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Post by chapeaunoir on Jun 21, 2016 18:52:36 GMT
This is the second one I've used, and neither have been able to be scanned in by my local post office OR the sorting center - both are very efficient. I even talked to the material handler/scanning person and she remembered the last label.
The first time the package finally arrived and was able to be scanned in at destination.
This time I have a $125 coat floating around who knows where. I wrote Tradesy after they started pestering me.
They're weird little gif files (huh?) and I print with a thermal printer. Does anyone else have this problem?
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Post by dutchjazz on Jun 21, 2016 22:21:18 GMT
I used to use their labels and never had a problem. I don't use a thermal printer. Even if they can't scan it, can't they manually enter it or can't they do that either. I don't understand why the first package wasn't able to be scanned at acceptance, but was okay on delivery.
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Post by chapeaunoir on Jun 22, 2016 3:14:54 GMT
I don't, either, and the same is happening with this one. The people at Tradesy sent me a nice note and said to go ahead and open the label in another window and play with the settings - maybe it just distorts for the thermal printer (wonder what these really big fancy places they're trying to court do). I put an email trace on the package and have heard nothing so far.
ETA: I hadn't heard any complaints about the labels which is why I went ahead and went with the paid Tradesy label. But this is twice now.
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val2525
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Post by val2525 on Jun 22, 2016 4:09:28 GMT
Could it be the way it's printing off the thermal printer? Have you tried using a laser or inkjet and seeing if your PO can read that label?
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Post by chapeaunoir on Jun 22, 2016 19:12:01 GMT
They gave me some tips to fix it, but the problem with enlarging the type of file they send (gif), is it distorts badly, which is why I didn't do it. It's just not optimised for a thermal printer which really surprises me. Using a simple PDF file instead of that weird gif file would make it optimal for any printer so I don't understand why they do it that way.
But yeah, next time I'll print on my laser printer. Using their labels saves a few dollars on the heavier items.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2016 23:43:05 GMT
I don't know if this will help but you could try saving the label to paint and then printing. I have to do that with some of my labels cuz I was having the same problem with them not getting scanned when I first got my label printer. I had to get my brother to help me and that was all he could come up with. First, I open up the pdf in Adobe Acrobat Reader and then copy from there and paste to paint. It's a few extra steps but better than going back to my regular printer! I have literally spent hours trying to make it work otherwise but it just doesn't. Also, I have an app on my phone called QR barcode scanner that is nice. I just scan the barcodes in that app after I print the label to make sure they will work. From what I have found if the barcode scanner doesn't pick it up right away on my phone then it's bad and it won't get scanned in until delivery.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2016 23:45:48 GMT
Oh ok I didn't realize you didn't get a pdf from them so nevermind! Lol I don't know though if there is anyway to still save it to paint it still may work.
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Post by chapeaunoir on Jun 23, 2016 23:50:53 GMT
Thanks, Selfish - at least I'm not the only one! Actually, you can manipulate a gif file in paint and I hadn't though of that. I'm just afraid of it distorting. It's easy to use my laser printer, it's just something I didn't think I needed to use. I seriously don't get the method they use. I tried printing to cutePDF and it didn't help - still the same junky label.
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Post by frakinfashion on Jun 24, 2016 2:52:18 GMT
Warning, just a Luddite here. But when I scan something, I can save it to whatever format I want. Could you scan the label and save it as a PDF to print? Would that help?
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val2525
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Post by val2525 on Jun 24, 2016 3:18:40 GMT
Why not contact Tradesy and ask them to send you a pdf?
Or use your own label.
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Post by chapeaunoir on Jun 24, 2016 20:48:42 GMT
Warning, just a Luddite here. But when I scan something, I can save it to whatever format I want. Could you scan the label and save it as a PDF to print? Would that help? I tried doing that - the pdf basically just replicates the gif file, which is actually an image file so it can't change the actual formatting, that can only be done with an image program. I was just hoping I would be able to change the print parameters, but I couldn't. Usually I use my own labels, but it's significantly cheaper to use their labels on heavy stuff. Having had this happen twice now, I'll simply use my own for everything from now on. |
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Post by chapeaunoir on Jun 25, 2016 7:52:14 GMT
Well, Tradesy is dunning me now about now sending the coat. I've already written the buyer explaining the situation. There is no sign of it at all in the system. I've written to Tradesy yet again. My only hope is that if it isn't deliverable to the buyer it might come back to me, but I've had this happen before when something was swallowed up by the USPS - I never saw it again, neither did the buyer. And why can't it be some $20 item? It's a $125 sale. The last time this happened it was a $115 sale. The other orders I've sent (where I used my own labels) have moved through the system, albeit rather slowly. At any rate, it's an experiment I will not be repeating.  I should have stuck to just doing all the shipping myself. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 25, 2016 8:45:57 GMT
Well, Tradesy is dunning me now about now sending the coat. I've already written the buyer explaining the situation. There is no sign of it at all in the system. I've written to Tradesy yet again. My only hope is that if it isn't deliverable to the buyer it might come back to me, but I've had this happen before when something was swallowed up by the USPS - I never saw it again, neither did the buyer. And why can't it be some $20 item? It's a $125 sale. The last time this happened it was a $115 sale. The other orders I've sent (where I used my own labels) have moved through the system, albeit rather slowly. At any rate, it's an experiment I will not be repeating. I should have stuck to just doing all the shipping myself. Has enough time gone by for it to get to its destination yet? For me when I was having a problem with my labels they would all eventually get scanned in as delivered, luckily! I just assumed the mailman that delivered had to punch it in manually. Hopefully that is what happens with yours! |
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Post by chapeaunoir on Jun 25, 2016 16:56:44 GMT
It has been a week now and nothing has come of my trace - yes, I'm hoping it is just taking longer due to manual data entering. If this ends up being a write-off I wonder if Tradesy will just hide my closet - it's a bit of a hassle listing there for only, what, 13 sales in a year.
