Is there any weight behind the suggested change to 1 day handling time?
I get suggestions from Bay Bots…among them- change your handling time to 1 day.
The truth is, I usually do ship next day but I like the option open if something comes up to not HAVE to do so…like a box needs to be made/found, something personal comes up, any myriad of things that could make a 24 hr turn around seem like a task rather than a striven for ideal but still an option.
Has anyone found changing this makes a difference in sales?
27 comments
psfhobbies
·2 years agoOk here is my results so far. I normally had 3 days then went to 2 days. A bit better sales I then became a Top Rated Seller Plus this summer my sales were better when I shipped 2 days even 3 for that matter. BUT ... I hear less from impatient buyers and get less emails about "when am I shipping" . I don't get any better feedback though, which is surprising, kind of a shame..just less complaining which is nice
mam98031
·2 years agoYes, one of the perks of being a TRS is a boost in the search returns.
brightlightbookseller
·2 years agoDoes it make a difference in sales? Not that I can confirm, or that I even really suspect.
However, since we were Top Rated anyways, and offering Free Returns wasn't a big deal, making that change gave us a 10% discount on final value fees, which is definitely valuable at the volume we do. Quick estimate is that it saves us at least $250 a month, which is nothing to sneeze at, and I know we don't lose anywhere near that much on returns (which usually sell again fairly quickly, so all we're out is the return label cost).
toysaver
·2 years agoI usually do next day or same day shipping but have 2 day handling to make up for deficiencies by the PO and unrealistic expectations of buyers. Handling time is irrelevant when the carrier's delivery date is fluid and unpredictable.
mam98031
·2 years agoIt may be "irrelevant" as to carrier delivery dates but it isn't irrelevant to buyers.
fbusoni
·2 years agoApropos of @tsme35's observation:
When I changed from 3-day to 1-day shipping, I also changed my policy to 30-day paid returns (have since switched to 60-day).
That double change led my sales to increased significantly because my listings were at the top of the search queue and remain there several years later.
johnrj1226
·2 years agoSelling anything is not about what you like, it is what the buyer likes and what the competition offers + like other eBay sellers selling the same or similar item and other on line selling venues, retail stores offering on line shopping, even Goodwill. eBay isn't the only game in town for buyers. When I sold on eBay always offered 1 day shipping and would frequently do same day shipping if he USPS carrier had not come by or the buy express a "quick" delivery, always shipped stuff on Saturday (a non eBay business day). Buyers often reflected they like quick/ship/receipt in their feedback - on the 1665 we shipped.
Remember one thing - your buyer has already paid for their item and they want it Pronto. Personally sold for 41 years on a tete-a-tete basis and my buyers of capital goods were no different - except they paid up, had 30 day payment terms ) after delivery(based on credit rating , or signed a lease agreement the day before delivery or at time of delivery.
Do what you want to do but remember but buyers often have other choices other than yours.
mam98031
·2 years agoThis is a very good question. I go back and forth between 1 day shipping and 2 day shipping. I bulk edit my listings every so often because it refreshes them and sometimes that can cause a few more sales.
But I like 2 days. Like you, I do typically ship in 1 day. But there is the rare occasion that something comes up and that added day is really handy.
I don't think buyers tell much of a difference. I've certainly never had one of them complain in all the years I'm selling.
I also don't think it something that affects the search returns. To my knowledge, that happens when a seller has 5+ days for a handling time. Then it does drop you a little in the search returns.
simba6
·2 years agoI used to always have one day. The local rural post office out here won't scan packages they have to make it through the main office for that. So, it can take one or two days to be scanned from when it was dropped off.
