eBay "Standard Envelope" Woes. Help? Advice? Complain With Me? - Page 7

SteigerWRX · 02-19-2022, 10:13 PM

SOrry for the semi long read. A few months ago my wife and I started opening boxes again to enjoy the hobby after selling off my collection for health reasons. One of the things that allowed us to start doing this again was eBay implementing their standard envelope program for items sold under $20. I take a lot of pride in my shipping, so I will never use a PWE. Instead, I have been using the paperboard mailjacket envelopes eBay pushes for use in this program. Linked below.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/254808890842?var=554631194199

Over the first 3 months or so of using these and this program, I have sent well over 300 without issue. This past 2 weeks have completely changed that. 2 weeks ago I went to check my own mail and had a key in my community box to unlock the larger box, which was weird as I had not ordered any packages. Inside the box were the 15 packages I sent 2 days prior, all with markigns saying I owed $4+ of postage per package. The following day I went to the specific post office I dropped them at to ask what the issue was.

I was first told by the clerk at the counter, who clearly paid no attention, that they were received by the receiving post office and rejected and sent back as a package with postage due. I explained I just shipped them 2 days prior, and it was impossible that they made it to TX and back to CO in 2 days. Then she changed to saying that the envelope was too stiff and the wrong side. After several back and forths I just asked to speak to the manager ro explain the program these were shipped under.

The manager came out and we had the same back and forth. The manager then claimed that eBay is the one giving out wrong information. Then I literally brought up the eBay page going over all the requirements of this program. Her response was again, eBay is wrong, the USPS increased rates at the start of the year, and that the paperboard envelopes were not "envelopes" and were no machinable and needed to be shipped as packages. I explained I had shipped hundreds from this very post office before without issue which prompted her to explain that moving forward they would all be flagged and sent back to me. That ended the converstation.

Problem 2, this week alone I have had 11 people message me asking "did you even ship my card" because almost 100% of the cards shipped in the past month received no scan at all. So there are several honest buyers who leave feedback while the tracking shows no updates (or updates other than delivery) but I have been issuing refund after refund this past 2 weeks from items never scanned and having to wait the 30 days to file for reimbusment.

Problem 3, which will likely end me using this program now, today I received a message from a customer showing me his order DID arrive ($15), however it was stamped "Postage Due _ $4.05" and he had to pay his post man for the package. I have HUNDREDS out there. If I get more people messaging me saying they had to pay to get their mail, it will kill me.

So I am at a loss.. I feel like there is nothing eBay can do, because no matter what they advise, at the end of the day its up to the USPS to follow through with this program, which they clearly are not.

Has anyone else been having these issues or noticed an influx of them over the past 2 weeks or so??

02-19-2022, 10:13 PM	#1
SteigerWRX Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Colorado Posts: 3,488 Punisher_Sports_Cards	eBay "Standard Envelope" Woes. Help? Advice? Complain With Me? SOrry for the semi long read. A few months ago my wife and I started opening boxes again to enjoy the hobby after selling off my collection for health reasons. One of the things that allowed us to start doing this again was eBay implementing their standard envelope program for items sold under $20. I take a lot of pride in my shipping, so I will never use a PWE. Instead, I have been using the paperboard mailjacket envelopes eBay pushes for use in this program. Linked below. https://www.ebay.com/itm/254808890842?var=554631194199 Over the first 3 months or so of using these and this program, I have sent well over 300 without issue. This past 2 weeks have completely changed that. 2 weeks ago I went to check my own mail and had a key in my community box to unlock the larger box, which was weird as I had not ordered any packages. Inside the box were the 15 packages I sent 2 days prior, all with markigns saying I owed $4+ of postage per package. The following day I went to the specific post office I dropped them at to ask what the issue was. I was first told by the clerk at the counter, who clearly paid no attention, that they were received by the receiving post office and rejected and sent back as a package with postage due. I explained I just shipped them 2 days prior, and it was impossible that they made it to TX and back to CO in 2 days. Then she changed to saying that the envelope was too stiff and the wrong side. After several back and forths I just asked to speak to the manager ro explain the program these were shipped under. The manager came out and we had the same back and forth. The manager then claimed that eBay is the one giving out wrong information. Then I literally brought up the eBay page going over all the requirements of this program. Her response was again, eBay is wrong, the USPS increased rates at the start of the year, and that the paperboard envelopes were not "envelopes" and were no machinable and needed to be shipped as packages. I explained I had shipped hundreds from this very post office before without issue which prompted her to explain that moving forward they would all be flagged and sent back to me. That ended the converstation. Problem 2, this week alone I have had 11 people message me asking "did you even ship my card" because almost 100% of the cards shipped in the past month received no scan at all. So there are several honest buyers who leave feedback while the tracking shows no updates (or updates other than delivery) but I have been issuing refund after refund this past 2 weeks from items never scanned and having to wait the 30 days to file for reimbusment. Problem 3, which will likely end me using this program now, today I received a message from a customer showing me his order DID arrive ($15), however it was stamped "Postage Due _ $4.05" and he had to pay his post man for the package. I have HUNDREDS out there. If I get more people messaging me saying they had to pay to get their mail, it will kill me. So I am at a loss.. I feel like there is nothing eBay can do, because no matter what they advise, at the end of the day its up to the USPS to follow through with this program, which they clearly are not. Has anyone else been having these issues or noticed an influx of them over the past 2 weeks or so??