Coming Soon: eBay Guaranteed Delivery

[seller_news_team]

As our CEO Devin Wenig announced at ShopTalk earlier today, we’re launching an all-new selling feature this summer that gives sellers in the US more control over your delivery timing and the ability to guaranteed delivery dates on your items.

It’s called eBay Guaranteed Delivery, and it supports our ongoing commitment to provide you with the best-in-class tools you need to turn more of your shoppers into buyers—and increase your sales velocity.      

With Guaranteed Delivery, you’ll be able to guarantee a delivery date for your items, and buyers will be able to filter their search results based on the guaranteed delivery date they need. Guaranteed Delivery will also utilize two tools we recently announced in our 2017 Spring Seller Update: location-specific shipping rate tables that let you provide buyers with more accurate shipping charges, and a calendar tool that lets you customize the days you work and your cut-off time for same-day shipping.

To learn more about Guaranteed Delivery—and sign up for updates about this exciting new selling feature—please visit our dedicated web page. As always, thank you for selling on eBay

[kaykeecorp]

I find it quite interesting that eBay can wield it's power and might to negotiate deep USPS discounts for China but is not able to negotiate any type of discount for it's US based sellers.

Amazon got better deals for its sellers from UPS-Why can't eBay?

This program would make some sort of sense if I actually got something out if it other than a headache.

[zencelo]

Tell you a ture story sounds like a kidding: I start selling on eBay since 2005, alway earn 100% positive feedback and Top-Rated Power Seller. BUT, eBay limited my monthly sells down to $100 and 5 listings since last year-end. I have requested higher limits, NO WAY! I have contacted eBay, they said it limited by system and unadjustable. The most funny is they even teach me solve my open case to improve BBE. Hey, are does eBay kiding or blind? I have no ANY open case, , even now my seller lever still above standard, why limit my sells soooo low? US$100 (HKD800)? I have $300k+ before this. I only found my shipping time drop to 4.6 from 4.8, but that is not my fault, even it have't result any BBE. Why punish me without any reason and notice? So, they forced me open a selling account at A****N. Yes, eBay forced me, but I still waiting and keep selling on eBay, just want to see how long eBay will correct their wrong.

[mr_lincoln]

Let us not forget the article late last year where 33 Postal Workers in Southern California (LA area I believe) were caught stealing THOUSANDS of pieces of mail AND PACKAGES.  THOUSANDS!  Not one or two, not ten or twenty but THOUSANDS!  And those were just the ones that got caught AND just with USPS.

Yes, I am a little impassioned about this subject because it really smacks of "me too!" and is not necessary.  Ebay is not Amazon, eBay is not Etsy, eBay is not Craig's List, eBay is not Auction.zip ... eBay is eBay.  When a company starts to react to other competitors then they have lost thier standing as "A" or "The" Leader.  I think both Buyers and Sellers would agree that it is  more important to have a safe and reliable sales venue opposed to "maybe" getting a package one day sooner.  I like the idea of being part of the PREMIER selling site opposed to a "wanna-be" site. 

[zencelo]

Tell you a ture story sounds like a kidding: I start selling on eBay since 2005, alway earn 100% positive feedback and Top-Rated Power Seller. BUT, eBay limited my monthly sells down to $100 and 5 listings since last year-end. I have requested higher limits, NO WAY! I have contacted eBay, they said it limited by system and unadjustable. The most funny is they even teach me solve my open case to improve BBE. Hey, are does eBay kiding or blind? I have no ANY open case, , even now my seller lever still above standard, why limit my sells soooo low? US$100 (HKD800)? I have $300k+ before this. I only found my shipping time drop to 4.6 from 4.8, but that is not my fault, even it have't result any BBE. Why punish me without any reason and notice? So, they forced me open a selling account at A****N. Yes, eBay forced me, but I still waiting and keep selling on eBay, just want to see how long eBay will correct their wrong.

