(Continued)
And in many locations nationwide, eBay members can
access Carrier Pickup from the eBay web site to request
next-day pickup of their Priority Mail and Express Mail
packages at no additional charge, thereby saving a trip to
the Post Office.
Postage refunds for Express Mail service failures are
given at Post Office facilities. All other postage refunds or
questions must be handled through the PayPal web site.
If a piece proves to be short-paid - whether the piece is
using a label with the exact-postage method or a label that
does not show the postage value - the normal short-paid
procedures for articles bearing online labels will apply.
eBay has chosen Pitney Bowes to be its designated
shipping label provider. Here are illustrations of the eBay
shipping labels. [Pass around the sample labels - see
page 3 in this Postal Bulletin (22123).] And remember,
since these labels carry a PC Postage indicia, the sender
is "known" to the Postal Service, so acceptance restrictions do not apply. Mailers can give these packages to the
letter carrier, have them collected via Carrier Pickup,
place them in a collection box, or drop them off at a Post
Office facility.
We're off to a great start with the eBay partnership.
After only a few days of operation, volume and revenue
are way ahead of original forecasts and growing exponentially. Now it's up to us to make sure we scan every parcel
every time, and deliver them for our customers - this is
really important to the user experience.
We have a Fact Sheet and Frequently Asked Questions for the retail clerks and acceptance personnel. Let
me know if anyone else wants a copy. Copies of the sample eBay labels will be posted on the bulletin board.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About
"Online Postage" and Integration of U.S. Postal
Service Shipping Solutions on eBay
I Heard That eBay Has a "Post Office." What's the
Story?
Since February 13, 2004, eBay members can "go to
the Post Office" without having to leave the most popular
site on the Internet, much less their s or offices.
eBay's "Online Postage" shipping solution is fully
integrated into the eBay web site, "The World's Online
Marketplace™."
What Does This Mean for eBay Members?
Millions of eBay members will be able to calculate and
pay postage from their Pay Pal accounts, and print shipping labels while they do business on eBay. Sellers will be
able to arrange for prospective buyers to calculate their
shipping costs based on the delivery ZIP Code™ directly
from the "View Item" page. And in many locations across
the country, sellers can access Carrier Pickup from the
eBay web site to request next-day pickup of their Priority
Mail® and Express Mail® parcels for free, saving themselves a trip to the Post Office™.
Starting in mid-March 2004, eBay members will also
be able to print shipping labels for First-Class Mail® parcels, Media Mail items, and Parcel Post® items, thereby
expanding their postal shipping options.
How Did It Come About?
In October 2003, the Postal Service™ and eBay
launched a partnership to make it easier for the eBay
community to use postal products and services. The partnership started by launching a Postal Service shipping
center on eBay, and then added Express Mail rates to
eBay's shipping calculator.
How Does It Work?
Here's how "Online Postage" works:
• The seller posts an item for sale on eBay. From the
"View Item" page, prospective buyers can learn
about the product and calculate shipping costs by
entering their ZIP Code.
• When the item sells, the seller collects a shipping
fee from the buyer. The seller selects the appropriate shipping method, prints the appropriate shipping label, and pays the appropriate postage from
his or her PayPal account.
In many locations around the country, sellers also can
access Carrier Pickup from the eBay web site to request
next-day pickup of their Priority Mail and Express Mail
parcels for free, saving themselves a trip to the Post
Office.
Can Anyone Use the Service?
Anyone who has a PayPal account can take advantage of this service.
Does My Post Office Receive Credit for the Revenue?
Online Postage on eBay uses a PC Postage indicia,
and like all PC Postage indicia shipments, the revenue is
reallocated to the originating ZIP Code.
What Do the Labels Look Like?
Illustrations of the four types of labels are shown on
page 3 in this Postal Bulletin (22123). They are produced
by Pitney Bowes, eBay's designated shipping label provider. They show either a "P" for Priority Mail or "E" for
Express Mail, and they may show the exact postage paid
or may simply state "US Postage Paid" along with the appropriate weight, zone, and any surcharge or special service for the shipment. The option not to display the postage value on the label is a feature that is very important to
customers. Either way, the postage has been collected
from the shipper.
Is This "PC Postage"?
Yes, packages shipped through "Online Postage" on
the eBay web site use postage paid by a PC Postage
indicia.
Are the eBay-Generated Parcels Subject to Acceptance
Restrictions?
Since eBay-generated parcels use a PC Postage indicia, the sender is "known" to the Postal Service, so acceptance restrictions do not apply. Mailers can give these
packages to the letter carrier, have them collected via
Carrier Pickup, place them in a collection box, or drop
them off at a Post Office facility. Like all shipments bearing
a PC Postage indicia, the revenue is reallocated to the
originating ZIP Code.
Some of the Labels Don't Show the Postage Paid. How
Do We Know Postage Has Been Paid?
If the label shows the weight, zone, and any surcharge
or special service in the postage indicia, and says "US
Postage Paid," the correct postage has already been paid
by the shipper. If the mailpiece does not match the description on the label, the package should be handled as
postage due.
What About Postage Refunds?
Only refunds for Express Mail service failures are given at Post Office facilities. All other postage refunds or
questions must be handled through the PayPal web site.
What About Items That Are Short-Paid?
Normal procedures concerning articles bearing online
labels with short-paid postage apply.
What's the Big Deal?
Millions of people shop on eBay, the most popular
shopping destination on the Internet, with more than 1 billion items for sale last year. That's a lot of items that need
to be shipped. And the U.S. Postal Service® can deliver
these items at a great value and great service to the eBay
community
What Does This Mean for the Postal Service?
The Postal Service is a preferred shipper for eBay
members, handling more than 75 percent of all items
shipped within the U.S. market. This complete integration
of services will provide the Postal Service with total access to the Internet's busiest web site and will give every
eBay customer the opportunity to pick the Postal Service
to fulfill the purchase with quality and value.
"The eBay partnership is yet another example of our
commitment to improving access, convenience, and value for our customers, already the benchmark for the shipping industry," says Postal Service Chief Marketing Officer Anita Bizzotto. "No one else comes close to matching
the Postal Service's presence across the nation. We're
everywhere our customers live, work, and shop."
What Does This Mean for eBay?
Quality, access, and convenience. "Fast, affordable,
and reliable shipping services are essential to eBay buyers and sellers alike," said Meg Whitman, President and
CEO of eBay. "We are very excited about this relationship
because the Postal Service is committed to working with
us to deliver more value to the eBay community."
Where Can I Get More Information About eBay Online
Postage?
For more information, visit http://pages.ebay.com/services/buyandsell/shippingcenter9.html.
- Implementation and Outreach,
Pricing and Classification, 3-4-04
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