To avoid late dings I switched to three day and have not seen any effect on sales.
chapeau-noir
·2 years agoI've done both and have seen no boost or decline. I don't think anyone cares THAT much, and I don't think any amount of boosting for a stated one day shipping does much in a site that's as overloaded with stuff as this one - they're still going to have a bunch of stuff to go through, and if you're not selling in overloaded categories, then they're going to find it anyway.
my-cottage-books-and-antiques
·2 years agoFor me, selling single quantity long tail items, I don't think I've ever been able to say with any certainty that one day handling boosted my sales. I can say I certainly don't think it hurt my sales, it may have helped, and I have never really had a problem with it (and if I'm expecting to be tied up for some reason, I can do a time away/vacation setting, or just extend the handling time with bulk edit.
Why not try it with just some of your items, especially the ones you know are easy to package, not the ones you'll need to make a Frankenbox for....see how it goes?
my-cottage-books-and-antiques
·2 years agoJust want to add...I suspect the value may depend a bit on what you are selling. While a lot of my feedback mentions fast delivery, for my kind of stuff, I think that's a nice perk buyers like, but rarely does it influence their purchasing decision... although it might have more influence during the holiday season, even for my kind of stuff. Frankly, I wouldn't do it if it created any real hardship for me. Frankly, if my sales suddenly take off, and packing became a problem, I'd reconsider.
stephenmorgan
·2 years agoI have 5 days handling but will almost always ship same day or next day.
I do not think most people even realize what your handling time is and will let you know if they think you are taking too long. This could be with a message or a Feedback.
tsme35
·2 years agoUnless your going for top rated seller plus. It was better for me to switch back to 2 days, I ship out daily and Saturdays but I'm a little rural, power and internet go down plus snow. Like you said, gives ya an extra day for oops lol
johnrj1226
·2 years agoHow many days out of 365 or 366 days does the Pony Express rider not run even in the snow rural snow/ tornado alley, hurricane, flooding, forest firs, earthquakes, etc and these events seems to always be localized, the world does stop - buyers are every where and when it is June in January your probably in Rio de Janeiro chilling.. On line buying is a 365/366/24/7 activity. Seems eBay biggest competitor even delivers on Sundays. The "oops" is your problem and those are unpredictable - do too many and eBay may have something to say about it. Customer first approach is not what is convenient for the seller but is a key for successful selling. Competition sets the standards.
carlmarxx
·2 years agoI can't see using USPS ground advantage do to number of issues over unexplained delays and their auto computer upload tracking with unexplained time stamp's . I would like to see ebay get out of UPS their smart mail and sure post shipping both are cheaper then USPS . AS a buyer I'm willing to pay extra for priority mail ,UPS and fedex over ground advantage .
johnrj1226
·2 years agoCan't speak about today's USPS service as I haven't sold for 3 years on eBay (or any other site) but I shipped via USPS services exclusively - first class ground advantage for items up to15.99 oz and priority services - shipped to all 50 states, US protectorates and APO/FPO. Found delivery time very good - ya' some packages ping ponged around but it was rare - kept the buyer informed all was well. Delivery of the first class ground was pretty much 3 days max to the continental US, always shipped priority to Alaska, Hawaii and US protectorates.
USPS has a Tiger by the tail and things keep changing as the try to break even but they seem to be in a bigger hole by a lot while revenue remains about the same level.
mam98031
·2 years agoFor me, my experience is different with USPS. I sell on multiple sites and use USPS exclusively. Mostly Ground Advantage and Media Mail, but sometimes Priority Mail as well. USPS has done an excellent job for me over the years. I rarely have a lost or damaged package. They happen, but percentage wise, it is a very small number.
Now a slow down or the package taking the scenic route does sometimes happen. When that happens I do three things.
1. Go to the USPS site and call up the tracking number to view the tracking.
2. From that page I sign up for email updates for any entry made to the tracking. Oddly enough often this simple act gets the package moving. I do not know why, but it happens more times than not.
3. I go to the link below and file a Trace on the package.
https://usps.my.site.com/emailus/s/package-inquiry
Over the years, this process has served my customers and me well. It is so rare for me to have a lost package.
tsme35
·2 years agoWe've been having more ice storms then snow the last 10 yrs., but both could halt mail pick up for a couple days. My mail lady had a jeep so she tried to get out most times but now she has a PO van, they don't do snow with the hills we have or even wet grass as she would say lol. Last year we had 80mph straight line winds, took out power and internet for 3 days, trees and power lines everywhere. Only thing that save me, was it happened on a Thursday so my orders didn't have to be shipped until Monday since I had 2 days shipping.
