eBay

bigdeals.etc · ‎09-03-2019

Many of them just assume/expect it to arrive within 2-3 days.

I was out on vacation for 10 days. Put on vacation setting and changed handling time to 10 business days (I could've just used 5 business days here because the the wknds and holidays, but that would be zero cushion to play catch up when I return). Too bad ebay has no choice for days in between 5-10 days.

Anyway, so within 2-3 days into my vacation I start to get a slew of buyers either demanding or asking why haven't I shipped it yet. This is despite ebay saying their ETA is almost 2 weeks away. This started to happen every day of my vacation. I just created a canned response notifying them of their long ETA saying I'm out of town and offered to even ship it much sooner (since of my business days cushion) so it will arrive sooner than the ETA.

The replies I got varied from compliance, to anger, threats of negatives/report me to ebay, name calling, cancellation requests, ultimatums, and my favorite... telling me to still make sure it arrives by a certain date (a day that I am still clearly on vacation).

Bottom line... it doesn't matter how many days you set for handling time (or I guess shipping service speed too), most buyers will still expect their items within 2-3 days thinking this is always set in stone. On the bright side, my 10 day handling (and later switched to 5 day handling) settings didn't nearly lower my sales as much as expected. Maybe because this coincides with when my sales should start to increase... but it only lowered my sales by like 20%.

parkersparrow · ‎09-03-2019

I used to have the same problem. Now if I have a handling time any longer than 2 day I write in red and all caps that the item is a pre order or i'm on vacation and will ship after whatever date.

sin-n-dex · ‎09-03-2019

I don't have quite so much trouble with this... I do business trips that are a week long a few times a year, and for one week, I won't hide my listings because normal shipping happens every Monday anyways, so if you buy from me on Wednesday whether I'm on vacation or not, it won't be picked up by the courier until Monday.

I send out messages to explain the shipping, and when I'm away, I just say I'm away on business for the week, tell them when it will ship and when they can expect it to arrive.

So far no anger or any of the negativity you describe. I think your issue is not whether or not you extend handling and put your store on vacation, but not communicating with a buyer immediately to point this out in case time is important and they want to cancel and buy from a different seller.

C.

warbuyer99 · ‎09-03-2019

If you are going to have handling times over 3 days tops you probably should just hide your items. Enjoy your vacation and remove the vacation settings a few days before you start shipping again.

bigdeals.etc · ‎09-03-2019

@sin-n-dex wrote:
I don't have quite so much trouble with this... I do business trips that are a week long a few times a year, and for one week, I won't hide my listings because normal shipping happens every Monday anyways, so if you buy from me on Wednesday whether I'm on vacation or not, it won't be picked up by the courier until Monday.

I send out messages to explain the shipping, and when I'm away, I just say I'm away on business for the week, tell them when it will ship and when they can expect it to arrive.

So far no anger or any of the negativity you describe. I think your issue is not whether or not you extend handling and put your store on vacation, but not communicating with a buyer immediately to point this out in case time is important and they want to cancel and buy from a different seller.

C.

I've been replying every night (within 24 hrs of buyer messages) during my vacation. All using that canned response. Maybe it's the demographic of our clientele.

dtexley3 · ‎09-03-2019

@bigdeals.etc wrote:
@sin-n-dex wrote:
I don't have quite so much trouble with this... I do business trips that are a week long a few times a year, and for one week, I won't hide my listings because normal shipping happens every Monday anyways, so if you buy from me on Wednesday whether I'm on vacation or not, it won't be picked up by the courier until Monday.

I send out messages to explain the shipping, and when I'm away, I just say I'm away on business for the week, tell them when it will ship and when they can expect it to arrive.

So far no anger or any of the negativity you describe. I think your issue is not whether or not you extend handling and put your store on vacation, but not communicating with a buyer immediately to point this out in case time is important and they want to cancel and buy from a different seller.

C.
I've been replying every night (within 24 hrs of buyer messages) during my vacation. All using that canned response. Maybe it's the demographic of our clientele.

You can also set up an auto-response that sends out a message for you so you don't have to do it every night.

Member of the Grumpy Old Man crew

bigdeals.etc · ‎09-03-2019

@dtexley3 wrote:
@bigdeals.etc wrote:
@sin-n-dex wrote:
I don't have quite so much trouble with this... I do business trips that are a week long a few times a year, and for one week, I won't hide my listings because normal shipping happens every Monday anyways, so if you buy from me on Wednesday whether I'm on vacation or not, it won't be picked up by the courier until Monday.

I send out messages to explain the shipping, and when I'm away, I just say I'm away on business for the week, tell them when it will ship and when they can expect it to arrive.

So far no anger or any of the negativity you describe. I think your issue is not whether or not you extend handling and put your store on vacation, but not communicating with a buyer immediately to point this out in case time is important and they want to cancel and buy from a different seller.

C.
I've been replying every night (within 24 hrs of buyer messages) during my vacation. All using that canned response. Maybe it's the demographic of our clientele.
You can also set up an auto-response that sends out a message for you so you don't have to do it every night.

