Buyer invoked eBay Guaranteed Delivery

[purrcubed]

This is the first time I have encountered this as a seller. My buyer bought something last week and I shipped it out the next day, which is within my one business day handling time. Due to covid-19, all my packages and I'm sure yours are getting hung up in the system. I had no idea my listings were even guaranteed deliveries. Today, my buyer messages me to let me know that she did not get the package which was guaranteed for Saturday. She said she activated eBay's guarantee and that she will be receiving a $5 credit. She assured me that it will not have any bearing on me as a seller. I called eBay customer service just to make sure and the representative read from a script and said no, you as a seller have done everything correctly and you have nothing to worry about.

Is this true? The agent was reading from a script literally. Will there be any negative impact on my selling record? And how do I disable this guaranteed delivery thing?

With all the delays at the USPS is currently experiencing, I feel like eBay should disable the guaranteed delivery thing. Thank you very much in advance for your thoughts and please let me know if this would affect me negatively as a seller in any way.

[creativecrisis]

My understanding is that guaranteed delivery dates are set by eBay, and eBay takes care of customer complaints if the item is late -- as long as you shipped within your stated handling time. I don't think you need to worry about it.

And, yeah, eBay probably should stop guaranteeing delivery for the time being. It's their problem, though.

[purrcubed]

Thank you, @creativecrisis

It sounds like just an incentive to boost buyer confidence in eBay...

I personally feel that there are buyers out there just hawking at the delivery dates and collecting the $5 vouchers which add up. Yes, I understand it's eBay's problem to continue offering this program during a known time where packages are delayed.

(Sorry for all the typos in first post; was using voice to text at the time).

[myboardid]

You don't need to worry with this, nothing will attach to you or your account since you shipped within your handling time.  You are just fine.  You cannot remove the guaranteed delivery, eBay put it there and it is their responsibility.  There is one caveat, however.  If the package arrives late, your buyer has the right to return the item for a full refund. That is one of the options ebay gives the buyer.  You would not be able to stop them from doing so no matter what your return policy is.  BTW, I looked high & low for the Guaranteed Delivery Policy and can't find it anywhere.  I was going to quote it here. 

[purrcubed]

PSA: I am not sure if I was given the correct information just now, but an eBay agent just told me that everytime a buyer activates the eBay Guaranteed Delivery claim, the seller DOES receive a defect that can then be removed if you contact customer service. 

I asked her to repeat and clarify and confirm this about 3 times and have the chat screenshotted--I will receive a transcript hopefully later today (chat transcripts have been delayed). 

Yes that is right, I was told that as a seller you will receive a DEFECT if your buyer files a late shipment claim (even if you fulfilled your seller duties--shipped on time and uploaded tracking). I *will* receive a DEFECT for participating in the Guaranteed Delivery Program even though I was automatically enrolled in it because I happened to offer 1 business day handling and free shipping. 

I asked if the system will automatically remove the defect; she said no, you will have to contact us. 

Wow!!

Do I really want this? So how do I opt out, I ask? There's no easy way. I have to go through all my listings and change from free shipping back to charging shipping. The whole reason I even began offering free shipping was because my "shipping charges" always lags in ratings. 

This was the third agent I contacted since the first one read from a script; the second one was dismissive; and the last one just gave me this new information. 

Can an eBay moderator weigh in on this? Is this correct information? Has anyone else heard of this?

Thank you. 

[purrcubed]

Hi @myboardid 

Thanks for stopping in. I just made a post as you posted yours or I just noticed yours. Could you give my last post a peek? I had just gotten off chat with an eBay agent. Thanks so much. 

I found the Guaranteed Delivery page: 

https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/shipping/ebay-guaranteed-delivery.html

[purrcubed]

Here are some snippets of the chat transcript--I changed the agent's name and my name to "Me" for confidentiality purposes. Please let me know if any of you have gotten the same information from an agent. Thank you. 

-----

08:34:46 UTC Me

Meaning, if it arrives late, and it is "guaranteed delivery" -- will I receive a defect if buyer activates Guaranteed Delivery? Even if I met all the seller requirements

08:35:16 UTC eBay Agent

You will receive a defect but the defect will be removed.

08:35:28 UTC eBay Agent

We will help you out due to this pandemic.

08:35:43 UTC eBay Agent

As long as you have uploaded the tracking number on time and ship it on time.

----

Her answer on opting out of Guaranteed Delivery Program because there's no way to do it even though the Guaranteed Delivery Program page says you can do this:

How can I opt out?

You can opt out at any time by navigating to Account Settings > Site Preferences > eBay Guaranteed Delivery Setting. Click "Show," then "Edit". Lastly, select "I want to opt out of eBay Guaranteed Delivery," and click "Continue." You may opt back in at any time.

08:39:37 UTC Me

I mean if I do not want to participate in Guaranteed Delivery, but I still would like to do 1 day handling time, then I should go ahead and not offer free shipping. That is the only way to opt out?

08:39:47 UTC eBay Agent

Yes. That is correct.