When you sell 15-20 orders per day, 2 days without scanning orders can add up quickly and get you in trouble with ebay. So, it's not so much 365 days but those 2-3 days shots that can get a seller. The only late shipments for me have been when I goof on a listing but took the buyer 3-4 days to response to my emails, whether if they still wanted or not(accidents happen, I'm on human)
I wish I could go on vacation; I work 7 days a week on ebay
johnrj1226
·2 years agoKnow well the issues Mother Nature brings us - lived in Michigan 23 years, Ohio 5years and Northern Illinois 15 years, the last 43 years south of the Mason-Dixon line. Had -26 F with wind chill of - 80 to 100F for over a week once in Ohio in '78 plus tons of snow, the same temps Jan. '81 in Illinois but not so much snow - but our home inside temp was 56 F with the furnace running non stop then the wind stopped after a week - we survived. Won't go in to details of ice storms or frozen water pipes in Katy Texas ( just west of Houston), in 1987 a bout 1/3 of the Houston area had the same issue.
No one selling from home was promised a Rose Garden - just Git er Dun - as my Mom (a daughter of a S.Western Dakota homesteader) used to say "Hard work never hurt anyone" the had the cold, snow up to the top of the bard and had to tunnel thru the snow to the outhouse. This pic will give some idea what that was like.
tsme35
·2 years agoBBBBBBBRRRRRRRRRRRR, oh heck no lol. Worse ice storm we had about 17 yrs. ago, everyone in my family but me lost power for 6 days. They all came to stay with me and my 4 kids, 15 people in a small 3 bedroom house. Ate all my food, clogged my toilet, never want to be that close to my family again lol
mam98031
·2 years agoEbay does a pretty good job at protecting sellers for weather issues. If they don't announcement for the weather event happening in your area, contact Ebay.
It was years ago, but we had a serious ice storm here. It is a very unusual for where I live. As I remember it, Ebay did not initially announce any coverage for that storm, but sellers informed Ebay and we ended up being covered on late shipments.
Working 7 days a week is a choice. I'm with you, most weeks I do the same, but it is a choice. We can set our accounts to NOT ship on Saturdays if we want. And there is the Time Away function. So we can take a bit of time off if we want to, even if we don't leave the house. It is an option and sometimes a good one to take some time for yourself.
tsme35
·2 years agoI know of 2 times I had to fight ebay to remove a neutral and negative because of weather, not at my home but at the buyers.
As far as working 7 days a week, its mainly because I have no life. But it does include yard sales and flea markets which honestly is fun work. I also have a medical issue which can take me down for a day or 2 but that's the good thing about ebay, I can work around it, which is the main reason I do 2 day shipping.
mam98031
·2 years agoI've had at least that many, likely more, over the years. It typically works out fine.
LOL Sure you have a life!!!! Yard sales can be a Social Event. At least when I do a yard sale that is what it turns out to be. My husband just laughs at me. But I have a lot of fun doing a yard sale.
Sorry to hear you are also having medical issues. Those darn things can be very restrictive. I'm really sorry you are experiencing that.
tsme35
·2 years agoOh, I don't have them, too far out to make it worth it. But I love going to them, esp. the Six Flags swap meet, hundreds set up in the parking lot, 1st weekend of March, so it marks the beginning of the season. And labor day weekend marks the end, hwy 61 yard sale, 81 miles of yard sales, like to killed me this year, temps were running 98-100 degrees.
thanks for the well wishes, but looks like I'll be getting a 2 month vacation next year. Probably gonna get a new hip, going through the VA so may be end of next year lol
chapeau-noir
·2 years agoWorking is "life". Lots of things are "life".