Do buyers even check the "handling time" anymore? What do you do when buyers get impatient?

[scholar211]

Ok, so I'm not an active eBay seller. Usually just your "once a year spring cleaning seller". When I am in my spring cleaning mode, I usually only have two days out of the week that I ship stuff. I set my handling time to 5 days and it is usually always 5 days or less than for me to ship an item. But I purposely overestimate.

However, I am always bombarded with messages 1-2 days after a sale. "Did you ship my item yet??". Or after I do ship it "why is it taking so long?".

What do you guys do in this case?

[nobody*s_perfect]

You need to mention your handling time prominently in your listing Description.  Maybe even give an example like "If you pay on Wednesday, your item will be shipped by ..." eBay doesn't reveal it, they only show the buyer a range of estimated delivery dates.

[Anonymous]

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@scholar211 wrote:

What do you guys do in this case?

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Point them to the estimated delivery date, not the handling time

[gamersbaystore]

ebay never shows buyers the handling times anymore. My shipping policies have been totally ignored for the entire last 2 years. I have 5 day handling times in place right now, but no one would ever know that unless I told them.

ebay also gives buyers ridiculous delivery estimates that are rarely ever correct. Many of us have been complaining about this for years, ebay doesn't care.

[iart]

Many buyers are paranoid about being scammed. There's a lot of talk out there about scams happening on eBay and this has soured many. It doesn't matter how much you sell or how long you've been selling.

Not much one seller can do about that. Just be very polite, professional and to the point with your messages. Explain the lapse in shipping time and assure them that the item will be shipped, that they will get a tracking number (ship through ebay or some system where you do get tracking) and that you will insure that they are satisfied with the purchase.

Do not have anything that sounds suspicious in your listings. For example, don't claim 'No Returns'. And make sure that ALL messages and dealings happen through the eBay site. NEVER go to text or email communications.

[shag182]

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@scholar211 wrote:

Ok, so I'm not an active eBay seller. Usually just your "once a year spring cleaning seller". When I am in my spring cleaning mode, I usually only have two days out of the week that I ship stuff. I set my handling time to 5 days and it is usually always 5 days or less than for me to ship an item. But I purposely overestimate.

However, I am always bombarded with messages 1-2 days after a sale. "Did you ship my item yet??". Or after I do ship it "why is it taking so long?".

What do you guys do in this case?

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Just retired from selling on eBay after 22 years on the platform. But as a seller...same here. I ALWAYS OVERESTIMATE vs underestimate. I always ship the next day and often the SAME day, but have my handling time at 3 days. Never had any buyer message me about if their item was shipped out or not, because it's been sent out already before they blink. Haha!  Also, I did make my own labels and still drive to the PO to pay for and send out.  Then I add the tracking number to their order, PLUS ALSO message my buyers the tracking number and tracking link.

Unfortunately we are in the Amazon Prime culture of getting the orders in SAME, 1 or 2 days, and having the items shipped the same or next. 

That's the REASON, IMO, eBay is pushing the sellers to SHIP NOW!! SHIP NOW!!  eBay chasing Amazon is not a good thing, and a lost cause.

This doesn't help eBay sellers either, when Amazon advertises this:

[ittybitnot]

Do buyers even check the "handling time" anymore?

@scholar211 

As suggested, generally they couldn't even if they tried. 

[scholar211]

True. Even with 2 Day Priority, lot of my shipments take like a week after they leave the post office. Buyers started opening cases and stuff.

[luckythewinner]

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@scholar211 wrote:

 I usually only have two days out of the week that I ship stuff. I set my handling time to 5 days 

What do you do when buyers get impatient?

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I think it is pretty clear that buyers are conditioned (by Amazon and others) to expect quick shipping. 

So if a seller cannot to meet that expectation, IMHO he needs to clearly and prominently send that message. On eBay, that would mean stating it clearly in your description and perhaps in a message promptly after a purchase is made. 

IMHO the handling time setting is primarily a tool for informing eBay, not buyers. 

`

[bbravo65]

...the cost of patience is too expensive, many peoples can't afford the price...

[bigdeals.etc]

Nope. Many don't even seem to check their ebay ETA. I'd get messages like "Hey you said it would get here by Monday... today is Tuesday so where is it?!" I'd check and see the ETA for the item is actually Thursday.

[oldold-timer]

We take a minute to message the buyer after the sale to thank them for their purchase and to please allow 7-10 (or whatever) days for delivery.  Sometimes they are appreciative of the info.

[jonathankirkland]

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@scholar211 wrote:

True. Even with 2 Day Priority, lot of my shipments take like a week after they leave the post office. Buyers started opening cases and stuff.

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This is a huge problem to me.

If a package shows still in transit, a buyer should not even be able to open a case unless they package is stuck for like 2 weeks or something ridiculous...

Ebay seriously needs to relax their shipping estimates by 3-5 days in my opinion... but of course they won't do that for fear of losing buyers/sales in this gotta have it yesterday impatient society we live in today. 🙄

I have to admit though I have even found myself getting impatient about receiving things... there is something psychological about seeing that estimated arrival date and expecting it to be there NO LATER than that date, without question. But that is simply NOT the case.

Again, as I've said over and over, especially in this COVID world the last few years, ebay should absolutely increase all of those estimate times by 3-5 days.

[coolections]

I rarely check handing times. When I hit the pay button I typically give the seller 2 days to add the confirmation number. Once that is added I am typically satisfied the item has been shipped. Anyone taking longer than 2 days to add tracking would be a problem with most buyers.

[keizan2222]

I'm a seller who gives handling times of 3-5 days, but I go out of my way to get items shipped in 1-2 days. I've been a little frustrated as a buyer lately though, because the last three purchases I made weren't shipped until after eBay's first estimated delivery date (after those dates have passed they seem to just add another week to the delivery dates.) I understand that eBay no longer shows handling times unless they're over 5 days, but it seems like the sellers I've been dealing with are shipping with a minimum handling time of 5 days.