[caking1960]

eBay doesn't need a guranteed delivery program.  All they need to do is start rewarding ebay sellers that meet a 3-day delivery of items with a simple refund of the eBay shipping fee.   Once word gets around that if we sell an item and it arrives within 3-days, eBay will credit back the shipping fee on that item, I can almost guarantee you that I and other sellers will strive to improve the amount of "refunds" we get by adjusting our shipping methods if at all possible.  

Look eBay, if this 3-day delivery is really that important to you and you really believe that such a program will boost our sales and your profits, then start rewarding ALL sales that currently meet the 3-day delivery.  Or better yet, how about go back 2 months and refund all those people that had transactions that met the 3-day delivery.  Don't be hypocrites here, put the money where your mouth is.  Start rewarding sellers right now and reward them with refunds.  Or, is it possible, that you can't reward sellers with refunds on the shipping because that income stream is too important to the financial success of eBay?

[rusticranchpv]

[themightyquinnbrassandwinds]

Seriously, eBay this is ridiculous. I thought when the new upper management team took over you were headed back in the right direction but between this and slashing the discount for Top Seller Plus it is clear that you are just as pinheaded as the last group.  I have been an eBay seller for literally 17 years and do millions of dollars every year, and2008 was the last time I felt like eBay treated me as a partner. 

[mima48]

Heres one for you...for the past three months I have uploaded and received 100% validation on time shipping....but yet Ebay has dinged me for a late shipment...how does that happen?

[usagemshop]

Means There Is Nothing Here Up For Seller's Ebay Is Just Concentrating On Buyer's What About Its Not Seller Fault We Dispatch It on Time But Carrier Doesn't Play Its Role, Lost OR Delivers Late Than Buyer Gets Refund And Seller Loose Shipping Charge As Well As Item

And Also Gets Negative Impression On Buyer's And On Ebay

[authentic*vintage]

Well, I clicked in from my seller hub and I must say, I'm glad I'm not worried about trying to make money on eBay any longer. How many more non-issues can you guys make issues out of by rolling out some unnecessary change that just puts sellers in more of a bind? Who is the person in the boardroom dreaming this garbage up? There is such a disconnect here between eBay corporate and eBay production (the sellers and buyers who actually have to USE this site) that I wonder if they even know where in the hell they work.

You cannot seriously believe that WE don't realize that this is anything more than a copycat move by an amateur and inexperienced member of the corporate team. I'm not sure who you think uses eBay, but we are also educated people who deal with our own brand of idiots in our lives outside of eBay - and when we see moves like this, all we can do is shake our collective heads at the fools making these "big decisions" meant to increase revenue. You are looking in the wrong direction. LOOK DOWN ON THE PRODUCTION FLOOR - or better yet, open up an account and sell for a couple of months, steady non-stop - or even try to buy on a site so flooded with **bleep** from China that you can barely find what you're looking for without pulling tricks out of your sleeve every time you perform a search. My saved searches have so many subtracted phrases and the criteria so strict, they form a paragraph when viewing them in my saved searches list.

ARRG. I'm not going to go into all of the issues with eBay. I am not your average eBayer so I can use it. Were it not for 20 years experience with it, I am not sure I would find it that easy. This site does not work for your average eBayer, either buying or selling. There is so much to fix here, and yet, THIS is what you come up with?

You have to be kidding.

[magictonez13]

Still have  a very low delivery rating (where I could save 20% otherwise), because your system doesn't recognize digital cards...which would be impossible for tracking.  Yet Ebay has made $$$$ with the sales of these items in the past 2 years!

[mrsmcbling]

So are we going to copy Amazon and be expected to deliver within 2 hours?

[authentic*vintage]

And I have to add, I have put my money where my mouth is. I closed my store a month ago. Since then, I've used the 50 free listings and made many purchases instead. How do I know things must be going downhill? First and foremost, intuition. It has yet to fail me. Second, the proof for me is in the eBay bucks promos I kept receiving this month. I made over $22 from purchases alone! Something isn't going well. I can't believe there is no one at the helm knowledgeable enough to fix this. 

And...no one listens to the sellers on the ground when these stupid ideas are presented as ground-breaking new policies.

