Improper estimated delivery dates

[gil-t-designs]

How do others deal with the improper estimated deliver dates that eBay provides to its buyer? 

My dilemma is that I sell low cost decals/stickers.  Because of that, I use "economy shipping" a stamp and envelope with no tracking.  If I were to purchase a shipping method with tracking, many of the items I sell would result in me actually paying more than I received on the sale or only pennies of a profit.  I've accepted that it's a risk that buyers can turn around and claim they never received an item for which I'd be required to issue a refund or receive an infraction and forced a refund.  But the pathway that the buyers have for that, is where the problem lies.

The main issue is that eBay is telling the buyer that they'll receive the item anywhere from 1-6 business days, despite me choosing "economy shipping 1-10 business days".  It gives the buyer a false expectation of when they'll receive the item.  The buyer then thinks the seller isn't fulfilling their part of the transaction if they don't receive it in a handful of days.  For one, economy shipping will never arrive overnight, so using 1-10 business days is already completely misleading.  Secondly, USPS, themselves, state that this method of shipping is estimated to arrive between 3-10 business days but that it's not a guarantee and can take longer in some instances.  Why then, is eBay misleading the customer, thus setting sellers up for failure?

I, 100% of the time ship orders out the day it's received or the next business day.  However, the estimated delivery dates have resulted in me receiving several opened cases against me for item not received, before they even reach that 10-business day threshold.  Fortunately, I've been able to reach most of those buyers and explain the situation, which results in them understanding and giving it a couple of more days to where they receive their order. 

But, what happens when you can't reach the buyer to explain the situation?  The latest one is for an item not received just 6 business days after purchasing it.  The buyer will not respond to my attempts at communications, 3 messages and two voicemails.  So, in the end, I'll be left with having to provide a refund or receive an infraction and forced a refund.  The kicker is that the time that I've been given to resolve the case would take it to 9 business days from their purchase, which means, I'll have to refund the buyer for an item not received when it hasn't even been a full 10 business days, which is the estimated shipping time that I specifically choose when setting my listings.  So, the buyer will receive the refund and still likely receive their product after the case has been resolved, thus providing the buyer with free product.

I've spoken to eBay and suggested the following:  (Which I know they'll never change)

(1) Estimated shipping times should be based on the actual USPS estimated delivery of the type of shipping you're using.  (Economy, for instance, should estimate 3-10 business days to the customer with a footnote stating that it's still just an estimate and not a guarantee)

(2) Buyers should not be able to open a case against a buyer for item not received until it's been at least 1 week past the ETA.  We all know how inconsistent the USPS is, so proving that window would allow the buyer a fair chance at their customer receiving the item prior to them actually being able to open a case.

(3) If a buyer opens a case against a seller and the seller has documented proof of trying to communicate in order to resolve the matter, yet the buyer does not respond, the case should automatically be closed in the seller's favor.

The above parameters would not eliminate the fraudulent buyer who knows how to manipulate the system for free product and their refund, but again, I've accepted that there will be a small percentage of those.  What it will help with, however, is to eliminate those false expectations to the buyer and prevent cases from being opened up prior to an adequate amount of time passing for the item to be received.  In many of the cases opened against me for item not received, the buyer ends up receiving the item within just a few days later.  

This isn't a case of me being upset at any particular negative feedback incident, as I currently have 100% feedback, but a lot of that has to do with me having to track down these buyers who open cases and plea with them to realize this isn't a seller issue. 

Anyone else selling low-cost items that have to deal with this and if so, how do you handle it?  Any others with suggestions that can help? 

[froggyjump]

Lately Media Mail has been a joke. Most of my mail travels to Sparks  Nevada which is where i had a buyer. Instead they sent the item to Sparks but refused to deliver it. Sending it across states then back to him 8 days later. My Media Mail packages are often very close to it's destination then they are sent the opposite way, scanned for days in different areas, finally delivered.

My son orders books from Amazon and has found this to be rediculous. He keeps coming to me saying it's within a few hrs of us and now it's going out of State again. They really don't like it when people use Media Mail anymore.

[gil-t-designs]

I actually have wording similar to that in a good amount of my listings.  (Still adding it to the rest)  It doesn't matter to most buyers, unfortunately, because they either (a) don't read the entire description or (b) respond with, "that's not when eBay said I'd receive it."  

[gamersbaystore]

Has nothing to do with tracking, everything to do with ebay lying to our customers. I use tracking on every order, yet many never arrive on time. I have a 3 day handling time, ebay tell the buyers they will receive their orders in average of 3 to 5 days, that makes no sense. Even when I manage to ship the same day the orders dont arrive by the junk delivery estimates ebay gives buyers.

[simply-the-best-for-you]

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@gil-t-designs wrote:

Yes, 1-day handling time.  Not sure if true, but I've read some state that handling time doesn't always change the ETA and the ETA's are based off of your history. 

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It's true, but only for 1-3 days.  Above 3 days (IIRC) it actually changes the estimate & you get the red flag showing that your shipping may be delayed. 

