eBay ESE Shipping issues....

[megadethjason]

Hey Everyone,
I posed this in a couple of different forums and facebook groups online, so if this is a repeat for some of you, i apologize. it is a bit of a long post, so stay with me.

I sell low end trading cards on ebay, along with a fellow collector here in North Dakota. Back in March 2024, we went through some issues with the Fargo post office where they were returning our shipments as non machinable/postage due with the reasoning being that one card in a toploader does not meet the requirements for thickness for fitting through the downtown sorting machines when using the ESE/PWE shipping method for trading cards

After many examples (thousands) where it had worked previously without issue for us, and how it works for many sellers throughout the US, they wouldn't budge.

Many sellers suggested we moved to a card saver, which the lead postmaster of fargo/cass county, local post office facilities manager, and sorting facilities manager agreed wouldn't be an issue. They brought out calipers, a scale, and another tool that measures thickness and flexibility.

Over the last two years, we haven't had any issues other than the occasional item not receive request, etc. Between myself and the other seller, combined, we are probably dropping off close to 1000 of the PWE shipments a month since March of 2024

Fast forward to two years later to the second of this month, we each received a pile of shipments back while using the card save method. Seems to have occurred on shipment dropped off on Monday the 2nd, and Monday the 23rd. Everything in between hasnt had an issue, and all the shipments I dropped off last night went through without a problem....and the real kicker, when i drop them off again, they go through without an issue

I spoke with a postal employee at my assigned post office and he took my shipments as he sells cards as well, and he stated these should be going through without issue. I also spoke with downtown manager and he stated these should be going through without issue. He also stated that one of our local comics stores has been having similar issues with sending cards.

North Dakota's post office has been under federal investigation for a couple of years, sexual harassment charges, mail not being delivered, etc. We also have been through 3 lead post masters since August, so trying to get a manager who can do anything this time around has been impossible. Search for North Dakota postal service, or Prairiewood Station Fargo, ND and you'll see what i am talking about

My questions are, is there any other people in the group that sell on ebay that are currently having the same issue ? And if so, what have you done ?

Is there anything i can do? Any recourse?

I have tried #6 and #10 envelopes, all at various postage rates. Keep in mind these are all 1 card shipments in a card saver. Not wrapped in paper, no cardboard, no team bag

I have also tried dropping off in different blue boxes, split up among 5 different boxes in our area with various levels of success.

It's killing my ebay store right now and it had become a fairly decent little business for my daughter and I.

[jamcas997]

Maybe drive over to Moorhead and mail them out.

[Ken735i]

eBay standard envelope rules are not up for opinion or misinterpretation by postal workers. They actually have very defined guidelines.


The technical ESE rules are a tough read. worth it to show up an arrogant postmaster who doesn't understand anything new and refuses change. Some hate displayed rates, as discounts do not match what they believe the cost should be. Many disapprove of any unique online labels altogether. It's an odd Ego/ power thing with our local postmaster

The envelope must be a certain length, but no longer than... Xxxx. The envelope must be runnable over a pulley 12-in diameter at "x" pounds of pressure.....



Basically, 20lbs of pressure over flex over a 5 gallon bucket ( exactly 12" ) should allow it to machine sort


Sent from my Pixel 10 using Tapatalk

[paparoke]

I had a similar situation a few years ago. I was selling ESE for the first year it came out and had no issues shipping out 1 oz envelopes. Then in the 2nd year, I would get what I'm seeing in your pics, a stack of my ESEs wrapped in a rubberband, claiming they aren't machineable and would be subject to additional surcharge.

Although you may not like it, I changed all my ESEs to 3 oz and haven't had a single one returned since. Yeah it sucks that I pay additional shipping, but apparently, it will cover the surcharge if need be. I raised my shipping cost to $1.60 on Ebay and buyers don't seem to be deterred, as it is way better than $5+ with ground advantage. Yeah, I hate paying additional shipping costs, but I passed it on to the consumer, as most companies would do.

[megadethjason]

Originally Posted by jamcas997

Maybe drive over to Moorhead and mail them out.

All the Moorhead mail gets processed through the Fargo sorting facility

[prospectorgems]

As someone else suggested, just drop them off in another town if you can. Most likely had a newbie working that day in your area that has no idea about the ESE. I had a stack about double that size that about 2 years ago and dropped them off at a different post office which still routed through the primary hub about an hour away from me but those all went through with no issues.

I have also not changed up how I ship these either. Standard business size envelops, toploader, team bag, taped to the inside of a sheet of paper and costs $0.74 each for one card at least.

[megadethjason]

Originally Posted by prospectorgems

As someone else suggested, just drop them off in another town if you can. Most likely had a newbie working that day in your area that has no idea about the ESE. I had a stack about double that size that about 2 years ago and dropped them off at a different post office which still routed through the primary hub about an hour away from me but those all went through with no issues.

