Guaranteed Delivery looks like a good thing!

[pvcliff]

So after attending both live discussions and Weekly Chat, Guaranteed Delivery looks to me like it doesn't have a downside. Might work a little better if I lived in Omaha instead of Los Angeles since distance can play a part, but otherwise I can't wait until it goes live for me!

[alan@ebay]

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@fern*wood wrote:

I asked on chat but didn't see an answer to a question about the eligible shipping methods.  The list shows Priority, and then further down the list it also specifies four flat rate Priority options. 

When I list I generally offer Priority without being specific about which box/envelope I will use.  Does that mean if I use a Priority regional box, or other option not on the list, it would not be eligible?

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Hi @fern*wood,

It does look like the team missed this question, sorry! I've asked them to pop back in and answer it on the chat thread. Keep an eye on your notifications! 

Thanks. 

[gracieallen01]

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@ag47silver-uswrote:
How is this not insurance? It's not a promise to get the package there on time. The policy is compensation for failure. Not re-assurance of a promised service. What do people think "guarantee" means? Won't they be misguided...

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'Fraid I don't even see it as 'insurance'.  To me, it is just another 'come-on' to get folks in the door.

ebay is covering all costs until 1.1.19 to get sellers to sign up for 'Guaranteed Delivery'.  Well, since ebay is not handling/delivering it, I don't see where they can guarantee anything.  All they are doing is giving a store credit that a buyer, who may or may not use t, and piling stipulations on the seller (I'm sure the coupon will have all the limiting factors printed on it - not of cash value, non-transferrable, we may discontinue the program at any time, etc. - at our sole discretion).  The buyer?  Well, they are standing by the door, hand out, maybe waiting, maybe not, waiting for a package to arrive - same as any other day.

[gracieallen01]

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@ag47silver-uswrote:
How is this not insurance? It's not a promise to get the package there on time. The policy is compensation for failure. Not re-assurance of a promised service. What do people think "guarantee" means? Won't they be misguided...

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Oh, yeah.  'Insurance' of what?

ebay is going to push the USPS truck up to the mailbox?

Insurance of the seller having the product?  In the condition you want?  For the price you want?  Delivered to your hot hand, yesterday?

How has ANYTHING changed by using the word 'Guaranteed', in neon lights, on a highway billboard?

[campesinoplastic2014]

I have no choice but to ponder those numerous instances where sellers post here that they ship well withing their handling time, get a scan, but for some reason Ebay has "info" showing them as "late shippers" and cannot get it fixed. I wonder how well they will do.....

[newnewnewmann]

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alan@ebaywrote:

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brian@ebaywrote:

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@d-k_treasureswrote:

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brian@ebaywrote:

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@bubbleman2010wrote:

Brian what is the main selling point you'd use to encourage a seller to sign up for GD?

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Hi @bubbleman2010, one of the main benefits of the program is the increased visibility that sellers items receive. eBay also handles any customer service issues related to a late delivery so sellers can focus on their business instead of working to resolve buyers concerns about late deliveries. The added protections for negative feedback are also a nice benefit for sellers. 

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If GD has no bearing on how the listings come up in search, should someone accidentally click on Best Match, how do they get increased visibility other than if they ONLY select listings via the GD toggle(and probably miss a lot of items that are cheaper, a better fit, better quality, excellent seller rep, etc.)?

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@d-k_treasures, the option to toggle search results to only show eGD items is the increased visibility this program offers since eGD listings will be the only items displayed when this toggle is used. Buyers that are looking for quick shipping will likely be more inclined to use this toggle going forward. 

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Totally! When I shop on eBay now I toggle the Guaranteed Delivery filter on every time. As soon as I decide to buy an item I want it as soon as possible.

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I must be missing something.

How does a listing with "Guaranteed Delivery" get an item to the buyer faster than a listing without "Guaranteed Delivery?" 

Is ebay the mailman? All I can see is that when it's late, ebay rewards the buyer with a perk. But if you want it "as soon as possible" why would it be faster selecting GD? Is there a priority mail requirement? 