[puppybows-com]

This is not acceptable. Neither sellers nor ebay has ANY control over the USPS. Unless you have purchased the USPS and are willing to refund the customer when their order doesn't arrive on time, you should not be offering this service at all. 

[mam98031]

@puppybows-com

Then the D2D option of this policy probably wouldn't be anything you'd want to try.  But you are currently a TRS seller therefore the S&H option of this policy you are already meeting expectation, so there would be very little risk to you.  Just something to consider.  I think lots of people won't opt into it because they are too scared of it when in fact they actually are meeting the expectations of the S&H option and others won't because they don't understand the policy.

For me, D2D is not an option for me, but I'm seriously considering the S&H option.  When the policy is actually released I'll review it again in case there were last minute changes and then make a decision.

[puppybows-com]

IMO ebay has gone completely off the deep end. Not only do I continuously have to fight to get my TRS discount, but now reducing it to 10%. Along with all the other nit picky little things they keep doing, it doesn't surprise me that most of the sellers are now from China. Ebay could really take a page out of the etsy model. It works beautifully, and it's no wonder that the majority of my time and sales were on etsy last month. 

[dks107]

I have big concerns.  I live in a small town.  I do not have reliable service.  I have to take my packages in and if the postal worker is busy, they will take my packages without scanning them.  Most of the time, I can get them to scan and give me a receipt.  Even with this, I recently had a package sit in my local post office for 6 days before it went to the distribution center 30 miles away.  I had a screenshot on my phone of the tracking where it said it was in their post office and yet they denied it.  I am greatly concerned about being held responsible for something I have absolutely no control over.  I realize there is a need to be competitive with the big A, but I am a Prime member and they guarantee 2 day shipping.  I rarely receive anything in two days!!  Even they are at the mercy of others when it comes to delivery.  I am a low volume seller.  I strive for excellent customer service.  If a package is late, I usually let the customer keep the item and give them a full refund.  I can only absorb this once or twice a month.  I fear it will be far more with Guaranteed Delivery.  What is the protection for the seller with this new policy?

[mam98031]

@dks107

This isn't a required rule.  Those that don't want to opt in don't have to opt in.  There isn't any penalty  for not opting in.  No one needs to stress over this policy.  If it scares you or you don't like it, don't give it another thought, just pass on it and move on.  

The Prime program on Amazon has a subscription fee as we all know.  And if you look closely at the item or items you want to purchase that are part of prime just have their prices increased to allow for the shipping charges in the price of the product.  Same thing on Ebay listings that offer Free Shipping with the exception there isn't a separate fee for getting the shipping included.

" If a package is late, I usually let the customer keep the item and give them a full refund.  I can only absorb this once or twice a month. "  Are you voluntarily doing this or has you buyer complained?  If your buyer hasn't complained, why would you do this?

" I fear it will be far more with Guaranteed Delivery."  I realize that Ebay does plenty of things that make us forever concerned for policy changes, but if you lack of trust is that far degraded, why do you continue to sell here?  Again, you don't have to opt into this policy change so why so much distrust it what they have told us about the program.  Granted they could change things about the policy before it is actually released, but then we are all grown ups here and should read through the policy and understand it before opting in anyway.  So what "more" are you in fear of?

"What is the protection for the seller with this new policy?"  If you aren't aware of that, then you need to spend a little more time with the two DIFFERENT options.  While neither of the two options is risk free for the seller, the 0-1 day option has small risks.  The D2D option is far riskyer.  But for you with what you go through with your local PO, neither program may be right for you.

[therustygardener]

How can you control what the USPS does? What a stupid idea. Weather plays a factor, USPS employees in the central drop-offs can lose a package, the package won't make it from the cage onto the delivery truck to the neighborhoods.. I know for a fact this happens becaues it just recently happened to me. Pkg was guaranteed to be delivered to me on 3/23/17 according to tracking but it "got misplaced" and I had to call the local branch to put an additional track on it even though the online tracking told me it was "out for delivery". In reality, IT WAS NOT. The employee I spoke with did go the extra mile to track it down & deliver it personally but I'm in a small town. This doesn't happen in metropolises like Chicago & NYC. So HOW are we going to manage this?! Plus....please please please please please don't tell me that there will be increases in fees to do this...I'm already being taken for ENOUGH fees. Or of course, the USPS could hike the shipping costs again...and so the infamous spin cycle continues. This isn't Domino's Pizza Delivery people. This is a government agency. There are no guarantees with anything. AND of course, if there are more fees, everybody gets more money but me.

