Can't get Tracked Packet to work

[rose-dee]

I tried today to select Tracked Packet when creating a Paypal label, after having filled in information for Expedited Parcel and deciding that TP might be cheaper.   

When I went back to the shipping details screen and chose TP from the drop-down list, I got an error message - something to the effect that the "amount" was incorrect.  The screen wouldn't advance with TP chosen, so I ended up having to pay for Expedited after all. 

My parcel was going to Texas, 590 gms, 36 x 28 x 3.5 cm -- I thought the size/weight would be fine for TP. 

I see there were issues like this when TP was first introduced - see the post below.  Since I was stuck on the labelling screen, I had to choose Expedited in order to be able to continue, so I didn't find the following post until afterward.  Is this the same problem with the same "workaround"?  Maybe "pocomocomputing" might know??  Thanks! 

http://community.ebay.ca/t5/Seller-Central/I-can-t-get-Tracked-Pkt-USA-OR-Expedited-to-work-this-mor...

[pjcdn2005]

It's probably the same problem that I mentioned a couple of weeks ago at the Weekly board session.

If you sign into Paypal and use TP first, it will work fine. But if you check price for another service or print a label first and then go to use TP, you will get an error message. In that situation, go back to overview, then to the item that you want to make a label for.... you should be able to print a TP label. without a problem.

[melissasminis]

Sounds like it's still not working. I can't remember how many times people have mentioned over the many months that tracked packet wasn't working through paypal. Also, expedited wasn't working for a long time, wonder if that works now? This has nothing to do with anything, but light packet in Nova Scotia to USA is $2.65 plus tax, it shows on canadapost.ca and on the pamphlet I have from Canada Post it is supposed to be $2.53 plus tax, wonder why that is.

[pjcdn2005]

Sounds like it's still not working.

It works but sometimes you have to fiddle with it as I described.

[pocomocomputing · Accepted solution]

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@melissas-minis-2007 wrote:

Sounds like it's still not working. I can't remember how many times people have mentioned over the many months that tracked packet wasn't working through paypal. Also, expedited wasn't working for a long time, wonder if that works now? This has nothing to do with anything, but light packet in Nova Scotia to USA is $2.65 plus tax, it shows on canadapost.ca and on the pamphlet I have from Canada Post it is supposed to be $2.53 plus tax, wonder why that is.

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Tracked Packet was calculating the rates incorrectly when it came out. It was fixed weeks later. It still has a bug that is described here in this topic. Expedited Parcel was broken for a week or two when they were working on the Tracked Packet issue. It has been working correctly since then.

When Canada Post announced the rates for Light Packet way back in Dec 2012, they made a mistake and gave the rates as $2.53 and not $2.65 for 100 grams LP USA as well as other LP rates were wrong.  When the rates were corrected, the pamphlets were already printed and distributed to Post Offices for the public. They were replaced with correct pamphlets but it was weeks later. So you have an old pamphlet. Go get a new one.

It has been an interesting year for shipping with Canada Post mistakes and PayPal mistakes. So many in such a short time that took forever to resolve. And still the Tracked packet glitch. The loss of insurance for Small Packet, loss of low cost Small Packet Surface USA, the lowering of the discount for Expedited Parcel from 25% to 18%, 2013 has not been good for shipping with Canada Post.

[rose-dee]

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@pocomocomputing wrote:

"Tracked Packet was calculating the rates incorrectly when it came out. It was fixed weeks later. It still has a bug that is described here in this topic." 

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Thanks 'poco' -- I was wondering whether I'd encountered a new, different problem with TP.  

I've only used TP on a couple of occasions, but this is the first time I tried to check on other services/prices before choosing it.  Next time I'll know better, or at least I'll print this string out and add it to my ever-growing binder of eBay glitches and how to work around them!    

[pjcdn2005]

Thanks 'poco' -- I was wondering whether I'd encountered a new, different problem with TP. 

ummm...yes...thanks poco

[rose-dee]

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@pjcdn2005 wrote:

Thanks 'poco' -- I was wondering whether I'd encountered a new, different problem with TP. 

ummm...yes...thanks poco

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Sorry 'pj' -- I didn't mean to disregard your response, but I thought 'poco'  would be able to confirm whether this was still the same issue, or something else, and it seems from his reply that it is the same glitch.  

However, he suggested this workaround earlier, so I'm not sure whether this solution or the one you mentioned is best (perhaps they both work): 

Tracked Packet does not work if you do not choose it first it seems.  If you choose the Service type option Select Service and then continue, it will say "Please enter a valid service type" and then select Tracked Packet, it will work.

[ypdc_dennis]

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@rose-dee wrote:

... he suggested this workaround earlier ...

Tracked Packet does not work if you do not choose it first it seems.  If you choose the Service type option Select Service and then continue, it will say "Please enter a valid service type" and then select Tracked Packet, it will work.

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Still true, still not fixed.

Went to send a parcel to the UK today. Originally had Small Packet (air) set up in the listing and attempted to upgrade to Tracked Packet International and got The Shipment Option you have chosen is invalid. Please verify the amount you have entered.

Workaround was to not buy shipping through the transaction but to directly use the ship-now link (www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_ship-now), select Tracked Packet and manually enter the address data. And then manually update ebay / paypal with the parcel shipping information.

Other: Still shows the value of the postage paid on the label, and I find it interesting that the label has the words USPS Tracking # in a bigger font than almost everything else on the label.

[alan_parekh_electronic_projects]

Crazy that this is now 2016 and the issue has still not been cleared up. If I select Expedited, move one step to see the price, change it to tracked I still get. "The Shipment Option you have chosen is invalid. Please verify the amount you have entered.". If I go back to the activity page and go in from fresh (needing to re-enter the dimensions, weight etc) it works.

[pierrelebel]

Old two year old thread.

[dutchman48]

If you want to compare, go to Canada Post and fill in measurements and weight and it will give you all the options and pricing, but no discounts. No bugs to deal with.

If you are doing thousands of parcels might be a lot of work but if only a few, should be no problem.

[dutchman48]

When does Ebay ever fix bugs, oh yeah, only if it makes them money!!