eBay

rose-dee · ‎08-20-2013

Hello all!

Just when I thought Paypal/Pitney-Bowes had finally got things sorted out, I'm wondering if there's another problem.

For the last 3 items I shipped by Expedited Parcel using Paypal labels through eBay this week, the bar codes have suddenly not been able to be scanned by my local P.O. - my local P.O. clerk has had to manually input the numbers under the bar code. With tracked shipments, I wait to make sure the clerk has actually scanned the parcel in. She tells me she's had absolutely no problem with other people's bar codes. This is a very small rural P.O. and I'm likely the only eBay seller in the area.

I thought it might be my printer -- my old inkjet printer was on its last legs last week and I had to replace it with a new printer. But 2 bar codes (labels) from the old printer, and now 1 from the new printer wouldn't scan at the P.O., so it isn't a printer problem. Every single bar code previously has been able to be scanned. What's just happened with Paypal/P-B this week?

As a last resort, I'm going to try switching my browser when I log into eBay to do a label. I have 2 more Expedited parcels to send tomorrow, and if the bar codes don't scan using the alternate browser, I'll be completely flummoxed.

Has anyone else encountered a problem with their P.O. being able to scan Paypal shipping labels? Would anyone care to check in the next few days and see if their labels work or not?

I'm referring only to Expedited at this point; haven't tried Xpresspost yet. Obviously this is big concern if it means the parcel has to be manually scanned all along the way (or gets missed completely - yikes!).

rose-dee · ‎08-20-2013

By the way, I should mention that the tracking info is showing up on Canada Post through eBay, but it seems to be taking longer than usual (due to manual entry of bar code???).

pocomocomputing · ‎08-20-2013

You got a new printer so that should solve the problem.

Check if your printer in in Draft or economy mode, try a higher quality mode.

What about paper? Any change to the paper? Try changing the paper if you can get another source (friend, office) for a few sheets to test with.

rose-dee · ‎08-20-2013

@pocomocomputing wrote:
You got a new printer so that should solve the problem.

Check if your printer in in Draft or economy mode, try a higher quality mode.

What about paper? Any change to the paper? Try changing the paper if you can get another source (friend, office) for a few sheets to test with.

Hi Poco - I've tried a heavier weight paper (24lb), although I've been using 20lb for years with no problem for these labels. The HP was printing labels just fine up until a few days ago, and as I said, the Canon label I did yesterday wouldn't read either. The new printer is a Canon, the old one was HP, and the general quality is just as good - the bar codes appear dark, crisp and clean.

Tonight I'm going to try one on regular quality print mode using Google Chrome as my browser, and the 2nd one on a higher quality print settting, to see if either one will read. If they both won't read, then something must be going on with Paypal/Pitney-Bowes.

I'd be very interested if another seller who uses Paypal labels for Expedited could check them out at the P.O. this week and see if they will scan. I've eliminated all the obvious variables, so I don't know what else to do but bring this up with the "Pinks" tomorrow.

pjcdn2005 · ‎08-21-2013

Haven't had problems here.

I don't know what else to suggest that you try but I don't see how Paypal would have any control over the quality of the printed labels.

pocomocomputing · ‎08-21-2013

I wonder if your small local rural PO is the problem? Maybe their scanner is wonky? Do they have issues with other customers?

Maybe try another PO sometime if possible.

I find it hard to believe that your printer, especially being new, is the problem.

pocomocomputing · ‎08-21-2013

I read your original post again and see that you say that the local PO says that no other customers have issues.

Maybe go to the PO with your next package and if it does not work do not mail from there and go to another PO to see what happens there.

I know this might mean going out of your way to the next PO (hours drive maybe).

You may have to prove that it is your local PO or not before they do something about it.

pocomocomputing · ‎08-21-2013

Maybe the local PO needs to clean their bar code scanner lens? LOL.

rose-dee · ‎08-21-2013

Hi 'poco' -- I may be forced to go to another PO to test your suggestion, but my local PO clerk tried everything last week (including cleaning the lens), and it made no difference. She says she's had absolutely no problem with anybody else's labels.