I do not sell items that fit in an envelope, so I don't have this issue, but I must say I'm a bit confused.  Isn't a stamped envelope, First Class Mail?  I ship most of my stuff by FC mail, albeit, not in a stamped envelope & easily 90% arrives in 2-3 days, though I have the advantage of being more or less in the middle of the US.   Even coast to coast though, FC mail doesn't take 10 days.  What am I missing?  Or do you ship some other way that I'm not familiar with?  Economy & Standard are eBay umbrella terms, so they're kind of meaningless. 

[gamersbaystore]

I have been complaining about the issue with ebay's junk delivery estimates for the past 2 years. ebay has offered no solutions at all. Apparently there is nothing we can do.

I wish ebay would stay out of our business and let us decide when to ship our orders. We have shipping policies that are pointless, they are just entirely ignored.

[gil-t-designs]

They want tracking because those shipping methods provide quicker delivery times.  They're looking to compete with the big online stores, when it's a completely different type of platform. 

Suggesting that a buyer has communicated with the seller by opening a case, without ever attempting direct contact with them, is ridiculous.  I'm sorry, but that's opposite of what's encouraged.  eBay encourages in their own writing when opening cases, to communicate with the other party prior to filing claims.  At the very least, it's common courtesy to communicate with them.

[gamersbaystore]

That's just not true. I have tried changing my handling times a million times over, it has never changed the estimates given to my buyers. I have 3 day handling times, yet the buyers get estimates of 3 to 5 days on average. I can set my handling times to 10 business days, ebay will still tell every buyer they're going to receive their order in a few days.

[johnrj1226]

Here is what USPS states as the estimated delivery times are.  USPS  consider M-F a business  day unless there is a USPS Holiday +  your handling time and the clock starts when Your local Post office Accepts you FCM items.  w/o  tracking you have no way to back up your claim.  I shipped  1665  eBay packages plus  a couple hundred personal shipmentvia First Class Package and Priority mail very few have  run past the estimated delivery date

[gamersbaystore]

Even with tracking you have no defense. USPS doesn't decide when sellers items are shipped, and the estimates ebay gives buyers do not reflect the estimates given by the postal service either. I ship a lot with media mail, which is up to 9 business days, the estimates never reflect this. What about handling times? Those are totally ignored.

[simply-the-best-for-you]

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@gamersbaystore wrote:

That's just not true. I have tried changing my handling times a million times over, it has never changed the estimates given to my buyers. I have 3 day handling times, yet the buyers get estimates of 3 to 5 days on average. I can set my handling times to 10 business days, ebay will still tell every buyer they're going to receive their order in a few days.

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It absolutely IS true & has been for years.  I just can't remember exactly what number is the magic number.  It's either 4 or 5.  You can tell b/c you get the big red or yellow flag.  Very easy to test.   It's also been very frustrating for those of us who ship same or next day, but occasionally want 3 days, but it goes by your shipping history, rather than the 3 days.   It's been discussed with & by eBay many times. 

[slippinjimmy]

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@coolections wrote:

I see no problem with the estimated delivery dates. I see June 29th to July 5th which is plenty of time even using just stamps. Don't worry, you will be fine.

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I suspect the OP is looking at their own listings using their own zip code as the destination. I checked out one of them, the delivery estimates seem fine, a bit tight for local but not so much for more distant zips.

One thing I know for sure, my metrics show ZERO late deliveries.

[gil-t-designs]

Unfortunately, from what I've been advised by my post office, first-class packages and first-class letters are handled completely differently.  First class packages are usually delivered within 3-5 business days.  (Although not guaranteed).  They cost over 6 times the amount of a first class letter, so they get higher priority.  For the items that I sell that are higher priced and I do purchase shipping as a first-class package, they're always delivered within 5 business days.  I've never had one take longer.  However, from what my post office has advised me of first-class letters, is that they're processed as last priority and if they're busy, it can sit until they have time to process them.

[froggyjump]

The last two items I sent stamped mail was our Mortgage and it arrived 24 days later. Then our water bill and it arrived 15 days later.  USPS deliberately plays games. What I would do, is leave feedback perfectly timed to be right when you feel they may contact you for item not received. Let them know in FB you've learned mail is taking longer then thank them for buying from you.

[eunster1313]

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@gil-t-designs wrote:

Thanks for the reply.  You understand since you use another "economy" method of shipping.  eBay is so into wanting to compete with the other sites out there with their 2-day shipping and such, they're completely hanging us sellers out to dry.  

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[simply-the-best-for-you]

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@gil-t-designs wrote:

Unfortunately, from what I've been advised by my post office, first-class packages and first-class letters are handled completely differently.  First class packages are usually delivered within 3-5 business days.  (Although not guaranteed).  They cost over 6 times the amount of a first class letter, so they get higher priority.  For the items that I sell that are higher priced and I do purchase shipping as a first-class package, they're always delivered within 5 business days.  I've never had one take longer.  However, from what my post office has advised me of first-class letters, is that they're processed as last priority and if they're busy, it can sit until they have time to process them.

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Ok thank you.  That's the part I was missing.  I did not realize that FC pkgs are handled so differently & since I send out pkgs, I have not experienced this.   If it were me, I'd probably change to shipping with tracking & spin that into a positive for the buyer, but I understand why you wouldn't want to do that.