Holiday buyer syndrome part 2 and ebay throwing me under the bus

[iamalwaysright]

Over the past few years I've found out that impatient holiday buyers aren't the worst in ebay. It's been overtaken by the impatient sports fan buyers. Cue Superbowl. It doesn't help that ebay totally sets me up to fail.

I have a buyer who bought football related shirts from me on Friday Jan 31. I'm in Calif, and she is in NC. So it's a coast to coast sale. I shipped the package our on Monday Feb 3. After a nasty message and a negative, I see on record that the ebay ETA given to the buyer is Feb 3 - Feb 6. This was for Ground Advantage, likely the exact same ETA ebay gave for Priority Mail (according to previous unrelated threads 😠).

Really ebay?? The first arrival date on the ETA range you gave the buyer is one business day after the buyer paid me?? Did you forget the fact that I even have TWO BUSINESS DAY HANDLING on this item?? I'm not even supposed to ship this item out one day after your ETA you gave to the buyer. How is that helpful?

So today is Wednesday Feb 5, and the Superbowl is Sunday Feb 9. So now ebay incorrectly shows (maybe recently updated?) the ETA as Feb 10, the day after the Superbowl.

I say incorrectly because if you click the tracking link to go to USPS website, it shows arrival date to be tomorrow Feb 6, days before the Superbowl.

It's likely after the buyer saw the "incorrectly adjusted" ebay ETA of Feb 10, she flipped out. Her message to me "I am so angry. I ordered these shirts to have them before the Super Bowl. I did not receive my order now. They saying that it’s not coming until Monday so I want my money back because I don’t need the shirts now. This is absolutely unacceptable and ridiculous. You ruined my Superbowl."

And she also left negative feedback "I am so angry the shirts was supposed to be here for the superbowl now they won’t be here until after the superbowl. I want a refund back. This is crazy. Worst seller ever."

Do you have anything to say for yourself ebay? If you don't want me to sell on here anymore, just say so. Stop these passive aggressive tactics to try and smoke me out. The buyer herself isn't without fault neither, how could I ever have known you needed these by the Superbowl? She bought multiple listings, I'm just glad I only get one negative thus far.

[inhawaii]

Apologize and explain to your buyer what the "E" stands for in ETA.

[iamalwaysright]

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@inhawaii wrote:

Apologize and explain to your buyer what the "E" stands for in ETA.

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Ha ha ha ha. I should also add in the message for her to "calm down" using those exact words.

Ebay should call them BETA's now. B = Badly. Because why else would you make an estimated arrival date before it was supposed to be shipped out.

[folioliis_thrift]

Another one to add to your block list imo! I've seen several sellers on here complaining at the estimated arrival times that eBay is showing their buyers, too. Sucks you got negative feedback and an angry buyer over something you don't have control over.

As for the handling times you specified, I doubt the buyer even noticed that. Not that that's your fault, but it's just a common trend that buyers barely read listing details of any sort before purchasing. They just assume it's like Amazon and they'll get their order in two days or less.

[rugerskick]

This is actually an area ebay needs to get out of ASAP because they are not a carrier service.  Every carrier service sellers can pick from on the ebay web site provides their own estimated delivery ranges.  This is ebay actually doing unnecessary work, redundant work, and also doing the work very badly, contradicting the carrier estimates.  And then causing seller problems that go on to damage seller accounts.

[wastingtime101]

I've spent a lot (way too much) time with the tracking pop up on eBay lately.

EDD of the 10th date came from USPS. It was in that blue box on the left of the USPS page yesterday.

Today USPS changed it to the 6th after it was scanned in Raleigh. But, from all I've observed with my own shipments, eBay is late to update the new EDD from USPS. I'd guess it's a delay in USPS sending the data through the API - no idea - but by tomorrow it should be updated to the 6th. Tomorrow is actually day of estimated delivery so maybe that will calm down your freaking out buyer.

You can easily get the neg removed after delivery.

It's a horrible experience for both buyer and seller. You've seen my past posts on the topic like this one, and I've noticed the problem where item is purchased Friday and eBay tells buyer to expect it Sat or Mon which is flat out wrong. The fact it's a cross-country shipment makes it even more embarrassing.

Last week I was looking at a listing and it told me if I purchased that day (Thurs night) and seller shipped next day (Fri) that I should expect delivery on Saturday earliest / Monday latest. Media Mail. Zone 7 if my memory is correct. 😖

I think that was the worst EDD example I've seen to date.

I forgot to mention: it also told me Priority Express would arrive in the same timeline of Sat to Mon. 🙄

[ittybitnot]

@iamalwaysright 

All I can say is you in all actuality probably ship promptly as a rule.  You likely ship way before your "handling" time expires.  Thus the exaggerated estimates given to the buyer by eBay.  Your actual shipping behavior is heavily weighted in deciding those estimates.  For example, if you ship the next day most times with a handling time of three business days, your three business days is discounted in favor of your actual shipping behavior.  Thus the confusion that often results in the "angry buyer syndrome" where the eBay estimate is not taking in consideration your handling time.    The handling time is not displayed on the first page of your listing anymore either, a buyer must click through to see it.  It is not displayed at all even on a click through for auction listings.   

