You guys ever burst a buyer's bubble here?

[iamalwaysright]

Including sales during the previous holiday season with right now when I'm selling a few niched items that are in season right now where delivery time is an issue, I've been getting a significant increase of buyer messages in regards to delivery time, shipping costs, expedited shipping options (despite Priority and Express options clearly offered in the listing), and cancellations. 

One particular message I'm getting more frequent are from buyers who already purchased (due to urgency) and message me afterwards. They always pay for Ground Advantage which oddly enough has an ebay ETA of 2-3 business days for a cross country zip code (thanks to ebay historical shipping data). So the messages basically say "Make sure it absolutely arrives by the 3rd business day. If it isn't going to then cancel the item."

Some of these I've already shipped since the buyer's timeframe is within the latest day on ebay ETA. Would you even bother telling them that nothing on USPS is guaranteed except for Express Mail? Or would you not comment on it and not rattle any cages?

As I'm getting more and more of these messages and delivery time actually can't be guaranteed, would you actually cancel these sales and intentionally affect your profit margin knowing that this cause for alarm could be for nothing (since the package will likely arrive on time anyway)?

[ten_o_nine]

@iamalwaysright 

I usually tell them I can't guarantee the delivery date but will ship on this date using this service.

[atlasesattic]

I would cancel the sale, it's not worth getting a bad feedback because the buyer was demanding, and since they said cancel if you can't guarantee that it will be on time, then you can cancel saying buyer cancelled and not get punished or dinged...then I would put them on my BBL.

[chapeau-noir]

The buyers who need reassuring, I try to be as reassuring as possible. To buyers who threaten to cancel if they can't get the item by XYZ, I tell them I cannot guarantee anything and offer to cancel it for them if they want, no problem.

[toysaver]

When I have people give a specific date I always tell them the only way to guarantee they'll have it in hand is to shop elsewhere in person.  I'm not rude about it but if it's a toy for a child a lost gift can be tragic.  For online sales a third party handles the delivery and everything from weather to computer issues can slow them down. 

Most importantly, right now today...  every single Post Office has a NOW HIRING poster in the lobby.  Shipping has and will continue to suffer.   If my sold item is shipping GA I sometimes pay the upgrade to Priority and cross my fingers.   I've also upped my handling time to 2 days yet continue to do same or next day shipping.  

[yellow-snapdragon]

@toysaver 

Most importantly, right now today...  every single Post Office has a NOW HIRING poster in the lobby.  Shipping has and will continue to suffer.   If my sold item is shipping GA I sometimes pay the upgrade to Priority and cross my fingers.   I've also upped my handling time to 2 days yet continue to do same or next day shipping.  

USPS is always hiring because they work their people to death. I was hired 2x by the SAME local PO, both positions listed as PT. And both times they expected me to work Monday-Saturday and 3 weeks straight of 7 days during Christmas. And they expect their people to get everything done yesterday. Don't seem to care if it's done right, just FAST. 

[stainlessenginecovers]

Not as often as my bubble gets bursted by a buyer....

But, I always tell anyone that is 'in a hurry'....

"I can guarantee I will ship it within my mentioned time and after that, shipping take anywhere from 2 days to 2 weeks- of which I have NO control over- so I will cancel/refund if you'd like'"

So far, 1000 times I've said the above in 13 years, NOT ONE has 'taken me up on the cancel'. 

[12345jamesstamps]

I would never guarantee when an item might arrive. And just "my opinion"...my own opinion I would block the buyer from any purchases. I had a few "priority" items that took forever to get mailed. I don't need the sale and drama that comes with it.

[sapphire_studio]

A couple weeks ago somebody purchased a $40 item and put in the buyer's notes that they needed it for a trip by the end of the week and to cancel if I couldn't guarantee it would be there. It probably would have gotten there in time, but I didn't want to deal with a potential headache, so I canceled.

[iamalwaysright]

I’ve been getting a significant increase of buyers asking this. Is it a trend that others are just following? I think this is happening because people assume that all USPS shipping services guarantee arrival times when that is quite the opposite, and the buyers are actually just wanting me to pass on the service that USPS extends to me (erroneously assuming that it includes arrival guarantees).