I have also not changed up how I ship these either. Standard business size envelops, toploader, team bag, taped to the inside of a sheet of paper and costs $0.74 each for one card at least.

North Dakota has essentially two sorting facilities with most of the surrounding towns mail running through Fargo where i am having the issue. It would be 2 to 3 hour drive any directions in order for it to not hit that facility

[rwperu34]

Try a #10 envelope, a Card Saver II (the smaller one), and offset it to one side.

[megadethjason]

Originally Posted by rwperu34

Try a #10 envelope, a Card Saver II (the smaller one), and offset it to one side.

I have had a few people suggest this, both yourself, and a few people in the sportscard nonsense group on facebook. Ill give it a shot

[JeffG1954]

Originally Posted by megadethjason

I have had a few people suggest this, both yourself, and a few people in the sportscard nonsense group on facebook. Ill give it a shot

I do use a #10, but only when sending 4 or more cards in 2 card savers. Otherwise, for many 1000s sent without issue, I use a #6 envelope with a graded size card saver and the 1oz rate for single cards, 3oz rate for 2 or more.

[megadethjason]

Originally Posted by JeffG1954

I do use a #10, but only when sending 4 or more cards in 2 card savers. Otherwise, for many 1000s sent without issue, I use a #6 envelope with a graded size card saver and the 1oz rate for single cards, 3oz rate for 2 or more.

That is what i have been doing since meeting with all the postal people two years ago. Usually 20 or so a day with no issue. Some of the postal clerks feel its an issue with one two sorting facility people having an issue with it

[JeffG1954]

Originally Posted by megadethjason

That is what i have been doing since meeting with all the postal people two years ago. Usually 20 or so a day with no issue. Some of the postal clerks feel its an issue with one two sorting facility people having an issue with it

The other thing I do will all of my ESE envelopes is I do not just drop them down the chute or put them in the blue box, I take all of them up to the clerk and have them postmark the backs of the envelopes. I am going to the window anyway so that they can scan in my GA padded envelopes, so it isn't going out of my way. I do this for 2 reasons....1) it shows acceptance by a USPS employee, so there should be no problem with another employee down the line, and 2) it shows the buyer the actual date I mailed the envelope. Some have taken multiple weeks to arrive, some with full scans, some partial scans, some no scans, but when they arrive the buyer can see the actual date of mailing and any delays are on the USPS.

[Cactuspies]

Do you have separate metered and regular mail boxes? that could also be it? when I go to the PO I drop in the metered slot. seems those move and scan better. when I use my box at home of drop off elsewhere the scans aren't as good. I stick to 2oz for most.

did have someone get mad at me the other day because although the card was fine, I guess one end of the envelope got destroyed. not sure how I could fix that or stop that from happening, and not like they reached out, they put it in the feedback.

[megadethjason]

Originally Posted by Cactuspies

Do you have separate metered and regular mail boxes? that could also be it? when I go to the PO I drop in the metered slot. seems those move and scan better. when I use my box at home of drop off elsewhere the scans aren't as good. I stick to 2oz for most.

did have someone get mad at me the other day because although the card was fine, I guess one end of the envelope got destroyed. not sure how I could fix that or stop that from happening, and not like they reached out, they put it in the feedback.

For the blue boxes in our area at least, you can put in whatever fits in the boxes. Which is typically padded mailers, envelopes, etc

[fungi2510]

Originally Posted by megadethjason

I have had a few people suggest this, both yourself, and a few people in the sportscard nonsense group on facebook. Ill give it a shot

Hope this does not hijack the thread, but how does anyone participate in groups like that? The amount of comments that are so off base makes me contemplate how far we have gone as a society.

[jamcas997]

https://www.blowoutforums.com/showth...22503&page=158


Check out my post in 3940

[megadethjason]

Originally Posted by fungi2510

Hope this does not hijack the thread, but how does anyone participate in groups like that? The amount of comments that are so off base makes me contemplate how far we have gone as a society.

There at times can be some educated discussion in there. You have to separate the truth from the BS?

[NaylorVahjeinke]

I live in North Dakota and have been buying some lower end items lately to finish sets. I have been given the EU/ES shipping numbers not known to USPS and have had one card lost and marked delivered, and one other marked delivered something like 10-12 business days before it arrived. In November I also had a lower end card shipped that was marked delivered like 2+ weeks before it actually arrived.

Not sure if this helps any, but I think the issue I have been having relates to non-USPS tracking numbers, at least to my best guess. So far the rest *knock on wood* have turned out okay.

(Side note story: My place is rural and like 4-5 years ago we had a decent spring flood in the countryside and the day I was supposed to get my 1997-98 Jordan Z-Force Quick-Strike the carrier hit the ditch and the items in either the front or back were heavily soaked according to guys on the fire department. Yet by some miracle, everyone was fine and the card arrived undamaged the next day.)