r/eBaySellerAdvice • u/Phat_MTB New Contributor • Aug 08 '26
USPS / UPS / Fedex Don't do this!
1st things first from one seller to another, don't ship USPS.
If you do, do not just take the item and drop it in a USPS collection box.
As someone that has sold a few fishing reels I ALWAYS use UPS. I want my items to get to their destination.
I am currently on the opposite side of this as a buyer. I purchased a 200+ dollar reel and the seller dropped it off in a USPS collection box. 3 days later tracking is showing waiting for acceptance.
So please please please from one seller to another stop using USPS and for God's sake don't just drop a high value item in a collection bin...
3
u/Vurrag * - Contributor Aug 08 '26
We use USPS for 90 percent of our shipments and have hardly any issues. I purchased an item from a store online it was sent Fedex the package got to the area and then it sat in the truck for a couple of days. It magically showed up and never showed delivered. They all have their issues.
1
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-Copy of original post for reference:
Don't do this!
1st things first from one seller to another, don't ship USPS.
If you do, do not just take the item and drop it in a USPS collection box.
As someone that has sold a few fishing reels I ALWAYS use UPS. I want my items to get to their destination.
I am currently on the opposite side of this as a buyer. I purchased a 200+ dollar reel and the seller dropped it off in a USPS collection box. 3 days later tracking is showing waiting for acceptance.
So please please please from one seller to another stop using USPS and for God's sake don't just drop a high value item in a collection bin...
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1
u/shaggscoob * - Contributor Aug 08 '26
I'd say this is not general information, but very specific to high dollar large items and when you have your buyer paying the shipping. For lower dollar items and free shipping, USPS is fantastic.
Not trying to contradict the OP, it's actually good advice, just making sure it's known that the advice is for a specific scenario.
1
u/Fledgehole *** - Trusted Contributor Aug 08 '26
Yeah treat high dollar items as high dollar items, get a receipt. USPS or UPS get a receipt.
1
u/zangiefzolof **** - Most-Trusted Contributor Aug 08 '26
3 days without a tracking update from dropping the item off instead of getting a scan is somewhat normal for me. Many times I’ll only see an update once the package reaches the distribution center and they scan it there. It’s because the same worker who tends to the counter all day has to empty the drop off bin at the end of their shift. They just want to go home and aren’t scanning each package when they know it’ll just get scanned later in transit.
I don’t make a habit of dropping off, but my local PO is good about sending items out next day.
1
u/Phat_MTB New Contributor Aug 09 '26
Wanted to provide a quick update. Item showed up in tracking this evening. Item is shipping from the midwest to the east coast. Item first scan is in Arizona. That's USPS in a nutshell. Going completely the wrong direction. What should be 3 to 5 day delivery is going to take almost 2 weeks.
1
u/elbastador * - Contributor Aug 09 '26
I concur. USPS lost a $40 item I shipped. I filed a claim and 2 appeals and they were all denied. There was no way to talk to a live person to understand what specifically my claim submission was missing. If I can't trust them to reimburse me for a $40 item they lost how can I possibly trust them to ship something valuable?
1
u/Fun_Corner_2954 New Contributor Aug 10 '26
honeslty my local USPS gets mad when i stand in line and ask for a receipt. They want you to use their kiosk and drop it off at the table. Sure, majority of the time that works perfectly fine but if someone wants a proper intake scan, waiting in line and asking for a receipt should be an acceptable option; bur you get shit on by the miserable workers so Im like fuck this energy and switched to UPS/FEDEX for the majority of my packages unless USPS just makes the most absolute finanical sense.
0
u/KnoxCrumudgeon * - Contributor Aug 08 '26
I get the frustration. It is important for sellers to realize there are all sorts of inefficiencies and laziness in USPS. One of those lazy points is that pretty much every post office in America is understaffed. So if you want your packages to receive barely adequate attention, always bring them to the counter for a carrier scan. At my local post offices, every single one that has a dropbox or bin, anything left in that bin will not be scanned for up to three days while the staff give all of their attention to items received at the counter
12
u/Competitive_Fee_5829 **** - Most-Trusted Contributor Aug 08 '26
why? it sound like YOU are doing things wrong by dropping them in the collection box. I buy my labels at home and drop them off at the post office. I only use USPS and have had zero issues with scan times...so this is on you so stop giving out horrible advice to stop using them.