Paypal Generated CP Tracking Numbers

[moxy99]

In the past, these tracking numbers would at the very least say that the item was received by CP.  Lately they just pull up no information.  I've been getting a lot of grief from my buyers and am looking for suggestions on what to tell the pissed off ones.  I can't go and say, "Oh, you've been given a fake tracking number and reality it's untrackable"

Thanks in advance!

[scifan57]

Sometimes it can take a day or two for the item to become active in the system. Are you actually paying the extra fee for a delivery confirmed or tracked service?All shipping labels printed through PayPal shipping have these numbers,whether or not you purchase a delivery confirmed of tracked service.Could that be the problem?

[dmil8030]

Hi 'moxy99',

If you haven't paid for genuine tracking, you're not getting it. 🙂  But you're right, there's no need to say so unless you need to.  You could always soothe your buyers that the number is not an actual tracking number but a delivery confirmation number that demonstrates when the item has been delivered.  It's probably not that either, but given the propensity for false Not Received claims these days, I see no reason to shout out your vulnerablity, not if you can offer equally reassuring words without blatant fabrication.

Hence the long and short of it is to console those buyers that their item is on its way (you marked it 'Shipped', right?) and that international orders often take much longer to arrive.  Your Canadian buyers ought to be used to slow mail by now, but you can say something similar to them.  Otherwise, a number with any type of 'tracking' capacity ought to work here:

http://www.canadapost.ca/cpotools/apps/track/personal/findByTrackNumber?execution=e1s1 

[reallynicestamps]

All the numbers generated with shipping labels are "shipping invoice numbers". You can always call them that.They will tell the customer that the label has been purchased and usually say whent the the PO has received the item for processing.

Light Packet is an Air Mail service. Give an expected delivery date. (And do use the blue Par Avion labels).

Small Packet labels use the same number for insurance. With USPS this is an extra fee and USPS is beadyeyed about insurance claims. Cheerfully tell your customer that he is seeing the insurance number which protects the parcel against loss or damage in transit.

Expedited and Regular (domestic) shipping numbers are also used for Delivery Confirmation. This is not tracking. These services are also insured. Tell your customer that his parcel is insured and will be Delivery Confirmed. Give him an expected arrival date that is a day or so longer than your experience would allow. (Most of my parcels arrive within 10 calendar days, so I say 9 working days.)

Until you are willing to spend $30-40 for ExpressPost your customer will not be getting point to point tracking. It does no good to tell him this. Too negative.

Concentrate on telling him the positives. Air Mail. Insured. Delivery Confirmation. Probable arrival date.

I also find it useful to be sympathetic. To give a ''check back date". To contact the buyer before the check back date. To mention Canada Post, borders, customs, Homeland Security.

And to put belligerent buyers on my Blocked Bidder List.

[moxy99]

Thanks all for your words of wisdom.  Most of my items are shipped either Light Packet or Small Packet and delivery confirmation and signature release are not available for those services. 

I'll use your suggestions in my response.

[mcmichaelsonline]

Open a Canada Post Venture One account, which you then set up to be able to log into on the Canada Post business part of thier website. Then use the Electronic Shipping Tools to process an order to your customer.

The transaction is in Canadian Dollars no conversion rate, and the bill is processed through your canadian dollar Credit Card, the shipping waybill prints out from your printer just like paypal.

What this offers you is a cleaner shipping experience, there is no invoice number or transaction number sent to the customer from Paypal, which will help you with the misunderstanding you are experiencing with your customers.

Once shipped you simply go to the transaction in Paypal and mark it as shipped via Canada Post, DO NOT add a transaction number, leave it blank. Same with the eBay listing, mark it as shipped but add no transaction number.

Very very important is to have a shipping chart in your listing STATING EXACTLY what your customer should experience from the level of courier service your are using to ship thier package, this will be your reference source to back you up  when they email you.

Since thier are not discounts with eBay/Paypal and Canada Post with Regular Parcel or Small Packets to the USA, don't use Paypal. Expedited service to Canada and the USA, has a discount through Paypal.