[gracieallen01]

Alan,

With all this talk of higher visibility with the 'Guaranteed Delivery' filter, does this mean that the UA statement, about not showing an item in every search - for any of a variety of reasons, will not apply?

[generaluser3]

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@vintagecraze50wrote:

... People who shop on Amazon and then go to Ebay will come to expect that deliveries are going to be fast. They love that about AMZ.   ...

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If you are not in the Prime program at Amazon, and you purchase from Amazon directly or the Fulfilled By Amazon, their deliveries are Incredibly Slow.  

I purchased some items 10 days ago, and my package still has Not been shipped out.  The order I made before that was the same.  Once they actually ship out, it's Fast.  BUT you have to actually get to the point where they ship it out.

Even if you are subscribed to their Prime program, if you go to their forums you'll read that quite a number of people are ranting and dropping out of the Prime program because they are not getting their packages within the 3 days as promised.  I experienced that myself, after trying out the Prime program, where packages would be delivered in a week or longer, and promptly cancelled my subscription.

The USPS won't even guarantee their delivery times.  This is shaping up to be an incredible money drain for ebay, and eventually for the sellers, and in the process will create, encourage, and reinforce the insatiable Entitled Buyer mentality.  

[nawlinsron2]

An opinion from the cheap seats...
I'm sure that ebay can verify that >98.5% of non-economy shipments are delivered in 2-4 days...and could tout THAT instead of GD being so overblown and overemphasized...and made into a "program".
It's little more than a come-on for the microwave mentality. Normal people know that stuff happens when something ships. GD is a boardroom concept...it has no real shape, form, or function. And, like promoted listings, it's efficacy can't be proven because the stats reveal only correlation, not causality.
If I can't sell my wares on ebay based on MY 100% reputation, quality of merchandise, and price points, I'd just as soon pack it in.
The symbiotic relationship here should be between ebay and the seller, not ebay and Wall St.

[tellmemama]

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@southern*sweet*teawrote:

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<truncated>

But it WILL definitely help for those negs where the buyer drops the red donut for a package a day or two late, as long as the seller ships within their handling time.

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Please correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't negatives for late shipping already eligible for removal as long as the seller ships within the stated handling time?  If so, I truly do not see any need to enroll in this program.  My feedback is already littered with comments of super fast shipping because my buyers usually receive their orders within 3 days after payment.  And my international buyers usually within a week. 

Sure there are no guarantees after it leaves my hands but in 18 years I can count on one hand how many packages have been delayed due to USPS.  I suppose eBay footing the bill for a return label is all well and good but why would buyers need such an excuse to return the item anyway?  I sell vintage toys, not plasma.  My buyers are patient so they don't expect their stuff yesterday and can wait for delivery. 

But I ship fast so they don't have to.

[gracieallen01]

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@nawlinsron2wrote:
An opinion from the cheap seats...
I'm sure that ebay can verify that >98.5% of non-economy shipments are delivered in 2-4 days...and could tout THAT instead of GD being so overblown and overemphasized...and made into a "program".
It's little more than a come-on for the microwave mentality. Normal people know that stuff happens when something ships. GD is a boardroom concept...it has no real shape, form, or function. And, like promoted listings, it's efficacy can't be proven because the stats reveal only correlation, not causality.
If I can't sell my wares on ebay based on MY 100% reputation, quality of merchandise, and price points, I'd just as soon pack it in.
The symbiotic relationship here should be between ebay and the seller, not ebay and Wall St.

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@yep, 'tis true.  I can't help it, though.  There are just some questions I have to ask.  I try to be kind to Alan and most of the others, though.  I don't like to use the @  so that they can say, 'Oh, sorry, I didn't see that question/comment'.  I was selling books to Amazon when they were a book search and selling antiques before that.  Still, though, some things just make me go 'hmmmmmmm in the night' - even if not the first encounter for me - and I have to, at least, ask (a flaw of my personality, I have been told, more than once). 

[*eponymous*]

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@coffeebean832wrote:

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brian@ebaywrote:

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@chrysylyswrote:

Hey, I got a free $10 on Corporate because they screwed up the GD estimate.

