Buyer demanding faster processing time?

[betus-uh20c4]

On Monday, I sold an item and the buyer paid very quickly. After receiving payment, I get this message:

"Please ship this out tomorrow w/ tracking, and do not include the receipt with the package. Thanks a lot."

I only offer 3 day processing time because this is just a way for me to make a bit of extra money for school aside from my other job. I tell the buyer as much:

"I will not include the packing slip as requested, however, I do not guarantee one day handling time. All orders will be processed within 3 business days as stated in the product description."

I don't hear anything back from him at first, then today I get this message:

"What is my tracking number? If you were not able to ship today, please at least buy shipping online and send me the tracking number today, and then drop the package off tomorrow. Thanks a lot."

Any of you buying shipping labels through eBay know you have 24 hours to print off the label after purchasing or you have to void it, wait up to 3 weeks for a refund which could potentially be denied, then buy another one. I don't own a printer and am not able to visit the print shop every single day so I wait until I am already in town with items that need to be shipped out all boxed up and ready to go before I purchase shipping labels and then send them out the same day. Keep in mind that this was purchased on Monday and eBay states that the item needs to be shipped by Thursday. Though the buyer didn't respond to my last message, I just sent them another trying to explain the situation: 

"As I stated previously, I do not guarantee one-day or two-day handling time. The handling and processing time is within three business days as stated on the item's listing when it was purchased. I don't buy the shipping label immediately because it must be printed then within 24 hours of the purchase or it will have to be voided and printed off again. My shipping labels are printed off at a print shop so I purchase the shipping labels immediately before shipment."

Since they didn't respond to my last message I have no idea if they are even checking for correspondence from me. I will not be able to visit the print shop and ship the item until Thursday, which is again the guaranteed sent by date from eBay based on the handling time I promised when the item was sold. I am concerned though since I am not a large seller and have very little feedback that if this person decides to leave negative feedback that I will find it very difficult to sell anything else. Is there anything I can do in that situation? Like I said they don't seem to be answering me, I don't even know if they're reading my responses

[livadia]

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@luckythewinner wrote:

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Any of you buying shipping labels through eBay know you have 24 hours to print off the label after purchasing or you have to void it

I regularly print labels and then drop them off at the post office 2-3 days afterward. In the past decade, I've never had to void and re-purchase just because I did not mail the package within 24 hours.  

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That's lovely, but that's not what the OP is talking about.  She doesn't have access to a printer and isn't able to get to a copy shop to print labels reliably every day.  If she were to PURCHASE the label, *then* didn't print it within 24 hours, she'd have to void it and start over.  That's the problem, and she's correct.  That's the way labels purchased on eBay work.

[byrd69er]

I've been selling on eBay for quite a few years. I've have never included what you suggested.

[justafemster]

Your *buyer* is using you to drop-ship the widget.  Most likely an amzn seller, who never had the widget in stock and is skimming listings.  Highly profitable.  

They are not reading your messages, even if they are, they figure pressure will make you concede to their demands.

Personally when I get those, I include a packing slip and ship within my timeline.  

[fluffywhip78]

I think you handle it well and professionally.

One idea, if you really wanted to print the label now.  In Chrome browser you can print the label to PDF then email the pdf to yourself or put on a flash drive to take to the printer store.  if you don't have chrome you can install cutePDF writer or Foxit reader.

[slippinjimmy]

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@livadia wrote:

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@luckythewinner wrote:

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Any of you buying shipping labels through eBay know you have 24 hours to print off the label after purchasing or you have to void it

I regularly print labels and then drop them off at the post office 2-3 days afterward. In the past decade, I've never had to void and re-purchase just because I did not mail the package within 24 hours.  

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That's lovely, but that's not what the OP is talking about.  She doesn't have access to a printer and isn't able to get to a copy shop to print labels reliably every day.  If she were to PURCHASE the label, *then* didn't print it within 24 hours, she'd have to void it and start over.  That's the problem, and she's correct.  That's the way labels purchased on eBay work.

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Save the label as a PDF file, print to paper anytime / anywhere you can.

[sam9876]

I will be testing the label printing process and let you know what I find.

[flyerfandan999]

It helps that you have the option to choose a shipping date typically 2-3 days ahead when you print, to cover those situations when you know you have time to print the labels but won't be able to drop them off for a couple more days.

