Tired of overly optimistic delivery estimates

[airsheep]

If, as has been reported, USPS deliveries are borked and have been since around Christmas, ebay needs to update its delivery estimates.  If I pay for Priority Mail but it won't get to me for 2 weeks or longer, don't tell me it will get to me within a week.  It makes buyers mad when their stuff is stuck in transit for days or weeks longer than they thought; many people base their purchasing on how quick their items are estimated to arrive.

If the bad delivery estimates are sellers delaying beyond their handling times or other issues under their control, they should be penalized.  At the very least, don't purge negs that mention not shipping until contacted about a missing shipment, etc.

(oh you dreamer you!)

[ittybitnot]

@airsheep 

Sellers do not post those estimates, eBay does.  They are heavily weighted by the seller's actual shipping behavior as opposed to their handling times. I forget if it is for 'auctions' or 'fixed priced' listings, but the handling time is either on another page, or not displayed at all. 

 I do not sell here anymore, but did for 22 years.  A couple of weeks ago I had a two parcels sent the same day.  One was to the UK (1st class international), the other to a city 40 miles away in my same state (ground Advantage).   The package to the UK arrived in five days, the local one took eight.  Heaven forbid if any US parcels are routed through the Missouri City/Houston area hubs. 

Historically  speaking, eBay's stance was always "if the carrier was not performing it is the seller's fault for using it".  

[12345jamesstamps]

More and more packages have tracking these days.

Priority Mail doesn't mean priority mail anymore so I notice when I use it.

Certain states and hubs are not well equipped with staff and equipment for mailing these days.

Since more people are using tracking....I mail some items without tracking and these items reach coast to coast in 4-5 days or less. It appears going without tracking seems the quickest way to mail these days.

And yes, I did not lose any items I delivered in the mail through USPS last year without tracking or with tracking. "Knock on wood".

[yuzuha]

I've been finding the exact opposite-- that eBay's delivery estimates are almost always overly generous and that things actually end up arriving before that date. I shipped three packages to California on Tuesday; eBay's estimated delivery date for those three was Monday the 5th, yet all three of them were delivered yesterday (Saturday the 3rd).

[simba6]

It could be you just had a run of bad luck.  I have found most arrive sooner than what eBay said to expect.  I have had a few take longer but, not many.

[mudshark61369]

@airsheep,

All four of the previous replies have some truth in them.

eBay does base EDDs on the seller's average previous delivery times not on shipper's estimated time frames.

Some Hubs, Regional sorting facilities... are not equipped with the newest sorting equipment or are understaffed.

I too have had many items arrive before the first estimated delivery date even when sent from Texas and Ca.,  using Ground Advantage.  

There are other reasons why shipments may be late as well such as:

New or Returning after over a year off sellers, running into ebay's 21-30 day payment hold.

Seller's who give a U.S. item location, but often drop ship from outside the country using partner services of domestic shippers.

Not to mention regional weather issues that shut down facilities, ground aircraft, cause road closures preventing employees from getting to work.

"many people base their purchasing on how quick their items are estimated to arrive".

Anyone who needs an item by a certain date from any site, should consider buying locally if the date is less than two weeks away.

    For necessary replacement items ex: printer ink, auto / appliance parts etc., they should do the same thing. Not only would they not have to worry about getting the item by the time needed , but returns can be handled very quickly if necessary.  Sometimes it is worth it to pay a bit more for peace of mind.