'Course, after the first of next year, it appears the seller would be on the hook for that 'bonus'.  You good with paying your buyers an extra $5 every time an item is late through no fault of your own?

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Hi @chrysylys, I want to clarity that we will continue to make it right after 2018 by offering buyers one of the below options, covered by us (eBay).

• Shipping cost reimbursement
• Voucher for a future eBay purchase
• Free return label if the sellers accepts return

The coverage that we are offering through 2018 is that we will offer the above coverage even if the seller doesn't ship the item on time. After 2018, we will only offer this coverage if the seller ships within their stated handling time. You'll find this information here. 

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If a seller is in the handling time program and meets their handling time then eBay will cover it.

If a seller is in the door-to-door program and the delivery is late then the seller is responsible starting January 1st.

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@coffeebean832

If a seller is in the door-to-door program does not ship within their handling time and the delivery is late then the seller is responsible starting January 1st.

[southern*sweet*tea]

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@tellmemamawrote:

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@southern*sweet*teawrote:

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<truncated>

But it WILL definitely help for those negs where the buyer drops the red donut for a package a day or two late, as long as the seller ships within their handling time.

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Please correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't negatives for late shipping already eligible for removal as long as the seller ships within the stated handling time?  If so, I truly do not see any need to enroll in this program.  My feedback is already littered with comments of super fast shipping because my buyers usually receive their orders within 3 days after payment.  And my international buyers usually within a week. 

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I don't know. I was always under the assumption that it was the "buyer's opinion" when it came to claims of late delivery in feedback.

I don't see a "need" to enroll in it, but I already do what's required, so I might as well take advantage of any benefits, either real or perceived, that I may get.  It's not like I have to do anything differently.

[sockmonkeydave]

@campesinoplastic2014

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@campesinoplastic2014wrote:

I have no choice but to ponder those numerous instances where sellers post here that they ship well withing their handling time, get a scan, but for some reason Ebay has "info" showing them as "late shippers" and cannot get it fixed. I wonder how well they will do.....

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Well, because it does happen.

A few years back my shipping % went down from 100% to 98%

I ran the report, and this is what it said:

Label printed on time... yes

Inital PO scan.... blank

A couple other fields... blank.

Delivery scan... blank

Two packages shipped the same day, both with no scans.

I pull out my USPS receipt, and call ebay.

1st CS says, we can fix that... well I can't fix that let me transfer you.

6 more CS said the exact lame line, but then they were going to get a supervisor.

While on hold, my call was dropped.

So yes, Guaranteed Delivery looks good...  ON PAPER.

My guy at the PO, his wife does ebay full time.

I ask him what he thought about it, he just laughed.

ebay is making promises that USPS, UPS and fedx, do not make.

Guaranteed delivery, "free returns", And on, and  on, and on.

All to the benefit of ebay's "customers" the buyers.

[tweetystwades]

That's what I want to know, is there a Priority Mail requirement? Most of my items are under 1 lb, I ship First Class.  Also, how is the delivery guaranteed? It's still going to be shipped as it is today. The only difference I see, is you're rewarding the buyer with a voucher if the PO screws up.  Why open up that can of worms?  As long as we ship within our handling time, that's the only thing I can guarantee.  I see many phone calls to ebay because package was late, and seller trying to have neg FB removed because of it.  

[go-bad-chicken]

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@fern*woodwrote:

I asked on chat but didn't see an answer to a question about the eligible shipping methods.  The list shows Priority, and then further down the list it also specifies four flat rate Priority options. 

When I list I generally offer Priority without being specific about which box/envelope I will use.  Does that mean if I use a Priority regional box, or other option not on the list, it would not be eligible?

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I have the same concerns as you and do the exact same thing and just select USPS Priority Mail when I create listings. I do not specify which specific Priority Mail sub-service that I am going to actually use until the item sells.

I posted the question in detail and Jennifer from shipping responded in post #61 of 88.

My original question is in her response. So we shall see.

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Weekly-Chat-with-eBay-Staff/Live-Broadcast-amp-Community-Chat-Mar-28th...