eBay

bigdeals.etc · ‎04-02-2019

I've been getting more buyer delivery instructions recently. And it made me wonder, do these buyers include these instructions on everything they buy online? All e-commerce sites? I wonder how many of them adhere to the instructions.

Instructions like 1) Don't deliver on Saturdays, 2) Toss over the fence if no one is home, 3) Do not leave package anywhere if no one is there to accept, 3) Don't let my children accept the package, 4) Make sure someone signs for it (they didn't previously request SC).

What's the buyer's success rate at getting their delivery notes satisfied? What happens in ebay if it isn't satisfied?

kathy507 · ‎04-02-2019

I think you are only required to show by a tracking number that something was delivered to meet eBay's rules.

It is the buyer's responsibility to see that shipment is to a secure place, not yours and you cannot control what the delivery service does with a package on delivery.

If they want signature confirmation, send them an invoice for it first before adding it. If they do not want to pay, don't add it at your expense.

It used to be a rule on eBay that a buyer cannot request something like the items you describe after a sale, but who knows if that is true now since so many rules change frequently on this site.

The request I get the most is to make sure it is packed well, as though I would ship a glass or fragile item in an envelop. Mostly they just want reassurance that you know how to pack based on past bad experiences, so I understand their concern on that one.

universalscreenarts · ‎04-02-2019

The one I get all the time is to ship fast. Buyers will often say "please make sure this gets here by [date] or cancel my order." They are trying to get you to upgrade their shipping without paying for expedited shipping. We offer various speeds, but they still try to get one over on us. You are under no obligation to make sure the USPS throws a package over a fence. Just as you don't have to, and shouldn't, upgrade shipping for free.

bigdeals.etc · ‎04-02-2019

@universalscreenarts wrote:
The one I get all the time is to ship fast. Buyers will often say "please make sure this gets here by [date] or cancel my order." They are trying to get you to upgrade their shipping without paying for expedited shipping. We offer various speeds, but they still try to get one over on us. You are under no obligation to make sure the USPS throws a package over a fence. Just as you don't have to, and shouldn't, upgrade shipping for free.

Yea I get that request all the time too. But rarely get backlash for when the item arrives after their date that they prefer despite it being within the ebay ETA. I recently cancelled one because my gut told me they'd be trouble (buyer got upset that I didn't send it same day and told me to cancel). So I cancelled it 1 business day after their purchase (the day it was set to go out), then I got a negative from the buyer saying I took too long and I decided to just cancel their order, haha.

I guess that's related here. But I'm mainly speaking of instructions for delivery... like things that needed to be done after you drop the package off to USPS.

divwido · ‎04-02-2019

I know who, I've received a couple glass items in bubble envelopes.

Good Moms let you lick the Beaters.

Great Moms turn them off first.

magicbuy2 · ‎04-02-2019

I had a buyer who purchased an oversized item in the listing due to size and weight. I offered USPS Economy or Fedex smart post. They choose USPS and then asked me everyday were there package was. I send them the tracking number and the date I mailed the package. Package was mailed within 24 hours

berserkerplanet · ‎04-02-2019

Some of the stuff you can write on the pkg or the label, and let the deliverer (USPS carrier, FedEx guy) decide whether to honor.

Most are solvable with sig required or adult sig required, but they need to pay for that, and then not whine when they miss the retry window and it gets returned.

mansons2005 · ‎04-02-2019

When at all possible we put (copy & paste) those "instructions" in the address (line 2 or 3?). Then it prints on the label and WE aren't subject to some entitled buyers rage.....................it falls on the delivery person.

My personal opinion would be to ignore that nonsense - if the buyer can't be bothered to manage a secure place/method for delivery, its not my lookout. The only exception I can see is when a buyer specifies which door or entrance the delivery person should use................obviously they have had issues before and they're just trying to clarify a possibly confusing situation.

But its not up to me - its the boss that makes the decisions...................

treasure.hunter.d · ‎04-02-2019

@kathy507 wrote:
I think you are only required to show by a tracking number that something was delivered to meet eBay's rules.