[somethingfoundforyou]

How can they guarantee delivery!  This is a quote from eBay's customer service "you are using a third party vendor, it is your responsibility to make sure the packages are delivered as stated".  That pretty much sums it up, it comes back to the seller, if eBay can't deliver on the promises it's making to attract buyers.   It may not concern the Mega sellers, but for small sellers like myself, it does.

[mam98031]

Some are understanding that there are TWO options.  Most are focusing on the D2D option and I certainly agree.  That option is way to risky for my and most smaller sellers.  The D2D is really geared to much larger sellers than I am AND Ebay has even said that.

But many are dismissing the 0-1 option which isn't necessarily the best thing to do.  It appears to me that many just don't understand this option by what I've read here.  If you are currently a TRS plus seller, chances are pretty good that this option will be fine for you and no where near as risky as others are portraying it to be.  

Learn your options.  May an INFORMED decision instead of one from miss information.  IF one of the options seems like it could work for you, give it a try.  You can do this by listing, you don't have to opt every listing you have into the program.  See if it gets you more sales or not.  While you don't get any boost in the regular searches, there will be a filter that buyers can use to locate listings opting into this program.

[hummingbird*alley]

Another misguided waste of time and money project by eBay management. If eBay management truly wants to be productive, work with the shippers to bring down the cost of the out of control shipping cost for the eBay sellers!!! And by the way… I want my 20% TRS discount to continue… what is eBay thinking!!!! I really wonder if the current eBay management has any sense of reality... Heaven help the eBay sellers…. how many more disadvantageous projects can we take...

[kissyb50]

My packages within the US generally arrive within 3-4 days regardless. I dont think this will do anything except allow a search for buyers who want sellers who usually ship in a timely manner. On that note I punctuate "usually". There is the third party USPS involved. I routinely have no problem with them and hope that continues.

[macemeadowsinn]

I'm absolutely confused as to 'why' this is a needed feature and definitely sounds like another way to demote sellers or add to our list of things we have be on the look out for. 

It's pretty simple if you need something by a certain date to figure that out as a buyer, and if you cut corners on shipping costs 'hoping' it's going to arrive on time that is really on the buyer and not the seller (aside from any truly gross-misrepresentations).

I only ship via USPS and I have even gotten dinged by late shipping (that wasn't late) due to our post office not scanning until it reached our processing facility.  We lost our 'local' processing facility a couple years ago (due to the USPS downsizing) and so all mail now gets processed 80 miles away.  This has added a day to processing depending on what time it goes out, and it's a 'day' that is never calculted in the ebay estimated arrival dates because they are still estimating us as if we still have our processing center locally.

Bottom line, once again when I read something from ebay that is supposed to 'benefit' sellers, I roll my eyes and instantly think, oh gawd what hoops are they going to make us jump thru now?  and sure enough...

[caitbarl-16]

Love the idea of the calender option! I have been wanting something like that, instead of having to have to plan ahead of time to make arrangements for someone to ship items I sell on days I am going to be unavailable. 

The guaranteed delivery I would be all for it, I love the IDEA of having the buyers know exactly when their item will be delivered, I just don't know how its possible, unless eBay has a way to hold the third party (shipping companies) accountable, if they don't deliver on time. For example USPS first class shipping with tracking says that it should be delivered within 2-3 business days and it normally is, but sometimes its not, and USPS does not guarantee that it will be there within the 3 days. So if I get to the carrier in time, and they dont deliver within three days, what happens then? 

