When should a shipment be considered shipped?

[atut9098]

I’m having a big problem with shippers printing a usps label the day I place an order but somehow the package never makes it to usps for a week or so. At this point all the burden falls on the buyer. EBay policy is if the label has printed it has been shipped and can’t be cancelled. Meanwhile the customer I ordered this shipment for is on my back. eBay please change your policy on when a shipment is considered to be shipped. 

[mr_lincoln]

Hi @atut9098 

-First, you have NOTHING for sale on this ID so nobody here can look at your listings.

-Second, it sounds like you are drop shipping which as you are learning is a recipe for disaster because you are only as good as your supplier(s).

-Next, how many Late shipping defects do you have???  You can check that on your Seller Dashboard: Seller Dashboard | eBay

In time if you get enough defects your seller status can drop to Below standard which will limit how much you can list ... this will limit your sales potential.

-Here is a link to the eBay Help page on drop shipping: Drop shipping and product sourcing | eBay

Read the policy carefully, you may not be following eBay policy.

-I assume that you do not accept returns, please confirm this is true.

[golfingaddict]

eBay cannot control when shippers actually get the items to the carrier and have them scanned as received for shipping.

However, they do have a mechanism to "punish" sellers that do this frequently.  The sellers that do not ship on time, and that means getting the first carrier scan, are given late shipping marks, which could affect their ability to sell.

I do understand that it is frustrating as a buyer to see sellers do this.  It has happened to me.

I do know that in some cases, the seller can and does create the label the day before or on the weekend, so it looks like they are not "instantly" shipping the item.  I create my shipments the day before I actually ship them, in many cases.    This cannot be avoided for sellers that work a regular job or need to leave the house early in the morning.  Remember, many sellers on eBay are not "regular businesses" with employees and regular offices.  Most work from home and many work as a part time basis.

What I recommend is that you look for sellers that have frequent feedback comments that suggest "fast shipping" as those sellers usually get items out as fast as possible.  

I wish you success in your purchases and hope this practice of holding shipments goes away.

[glorybells]

When an item actually is brought to the carrier is not a concern for the buyer, the only thing they should be concerned about is the last estimated date of delivery that was shown when they purchased it.  The seller could wait until 10 days after the sale, as long as it’s 1) within their stated handling time, and 2) arrives by the last estimated date of delivery.  They can print the label at any time.

And whether the label is printed has no bearing on cancellations.  Buyers can only request a cancellation, even if it was 5 minutes after the sale, the seller is never required to cancel.

[mudshark61369 · Accepted solution]

@atut9098,

When a seller downloads a tracking number to an ebay purchase the "Shipped" message only means the shipping process has been started.

I place an order but somehow the package never makes it to usps for a week or so.

That can indicate 1 of three things. 

1)  The seller's handling time is 7 days or more.

  In the Shipping:   section under the item price on a listing page where it shows the Cost and a shipping method  Clicking on the See details button can give you more info about a seller's shipping policy.  You should also look at the estimated delivery time frame which gives a last estimated delivery date.

2) The seller is located outside of the U.S. and the domestic tracking will not update until the item reaches the U.S., clears customs and is handed over to the USPS or other shipper.

  The domestic tracking number is uploaded as soon as the order is received, but because ebay only allows one tracking number to be downloaded the International tracking is left out.

3) The seller is a Drop Shipper whose items come from a product source's warehouse Basically the same as #2 above but domestically located.

[atut9098]

I do not sell anything. My concern is when I buy something the shipper only has to print a label and the order is considered shipped. I have had 3 orders in the last month which the shipper printed a usps label but didn’t follow up to get it to usps. In my opinion the order should not be considered shipped until the shipping company receives it. 

[mr_lincoln]

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@atut9098 wrote:

I do not sell anything. My concern is when I buy something the shipper only has to print a label and the order is considered shipped. I have had 3 orders in the last month which the shipper printed a usps label but didn’t follow up to get it to usps. In my opinion the order should not be considered shipped until the shipping company receives it. 

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@atut9098 

Yes, I wrongly assumed you were an eBay Seller drop shipping and the "shipper" reference in your post was for some other supplier.  My mistake although it happens on eBay as you can imagine.  Now, to your complaint ... I actually agree with you 100% and is based on over 40 years in industry where the companies I work for or with shipped anything from machinery parts up to complete machines ( with machinery and order prices ranging from $ 25K up to 1 Million $).  The industry standard was pretty simple, until the Carrier had actual possession of the item it was NOT considered to be shipped, period.  Labels can be printed until the cows come home and even placed on packages but until the carrier has possession of the package there is no chance it will ever get delivered, therefore it hasn't shipped.

Different companies handle informing customers differently.  I know from some other venues I purchase from their process is different and a little more accurate in what has actually happened on a purchase and subsequent shipment. 

[house*of*paws]

Hi @atut9098 

When a seller purchases a shipping label … eBay emails the buyer that “Your item is being shipped.” 

Since it is common knowledge that USPS does NOT routinely scan packages ‘Accepted’ when they’ve been dropped off … eBay isn’t able to use that metric to indicate the beginning of the shipping process.  Nor can any other company you buy from.

ALL selling venues I know of use the purchase of a shipping label as the start of the shipping process.  

I believe that USPS policy is that packages must be brought to a post office within 24 hours of the date on the label … so it’s highly unlikely that many packages are accepted ‘a week or so’ after the purchase date of the label.  What’s more likely is that the post office didn’t scan the package at the time it was dropped off.

BTW, we eBay buyers have never been entitled to cancel orders at any time.  We only can request a cancellation.  It is always the seller’s prerogative to decide whether to cancel … regardless of the status of a shipping label.  If a shipping label has been created, eBay refuses the cancellation without notifying the seller … but the buyer is still able to contact the seller directly to ask whether it’s possible to cancel.