However, by way of update: I sent my husband to the same local PO this morning with 3 parcels, 2 were Expedited, 1 Tracked Packet. Last night I experimented to try and isolate where the problem might be. I used Google Chrome to do Parcel #1, Explorer + premium paper for Parcel #2, and for Parcel #3 I used Canada Post's own site ('ship-in-a-click') with Explorer. Also, for Parcel #1, to eliminate the paper as a possible problem, I printed one label on 24lb premium HP stock, and the other on my usual stock, and gave my husband instructions to have the PO clerk test both of those before sticking one on the box.

Results:

Parcel #1 (both the premium and the regular paper labels) read with no problem whatsoever. My husband -- being the resourceful guy he is -- even had the clerk stick those labels into a plastic "labelope" with the perforations in the plastic right over the bar code to see if that was the problem. They both read just fine.

Parcel #2: Wouldn't read no matter what the clerk did.

Parcel #3: Absolutely no problem reading.

You can probably see where the logic in this experiment is pointing -- my best guess is that something has happened very recently to make Pitney-Bowes/Paypal labels incompatible with Internet Explorer. I've eliminated every other variable.

So I'm completely stumped as to how to remedy it, other than using Chrome exclusively for my labels, which I'm going to do for the next 2 weeks to see if any of them comes out unreadable. I like Explorer, have everything nicely set up on it, including all my favourite sites. Yuck, another few hours of messing around with computer settings.

pjcdn2005 · ‎08-21-2013

I always use IE for printing labels and as mentioned before..I haven't had a problem. Which version of IE are you using? (click on help at the top of the page and then on About Internet Explorer)

The latest version for is 10.0.9. If yours is earlier than that, perhaps an update would help??

pocomocomputing · ‎08-21-2013

I haven't use PayPal Expedited Parcel labels in a long time. I do know that the latest Internet Explorer 10 has caused some issues with some sellers on the eBay.com forums. One thing often suggested is to try IE Compatibility mode. Others have reported to not use compatibility mode!

As I recall when you create the Canada Post label, it is a graphic image that is sent to the printer. I wonder if there is a third party component in Internet Explorer that is not up to date that is used. Unlikely. Is the label a PDF image? Probably not.

Or perhaps your margins in Internet Exploiter are too wide and the image is printed smaller. I always set my margins to 0.5 inches all around in the browsers I use. A smaller image should not matter as I used to shrink my PayPal labels to 85% to fit on smaller packages. But that was for Small Packet. I never had to do it for Expedited parcel with a barcode.

I am still running Windows XP which can only use IE 8 and not 10. So I switched to FireFox a couple of years ago for the latest browser features.

Just some thoughts on this. No real suggestions.

rose-dee · ‎08-21-2013

@pjcdn2005 wrote:
I always use IE for printing labels and as mentioned before..I haven't had a problem. Which version of IE are you using? (click on help at the top of the page and then on About Internet Explorer)
The latest version for is 10.0.9. If yours is earlier than that, perhaps an update would help??

I'm using 10.0.9, and have been for 2 years. The fact that this is a new problem really has me completely stumped. Aside from switching printers a few days ago (and that was after I'd already had this issue happen twice), I haven't changed anything on my internet browser settings for months.

'Poco' -- Thanks so much for your input. I think I'm going to just switch to Chrome exclusively for a while when accessing eBay for label printing and see what happens. Kalvin says he's looking into it with someone who is coming from Canada Post today, so perhaps it's been reported elsewhere. Why me????

pocomocomputing · ‎10-16-2013

What is happening with this issue, rose-dee? Just curious.

rose-dee · ‎10-16-2013

Well, I've been using Google Chrome exclusively to access eBay/Paypal labels, and have had my local P.O. clerk check them each time to make sure they're readable -- so far, no further problem with any labels.

Still, this probably doesn't prove that Explorer was the issue. It's possible there was some sort of glitch at the Paypal end that was temporarily causing an incompatibility with IE. I suppose I'll never know unless I go back to using IE when I print labels, but I haven't dared try it, as I'd rather leave well enough alone.

meld55003 · ‎10-19-2013

I use a MAC for 99% of my browsing and E-Bay stuff and a Windows machine for Label Printing because as yet I have not found a way to print labels using a Thermal Printer on 4x6 Labels that works on the MAC.

