How to modify handling time on a listed item?

[refdef]

Hello, I have another noobie question.  I received an offer on an item with a message that the potential buyer is going out of town next week and doesn't want me to ship the item until April.  I have a one-day shipping policy currently and I can't figure out how to change that for the item in question, as pretty much everything is locked in the listing when I try to revise it.  Is there a way to do what I am trying to do?  I appreciate you seasoned sellers and your advice!

[nobody*s_perfect · Accepted solution]

You can't change the handling time on a listing that has an active offer.  So you have to strategize. If you're willing to wait for payment, then tell the buyer that you'll accept the offer but he should wait to pay when he's ready for you to ship. Otherwise, decline the offer so you can revise the handling time, then he can offer gain.

[simply-the-best-for-you]

You can't do it after the fact.  

I usually do what they ask & just accept the late shipping ding b/c just 1 or 2 of those isn't enough to get you in trouble, but I am not a new seller so I'm not sure if it would affect you differently. 

[onefootflipper]

Just set the item aside and ship it when the customer wants you to ship it. One late shipment won't matter. Heck, I sometimes have things make it all the way to the customer without the tracking label ever being scanned once. 

[simply-the-best-for-you]

Well, it WILL matter, but it won't cause OP to go below standard.  It will matter b/c it will limit how many more they can have.   IDK though if the allotted percentage is different for new sellers.  I don't think it is, so I think OP is fine to do it. 

The OP CAN call & ask Ebay to remove the Dashboard dings by having Ebay read the messages that indicate it was buyer requested, but it affect 2 different metrics & they will remove it from one of them, but not the other one (that's tied into the USPS).   

[onefootflipper]

What happens if the seller marks it as shipped but never uploads a tracking number. Is it still the same level of ding?

[downunder-61]

I read the post and my knee jerk reaction was April ?? I dont think so.....................

Then I realised it is already the 26th March(27th here) ...........where does the time go?

[mtgraves7984]

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@nobody*s_perfect wrote:

You can't change the handling time on a listing that has an active offer.  So you have to strategize. If you're willing to wait for payment, then tell the buyer that you'll accept the offer but he should wait to pay when he's ready for you to ship. Otherwise, decline the offer so you can revise the handling time, then he can offer gain.

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@refdef 

You have options. ^^^ Pick one of these. Good luck.

[simply-the-best-for-you]

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@onefootflipper wrote:

What happens if the seller marks it as shipped but never uploads a tracking number. Is it still the same level of ding?

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Yup, marking it as shipped does nothing anymore, hasn't for years.  It's all interfaced directly into the USPS system.  2 different dings, one for 

Late shipment rate

the other for 

Tracking uploaded on time and validated

 which breaks down further as: 

100.00%

Top Rated95.00% or more

Here's a breakdown of transactions in which tracking wasn't uploaded on time or didn't receive a carrier scan.

Not uploaded at all

Uploaded late

Uploaded on time but no carrier scan

Total

One of these, I believe it's the Late Shipment Rate, will be removed by Ebay if you call & tell them that it was buyer requested & of course, your messages must prove that.  The other one is tied into USPS & they won't remove.  

[refdef]

Yep, my local post office doesn't always scan my items the same day that I drop them off at the unused counter.  That's reflected in my 96+% "tracking number scanned on time" (or whatever that stat is) number.  I've been trying really hard to do the best that I can and don't want to take any ding at all, if I can help it.  Neck vertebrae fusion notwithstanding, I can do one-day shipping, but I don't want to take a voluntary ding.