It is the buyer's responsibility to see that shipment is to a secure place, not yours and you cannot control what the delivery service does with a package on delivery.

If they want signature confirmation, send them an invoice for it first before adding it. If they do not want to pay, don't add it at your expense.

It used to be a rule on eBay that a buyer cannot request something like the items you describe after a sale, but who knows if that is true now since so many rules change frequently on this site.

The request I get the most is to make sure it is packed well, as though I would ship a glass or fragile item in an envelop. Mostly they just want reassurance that you know how to pack based on past bad experiences, so I understand their concern on that one.

Hah...I've lost track of how many times I have seen some schmuck seller posting in the "bad buyers" groups on Facebook about a loser customer complaining their glass item arrived broken because it was shipped in a bubble mailer. the customer is a loser because, according to the seller, they didn't ask for a box!!!!!

bkb1942 · ‎04-02-2019

This made me think of an incident we had. Live in a small town and hubby had had a transplant. Anti rejection drugs were very expensive and we ordered 3 month supply. I contacted drug company and they showed “ delivered”. The value was over $8000. And I knew insurance wouldn’t pay again. Well. god bless the ups man. He had hidden them in a grill on back deck.

bigdeals.etc · ‎04-02-2019

@berserkerplanet wrote:
Some of the stuff you can write on the pkg or the label, and let the deliverer (USPS carrier, FedEx guy) decide whether to honor.

Most are solvable with sig required or adult sig required, but they need to pay for that, and then not whine when they miss the retry window and it gets returned.

Yea when I catch them, I put it in the postage label and it appears on the bottom of the label. Who knows if it's actually followed though. Especially the ones that say "please have someone sign for it" when they didn't pay for SC.

bigdeals.etc · ‎04-02-2019

@bkb1942 wrote:
This made me think of an incident we had. Live in a small town and hubby had had a transplant. Anti rejection drugs were very expensive and we ordered 3 month supply. I contacted drug company and they showed “ delivered”. The value was over $8000. And I knew insurance wouldn’t pay again. Well. god bless the ups man. He had hidden them in a grill on back deck.

Yea I've heard of this as a thing. They do that and tend to not tell the buyer. Then come Sunday BBQ time and they just toasted their PS4, haha.

a_c_green · ‎04-02-2019

@mansons2005 wrote:
When at all possible we put (copy & paste) those "instructions" in the address (line 2 or 3?). Then it prints on the label and WE aren't subject to some entitled buyers rage.....................it falls on the delivery person.

My personal opinion would be to ignore that nonsense - if the buyer can't be bothered to manage a secure place/method for delivery, its not my lookout. The only exception I can see is when a buyer specifies which door or entrance the delivery person should use................obviously they have had issues before and they're just trying to clarify a possibly confusing situation.

Yes! I had a buyer who had done exactly that for Line 2 of their street address; it came out something like

123 Main St

Deliver to Back Door

Someplace, XX 12345-6789

Hey, whatever floats your boat. I just printed the label, shipped it out, and everyone was happy.

mansons2005 · ‎04-02-2019

Yeah, I find that there may be some confusion when a building houses multiple units, but is not an obvious "apartment" building, such as a converted house, etc.

Even though I live in an obvious apartment building, the entrance to my space, and my mail receptacle, are NOT in the entrance as the rest of the units. So while there are six "people" with the same address, only five of them receive their deliveries at one entrance - mine is the odd one out (very fitting, if you know me at all).....................

But I try to resolve the issue with a large (A4) sign with instructions and an arrow.............though the USPS consistently gets it wrong anyway.

kensgiftshop · ‎04-02-2019

@a_c_green wrote:
Yes! I had a buyer who had done exactly that for Line 2 of their street address; it came out something like

123 Main St
Deliver to Back Door
Someplace, XX 12345-6789

Hey, whatever floats your boat. I just printed the label, shipped it out, and everyone was happy.

I had one just like that a couple weeks ago.

I wonder how many carriers that actually read it, do it?

Have a great day.