The Hold is on all new and occasional sellers as a form of Buyer Protection. It is applied to new sellers, sellers in high value/high fraud categories and to sellers with violations on their selling accounts.
It will be removed when you meet the parameters in the Seller's Agreement.
The tracking is a form of Seller Protection. Should a sketchey or more likely impatient buyer ask where his parcel is, you will be able to show him. If he opens an Item Not Recieved dispute, the tracking number is the first line of defence. You won't actually win such a dispute until the tracking shows as Delivered however.
BTW, this is one reason why a demand by a buyer for cheaper, untracked shipping should be given a cynical look. It is a common scam to ask for cheaper shipping and then open an INR and win it, since the seller cannot prove delivery. Doesn't happen often, but it happens.
Personally, as a seller I don't use tracking choosing instead to self-insure against loss. But my buyers are readers, seamstresses and collectors of stamps and postcards, a very honest bunch. YMMD.
OT- do you have a scanner? Those cigarette cards and other flat items are best scanned rather than photographed. Allows the customer to see more detail too.
