Sending Very Small Items without a tracking number

[debitendcredits]

I assume the answer to this question is “Thats Life Kid” but I thought I would check.

I sell quite a few items that have almost no weight (i.e. a refrigerator magnet) it drives me nuts that the minimum postage one care purchase through Ebay is $2.66.

While the $2.66 includes tracking the items I am selling are typically low value, low cost and low margin. Is this really the cheapest way to ship with a tracking number? If the buyer is agreeable is there a way to ship without a tracking number?

I currently have top seller status and don’t want to lose it. If I send items without a tracking number then I loose my top seller status.

Anyone else wrestle with this? Any work arounds or hacks I should know about?

[Jay]

Someone mentioned on the blog a service called http://www.letter-track.com/.
I cant vouch for the service.

LetterTrack Pro adds an Intelligent Mail Barcode (also known as USPS Informed Visibility® Mail Tracking) above the address block which provides you with the ability to track your mail as it is being sent through the postal system. When a mailpiece reaches the destination post office to be placed on a USPS postal truck for delivery, the mailpiece is marked as Out for Delivery.

Large companies have been able to take advantage of First Class intelligent mail barcode tracking for years due to the volume of mail they send which enables them to receive bulk tracking data from the USPS. Now, this capability is available for small to mid-sized companies sending mass letter mailings and online sellers shipping items in letters, flats, and bubble mailers. Due to the volume of mail that is sent through LetterTrack, each LetterTrack Pro customer is able to obtain tracking information for their First Class mailpieces. The decoding of the USPS intelligent mail barcode tracking data and real-time email tracking that LetterTrack Pro provides is the intrinsic value of LetterTrack.

Here’s a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aP508gcU2jw

[So Cal Joe]

You can also create a separate selling account for these smaller items and just send them without tracking. It’s a little risky, but if they’re low cost items, it might be worth the risk.

Happy New Year.

[Winchester38]

I set up a separate account for lower value, un-tracked items. We had quite a few, and didn’t want to impact our TRS status. Mostly embroidered patches, and small ephemera. Generally, these sell for under $20 (usually around $12-13), and we just drop them in the mail with a stamp. We’ve had very few “go missing” (two, I think) and have sold probably 500 of them this way.

[rescuedrelics]

I’ve been using Letter Track Pro since June 2018, however it works only on regular sized envelopes. If the piece is an oversized envelope or non-machineable, such as a non-flat magnet, it won’t scan and will be useless. I learned this after doing about 20 of them with the barcode and no tracking showing up. I’m personally not worried about TSR, so all my items are in one store, but if I was I’d probably start a second store. 85% of the items never get a parcel barcode. About 1% of those ever have an issue with ‘item not received.’ Though never bothered to call Ebay to see, I’ve heard a non-intelligent barcode won’t hold up for proof of shipping like an EBay parcel one will. When a “where is my item?” email is received, I respond by checking the intelligent barcode to see if it was out for delivery. From there I tell them I’m showing that the item was out for delivery on such and such date and confirm their address, making sure I sent it to the right address. If needed, a screenshot of the tracking is also provided through Ebay messages. The majority never respond back. If it progresses to, “I really didn’t receive it,” I’ll tell them I’ll file a missing mail claim with USPS and refund the money, as I read that 1 in 50 pieces of first class mail are misdelivered, so it’s a possibility that it was.

On the other hand, I also sell magnets that are bulky, usually $6-10 free ship. Unless they’re buying multiples, they’re shipped first class non-machineable without tracking. It’s an instance where the cost to put tracking on it outweighs the number of people who will claim they never got it. My rule is that if the item is over $15, it gets parcel tracking. A downside with letter track pro is that while you can get email updates on the whereabouts of the letter, you can’t have it sent to the customer since Ebay doesn’t show or allow emails sent outside their system. I’m glad for the block list for those who aren’t truthful, however I’ve found the majority are.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 2 months ago by rescuedrelics.
• This reply was modified 7 years, 2 months ago by rescuedrelics.
• This reply was modified 7 years, 2 months ago by rescuedrelics.

[almasty]

“If the piece is an oversized envelope or non-machineable, such as a non-flat magnet, it won’t scan and will be useless”

Would it be able to handle items with cardboard in them? Or would that be considered non-machineable? Envelope size is 6″ x 9″ Thanks!

[Temudgin]

Letter Track Pro advertises specifically that it provides tracking for letters and “large envelopes, flats, and bubble mailers.” Have you contacted them about your experience?

[rescuedrelics]

@Temudgin When I first mentioned it to letter track pro, back in June/July 2018, they told me that it won’t scan unless it was a regular sized envelope and refunded me for the 20 transactions I had used on oversized items. I’ll have to look into it again.

@almasty I got around having to use cardboard, for say postcards, was to buy cardboard envelopes on Ebay. This way it could go out with just a postage stamp. As far as I was told by Letter Track Pro was that nothing but standard sized envelopes would scan. Going to look into this further cuz Temudgin pointed out all should scan.

[almasty]

Thanks! I looked into the cardboard envelopes a few years ago, but they seemed expensive at the time. I’ll look into them again now.

[rescuedrelics]

My bad, the letter track pro tracking only works with items that are machineable, it was the non-machineable aspect that made them have to be hand stamped due to being too thick or square. So the barcodes probably do work on other envelopes.

[rescuedrelics]

@almasty I have the 6.5″ x 4.5″ and 6″x6″ cardboard envelopes from ecoswift and threerb. I’d send you one if you want to see them before you buy. My email is jgfair49@gmail.com

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