I don’t know if most people are aware that requiring a “guarantee” I believe means with 100% certainty. So 99% chance that it will arrive on time isn’t guaranteeing arrival, but I’ll bet most buyers are okay with that chance and wouldn’t cancel, as per what @stainlessenginecovers said previously with their buyers.

[sin-n-dex]

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@iamalwaysright wrote:

Including sales during the previous holiday season with right now when I'm selling a few niched items that are in season right now where delivery time is an issue, I've been getting a significant increase of buyer messages in regards to delivery time, shipping costs, expedited shipping options (despite Priority and Express options clearly offered in the listing), and cancellations. 

One particular message I'm getting more frequent are from buyers who already purchased (due to urgency) and message me afterwards. They always pay for Ground Advantage which oddly enough has an ebay ETA of 2-3 business days for a cross country zip code (thanks to ebay historical shipping data). So the messages basically say "Make sure it absolutely arrives by the 3rd business day. If it isn't going to then cancel the item."

Some of these I've already shipped since the buyer's timeframe is within the latest day on ebay ETA. Would you even bother telling them that nothing on USPS is guaranteed except for Express Mail? Or would you not comment on it and not rattle any cages?

As I'm getting more and more of these messages and delivery time actually can't be guaranteed, would you actually cancel these sales and intentionally affect your profit margin knowing that this cause for alarm could be for nothing (since the package will likely arrive on time anyway)?

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I would tell them I have no control over shipping once it leaves here, and if they don't tell me they're cancelling by x date/time, I'm going to ship. Once I ship, if they want their money back, they can send it back and get a refund less postage.

I wouldn't cancel on them because I don't want to earn a defect or negative feedback (in case telling the buyer you can't control the mail and too bad if it's late makes them think "oh, well I guess this is OK".)

I think if people are waiting for things to be delivered by a specific date in a short period of time they'll be in for a rude awakening. I ordered an overnight package on Feb 1 that was supposed to be delivered at my house on Feb 2. It might get delivered tomorrow... but if I waited until the last minute, that's kind of on me... businesses ship lots of packages, no one buyer is unique in a way that they get that kind of service above everyone else who orders on that site.

C.

[chapeau-noir]

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@stainlessenginecovers wrote:

Not as often as my bubble gets bursted by a buyer....

But, I always tell anyone that is 'in a hurry'....

"I can guarantee I will ship it within my mentioned time and after that, shipping take anywhere from 2 days to 2 weeks- of which I have NO control over- so I will cancel/refund if you'd like'"

So far, 1000 times I've said the above in 13 years, NOT ONE has 'taken me up on the cancel'. 

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I have, several times.  It's always someone going on a vacation and needs it before they leave, or they need a fast replacement for a broken peripheral (selling clothing and electronics may lead to more of that than other items). More often, though, people will say "That's OK, I'll just make some arrangements" or something of that sort.

[mam98031]

"They always pay for Ground Advantage which oddly enough has an ebay ETA of 2-3 business days for a cross country zip code (thanks to ebay historical shipping data)."

On Ebay GA says 2-5 business days [NOT 2-3].  Which happens to be exactly what the Carrier says.  Ebay's info on delivery times is pulled from the Carriers themselves.  Ebay doesn't just dream the up.

https://www.usps.com/ship/mail-shipping-services.htm

[mam98031]

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@ten_o_nine wrote:

@iamalwaysright 

I usually tell them I can't guarantee the delivery date but will ship on this date using this service.

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Excellent advice.  When this comes up for me, I remind the buyer that the date range they see on their purchase or potential purchase is an ETA, not a guarantee.

[iamalwaysright]

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@mam98031 wrote:

"They always pay for Ground Advantage which oddly enough has an ebay ETA of 2-3 business days for a cross country zip code (thanks to ebay historical shipping data)."

On Ebay GA says 2-5 business days [NOT 2-3].  Which happens to be exactly what the Carrier says.  Ebay's info on delivery times is pulled from the Carriers themselves.  Ebay doesn't just dream the up.

https://www.usps.com/ship/mail-shipping-services.htm

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Which is then adjusted by eBay according to each seller’s “historical delivery times” when figuring what ETA to show the buyer. This has been mentioned before in other threads.