[sewingdownonthefarm]

I HAVE ORDERED ITEMS FROM CHINA, HONG KONG, AND BEEN GIVEN A TRACKING NUMBER AND TOLD ABOUT WHEN MY ITEM IS TO ARRIVE.  BUT, I KNOW I AM NOT GOING TO GET THOSE ITEMS, ALTHOUGH I HAVE A TRACKING NUMBER, THEY HAVE NOT MAILED OR SHIPPED THE ITEM AND WILL NOT ANSWER EMAILS!  SO WHEN I GO TO THE RESOLUTION CENTER, I THEY SEE IS THE TRACKING NUMBER AND THINK THAT IT HAS BEEN SHIPPED AND THEN THEY TELL ME TO WAIT UNTIL THE ITEM ARRIVES TO CANCEL OR FILE A CLAIM!  I WILL BE WAITING FOREVER, IF I DO AS THEY SAY!  I HAVE NOTICED THAT THERE ARE MANY SELLERS TRYING TO SELL THE CAT GENIE 120, WITH ZERO FEEDBACK.  THEY ALL TRY TO SELL 5 CAT ITEMS THEN NOTHING ELSE.  I THINK THEY ARE GETTING A NEW SELLER ID AND PAYPAL ACCOUNT ABOUT EVERY 3 DAYS AND HAVE NO INTENTION OF SHIPPING ANYTHING OUT.  I THINK IT IS A HUGE SCAM THAT EBAY IS MISSING BECAUSE THEY ARE GIVING TRACKING NUMBERS WITHOUT  SHIPPING ANYTHING OUT!

[vintagedrive]

The real problem is the suites dont really care about the business to them its all about the numbers and how much money that the 1% can funnel away from the business and then move on to their next CEO position.

[glam-ex-skin]

ebay find new way too push ebayer seller down.

to many seller can`t handle anymore thanks.

[mighty_massive_market]

Does Devin Wenig even sell on here? It's like he has no idea what us sellers have to deal with.

[fatpusa]

I am a postal employee. I can tell you there is NO SUCH THING as guarnteed delivery dates for First Class or Priority Mail. The only service the USPS guarntees is Priority Mail Express. This wording, it taken directly from the USPS Website:

When Will My Package Arrive?
This map will provide you with expected 1, 2, or 3 day delivery areas for Priority Mail® shipments. Exceptions apply and delivery time is not guaranteed.

Priortiy Mail Express is the only service the USPS will guarantee. It is a premium service, and comes with a premium price. The cost to ship a 5 pound box from Iowa to California using this service would cost $59.45!

First Class Mail and Priority Mail have NO GUARANTEED DELIVERY TIME.

[oldtrunkmunkies]

I like what the USPS employee in the comment above mine has to say. Obviously he/she knows what they are talking about being on the "inside". So, no way should anyone sign up for that new program as it is bound to bite the sellers who do in the *** sooner or later.As a matter of fact, once the top rated seller discount goes down to 10% in May I am probably going to do away with even worrying about qualifying for that program anymore as I am such a low volume seller here that 10% is not worth it for the hoops I have to jump through(24 hour shipping, 30 day returns etc). I think I will go back to a more reasonable amount of shipping time and maybe even opt for no returns allowed on my listings. I realize that if a buyer claims not as described they can still return something but a friend of mine who goes the no returns route rarely has that issue. Nope...10% off will no longer be worth the trouble for me.

[geonut]

eBAY!  you are NOT A POSTAL SERVICE CARRIER! You are already dinging/punishing sellers for not having their items scanned by the postal service within "proper handling time" and the USPS not delivering within the "estimated delivery time" of: "...hey...did your item arrive before..." that is asked to the buyers already!  Because I print labels at home, carrier picks them up the next day, and then they sit with him/or at the P.O. for the next night...suddenly I'm the one responsible for violating my "2-day handling" time window??  Then god knows why...it takes a small package (<1-pound) to go from SLC->LA 10-days??? and eBay makes me refund the buyer the entire purchase AND the buyer gets to keep the items! (20-item order). Oh...and if the item is "registered", eBay, IT TAKES LONGER TO ARRIVE! Under lock and key the entire way...took over a week from SLC->TX and yet still got dinged for seller performance for not mailing on time!! ARG!  More time constraints that are NOT under the controll of sellers or eBay? EMPTY PROMISES to buyers and just an additional way for buyers to complain about items not arriving on time and demanding refunds from sellers!

