Tracking???

I was reading a post earlier that stated (by Randall) you can
add tracking to 1st class envelopes if you use eBay/PayPal to do so.
I tried.....everything must go minimum Priority Mail.
Am I missing something???

Kevin, you have to send it by First Class Parcel, not First Class Letter. It can be an envelope, but you have to tell the PO clerk that you want to send it as paecel. I am not sure if you can do it online at USPS.com. But, you can do it at the post office.

fotofila.....thanks.
Just tried it using that setting...parcel.
Worked fine.....
Just have to "fine tune" it....
Just hate not using stamps on shipments....

In case anyone's interested in how the tracking service specifically reads in postal regulations (from the USPS website):

Just FYI, if you use first class parcel and put tracking on it, it must be 3/4 of an inch thick. If it's not, and they catch it, they will charge your recipient the difference to upgrade to Priority.

bobby131313....guess thats why when you click that option
it states "thick envelope".
Oh well....just did 1...hope it goes thru.
thanks.

Also, if you change the shipping on ebay to parcel, make sure you only do it for domestic shipping. If you switch your international shipping from letter rate to parcel rate then you'll lose a lot of potential buyers, i.e. $1.15 vs $6.55 for the 1oz rate - letter vs. parcel rates. You don't need to provide tracking on international shipments if you're just trying to keep your top rated seller status.

Bobby... all due respect, my friend...
not correct... you can send anything
in a padded envelope, or plain paper
envelope 6x9, both quite thin and
stick on a USPS First Class label
with tracking on it... we do it every
day of the week and have for years,
sending people cables and software...
*and* many of my stamp purchases have
come that exact way...

You click on FIRST CLASS PACKAGE OR
THICK ENVELOPE, select how many ounces
it is, then it computes the shipping,
and you pay for it to the right of
your screen, which you will see...
up to 3 ounces it's $1.93... go test
one right now from one of your ebay
sales... shipped or un-shipped you
can get into the shipping screen...
and you don't need to logon to Paypal
to do it... you can it within ebay...

If you need full instructions, I'll
be very happy to instruct you...

Randall

P.S. ... you *NEVER* have to interface
with a USPS clerk unless you are sending
certified or registered... just print
your label, stick it on and mail it...

Goto uline.com or call 1-800-295-5510
and order the 5½ x 8½ labels...

Or... if you happen to have a UPS or
FedEx account, you can order these labels
FREE on their respective websites...

Whatever you say buddy.

fotofila... you do not have to
"tell the postal clerk" anything...
you do not even need to interface
with them...

I hope you meant that in a positive light...

I have a sneaky suspicion that both Bobby131313 and disi123 are correct. Not only does it depend on which post office you visit, it also depends on the clerk. Just last week I sent two stamp circuits to a collector in Washington. The two packages, three days apart, were exactly the same, the weight was the same etc. I was told by the second clerk that if I wanted insurance on my package it MUST be mailed by Priority Mail! It could not be mailed as a first class parcel. When I showed her the receipt of two days earlier she told me that that clerk was wrong! I had to pay almost twice as much for my second parcel! Go figure!

Peter

As a final note... if tracking
is important to you (or to your
customer(s)), you now have the
methodology to obtain it and use
it... that's why a 1 ounce send
is $1.93 as opposed to $.49...

No I didn't. Just because you get away with it doesn't mean you're right and you are providing false information here and doing our members a great disservice. Electronic Tracking is only available with First-Class Mail® parcels and First-Class Package Service parcels. Been that way for many, many years. If they catch it, they WILL upgrade to Priority since the tracking is free with Priority. They WILL hold the package hostage from your customer for the difference.

Peter... take my word for it...
if you're shipping using ebay
or Paypal, you can ship First
Class WITH TRACKING ***AND***
add insurance, print your own
label, and drop it in any box
on the street or in any post
office depository and never
have to look a clerk in the eye...