Royal Mail tracking and delivery events on eBay from 1st Sep 2020
eBay is adding a unique eBay code to orders to improve buyers post-transaction experience by making it easier for them to see any available tracking and delivery confirmation* for the parcel’s journey.
This code doesn’t impact the delivery of your parcels. The code will only be added to items posted using eligible Royal Mail UK services and where there is sufficient room on the order address to do so. In the future, this may extend to services provided by other carriers.
The unique eBay code will be included at the end of address line 2 in the eBay order and through a matching process, eBay will use this code to obtain available tracking numbers from Royal Mail.
The unique code will be in the format ebay1234abc ('ebay' + 7 alphanumeric characters) and for the majority of customers, when you generate your Royal Mail address label, it will automatically be transferred from the address into the 2D barcode on your postage label. The unique eBay code will not be printed as part of the address on the postage label.
*Only tracking and event data visible on the Royal Mail web site will be shared with eBay and only eligible services will have tracking and event data provided. For certain services, tracking and event data will only be made available after an item has been delivered.
What it means to you
Tracking and event data provided through the unique eBay code will not automatically be included in your Late Delivery Report.
If you are uploading tracking today, you should continue to do so. Uploading tracking will provide you with additional protections and give you access to the eBay premium service and discount, as long as your listings meet the eligibility criteria.
By providing a unique eBay code, this will help to identify the order as an eBay order and any available tracking will be shown to your buyer.
There are cases where the unique eBay code may not be included, for example, due to not having enough space in the address or if the type of postal services you use are not supported. eBay cannot guarantee the unique code will be on all orders and such service may be altered or suspended at any time due to different reasons. Therefore, if you upload tracking today, you should continue to do so. If there is no unique eBay code on the address, there will be no tracking events available.
What do you need to know if you use any of the Royal Mail services below:
Pro Shipping
If you use the Royal Mail Pro Shipping API, the system will automatically remove the unique eBay code from address line 2 and insert it into the 2D barcode on the label, you don’t need to do anything.
If you have a system which reviews or modifies data before you send to Pro Shipping and you remove the unique eBay code from the address line 2, please place into Sender Reference Field for v2 of the API or Shipper Reference Field for v3 of the API.
Click & Drop
Click & Drop linked to eBay account
If you use Click & Drop, the system will automatically remove the unique eBay code from address line 2, you don’t need to do anything.
Click & Drop CSV Upload
We recommend that you link your Royal Mail Click & Drop account to your eBay account so the unique eBay code is automatically moved.
Alternatively, if you import your orders via a CSV file, you will need to remove the unique eBay code from address line 2 and paste it into Order Reference Field before generating your labels.
Click & Drop manual entry of address
If you log into Click and Drop and manually enter your orders into the system, you will need to remove the unique eBay code from address line 2 and paste it into Order Reference Field before generating your labels.
Bespoke Shipping Solution (previously known as Customer Owned Shipping Solution (COSS))
If you have a Royal Mail Bespoke Shipping solution with your own Royal Mail account, you will integrate directly with Royal Mail.
Customers using the Royal Mail Bespoke Shipping Solution will have access to Royal Mail’s marketplace specification changes (issued January 2020) which described the changes needed to support the unique eBay code.
PPI (Printed Postage Impressions)
Royal Mail will soon be withdrawing some of their current unbarcoded letter products and replacing them with the new Account Mail barcoded products. To move to the new products, please click here https://www.royalmail.com/business/barcodesavings
If you use Royal Mail PPI there is no requirement for you to include the unique eBay code in the address, as there is no 2D barcode and therefore, no means to provide tracking and event data. The unique eBay code should be removed from address line 2.
Postage Stamps
If you use postage stamps and handwrite your label, there is no requirement for you to include the unique eBay code in the address as there is no 2D barcode and therefore, no means to provide tracking and event data. The unique eBay code should be removed from address line 2.