[piggyhug]

Sellers, this is an OPT IN, not manditory (yet).  This is a trial to see how it works, and if Ebay does like in the past may make it manditory. Then Ebay can ding sellers 6 months before the program goes into affect for offenses. Ebay has done this in the past, to name an example is getting dinged on neutral fb.  Netrual fb used to not get ding, then it did, and Ebay went back 6 months and dinges sellers for offenses before the new ruling went into affect.

[foggerz]

Even though I have my handling time set to one business day and ship most items same day, I still get penalized and taken out of top rated status due to USPS acceptance scans either not showing up, or the packages not being scanned ever until they reach the destination state. It doesn't take many instances of this to take me out of top rated status.

Meanwhile, at the end of the day, my customers receive their free first class shipments within 3 days of ordering, yet somehow I shipped late. The only metric they should be using is the delivery scan. Of course, anything to make sure you don't get your soon to be paltry 10% off your selling fees.

[foggerz]

eBay should just start a customer-paid Amazon Prime style subscription service where BUYERS pay an annual fee, and EBAY covers faster shipping upgrades for buyers.

For example, buyer pays $100/year, and gets free priority mail upgrades for their purchases (on eBay), rather than me having to try to upsel shipping upgrades while they charge me a cut of the fee.

[mackman_173]

Let me start by saying that while I do not consider myself a megaseller, I do make a living from selling online. My business sells 6 figures a year on eBay, and I am Top Rated, PowerSeller, etc., etc. and most all of my listings are Top Rated Plus and Fast and Free. I also sell on Amazon, among others, and I am in the Seller Fulfilled Prime program, which the Guaranteed Delivery program that eBay is "testing out" is obviously targeted at. I will probably have to at least participate in the "handling time" option of this program just to stay competitive on eBay. It is just another hurdle that eBay has thrown up that I will have to clear to stay in the top search results and sell my products. I do not relish this task. EBay has so many other issues that need to be addressed, and I definitely feel that I am marginalized as a seller and taken advantage of by buyers, and I have a Anchor store with "direct eBay seller support"! I would not usually even comment on something in this forum, but I am writing this as a WARNING to sellers who are considering the guaranteed delivery 1-2 day option. I am held to this standard for my Seller Fulfilled Prime orders, and it can be VERY expensive, you will have to use a guaranteed service from UPS or Fedex. It is only viable on higher priced AND high profit sales and all it takes is someone who lives in a poorly covered area logistically by UPS/Fedex to kill your profit margin. Personally, my best hope is this program will fall by the wayside, but that is unlikely, as I am sure the powers that be are already committed to the idea/appeal that the marketing of this to buyers will cause.

[mam98031]

It is extremely unlikely that Ebay would ever make option 1 or 2 manditory for all sellers.  There are a whole lot of successful sellers on Ebay that can't meet the requirements.  Many of the mega sellers can't meet the requirements.  While I know many consider Ebay stupid, making this manditory just won't work.  

People said the same thing about Free Shipping and it has been around for years without it ever being manditory.

People said the same thing about 90 day return policies and many other things that have either gone away completely or never became manditory.

It is natural to resist change.  It is human nature.  But it is important to remember that we don't all sell the same things nor to we all have the same needs in our business policies.  We are a community of diversity and complexity.  

There is no need to get all fired up about this policy.  No one is forcing you to participate, so don't opt in or wait until it is up and running for awhile and then decide when you have more information.  There is currently a lot of bad information and a whole lot of assumptions out there.  

Wait, learn, digest, test it if you want and then decide what is best for you not what other people are saying as it isn't always good for you.  That is your decision to make.

[kputnam2204]

I am in total agreement selling on ebay is getting harder and harder. I am a top rated seller and have been selling on ebay for close to 20 years. Their rules for selling are getting rediculous. In order for your listings to come up first your supose to pay to get exposure but that still was not getting my listings, I had to go in 20,000 listings before I found my first listing and this was after I payed for the exposure and granted I am a top rated seller and I would see some listings that were not paying several times again and again 5-7 times. I don't know who they have running things now but they sure don't know what they are doing. I probably will be looking at creating my own website if this keeps up.

