Guaranteed Delivery

[myboardid]

Last year when eBay started Guaranteed Delivery I think I remember them saying that they would provide financial mitigation options for buyers whose packages arrived late through December 2018.  They did not say they would continue doing so after the beginning of 2019.   Does anyone else remember this or am I mistaken?  Now I cannot find any mention of this anywhere. 

Also, when I go to eBay's pages describing the benefits of being in the program, I can only find coverage from ebay for items shipped as Fast & Free, nothing about items with paid shipping.  Do any of you have any insight into whether they cover such?

Most of my items over 2 lbs are listed as calculated shipping via Parcel Select, and I am considering changing this to Priority Mail, which would make them eligible for Guaranteed Delivery to the  whole country.  Right now, since I am in New England, the GD reaches only part way across with Parcel Select. 

I have only signed up for the option of shipping within my one day handling time, NOT the door-to-door program. 

I am considering this change because now, the difference in price for Priority Mail and Parcel Select is now only a few cents for packages, even up to 70 lbs.   Only the items that would fall into the Dimensional Weight category will remain as Parcel Select, and I will not combine shipping on items that would then be pushed into the DW situation unless it is still cheaper than separate shipping. 

Thanks, everyone, for any information you can give me on this! 

[vintagecraze50]

I have been using Priority Mail Flat rate since I began the  delivery and it has been working wonderfully. I do not know when they said they would stop paying the customer if the items did not arrive on time. So far just about everything we send gets there PRONTO. However, we say 1 day handling, but often we ship same day to make sure it gets there.

[vintagequeennyc]

Yes, you are correct. They were offering a $5 site credit if your package did not arrive by the guaranteed delivery date. I actually got one once on a package that arrived significantly late. I also believe they were offering a refund of the shipping cost as well (out of their pocket) if the buyer had paid for shipping. 

Its my understanding that the guaranteed delivery thing has been a huge bust and eBay began quietly backing away from its incentives due to carrier delays. 

Also, worth pointing out that I’ve heard quite a few sellers say that their sales dropped when they opted in to guaranteed delivery. The reasoning being that sellers began suspecting (and seeing in their sales location data) that they were primarily getting sales only within their close geographical location and their listings were not being shown to buyers further away because eBay did not want to cover the costs for late deliveries. This makes perfect sense. If this is all true, it makes you wonder if signing up for guaranteed delivery is worth it if your listings are potentially being hidden from buyers outside your region. 

[southern*sweet*tea]

For all guaranteed delivery items, through 30 June 2018 Ebay would cover the transaction for all gd sellers  whether they met their handling time or not.

https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/seller-updates/2018-spring/shipping-enhancements.html

"Through June 30, eBay will cover any late deliveries to buyers if they raise a case. This means eBay will provide the buyer the choice of "make it right" options per the program terms and conditions. After June 30, eBay will continue to cover late deliveries as long as you meet your handling time commitment."

After 30 June Ebay will only cover those who get their item out in its specified handling time. So as long as you meed your handling time, if the item qualifies for guaranteed delivery and it's delivered late, when/if the buyer files a late case Ebay will cover the voucher, the shipping refund or the return, whichever the buyer chooses.

https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/seller-updates/2018-spring/shipping-enhancements.html#m22_tb_a1...

"What happens if an eBay Guaranteed Delivery item arrives late?

Sellers who opt into the handling time option are required to guarantee same-day or 1-day handling time, and eBay determines and guarantees the delivery date to the buyer. If an item arrives late even though the seller met their handling time, eBay will refund the buyer's shipping cost or pay for their return label. If the buyer wants to keep the item and shipping was free, eBay will provide a coupon that can be used toward a future eBay purchase.

If a seller misses their handling time and the item arrives late, the seller is responsible for providing to the buyer a shipping refund or free return label, whichever the buyer chooses.

In all scenarios, eBay will handle customer service with the buyer."

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

"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."

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As long as you meet your handling time, a seller is covered and negative feedback will be removed.

[tunicaslot]

I'm in guaranteed delivery and I haven't had any problem with regional sales because of it. I sell more to California, Texas and Florida while I'm located in NY so I don't know why others are saying differently. 

[myboardid]

vintagecraze - We also offer 1 Day handling but ship the same day if possible.  I saw nothing on my performance records that indicated I had ever had a late package. 

vintagequeennyc - I believe buyers had an option of choosing a voucher of $5, or a refund of the shipping, or a third option of a free return label (NOT charged to the seller) if the package was late. 

I can't speak for other sellers, but I had plenty of sales all over the country, both for free ship (first class mail) and for heavier paid shipping items, about the same amount as last year for the last quarter of the year.  That is my busiest season. 

[vintagecraze50]

Same here. No problems wherever we ship it. It can go clear across the country and it gets there FAST. I have been delighted with it and my customers are also delighted.