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val2525
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Post by val2525 on Jun 26, 2016 0:03:27 GMT
Have you contacted tradesy, Chap, and told them about the problem? They shouldn't be sending a gif anyway. The labels are created as a pdf by most of the shipping services, so I don't get why Tradesy is sending gif. Unless the person doing the labels is printing them out and scanning them to email.... Which, dumb as it sounds, could be what the shipping department is doing.  |
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Post by chapeaunoir on Jun 26, 2016 5:23:06 GMT
First thing I did - I'm pretty good at jumping on this stuff - and we've been back and forth for about 4 days (their CS people are nice but I have a feeling they have very limited powers). I told them that the file they send isn't really an appropriate format, image files do NOT scale, and the proof is in the fact that it can't be printed on the same equipment shipping companies universally use. In other words, they sent a bad label, but I'm nothing and nobody there as I'm not a big seller of the designer stuff they want, so I doubt they'll take my suggestions. I have a feeling I'll be paying for this. I'll have to decide if I want to take the trouble to stay on there as they'll probably deep-6 my closet - I'll decide in the next week or so when I find out what the package has done.
Since basically I can't do anything about this package now, I had been just wondering if others were having this same problem. I fiddled with print parameters for quite a while, and the label distorted trying it in imaging programs. I have a feeling the big sellers print their own labels.
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Post by chapeaunoir on Jun 28, 2016 6:38:46 GMT
I FINALLY heard from the buyer "Yes, I did receive it."
OMG, this kind of stuff really works on the nerves. Its been 10 days and nothing was ever scanned in - no evidence it had ever moved through the system. I'm relieved for an honest buyer!
Hopefully Tradesy will release my dough and not hid my listings or something.
And I'm NEVER using their screw-top labels again.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 28, 2016 13:40:39 GMT
I FINALLY heard from the buyer "Yes, I did receive it." OMG, this kind of stuff really works on the nerves. Its been 10 days and nothing was ever scanned in - no evidence it had ever moved through the system. I'm relieved for an honest buyer! Hopefully Tradesy will release my dough and not hid my listings or something. And I'm NEVER using their screw-top labels again. That's really good to hear! I can't believe it didn't get scanned at least at delivery wow how scary! I'm sure Tradesy will pay you though no problem since buyer said she got it. |
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Post by Pantlandia on Jun 28, 2016 16:23:14 GMT
I can't believe they send .gif files. Those are pictures for pete's sake. They will get distorted if the size is altered. I bet that is the issue, too. The PO is probably trying to scan them, but can't. And, of course, they aren't going to manually key something in. They just figure it will get keyed in somewhere along the line...
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Post by chapeaunoir on Jun 28, 2016 18:47:29 GMT
I know - it just amazes me - who I wonder thought that one up? It's not in the least standard or even intuitive. I'm just glad they could read the address.
The rep just wrote me and said my funds had been released. Their CS is prompt at any rate!
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val2525
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Post by val2525 on Jun 28, 2016 18:57:14 GMT
I really think the employee handling this stuff has no clue how to print to pdf and is probably paper printing/scanning the labels.
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Post by chapeaunoir on Jun 28, 2016 19:27:32 GMT
I suspect so. It must work more times than it doesn't or one would think they'd change the formatting - it wouldn't be hard to fix and would work universally.
Most people aren't going to realise that they'd be better off converting it, they'd just assume, like myself, that it had been beta tested and is good to go on both laser/ink jet and thermal printers. I could see if it was some kind of little outfit, but Tradesy is getting pretty big and they want to attract the huge designer sellers, but again, these sellers probably use their own labels. I usually handle all of it myself because usually I can ship more cheaply than they offer with their labels, but not always. The couple of dollars I save doing that isn't worth the heartache.
When I talked to the CSR they said I could 'try enlarging it', so they don't really know what's up with the labels, either.
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val2525
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Post by val2525 on Jun 28, 2016 20:07:40 GMT
I see this crap all the time. One client of mine requires all payables to be submitted electronically. Some of the accounting offices/bookkeepers/business owners have no idea how to do that. Dude, you run a BUSINESS. You can't figure this out? My favorite are the ones who use Quickbooks (I can tell by the invoices). I'll email and ask for pdf, they're like "oh our accounting software can't do that". Bull. It can. Have your bookkeeper call me, I'll walk her thru it free, and I'm not accepting any more pics of a bill taken on your cell phone. |
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Post by chapeaunoir on Jun 28, 2016 21:32:20 GMT
It's curious how many people use a smartphone and think they're computer literate, but know nothing about actual computing. I got sniffed at by a wealthy friend over the weekend because I have a simple flip-phone rather than a smart phone, but she's computer illiterate beyond using some cell phone apps.
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I should have stuck to just doing all the shipping myself. 
