My understanding is we're being detected from defects like that at this time.
The biggest issue for me is it's causing me to have to deal with a lot of confused and upset buyers messaging me complaining about the guaranteed delivery date and it not being there.
They open a case, I upload tracking and then sometimes a week late it arrives after having dead tracking for a week.
The good news is most buyers have been understanding, but not all. The problem is most buyers request an refund when it doesn't show up not understanding I can't do that because it'll still likely arrive and I'll be out everything. The USPS shipments being delayed simply aren't my fault and are out of my hands. But they feel that since it didn't arrive at the guaranteed delivery date, which is an eBay/USPS guarantee btw (not something any seller says or makes up) they deserve a refund. If eBay could cover the amount, they could all get one, but of course eBay won't even though it's really their guarantee.
Yesterday it came to really hurt me finally, though. A delayed USPS shipment resulted in a buyer who hasn't purchased anything in a year (and has only 8 previous feedbacks all time) left me a negative when their item didn't arrive on time due to USPS delay. This was right after they messaged me asking where their item was.
The problem is their feedback is generic and simply says they wouldn't buy from me, as if it's my fault. But because they didn't mention the shipment being late eBay has refused to remove the feedback.
So these delayed shipments have now ruined my perfect feedback reputation for at least a year unless this person agrees a revision (which, they did, but they're technically illiterate and there's a language barrier so they can't figure out how to do it).
So, be careful. I wouldn't worry if I thought eBay would do the right thing and protect me from negative feedback in cases where negative feedback arises from delayed USPS shipments, but clearly that is not the case.
My advise is if you do ruin into an upset buyer about delayed shipments explain the COVID-19 situation slowing shipments, apologize and ask for patience but try to get them to say in a message they're upset about the slow shipping. If they do leave you a negative, ask them why and try to get them to say it's because of the slow shipment. In that case you have a better chance of getting your negative feedback removed.
As a quick hilarious side story: one of the upset buyers contacted me (they e-mailed me directly, oddly enough) I explained to them about the slow shipments and they said I should use FedEx and UPS for my shipments (lol). They also -- you're not going to believe this -- thought Priority Mail was free for me. LMAO.
