I've had adventures this week with my shipper being closed for the holidays
So I posted before the holidays started a question about whether or not I should stay open (since I'm here, I can answer questions and pack orders, I just couldn't ship).
I ended up deciding to stay open, and last night I drove the 120 miles round trip from where I live to the shipper (Chit Chats Express) hub in Burlington, where they were actually open, but all the satellite branches were closed.
I had the worst weather you can imagine for driving just after dark... it was raining, foggy, dark, and some people didn't have their lights on as it was getting dark (so I almost sideswiped someone because I couldn't see them, no lights). I was thinking as I made the 3 hour round trip that I really care about my customers to be putting myself through that, however Burlington is not far from where I used to live (in Hamilton) and I commuted 1.5 hours to work every day, one way. So it's kind of the same...
Let's just say if I had the foresight to know the weather would be bad, I might have opted to travel on a different day of the week. But my plans to go Thursday were to make it there while they were open, and not have to miss any work to do it. Fridays are terrible days for that trip, so Thursday it was.
As I'm doing this task of getting my 30 packages to the shipper last night, a guy buys a coin. When I get home, I sent him a message (and anyone else that bought yesterday after I packed up my shipments) a note to let them know the shipper is closed for the holiday, so I will be mailing it right after New Years Day. (I mean, everything's closed Sat-Mon, and I wasn't going to make a second trip to Burlington today).
Even thought it says 10 days handling on the listing (which I verified) and gives him an estimated date of arrival, he wants to cancel because two business days during the holidays to get his item shipped (which is already purchased after Christmas) is too long a wait. I was completely shocked that waiting until after the weekend was such a big deal to this one customer. Everyone else was telling me to enjoy my holidays and have a happy new year, no rush, send it after the weekend.
Anyway I cancelled his order first, and because I don't take any guff from anyone, I sent him a note to tell him the email telling him I was shipping after New Years was a courtesy. If he had read the listing when he bought, he would have known I actually had until Jan 12 to ship without the package being late. (Although when I relisted it, eBay said it would be delivered between Jan 9 and 13... dunno how they can say that if they're giving me until the 12th to send it).
C.
duncanvr
·2 years agoYou went above and beyond for those buyers with all that travel in the bad weather. The mind boggles on someone ordering on a New Years holiday weekend with postal closure and not being prepared to wait a couple of days for shipping. Some buyers are just not right in their heads! I have also stayed open this long weekend and messaged every buyer about the delay. All were more than okay waiting a couple of days for me to ship. On another note there is always someone paying right after I finished shipping on any day of the week. I leave those late payers for the next days shipping. Happy holidays.
12345jamesstamps
·2 years agoYou should buy some stamps and coins when you are in Africa to re-sell on eBay.
sin-n-dex
OP2 years agoStamps, no, not a good plan. Lots of African countries make CTO stamps for the purpose of creating revenue, but you can't actually use them to mail anything. I was going to get some banknotes for sure while I'm there (good ones of course, will spend the non good ones). Not sure how well I'll do with coins. I should be able to get some from Mauritius and South Africa because I'll have a source who might do it, but in other places it might be more difficult to do.
If I manage, I'll be coming back with banknotes (and possibly coins) from Mauritius, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Madagascar. The Botswana and Namibia will be at the airport in Cape Town at their foreign exchange, but I'm not going to those places, not yet anyway.
C.
1786davycrockett
·2 years ago@sin-n-dex
Not exactly how you wanted to spend the end of an already exhausting day, right?
"Nevertheless, she persisted," as you may have heard.
Hopefully, better sales with less angst in 2024!
sin-n-dex
OP2 years agoDecember was my worst month for 2023 (no Christmas presents, and the self-spending is on hold for the holidays). But still did OK and left me quite a bit of free time to get new inventory ready to list.
On Christmas Day my partner and I spent the whole day getting 2000 coins labelled and ready for listing. Tomorrow we're going to tackle around 500 tokens, but they need to be packed in prettier holders... sometimes what comes into the store doesn't look too attractive and appearances in a listing count.
The Day after Christmas I was trying to finish up with that big batch of coins and spent all day identifying 100 coins (Arab countries, Indian States). It's amazing how with help we get it done so much quicker.
C.
buyselljack2016
·2 years ago(Although when I relisted it, eBay said it would be delivered between Jan 9 and 13... dunno how they can say that if they're giving me until the 12th to send it).
--------------------------------------------
been there, had that, still do.
It's the burden we bear for historically shipping before the "ship by" date. We shield ourselves from defects for seen/unforeseen circumstances. eBay just ignores what is there and infuriates some buyers. We as sellers are stuck with the fallout from their distress.
Just another eBay lie displayed to buyers to entice them to purchase.
sin-n-dex
OP2 years agoWhile the date they give is fine for 90% of my sales, in the event I have an issue (like a family thing or trip for work) and can't ship all week, it's misleading to the buyer who's expecting their item by that date (especially when the listing tells the buyer it includes 10 days handling time).
Yeah, I don't think I like this... I'm a stickler for information to be "correct" for buyers.