[mam98031]

This policy has NOTHING to do with your regular search return position.  You do NOT get a boost in the searches with this rule.  ZERO!   I know people keep saying it, but that doesn't make it true, it only means that people keep saying it, nothing more.

Instead Ebay is offering a filter on the left side of your screen [when the program is implemented].  So when someone does a search they can filter that search down by using the filter just like the other filters Ebay offers currently.  This is completely different than what one might search for without using any of the filters.

Now could this change, of course it can!  Afterall this is Ebay.  When they release the rule when we are closer to the release date, sometimes Ebay does change things.  Only time will tell how this plays out.  There seem to be a lot of people getting worked up over something that they do not need to be stressing over.  Participate or not, it is completely up to you.

I for one will be testing the 0-1 option when it is released on some of my listings.  If I like it, I'll add more listings [especially ones I have free shipping on] or if I don't like it, I'll remove my participation.

[reedy9er]

More dumb ideas we don't want!  You STILL need to get rid of late shipment rate it doesn't work right. Now you're adding more stuff that won't work right...

[jhpventures]

This is absolutely ridiculous. My husband and I work our tails off to keep our customers happy and grow our ebay business. So much so, that just to keep customers happy, we have reshipped a package we KNOW got delivered. Not to mention, eBay is NOT the people actually delivering the packages, so they by default CAN NOT guarantee delivery on a specific date. As many other sellers have done, we have also paid for overnights and paid out the butt for faster shipping, but the fact of the matter is, the moment the carrier takes the package from you, it is NO LONGER IN OUR CONTROL, seller OR ebay. It's not fair to the customers OR loyal sellers. Just another way to keep smaller ebay stores from growing and maintaining a happy customer base. No more hoops, PLEASE! It's so out of hand. 

[awarenessvinyl]

This is a page from Amazon - Sellers won't need to worry about this.  USPS, UPS, FedEx all give estimated delivery times.  eBay will base the delivery time based on that and the sellers handling time.

If you know how Amazon's guaranteed shipping works, you would get this.  Amazon will refund the cost of shipping if a package isn't delivered by their guaranteed time.  The catch?  All of their 2-day shipping is "FREE", so a refund of "FREE" is nothing.

Sellers will select the cutoff on their handling time (2 pm for example).  So, if a buyer wanted an item within one day, they could search eBay for that item and select Next day.  With the sellers "Same Day" handling and selecting their one-day shipping option, purchasing before 2 pm, that would "guarantee" the item is delivered next day.  

As long as the seller meets their shipping requirement, it won't affect a seller if an item isn't delivered on time.  

eBay is just trying to compete with Amazon.

Another example, if a buyer wants an item in 2 days and lives in CA.  A seller in CA offering USPS First class with same day shipping, would meet the 2-day guarantee, but a seller in NY offering First Class (probably 3 days for First Class), would now show up in a search.

[rdj831]

Just another bad idea like the rest.

The Global Shipping program actually hurt my sales because of the ridiculous cost. They also haphazardly repackage my carefully packaged merchandise, which causes complaints.

They have taken away most of my incentive by cutting the Top Seller discount in half.

I also get overcharged with shipping fees when I combine shipping. Ebay charges me a shipping fee on every item instead of on the combined shipping cost.

The $25 coupon for eBay shipping supplies is a joke. First of all, they are ridiculously priced and secondly, I'm not putting a bright advertising on my package that says "steal me" to the postal thieves and neighborhood burglars.

Before I reached Top Seller, I used to get free additional listings once in a while. That doesn't happen anymore.

Listen up eBay- My Etsy account is selling more than my eBay account, especially internationally, with the same items. I have more incentive to concentrate my efforts there. Their fees are very low.

