If you aren't making frequent trips to the post office, how are the buyers handling that?

[sin-n-dex]

So I'm in the habit of shipping USA parcels once a week (by using a cross border courier, the cost is per box of items, so I like to pack it full all week before I ship).

But now the Canadian ones are being delayed too... I only go into the office once a week and I leave my letters with the mailroom so that I don't need to go to the post office and come into contact with other people. I've been letting Canadian buyers know there is a slight delay in shipping due to COVID-19.

So what do your buyers think?

Most of my buyers have told me that staying safe is most important, and no concerns about shipping. But I have had some buyers contact me multiple times for shipping updates because they're bored, really want some hobby material to work on, and can't wait to receive the coins. (This isn't negative, it's just "can you tell me if this has shipped yet"). I can tell from messages that buyers are excited about receiving their items as quickly as possible (I'm going back to that boredom theory).

And I was particularly excited about receiving all the stamp albums I bought, mainly because it was a gamble and I wasn't sure what I was going to get, and I really wanted to find out.

C.

[mam98031]

Have you consider shipping more frequently and just using Carrier Pick up?

[sin-n-dex]

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@mam98031 wrote:

Have you consider shipping more frequently and just using Carrier Pick up?

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I'm in Canada. It's by the box because the pick up is with FedEx (they take it to ChitChats), and it's $18 every time they show up. So to avoid raising shipping rates, I just have them come once a week, unless I have really big or many packages, then I close the box and start packing a second box for shipment the following day. (I had a pick up on Monday and Tuesday last week because I had two boxes, but I can only safe drop one box at a time to avoid the porch pirate situation, so the second pick up is always the following day). Most of my buyers know about the shipping since I have so many regulars.

As for the Canada Post, they won't pick up what I ship, I just ship lettermail. My mailroom is the safest alternative to getting my packages out, when I happen to be in the office.

C.

[ekmadonna]

I still go everyday, it's important to me to ship my customers items out within 24hrs of payment. everything for me since this whole virus pandemic started has been business as usual. I feel it is more important to ship as quickly as possible also because I have made some online purchases and have noticed significant delays that are not the norm with about half the purchases, not the sellers fault but USPS.

[cream_couture]

I still ship within 1 business day. The only difference really is instead of shipping on Saturdays and/or Sundays too, I only ship business days now. I go in person to the post office, because my shipping insurance requires a receipt scan. I called and told them that the post office I go to will not do receipt scans for prepaids right now to limit contact with customers and they said I still need a receipt scan or I won't be covered. So I changed post offices temporarily to one that will scan. I usually ship from the main post office which has longer hours and more days open, so switching required me to limit the days I ship.

I haven't had any delays in packages I ship to customers, but I have had delays for packages coming to me due to the post office.

[lex-talon]

I haven't set foot in a Post Office for years. Why not schedule usps carrier pick up if it's possible?

[reallynicestamps]

@sin-n-dex 

I ship every day, and just drop my (untracked) items into the red mailbox across the street from the coffeeshop which is now take out only, sigh.

Although I learned there is a Timmie's open in the supermarket!

We'll go to the PO just once this week, I have an Expedited parcel and DH has packed his auction lots for Sparks in Ottawa, and we went once last week, not at all the week before.

[cynthealee2]

My Daughter is going every day... but the inside has been closed for 2 weeks or better.  She drops them off in the blue boxes and they are scanned accepted within hours.  She's dropping them off as she drops others off at work or picking them up from work.

[penguins_dont_fly]

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@cream_couture wrote:

I still ship within 1 business day. The only difference really is instead of shipping on Saturdays and/or Sundays too, I only ship business days now. I go in person to the post office, because my shipping insurance requires a receipt scan. I called and told them that the post office I go to will not do receipt scans for prepaids right now to limit contact with customers and they said I still need a receipt scan or I won't be covered. So I changed post offices temporarily to one that will scan. I usually ship from the main post office which has longer hours and more days open, so switching required me to limit the days I ship.

I haven't had any delays in packages I ship to customers, but I have had delays for packages coming to me due to the post office.

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I use scheduled pick-up. And a SCAN form

My carrier picks up and scans my packages on the spot.

When a carrier has a pick-up order, their route gets the allotted time to pick up the packages. And the SCAN form allots the time to actually scan the packages.

There is no reason not to use pick-up, unless your carrier doesn't scan on pick-up … in which case, I would talk to your local Carrier Supervisor about it. 

[vintagecraze50]

I have fast and free and 1 day handling time and I go to the PO almost everyday with a mask, gloves, stay outside if there is a line, then go back in when it is clear. I carry disinfectant wipes with me as well to wipe off anything that I should come in contact with. When I get my orders in, I throw them in the back of my truck and spray them with Lysol/pine sol.  Quite an ordeal, but need to stay safe.

[vintagecraze50]

Almost all my items arrive ultra fast using Priority Mail. Zero problem.

[myboardid]

My dh goes almost every day with mask (now required) and gloves and disinfectant wipes.  We do not have package pick-up or mail delivery here, and we all have PO boxes.  I worry, as he is diabetic & 75 years old, but I have several factors that would mean my demise if I caught COVID.  I have not been outside my yard in 4 1/2 weeks.

[mrdutch1001]

limiting shipping destinations to USA & Canada only, having 3 day handling time, dropping off at PO twice per week and eBay's extended delivery estimates all factor in,  along with messaging the buyer to let them know there may be slowdowns/delivery delays and to please be patient during this time.

[fern*wood]

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@myboardid wrote:

My dh goes almost every day with mask (now required) and gloves and disinfectant wipes.  We do not have package pick-up or mail delivery here, and we all have PO boxes.  I worry, as he is diabetic & 75 years old, but I have several factors that would mean my demise if I caught COVID.  I have not been outside my yard in 4 1/2 weeks.

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I'm not trying to be judgey, but unless you can't get by without the additional income, I feel some should shut down their listings until it is safer.  The additional money just doesn't seem worth it.

[sin-n-dex]

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@fern*wood wrote:

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@myboardid wrote:

My dh goes almost every day with mask (now required) and gloves and disinfectant wipes.  We do not have package pick-up or mail delivery here, and we all have PO boxes.  I worry, as he is diabetic & 75 years old, but I have several factors that would mean my demise if I caught COVID.  I have not been outside my yard in 4 1/2 weeks.

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I'm not trying to be judgey, but unless you can't get by without the additional income, I feel some should shut down their listings until it is safer.  The additional money just doesn't seem worth it.

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In times like this, having some healthy younger help would be good. The shipper only need put a box outside their door for the courier to grab (the courier might be a neighbourhood kid, or a younger relative).

I'm anxious about sending someone to the store to buy my food. My roommate is the most obvious person (and we can tap our debit/credit cards to pay for things, so cash isn't necessary). But he doesn't know the difference between a spanish onion and a white onion. Or how to pick out tomatoes that aren't over ripe, or why I want whole olives instead of sliced ones. (Not sending my partner to buy my food because he's in a high risk group and as long as I'm healthy I'm helping him), but my anxiety is about needing a contingency plan in case I catch a cold or actually get ill. (if you're coughing, you can't go into the grocery store, so no common cold allowed).

C.