I state the buyer's exact ETA by date when I reply. I find it's more personal than stating "_ business days after the date of your purchase" and helps out those mathematically challenged buyers out. But yea, thanks for the tip. Maybe I'll utilize that function in the future somehow.

sin-n-dex · ‎09-03-2019

@bigdeals.etc wrote:
@sin-n-dex wrote:
I don't have quite so much trouble with this... I do business trips that are a week long a few times a year, and for one week, I won't hide my listings because normal shipping happens every Monday anyways, so if you buy from me on Wednesday whether I'm on vacation or not, it won't be picked up by the courier until Monday.

I send out messages to explain the shipping, and when I'm away, I just say I'm away on business for the week, tell them when it will ship and when they can expect it to arrive.

So far no anger or any of the negativity you describe. I think your issue is not whether or not you extend handling and put your store on vacation, but not communicating with a buyer immediately to point this out in case time is important and they want to cancel and buy from a different seller.

C.
I've been replying every night (within 24 hrs of buyer messages) during my vacation. All using that canned response. Maybe it's the demographic of our clientele.

My replies are not so canned... I would write:

Hi!

Thank you for your purchase and payment which I received (today/yesterday...)

I'm away from home for work reasons until (this day), but I will ship your item out as soon as I return home.

Kind regards, Seller

**

And so far no nasty coming back for that. However you might be right about clientele. I don't know what you sell (since I haven't checked out your listings), but I've always said the item matters. You'll get different people buying electronics than those who buy clothing, antiques, books, etc. The coin & token market is pretty calm with the majority in or near retirement, and I've never been told to hurry up and ship unless they needed it for something. (One guy bought a token for a presentation on his home town).

C.

bigdeals.etc · ‎09-03-2019

@sin-n-dex wrote:
@bigdeals.etc wrote:
@sin-n-dex wrote:
I don't have quite so much trouble with this... I do business trips that are a week long a few times a year, and for one week, I won't hide my listings because normal shipping happens every Monday anyways, so if you buy from me on Wednesday whether I'm on vacation or not, it won't be picked up by the courier until Monday.

I send out messages to explain the shipping, and when I'm away, I just say I'm away on business for the week, tell them when it will ship and when they can expect it to arrive.

So far no anger or any of the negativity you describe. I think your issue is not whether or not you extend handling and put your store on vacation, but not communicating with a buyer immediately to point this out in case time is important and they want to cancel and buy from a different seller.

C.
I've been replying every night (within 24 hrs of buyer messages) during my vacation. All using that canned response. Maybe it's the demographic of our clientele.
My replies are not so canned... I would write:

Hi!

Thank you for your purchase and payment which I received (today/yesterday...)

I'm away from home for work reasons until (this day), but I will ship your item out as soon as I return home.

Kind regards, Seller

**
And so far no nasty coming back for that. However you might be right about clientele. I don't know what you sell (since I haven't checked out your listings), but I've always said the item matters. You'll get different people buying electronics than those who buy clothing, antiques, books, etc. The coin & token market is pretty calm with the majority in or near retirement, and I've never been told to hurry up and ship unless they needed it for something. (One guy bought a token for a presentation on his home town).

C.

Mine is about the same.

"Hello,

Thanks for buying. Ebay currently shows your item having an ETA of 9/10 - 9/17. I'm currently out of town and will return after Labor Day. I will try my best to get it sent out to you early next week so it will arrive to you earlier than the ebay ETA shows. Thanks."

sin-n-dex · ‎09-03-2019

sin-n-dex · ‎09-03-2019

@bigdeals.etc wrote:
@sin-n-dex wrote:
@bigdeals.etc wrote:
@sin-n-dex wrote:
I don't have quite so much trouble with this... I do business trips that are a week long a few times a year, and for one week, I won't hide my listings because normal shipping happens every Monday anyways, so if you buy from me on Wednesday whether I'm on vacation or not, it won't be picked up by the courier until Monday.

I send out messages to explain the shipping, and when I'm away, I just say I'm away on business for the week, tell them when it will ship and when they can expect it to arrive.

So far no anger or any of the negativity you describe. I think your issue is not whether or not you extend handling and put your store on vacation, but not communicating with a buyer immediately to point this out in case time is important and they want to cancel and buy from a different seller.

C.
I've been replying every night (within 24 hrs of buyer messages) during my vacation. All using that canned response. Maybe it's the demographic of our clientele.
My replies are not so canned... I would write:

Hi!

Thank you for your purchase and payment which I received (today/yesterday...)

I'm away from home for work reasons until (this day), but I will ship your item out as soon as I return home.

Kind regards, Seller

**
And so far no nasty coming back for that. However you might be right about clientele. I don't know what you sell (since I haven't checked out your listings), but I've always said the item matters. You'll get different people buying electronics than those who buy clothing, antiques, books, etc. The coin & token market is pretty calm with the majority in or near retirement, and I've never been told to hurry up and ship unless they needed it for something. (One guy bought a token for a presentation on his home town).

C.
Mine is about the same.
"Hello,

Thanks for buying. Ebay currently shows your item having an ETA of 9/10 - 9/17. I'm currently out of town and will return after Labor Day. I will try my best to get it sent out to you early next week so it will arrive to you earlier than the ebay ETA shows. Thanks."