Problem with despatching multiple items?

[4wd_products]

Is anyone else having issues with despatching multiple items to the same seller?

We have been having horrible issues when entering the same Australia Post tracking number into more than one item (to despatch each), as the system seems to reject the use of the same number more than once.

We've resorted to using a mix of upper or loower case, and adding spaces or letters to full numerical tracking numbers. It's become a very slow and painful process, taking upto 2-3 hours to despatch just 150 items!

This has been getting worse over the last few weeks ... any answers?

Thanks

[chameleon54]

I've always found I can only use the same tracking number once. If I try to re-use it for another item ( same buyer ) the system rejects it. In an ideal world the customers would wait for us to send a revised invoice for combined post, but some newer buyers pay for their items quickly ( thinking they are doing the right thing ) and not understanding the little problems this throws up for sellers.

[4wd_products]

We have customers that will purchase up to eight items over a few days, but even if they are on one invoice, each item still needs to be seperately dispatched to allow the customer to track them.

Unless we are missing something, can you despatch the one combined invoice of multiple items at the one time?

[chameleon54]

You can dispatch one invoice for items purchased over a few days using the combine post option. If you have already sent an invoice and the customer buys more items after invoice has been sent ( but has not paid ) you click on "send invoice" for new items. An icon appears which says something like "include other eligable items" . When you click on this, all purchases show including ones already invoiced and allow for a new invoice to be sent with total combined post price. ( sent in one parcel with one tracking number to cover the lot )  If as you say you need to send each item seperately ( usually due to size & weight ) , rather than pack them together, you would need to send a seperate invoice for each item, customer pays individually and they get mailed with individual tracking numbers.   

[4wd_products]

Okay, but that covers combined postage, which we often do.

But even when there are 6 items combined and we still send them in one package, we still need to pick up each individual item to despatch it.

This is where we are having the problem - once you have sent out, say six items in the one package, each individual item needs to be manually despatched with that same, one tracking number. Is there a way to flag all six items, then enter the tracking number in one place - despatching them all?

[digital*ghost]

I used to be able to add the same number to each item, but haven't been able to recently - the only way a tracking number appears on each item in an order is if the label is processed via C&S (linked account) or eBay, but trying to do it manually and even though it says it's saved, the number doesn't appear. I don't worry about it too much, though, I don't otherwise qualify for any of the FB / DSR / TRS+ advanatages and the buyer only needs the number once. 😄

[4wd_products]

@digital ghost - that's the same problem we have, but we sometimes send out up to 200 packages a day and need to clear the 'need to post' screen to keep track of carry-overs and log tracking details etc.

We've found if we, as mentioned, make a slight format change to the tracking number (eg: QM7001.... qm7001.... Qm7001.... qM7001... that we can get it to work.

I suppose we were just hoping there was a less tiresome way to do it.

[digital*ghost]

If it's just a matter of eliminating the "awaiting postage" reminder, you can still mark them as posted without adding a tracking number. You can actually mark all items as posted in Selling Manager with a couple of clicks. I'd probably manually add the tracking number to the first item in the order, then use SM to mark everything else as posted at the same time (via the "awaiting postage" link). The linked tracking number will still be there on one item per invoice / order, and you could add the number to the rest via the note function if you needed to (that way you can keep the correct format of the number).

[4wd_products]

Sounds just as clunky 🙂

[chameleon54]

Looks like ebay have been reading the forums. I,m not sure if this helps, but ebay seem to have just introduced a new system in the last hour or so. I just collated a combined order and went to add the tracking number for one parcel. A new system came up which allows tracking numbers to be added for each individual item on the combined invoice. I'm not sure that is what you are needing but it looks like a very handy new addition to the mailing tools on offer.