eBay

eBay expands drop off service to 1,600 FedEx Office stores

eBay, FedEx, postal

eBay and FedEx Office are making it easier for consumers to sell items online and earn money. Building on the success of the eBay Valet program – a professional service that handles all aspects of the selling process for the customer – eBay and FedEx Office are teaming up to offer the eBay Valet Drop-Off Program available at more than 1,600 FedEx Office stores over the coming months. Continue reading →

Video: Mystery packages tip off identity theft victim to eBay scam

eBay, postal, postalcrime.com

MILWAUKEE (WITI) — How scary is this: A house painter turned identity thief uses her day job to learn her victim’s schedule. That basic knowledge is more valuable than you may think — but there are steps you can take to protect yourself.

“I got home one day and I’ve got a package on my front porch from eBay — which I did not order,” Jill Carlson told FOX6′s Contact 6.

Carlson thought it was a mix up — but the next day, when she found a notice telling her to pick up another package, she got suspicious and spoke with the post office’s clerk.

“Is there a way to stop packages from coming to my house? There is something going on,” Carlson said.

As it turns out, thieves stole Carlson’s identity, opened an eBay account in her name and began ordering online with the intent of picking up the packages before she had a chance to retrieve them.

Read more: Mystery packages tip off identity theft victim to eBay scam | FOX6Now.com.

USPS opens eBay postal store

eBay, Nagisa Manabe, postal, stamp.news

From USPS News Link:

USPS has announced it will be collaborating with eBay, one of the world’s largest marketplaces, to open a Postal Store on the site at ebay.com/stamps.

The new website will offer stamps and other USPS-related merchandise for sale. The goal of this alliance is to expand the Postal Service’s reach to more domestic and international customers through the online store.

Chief Marketing Officer Nagisa Manabe also announced that USPS will begin auctioning stamp-related collectible items from the Postmaster General’s Collection beginning today at 3 p.m. EDT on eBay.

“This powerful alliance with eBay allows the Postal Service to showcase its unique collection of stamp artwork on one of the world’s largest online marketplaces,” said Manabe.

The Postmaster General’s Collection began in the 1860s with a small sampling of stamps and Post Office Department files. Today, and thousands of stamps later, the collection has become a one-of-a-kind stamp archive consisting of unique and rare stamps and original stamp artwork totaling approximately 30,000 items. To preserve the collection, only duplicate items will be auctioned.

The current auction of the Postmaster General’s Collection, with more than 100 items, expires at 3 p.m. EDT, Mon, Sept. 23. More items will be auctioned on eBay at a later date.

“The Postmaster General’s Collection is a stamp collector’s dream,” said Manabe.  “It includes U.S. stamps and other rare postal artifacts found nowhere else in the world.”

USPS Addresses Online Seller Concerns over Five-Day Delivery

5 day delivery, eBay, postal

As it faces a worsening financial situation and frustration with Congress mounts for failing to enact cost-cutting reform measures, the U.S. Postal Service announced on Wednesday that it will seek to phase out six-day delivery service later this year.

However, of critical importance to online sellers, the agency said that it will continue to deliver packages on Saturdays, even as residential and business delivery of regular mail on that day would end in early August.

Read more: USPS Addresses Online Seller Concerns over Five-Day Delivery.

eBay petition asks Congress to “support online businesses by providing relief to USPS”

eBay, Politics, postal, saving the postal service, savingthepostalservice.com 7 Comments

eBay’s government relations office has started an online petition to ask Congress to support the US Postal Service. A statement on the petition page says “eBay supports financial relief for the USPS and forward-thinking policies to restructure the postal service and keep shipping rates affordable. It is imperative that eBay small businesses have access to low-cost, reliable shipping alternatives.”

Dear Senator/Representative:

Please take swift action to provide relief to the United States Postal Service (USPS). It’s very important that U.S. postal operations remain strong and solvent to ensure small Internet-enabled businesses have access to affordable shipping rates.

Small businesses depend on the affordable and reliable services provided by the USPS to get their products to customers. Together, e-commerce retailers constitute a USPS “super user,” and have helped offset some of the decline in traditional mail by generating increasing numbers of products for delivery. In fact, the Census Bureau has noted that e-commerce retail sales to consumers reached an all-time high in 2009, with total sales of $145 billion. And that number continues to grow as more and more businesses use the Internet to reach a new consumer base.

As online retail grows, affordable and competitive shipping rates are more and more important to the industry. Affordable shipping rates are particularly important to small e-commerce retailers that compete with large online and multi-channel retailers. Already, small businesses do not enjoy the same volume-based shipping rates that larger retailers command. This price difference is a challenge for small business retailers competing in a world of big retailers. Increases to USPS shipping rates would further jeopardize small retailers’ competitiveness.

It is essential that any restructuring of the USPS preserve competition in the marketplace, while ensuring affordable and timely shipping options. I urge you to support small online businesses by passing legislation that would provide relief to the USPS and retain competitive, affordable shipping rates for small businesses.

Sincerely,

via eBay Main Street Online Petition – Review Petition Text.