[castlemagicmemories]

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@nobody*s_perfect wrote:

@sam9876. I think that one's true.

@betus-uh20c4. If you want buyers to know that you have a 3-day handling time, you should state that clearly in your Description, since eBay's policy is to NOT mention the handling time unless it's same-day or 4 days or more.  Just apologize to your buyer and tell him that you cannot ship it before Thursday. It sounds to me like he is using you as a drop-shipper for an item that was out of stock.

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From the OP:

"I will not include the packing slip as requested, however, I do not guarantee one day handling time. All orders will be processed within 3 business days as stated in the product description."

[ymeagainlord]

Maybe eBay should go back to showing the seller's handling time.

But of course that might mess up their airy fairy wish on a unicorn guesstimated delivery times.

[retrose1]

I would immediately cancel the transaction using the reason Buyer asked to cancel - you can not do what they are demanding.    And report the buyer to ebay for demanding Unreasonable Demands.

You might get a defect on your account for the cancel.   But if you are a casual seller and aren't canceling or breaking ebay policies on a regular bais, it is not something to worry about.

But the buyer is obviously using you as their dripshipper and then not only will their buyers problem with the item become your problems - your buyers problems will become your problems.  Your buyer wants to look good to their buyer and expects you to be doing it for them.

It is your duty to supply what you promised in the listing - you promised 3 day handling and the buyer knew it when they bought, they are trying to bully you otherwise.

And printing a label on the first day to ship on the third day will not work.  The label is only good for 1 business day.

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@castlemagicmemories wrote:

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@nobody*s_perfect wrote:

@sam9876. I think that one's true.

@betus-uh20c4. If you want buyers to know that you have a 3-day handling time, you should state that clearly in your Description, since eBay's policy is to NOT mention the handling time unless it's same-day or 4 days or more.  ....

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From the OP:

"I will not include the packing slip as requested, however, I do not guarantee one day handling time. All orders will be processed within 3 business days as stated in the product description."

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I looked at the OP's recent Sold listings, and they do not contain that statement.

[chrysylys]

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@byrd69er wrote:

I've been selling on eBay for quite a few years. I've have never included what you suggested.

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If the outer label gets damaged somehow, what happens to the package?  How does USPS know where to deliver it or return it ?

An inner packing list with both addresses will provide that information if they have to open the package and could solve any number of lost package issues.

[retrose1]

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@nobody*s_perfect wrote:

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@castlemagicmemories wrote:

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@nobody*s_perfect wrote:

@sam9876. I think that one's true.

@betus-uh20c4. If you want buyers to know that you have a 3-day handling time, you should state that clearly in your Description, since eBay's policy is to NOT mention the handling time unless it's same-day or 4 days or more.  ....

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From the OP:

"I will not include the packing slip as requested, however, I do not guarantee one day handling time. All orders will be processed within 3 business days as stated in the product description."

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I looked at the OP's recent Sold listings, and they do not contain that statement.

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The statement is unnecessary - the handling time is factored into ebay's estimated delivery times, shown right in the middle of the listing, where all the important stuff is.

Bet the OP's buyer has a 1 day handling time on their listings.

[johnrj1226]

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@dougsue123b wrote:

 I would have printed the label right after he paid, it doesnt take much effort to do that. As for mailing it if you can do it sooner you will probably avoid problems down the road.

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Totally agree with you.

If one wants to succeed in selling there are times when one needs to go  above & beyond the standard operating procedures/policy to meet the buyers request(s) by finding a way to make it happen.  I think this  is/was one of those occassions. Possibly the OP could have  found a  friend, neighbor etc to print out a lable sooner and make the buyer happy.   At this point the OP's buyer will be less inclined to leave a positive feedback .

[luckythewinner]

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@livadia wrote:
That's lovely, but that's not what the OP is talking about.  She doesn't have access to a printer and isn't able to get to a copy shop to print labels reliably every day.  If she were to PURCHASE the label, *then* didn't print it within 24 hours, she'd have to void it and start over.  That's the problem, and she's correct.  That's the way labels purchased on eBay work.

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You simply print the labels to a PDF file and put it in the cloud or on a thumb drive.  I do not think eBay needs to provide an elaborate technical solution for people without printers who wish to print labels.