[myboardid]

southern*sweet*tea - thanks for the part that was listed in the spring update.  I thought I had kept that message but I couldn't find it anywhere.  That was the part I was looking for.  I'm glad you showed me the exact dates. 

However, it presents a PITA problem for me.  I ship a  lot of packages at one time, and use a scan sheet when I drop them at the Post Office (no pick-up or mail delivery in my town, only PO Boxes).  When the PO employee scans the sheet, the wording on the tracking says "Shipment Received, Package Acceptance Pending", then when it is scanned at the sorting center the next day, it is then "accepted".  In December, eBay told me that meant I was late in shipping (absolute bull IMO). 

As to the part you listed that comes from the seller center/shipping/guaranteed delivery.html#m22, etc, it says Fast 'N Free, nothing about packages where the buyer has paid for shipping.  Still looking for an answer on that one. 

[southern*sweet*tea]

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@myboardid wrote:

As to the part you listed that comes from the seller center/shipping/guaranteed delivery.html#m22, etc, it says Fast 'N Free, nothing about packages where the buyer has paid for shipping.  Still looking for an answer on that one. 

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Right, didn't catch the fast n' free part, but it's the same with "free" ship or buyer paid.

Also, this says 31 December, the other said 30 June, but it doesn't matter now since 2018 is gone...AND the part about using Ebay  labels in incorrect, since they started allowing non-Ebay labels last year at some point.

https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/shipping/ebay-guaranteed-delivery.html#m22_tb_a2__1

Late Delivery & Financial Responsibility

Through December 31, 2018, eBay will cover "make it right" costs in the event that a buyer claims eBay Guaranteed Delivery specific recompense related to the late delivery of a guaranteed item. We reserve the right to rescind this seller benefit at any time. Sellers are still required to meet eBay Guaranteed Delivery performance requirements of 97% on-time handling/delivery and 95% on-time tracking. eBay will not protect against late shipment defects, and seller's listings can be deactivated from the program if they fall below the performance requirements.

After December 31, 2018, if an order with a guaranteed delivery date arrives late, the transaction will be flagged as "Arrived Late", and your buyer will have the following options and your financial responsibility is as follows:

Buyers can submit a buyer "make it right" claim online beginning on the day following the missed guaranteed delivery date and for thirty (30) days from such missed date.

You are financially responsible for any costs resulting from your failure to comply with your obligations under these Terms. You may be excused from your financial responsibility where the failure was due to circumstances such as severe weather, natural disaster, national emergency, labor strike, or governmental act. Any amount owed to your buyer will be added to your seller invoice or charged against your automatic payment method.

[myboardid]

Thanks for that last info.  It looks like eBay will continue on as before.  Now my only problem will be if they refuse to accept my having dropped off the packages and gotten them scanned but not accepted in time.  I'll take my chances on that.  So far I haven't had any problems. 

[gopetersen]

I purchased an item in December that took two weeks to arrive. The seller shipped it the morning after purchase.

Tracking showed it taking the scenic route around the country, with detours to weird states. It did eventually arrive with a perfectly normal label, so who knows why USPS took almost two weeks to deliver.

I looked around for eBay's Guaranteed Delivery info in my Purchase History but couldn't find it and didn't have time/inclination to hunt all over the Web to find out how to claim it, so I never did.

[lacemaker3]

General reply to the thread.

Here is a link (different one I think) to some more information about Guaranteed Delivery. This doesn't have anything about a date when eBay's contribution would expire.

For the Handling Time option, the seller just has to meet the handling time on their listing (with an "accepted" scan I suppose) and then eBay will either refund the shipping cost, pay for the return label, or provide a voucher (I got $5 once) if the shipping was free and the buyer wants to keep it.

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/shipping-items/offering-ebay-guaranteed-delivery?id=4645

@gopetersen, when I have had a Guaranteed Delivery purchase, there were links to the program in my Purchase History, so it wasn't hard to find out how to claim the voucher. Are you sure your item was Guaranteed Delivery?

In my case, the seller didn't bother to ship the item for a few days, and then sent it without tracking. I wouldn't have claimed the voucher if it had arrived on time, but because they didn't send it promptly, it was quite late. I've also had a few GD purchases that arrived on time, with no concerns, and one arbitrage-seller who cancelled the purchase (wasn't happy about that).

[southern*sweet*tea]

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@gopetersen wrote:

I purchased an item in December that took two weeks to arrive. The seller shipped it the morning after purchase.

Tracking showed it taking the scenic route around the country, with detours to weird states. It did eventually arrive with a perfectly normal label, so who knows why USPS took almost two weeks to deliver.

I looked around for eBay's Guaranteed Delivery info in my Purchase History but couldn't find it and didn't have time/inclination to hunt all over the Web to find out how to claim it, so I never did.

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If the item qualified for GD, you'll find the report late delivery link in the dropdown for that order.

I don't know what's on the page when you click to report, I was afraid to try since my item wasn't late and I didn't want to cause a problem for the seller.