----

08:43:10 UTC Me

Yes, which is why I do not want to be in the program. I don't want to deal with the defects even if they will be removed. How long does it take for the system to remove it?

08:43:35 UTC eBay Agent

It will not show as a defect until your next evaluation.

08:43:41 UTC Me

I have no control over the carrier/shipping situation. I ship per my handling time and I always upload tracking on time.

08:43:47 UTC eBay Agent

Once it shows, it will just take 48 hours to remove it.

08:44:02 UTC eBay Agent

Then that is something you do not need to worry about.

08:44:03 UTC Me

How will the system know? Or do I have to contact eBay again?

08:44:16 UTC eBay Agent

You can just contact us through chat.

----

And at the end, more clarification--she seemed pretty certain I would get a defect, even if I fulfilled my shipping/handling time and uploaded tracking as long as the buyer files a GD claim. Has this been your experience at all??

08:54:04 UTC Me

Okay, thank you. Do you mind just confirming with me a third time that: 1) Even if I fulfilled all my duties as a seller-shipped out on time and uploaded tracking; 2) If Buyer files a Guaranteed Delivery claim because item was 1 day late, I will still

get a defect in the future that must be removed by customer service agent in the future? I want to make sure I understand.

08:54:23 UTC eBay Agent

Yes. That is correct.

08:54:43 UTC eBay Agent

I completely understand your concern about it.

08:55:33 UTC Me

Let me clarify: is this with eBay's Guaranteed Delivery program and not my own guarantee--since I have no guarantee myself?

08:55:54 UTC eBay Agent

Yes. That is correct.

08:56:08 UTC eBay Agent

It is with the Guaranteed Delivery Program.

[myboardid]

I see that eBay won't protect you from a late delivery ding, but I can tell you that I have a ton of listings that fall into the Guaranteed Delivery program (if the buyer lives close enough for it to apply) and I have never, ever had a late delivery ding for that, not ever in thousands of sales.  They may say that they will ding you, but I think they actually don't.  I think that changed when they started forcing sellers into Guaranteed Delivery even when they had opted out. 

[purrcubed]

@myboardid 

So you've never been dinged even if the package was delivered past the GD date? 

Either you've been really lucky and no buyer has ever filed for GD claims in those thousands of sales (haha), or you're right (they say they will ding but they never do).  

[vrie39]

• Listing Eligibility
• Late Deliveries
  What happens when a delivery does not arrive by its guaranteed date and the seller has met all of the criteria?

  For customers: If a Fast 'N Free item with a guaranteed delivery date arrives late, eBay will make it right for your buyer with one of these options:

  • Voucher for a future eBay purchase
  • Free return label if the sellers accepts returns

  For sellers: If a Fast 'N Free item arrives late even though you met the stated handling time, eBay will remove any negative or neutral feedback left by the customer regarding late delivery. We will also provide the buyer recompense for their inconvenience.

  We will not protect against late shipment defects, and a seller's listings can be deactivated from the program if they fall below the performance requirements. We reserve the right to rescind this seller benefit at any time.

  If I met my same-day or one-day handling time but the item is still delivered late, can buyers leave negative feedback?

  eBay will remove negative or neutral feedback regarding late deliveries if the seller met their handling time.

  What happens if a Fast 'N Free item arrives late due to weather delays?

  eBay will protect the seller and make it right with the buyer when guaranteed items arrive late due to major and unexpected weather events.

  https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/shipping/ebay-guaranteed-delivery.html#m22_tb_a1__3

[myboardid]

I have a few dings for late shipping but not from GD.  In those cases I really did ship late, usually because I couldn't find the item until after shipping time.  But I have 6 dings in 7693 sales which is a very low percentage.  I don't worry about it.   

[purrcubed]

@vrie39 

So, I guess I missed this part. It was hidden in all the "good stuff" about how the seller wouldn't be subject to bad feedback. It is worded kind of funny. But it sounds like it's stating, "We will be issuing late shipment defects/dings and will not protect the seller against them [unless you call us and have it removed]." Is that how you're reading it too?

"We will not protect against late shipment defects, and a seller's listings can be deactivated from the program if they fall below the performance requirements. "

[cynthealee2]

You should be able to go here https://www.ebay.com/ship/prf  and opt out of it... without messing with free shipping / shipping costs and the like... it may take 24 hours to get it swapped around on all your listings.

[purrcubed]

@cynthealee2 Thanks for the link; I did look there but did not know exactly what should be changed. Could you kindly guide me through? Last agent I spoke with said changing shipping charges is not what I need to do to opt-out; that I must change my handling time to more than 1 business day...so I will change it to 2 business days. 

Second quick question: Would changing to 2 business days handling time affect my Top Rated Seller status (not Top rated seller plus)? 

Thank you!

[cynthealee2]

Click the edit button, a second page should pop up, since I'm not IN the program I can't get a screen shot of what that second page will say for you.  There should be a spot to "opt out" though it may not say "opt out" it may say something slightly different.

Second question:

It won't effect TRS... just TRS +