[jewelry_4_less]

If the CEO of eBay was named God, then perhaps this would no be such a terrible change. One thing I do know, to keep your Top Rated Seller status all items have to be uploaded with postage and validated by the post office. If it is not validated at a certain time it goes against the seller status. One has no control over any carrier public or private. It will soon end up eBay will self-destruct. Top Rated Sellers are about to loose their 20% discount to a 10%. That means all Top Rated Sellers will be paying fees to eBay, PayPal and postage an average 27% of the item sold. If you offer free shipping the percentage will be higher. eBay and PayPal both take a percentage of postage paid by buyer, after that happens a seller is basically shipping free anyway. I have always said, if it works do not fix it. eBay need to stop biting the hands that feeds them.

[grtoyz]

I just shipped 2 large flat rate boxes from Michigan to California last month. The one package got to the address in 2 days. The other took 3 weeks. They were going to the same address a d shipped on the same day at the same post office. In that 3 weeks period the buyer complained the gumball stand was missing parts and got a full refund. I'm out the stand and had to refund it. How can you gaurentee something when the post office can't? 2 packages, sent the same day, 1 took 2 days, 1 took 3 weeks.  Same box, sent from the same destination .

[barbie723]

Amazon is starting to look better and better. I LOVE doing business on EBay and I work very hard at it. Same day shipping 6 days a week. Constant check-ins 7 days a week. I can't stand the stress of giving it my all to have a 100% positive feedback rating, be a top seller and a top seller, and have it all gradually taken away over things I have no control over. 

[mam98031]

@awarenessvinyl

Dang, free shipping has been around for a long time and yet there are still some that don't appear to understand what it really is.  Free Shipping does NOT mean that there was no shipping costs.  It never has.  What it means is shipping is included.  You've been a long time seller, so I was surprised at your comment.

This new policy on Ebay states that if a item arrives last and you opt'd for th 0-1 option and you offered free shipping, Ebay would issue a coupon to the buyer IF they requested a shipping refund because the item arrived late and you did ship on time.  They will also protect the seller against negative FB for the late shipment.

Many are posting like there is something wrong with trying to compete with Amazon.  Is it your preference that Ebay doesn't try to compete with any other site?  So if we don't move forward, is it your preference that we stay stagnet or move backwards?  In the rapidly moving marketplace, we often times need to come up with stuff to make us a little more competitive with others.  It's always been like this.  I'm not so sure why some try to make this a negative thing.

[jerrytck]

If parcel super fast sent out but late delivered. eBay counted late shipment when over estimated delivery time. Late shipment is defect rate. I think it is very unfair policy. 

When did delivered? I cannot control overseas postal delivery time.
Reasons....pending for customs inspection, bad weather, overseas postal late handling and etc.  eBay must cancel this late shipment rate. 

[deals2treasure]

I do not know if Ebay staff reviews these comments, but they need to understand that the only delivery date they need to guarantee is what the carrier guarantees.  The ONLY service that USPS provides a guaranteed delivery date on is for Express Mail.  They clearly tell you that all the other dates are ESTIMATED delivery dates.  Furthermore, if you do opt to pay for the guaranteed Express Mail and the package is not delivered on time, the only reiumbursement given is for the shipping cost alone.  If sellers will be required to refund if the package is not delivered by the guaranteed date, then it should be according to this same criteria.  In this way, if the seller ships when promised, the seller has the ability to recoup from USPS any refund they have to provide to the buyer.  In other words, as long as the seller does everything in his control to fulfill the guarantee, he is not at any risk.

[planetshelly]

 I don't like this idea at all. I've already gotten pinged a number of times for things not arriving on time, even though I did EVERYTHING I was supposed to by printint out my label and taking it directly to the post office on the SAME day. I always take my packages directly to the post office, but as soon as they leave my hands, I no longer have any control over when they are delivered. So, even though I did everything within my power, the package ultimately ends up at the mercy of the postal service. I have called ebay plenty of times because it was not delivered on time and I got a ping, but there's nothing they can do. They read from the script to send it out on time, which I have never failed to do. Providing a guaranteed delivery date is only going to hurt sellers. I make my living selling online, so this is going to seriously hurt me.