I know this does not solve your immediate problem, but neither will extending your handling time by another day.  Though it is said that to "under promise" and "over deliver" is a good customer service strategy, eBay will not be of assistance with regards to the estimated delivery dates, and thwart your attempts. 

[12345jamesstamps]

I agree with you on these 'estimated shipping' times.

If I have 5 business days to ship out from Feb. 5th but estimated date of arrival can be Feb. 8th-10th...I don't even get 5 business days for mailing the item.  And I am not talking about in California to California.

And if the weather is bad...we know it will not make in that time-frame.

Is this eBay or am I working in Amazon...

You can ask for a feedback 'revision' when it arrives...but I am wondering if a partial refund might come into play with this 'drama buyer'.

[wastingtime101]

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@ittybitnot wrote:

All I can say is you in all actuality probably ship promptly as a rule.  You likely ship way before your "handling" time expires.  Thus the exaggerated estimates given to the buyer by eBay. 

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I couldn't disagree more @ittybitnot . While yes, his historical handling time of 1 day trumps his actual handling time of 2 days, in what universe is the below acceptable?

- Purchase Friday

- EDD based on shipping in 1 day historically which means shipping on Monday

- Service Ground Adv

- Shipping coast-to-coast

- Tell buyer to expect it Monday

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Even if eBay used the absurdly short 2-5 day window, that means they should be telling the buyer the earliest EDD is Wednesday.

And we all know Ground Adv coast-to-coast very rarely arrives within 2 days. I'm actually amazed this one is scheduled to arrive within 3 days!

[ittybitnot]

@wastingtime101 

Though the USPS delivery estimates will "change" with the progress/lack of progress of the package, it is my impression that the actual estimated delivery dates posted on the Order Details when payment is made do not.  

I did not realize, from your examples that it was as bad as it is.  Thanks for the enlightenment, and my additional sympathies to the OP @iamalwaysright 

[wastingtime101]

Yeah there's something really messed up about it @ittybitnot . Even putting all of USPS's current operational issues and regional delays aside, look at the bare bones stuff coming from eBay:

I have 1 day handling, historically I ship within 1 day (not same day), buyer purchases Friday, I do not have Saturday set as a working day and I never ship on Saturday (except the week before Christmas), eBay gives an EDD telling the buyer they'll get a coast-to-coast ground shipment on Monday. Not physically possible when they know I'm shipping on Monday.

[ittybitnot]

And we all know Ground Adv coast-to-coast very rarely arrives within 2 days. I'm actually amazed this one is scheduled to arrive within 3 days!

@wastingtime101 

Got it, and I agree.  Lucky for me I don't sell here anymore.   I made a decision a few years ago NOT to sell here anymore.  For me, it was like finally cutting lose an abusive spouse, re affirming faith in myself, and going for something else.   I still enjoy internet selling, and it is how I support myself.  I do better than I did selling here for 24 years, and I no longer live in fear of dings, defects, seller status punishment camp, payment holds,  or any related issues.  

I do keep track of my customer's shipments.  Though I don't always alert them to a slowdown, they can see the tracking for themselves if they so desire.  They know the item they bought was in the hands of USPS the next day.  When we were "frozen in space" a few weeks ago with a half mile long driveway that was merely 5" of ice, my buyers were informed.  I'm from FL, and was determined to make it out of here...LOL...

I never doubt what you say here, and these estimates are "over the top".   eBay's stance must be "over promise to make the sale" and let the seller take the hit for under performance  that is no fault of theirs. 

[wastingtime101]

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@ittybitnot wrote:

I never doubt what you say here, and these estimates are "over the top".   eBay's stance must be "over promise to make the sale" and let the seller take the hit for under performance  that is no fault of theirs. 

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Haha you should - I am not always right unlike the OP. 😁

And I agree with the assessment on eBay's stance.

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@ittybitnot wrote:

I made a decision a few years ago NOT to sell here anymore. 

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I'm an active seller with multiple eBay stores and I sell through other ecommerce platforms, as well. I worry DeJoy will sink USPS into the ground or privatize it and run me out of business. More than half of my inventory is under 13 oz and others' rates don't compare to USPS in that weight class. We shall see, but the outlook (currently) isn't good. Buuuuut, that is a whole other topic so I'll leave it at that and not derail the OP's discussion.

[iamalwaysright]

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@folioliis_thrift wrote:

As for the handling times you specified, I doubt the buyer even noticed that. Not that that's your fault, but it's just a common trend that buyers barely read listing details of any sort before purchasing. They just assume it's like Amazon and they'll get their order in two days or less.

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That handling time statement was aimed at ebay. My handling time set was 2 business days after purchase, yet ebay gave the buyer an ETA (estimated time of arrival) as soon as 1 business day after purchase.

If I ship on the date according to my handling time, USPS would have to take negative 1 days to deliver this to the buyer coast to coast to meet that absurd earliest arrival time estimate.