C.
mtgraves7984
·2 years ago"... I really care about my customers..."
@sin-n-dex
Yes, you do. So much that your shipping history data is skewing the EDD's on the Orders. We sure do empathize.
farmalljr
·2 years agoSimple solution on those situations, is just don't print a label until you ship. You have 10 days handling, no need to print a label until you are ready to ship. I would not have bothered to notify the buyer about a delay, because there wasn't really a delay.
You kinda poked the bear with that one. Had you said nothing, they likely would have not had any issues. Sometime the best policy is saying nothing.
sin-n-dex
OP2 years agoI didn't print a label, I sent him a courtesy email that it wouldn't ship for almost a week. If I didn't send a message to him, a buyer like that would send me a nasty message after two days asking me what the problem is. Happens sometimes. Even if I do print the label the night before I ship, because of the transit time between my house in Canada and the post office in the US, I still get the odd nasty buyer messaging me that I printed the shipping label and am sitting on his package because I'm too lazy to go to the post office.
C.
farmalljr
·2 years agoI just clicked on one of your coin listings. It clearly states in the ship time, there is a 10 day or longer delay. If you have buyers complaining when they can clearly see that, then I would add them to the blocked bidder list. No need to deal with dipsheets that claim you aren't shipping fast enough, when you clearly have a delayed shipping schedule.
Also, I would never message a buyer about the holiday delay like you did. As you can see, it just gave them an excuse to fly off the handle for no good reason. You certainly care, but some things are not worth going to the extra effort.
sin-n-dex
OP2 years agoIf they fly off the handle and cancel they can't leave feedback, which means I won't waste a night trying to get it removed. But if they complain after I've shipped, and the feedback is not related to the "delay" in shipping, then it's a lot harder to get it removed. I've wasted hours on getting feedback removed because some numbnuts had a complaint (that isn't within my control, like the specs of the coin) and decided to leave feedback instead of asking if he could return it. Those people go on the BBL.
Let's just say of messages sent out, most people are being kind and wishing me a happy holidays, and some even mention they appreciate me keeping them in the loop (since I won't even bother printing the shipping label until Jan 1).
C.
ittybitnot
·2 years ago. dunno how they can say that if they're giving me until the 12th to send it)
@sin-n-dex
eBay's estimated dates are weighted heavily in favor of your ACTUAL SHIPPING BEHAVIOR, as opposed to any handling time. It has been that way for a long time. So if you normally ship in ONE or TWO days, a 'handling time" of five may not increase the estimate at all, or only by a day. Experiments by members were performed with the results duly noted. It was confirmed by eBay blues from time to time as well.
Happy new year to you and yours!
sin-n-dex
OP2 years agoThat's for the explanation, that makes lots of sense.
But to a buyer reading, seeing that there's 10 days handling and the item will arrive in less than 10 days is pretty misleading, even if most of the time it happens. It makes for some unhappy buyers in the event I can't ship in 2-3 days as usual. (Shipping in 2 days because it arrives at USPS the day after I ship, and it sold the day before, so 2-3 days is my regular shipping schedule).
C.
12345jamesstamps
·2 years agoI feel your pain..."drove 120 miles round trip". I live 8 blocks from the post office and drive my motorcycle to it.
My pain....some of my "promoted listings sold"...so without any "available funds"...I went into the negative balance. eBay gets their promote funds first.
Then I had to refund combine shipping refunds since International buyers are having a problem still doing that...another negative in "available funds". eBay takes that out of "available funds".
And yesterday I have a buyer requesting to cancel a sale...I am already in the negative "available funds'. So what the heck...I gave the refund which come out of "available funds" which is in the negative already.
Talk about a negative week. LOL
sin-n-dex
OP2 years agoI can imagine riding a bike with packages sucks when it rains. Here in Jan/Feb we get snow sometimes significantly (Southern Ontario near Toronto) and some Fridays I can't get to the post office because I'm too busy spending my lunch hour shovelling snow.
I take it you have daily withdrawals to end up with lots of negative balances? One reason I do weekly is so that there's usually available funds for refunds (shipping overages and cancelled orders... I seem to get someone cancelling every couple of weeks because their cat got up at 2am and bought the item).
C.
12345jamesstamps
·2 years agoI do have "Express Payouts" every night at 9 PM. But the past days I have been in the negative.
I try not to drink🷠when I am looking at items for sale on eBay...the next morning I can't believe bought that.
sin-n-dex
OP2 years agoExpress Payouts sounds good, not sure if they can do that with a bank account in Canada.
I have to pay the store every Wednesday (because I get my money on Tuesdays), so I haven't worried too much about a weekly payout, gives me a chance to not spend the money before giving it to the store.
C.
12345jamesstamps
·2 years agoI have my payouts also tied to Tuesdays. Took a first page of my bank account with the bank heading on it to get it approved. Here's where it helps...too many holidays every month in the USA...but I can get payouts on holidays which does help. These refunds for shipping and promoted listings can make or break me in a week. LOL
toomuchstuffagain35
·2 years agoYou go girl.
Take no prisoners = )