When using the Windows Machine, I started with Internet Explorer and had the odd barcode not scan, I too use a rural PO. If I took 10 parcels in, only 1 or 2 would have an issue. I put it down to the Thermal Printer. Changed the settings to be as good as possible, slowed down the print speeds etc but nothing gave me 100% results.

I then loaded Chrome onto the PC. Since then zero problems, absolutely zero and I have shipped probably 400 items since switching to Chrome.

So for me it had to be Internet Explorer, nothing else changed, it was the same printer, same rolls of labels.

Now all I want is a Thermal Label Printer that I can hook up to the MAC and hide the PC away as a back up.

Not wanting to hijack this thread but if anyone can suggest a Thermal Printer that will take my 4x6 Labels and will work on the MAC, please let me know.....Thanks

PS. I think the barcode is Code135, I even bought a Barcode Scanner, from E-Bay, of course, to check my labels before driving 15kms to my Post Office.. Just thought I would mention that.

rose-dee · ‎10-19-2013

Thanks so much for all this information -- it seems that you've confirmed the problem was Explorer. I'm going to stick to Chrome from now on with eBay/Paypal. How absurd that the most used browser isn't compatible with one of the most popular commercial sites on the net. Oh well, live and learn I suppose.

I'm afraid I can't help you with the printer issue, although I'm hoping 'pococomputing', who is often on these boards and seems to know a lot about the subject, will pop up and assist.

Fortunately, even though I'm in a RR postal area, my little P.O. is just down the Evangeline Trail about 2km, so at least it hasn't been a problem so far if I've had to have a parcel checked before shipping -- it's a quick trip back home if a problem arises. I've even walked to the P.O. on occasion. Believe it or not, having a P.O. closeby was one of the big criteria for a house when we moved here. And this one is a real, old-fashioned, actual little Post Office with a Canada Post clerk who is very friendly and knows her stuff inside out.

Thanks again for posting this info!

pierrelebel · ‎10-19-2013

"How absurd that the most used browser isn't compatible with one of the most popular commercial sites on the net.'

Things do change very quickly on the Internet. MS-Explorer is no longer "the most used browser".

Two years ago (June 2011) MS-Explorer - the leader - accounted for more than 40% of browser usage in desktop and laptops.

Last numbers available (July 2013) show MS-Explorer down by more than half to 20%. Chrome now commands 36% of the marketplace while Firefox (which I prefer) is down to 17%

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usage_share_of_web_browsers

It does not change the fact that eBay should be able to accomodate ALL browsers.

pocomocomputing · ‎10-19-2013

dzinta, I read your post with issues with the Mac in your other topic and here but cannot help you. My only suggestion is that you go to the eBay.com Shipping & Packaging forum to see if they have any suggestions. I have seen issues with thermal printers posted there and suggestions on how to fix them. But they use USPS version of PayPal printing or other services so it may not be of help. Perhaps some of the tips for printing will fix it as a hardware/software issue.

As I understand your two posts, you are using Canada Post to print your labels and not PayPal printing. Is this correct? If so, I read in these eBay.ca forums of a seller who was using PayPal shipping with a thermal printer and simply downsized and rotated the PayPal label 90 degrees. The label was large enough for reading and tracking. That might be a solution. You will get PayPal 18% discounts for Expedited Parcel and 14% for Tracked Packet as well as Xpresspost 8-9%.

pocomocomputing · ‎10-19-2013

One of the issues with the decrease in popularity of Internet Explorer is that Microsoft does not make available the latest versions for older versions of Windows. For example, I am still using Windows XP SP3 which can only go as high as Windows 8. So a couple of years ago, I switched to FireFox to be able to use the latest browsers features.

Since there are so many Windows XP PCs out there, Microsoft is losing that share of the market for Internet Explorer. It is a small amount of users lost each month due to this but it all adds up to a slow decline in use as well as the other factors

pocomocomputing · ‎10-19-2013

Very interesting that some else was able to confirm your issue with Internet Explorer as a probable source of the problem.

Perhaps it should be reported on the weekly session with eBay. But I assume eBay.ca employes would say to report it to PayPal and pass the buck on, LOL. Having PayPal and Pitney Bowes makes any changes to PayPal shipping labels may cause all kinds of issues like earlier this year.