallel to the longest side
Envelope has an aspect ratio (length divided by height) between 1.3 and 2.5
Envelope is NOT enclosed or made of any plastic material
Maximum $20 (not including Tax) item selling price
eBay enabled categories only

NOT Supported:

Bubble Mailers Cardboard Packages. or any packaging made of plastic material
Envelopes and content that weigh more than 3oz
Envelopes smaller than 3.5” x 5” inches or larger than 6.125” x 11.5” inches
Envelope thickness is non-uniform, rigid, and/or thicker than 0.25” inches at any point
Envelope has clasps/strings/buttons or similar closure devices
Envelope has recipient address NOT parallel to the longest side
Envelope is enclosed or made of any plastic material


I've highlighted the key parts. This is in line with the USPS DMM. It's possible many get away because, typical USPS, communication from office to office is horrible.

This was taken directly from this page. I tried to make it a link, but comes up an error. So I broke the link between the https and the :

https ://pages.ebay.com/sell/standarddelivery/termsofservice.html

Just putting this out there for those who think that the USPS shouldn't return the envelopes, are damaged from machinery, or don't get tracking. What I stated in my previous post is accurate. What Ebay has stated on the terms of service page mirrors what the USPS DMM states.

Top loader = non machinable rate. Card saver = letter rate.

I don't care who is getting away with this or that, this is just a public announcement to let everyone know the rules. What you do or don't do is for you to decide. But no one who reads this can claim ignorance when something is returned or is charged additional postage.

Thats all fine and dandy but a card in a toploader is not over .25". So wont ever make a difference. Even a card in a toploader in a teambag in a envelope is not .25" or more.

I ship cards over $5 in a top loader inside a team bag wrapped in a piece of printer paper in a standard #9 white envelope. I even ship 3-4 cards the same way and just put the other cards in penny sleeves on top of the toploaded card in a team bag.

They all go through the sorting machines fine. Only issue one can expect is if you try to ship a jersey card in a thicker top loader then the sides of those top loaders dont really bend so they wont be machinable

Under $5 same thing but no toploader.

I also receive them the same way both ways no issues ever since the day this program rolled out almost 3 years ago.

Also, like i said i am a big seller on ebay with over 13,000 sales and have shipped well over 2,000 of these prob closer to 5,000 with never no issues and they are all less then .25"

Everything you pointed out is true, but you are just confirming with me and mostly everyone else is doing.
Shipping in a envelope in a top loader is not ridgid or over .25" unless you are shipping in a thicker top loader for jersey cards that is ridgid and does not bend like anything 75pt or more.

[bustsomewax]

Seems like they are using the not too rigid clause a little too loosely. Need to stick to the 0.25 width and remove the subjective wording about not too rigid.

[chilly55]

Originally Posted by bustsomewax

Seems like they are using the not too rigid clause a little too loosely. Need to stick to the 0.25 width and remove the subjective wording about not too rigid.

This is an issue. Not too rigid does have a rule.

DMM 301.1.3 states that anything that cannot bend more than 1 inch is considered too rigid. Anything less than 10 inches should be able to bend at least inch. Anything over 10 inches, at least 2 inches. The 2 inch test is mainly for flats/magazines. The 1 inch test is for letters. While 1.3a and 1.3b talk about flats, this also applies to letters.

How to test, lay your letter down flat on the edge of a flat surface, using the longest length for the test. Then, at the 1/2 way point (if letter is 8 inches wide, the bend should occur at 4 inches), bend the letter. It should be able to bend 1 inch below the flat surface. If it can't, it is considered too rigid.

As pointed out above, if you use a 35pt top loader and thinner stock cards (think flagship), you usually are ok. Thicker cards that still fit into a 35pt like chrome can cause a little more resistance.

[JeffG1954]

Originally Posted by mrchipz

I have also had a delivery scan on them the moment my mail carrier puts them in my inbox.

Guess im just lucky.

Your mail carrier has nothing to do with the scanning process.....no live person does ever for ESE envelopes.

[chilly55]

Originally Posted by JeffG1954

Your mail carrier has nothing to do with the scanning process.....no live person does ever for ESE envelopes.

Correct. As stated in a previous post, if there is a delivery scan, it is automated. The carriers DO NOT SCAN Ebay Standard Envelopes. If the item is scanned at a distribution center at 2:00 am, and is run through the DPS machines, then put onto a truck, it will automatically get a delivery scan later in the day without the carrier doing a single thing.

So you ask how does it get a delivery scan close to when I get my mail delivered. Simple. Each carrier route has delivery data based on each individual carrier. So let's say Joe Blow has route 2101. He has shown that when he scans his depart to route at 10:00 am, he usually returns to the office at 4:00 pm. He does this daily and the route data reflects this. At the same time, carriers scan MSP's. The MSP's are bar codes that are randomly put on customers mailboxes throughout the route. Usually 12-14 in our area. The carriers scan these as they go through the route. So if Joe Blow hits is 1st MSP at 10:15 am, then his second at 11:00 am, he is showing that he can delivery an x number of deliveries in 45 minutes.

So, if Jane Doe is expecting a ESE, and she lives at, or near the 2nd MSP, and Jow Blow leaves the office at 10:00 am, the system will automatically put the delivery scan at, or around, 11:00 am based on Joe Blows past performance on the route.

If the ESE was too rigid and not run through the last sorting machine before being loaded into the truck bound for the station, then no delivery scan will be noted.