eBay

sin-n-dex · ‎12-19-2024

Anyone else seeing delays with Stallion Express in Mississauga?

I dropped off some mail on Dec 12 (last Thursday), and it's still showing in "ready" status. Mississauga hasn't scanned them as received, and they haven't tendered them to USPS.

In this batch there's two untracked letters, one of which contains vintage postcards that cannot be replaced. (I know we can add insurance, but getting paid insurance money doesn't help a customer who wanted a collectible item, it's not like they can take their refund from me and go buy it elsewhere).

I'm getting a little concerned about this batch, because the stuff dropped off Friday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday has all been processed within a day or two. (Yesterday's stuff was processed earlier today, even the untracked letters).

C.

mrdutch1001 · ‎12-19-2024

"two untracked letters, one of which contains vintage postcards that cannot be replaced" >If those items are destined for the USA they are are NOT lettermail>those are sold goods/sold merchandise and do not qualify as lettermail. Unfortunately, sellers who still do not believe in following the postal guidelines wherein lettermail destined for International locations is required to be actual letters and/or documents, not goods/merchandise, are taking a huge risk. Vintage postcards sold on eBay are classed as goods/merchandise and it is the seller's responsibility to see that such materials are shipped appropriately according to postal guidelines. Unfortunate as it is, If the items are untracked and get lost, that is on the seller...."apply cookie jar insurance".

sin-n-dex · ‎12-19-2024

@mrdutch1001 wrote:
"two untracked letters, one of which contains vintage postcards that cannot be replaced" >If those are destined for the USA they are are NOT lettermail>those are sold goods/sold merchandise and do not qualify as lettermail. Sellers who still do not believe in following the universal postal guidelines wherein lettermail destined for USA & International is required to be actual letters and/or documents, not goods/merchandise. Vintage postcards sold on eBay are classed as goods/merchandise and it is the seller's responsibility to see that such materials are shipped appropriately according to postal guidelines. If the items are untracked and get lost that is on the seller...."apply cookie jar insurance"

@mrdutch1001

eBay offers "ebay Standard Envelope" for mailing postcards. That's lettermail. I can also put a forever stamp on it and mail it in the US, that's allowed.

What you're talking about is Canada Post's regulations regarding no commercial goods in lettermail. I didn't use Canada Post, I'm using USPS, who has no such rule that I can't put a postcard in an envelope and mail it with a stamp, metered or not. (if Ebay is selling me postage for 69 cents to do it, I don't see why I can't pay someone else 69 cents to mail it, in my case Stallion Express is putting 69 cents on it and mailing it for me).

C.

mrdutch1001 · ‎12-19-2024

If that is the case, I stand corrected...and my apologies for my misunderstanding.However, that does not help if sent without tracking as that is still a risk for the seller...I guess it's a wait and see what happens....

Maybe other sellers who are using Stallion Express will have further insight on their experiences...

byto253 · ‎12-19-2024

My knee jerk thought is that the courier companies are still way backed up and scans are still very hit and miss. I had a parcel sent to me from B.C. by ICS courier, and for the last 3 days it has shown a "linehaul" delay, including this morning.... until I got an email that my parcel was delivered and it was outside my door.

Don't know what more you can do that wait it out.

sin-n-dex · ‎12-20-2024

@mrdutch1001 wrote:
If that is the case, I stand corrected...and my apologies for my misunderstanding.However, that does not help if sent without tracking as that is still a risk for the seller...I guess it's a wait and see what happens....
Maybe other sellers who are using Stallion Express will have further insight on their experiences...

Stallion seems to think the letters went on and it's only a scan that was missed, since everything else has been processed quickly, I'm just going to hope they're correct about this.

I ship some low value stuff without tracking because Stallion won't let me use eBay Standard Envelope (and their tracking) anymore, it has to do with a contract they have with USPS. Stallion is looking to implement something like eBay does, but I don't know if they'll be able to do that or not. I made the suggestion and someone who is a bit higher up contacted me to find out more about what eBay does.

I understand the concept of cookie jar insurance, but in the case of these two letters, one contained vintage postcards that can't be replaced and I don't think the customer will be happy just getting a refund. So the money isn't so much the point as I want to get their order to them.

C.

sin-n-dex · ‎12-20-2024

@byto253 wrote:
My knee jerk thought is that the courier companies are still way backed up and scans are still very hit and miss. I had a parcel sent to me from B.C. by ICS courier, and for the last 3 days it has shown a "linehaul" delay, including this morning.... until I got an email that my parcel was delivered and it was outside my door.

Don't know what more you can do that wait it out.

I've let the customers know of the delays and they are running around a week behind in processing, it's all I can do to hold off an INR for a few extra days. Some people are very impatient and file an INR because they think their package is lost when really it's just taking a bit longer. Stuff I mailed on Dec 2 arrived in the past three days and feedback was left, two customers messaged me to let me know their stuff arrived safely.

If the two letters that missed a scan are actually lost, one has items I can't replace, the other fortunately I probably can replace if need be.

I might be one of the only customers who ships untracked letters which is a risk if there's only a couple going at a particular time. Today I have one, but am holding off shipping it so it doesn't get lost by itself. When I have 10-15, they don't tend to get lost.

C.