Need clarification about DSR's, do they effect anything?

[dcmerc2012]

So I have a retail shop as well as several online sales venues so I am selling and shipping all of the time. Because of this I am simply not able to get something out the door the same day it is purchased, I just don't have the man power that Amazon has... Therefore I always put a 4 business day handling time on my eBay listings to give me a time window to get it out and on the way. Now I do realize that most buyers are dumber than dishwater and they don't actually bother READING the shipping details on things they purchase (let alone understand the huge costs with shipping items, but that is a gripe for another time), so I often get a poor rating on my DSR for shipping time, regardless of the fact that they items in question are shipped out on schedule.

I just got a neutral feedback this evening from someone who, again, didn't bother reading my shipping details and just assumed that the package was sent late, when in fact it was right on schedule. I have explained this to them via message and did a feedback revision request, but I am just going to assume that they will likely not change it.

Regardless, I am curious if a sellers feedback and/or DSR's effect their listing visability or placement in the search system? or is feedback essencially cosmetic at this point? I vaquely remember reading something not long ago that eBay has stopped using the feedback system to rate sellers in their system but instead is using the defect rate (rate of returns, cases opened, etc) as their basis for lowering of status, etc.

Is this correct?

Thanks in advance for your clarity on this matter.

P.

[dairywyfe]

I didn't know you could get a negative (low) mark on the DSR for shipping time... if you shipped within your stated timeline?

[dcmerc2012]

You can't if it is an international shipment, but can on domestic shipments. Also, ebay doesn't take into account handling time when puting their automated "delivery time" on the purchase page, which is not really fair.

[dairywyfe]

I didn't know that... that stinks.

But I didn't think it looked like any big deal... the "neutral" comments being made. What's of more concern to me is the way a seller responds. If I'm being totally honest... I think you sound a little snarky (sorry!)... but that might just be me 😞

[dairywyfe]

ps... I'm sure you're frustrated in your replies... especially if you think the feedback is completely unjustified.

[reallynicestamps]

Neither feedback nor DSRs have any effect on how eBay looks at your selling account anymore.

Basically not enough members leave any feedback to make it reliable, and even fewer leave DSRs.

Which is why you will occasionally see a seller with dozens of "5" stars for shipping and nothing else.

We get an automatic 5 for Free Shipping.

That being said, if there is one customer complaining to you, it is a old saying in business that there are ten (or a hundred) complaining to their friends.

And that will be affecting all of us, because they won't mention you, they will badmouth eBay.

I have a retail shop as well as several online sales venues .... I am simply not able to get something out the door the same day it is purchased, ... I always put a 4 business day handling time on my eBay listings to give me a time window to get it out and on the way.

Which is another way of saying that you are overextended.

Either it is time to hire help or to pull back until you can complete all the sales you are making.

Going only by feedback you are making about 10 sales a month here. And all of them required special handling, since apparently all of them had accepted Best Offers.

Perhaps eBay is not lucrative enough for the work you are putting into it. Or one of your other venues.

Perhaps you could set up a higher automatic refusal on lowball offers.

Or rething pricing and refuse all lower offers.

Or rearrange your workday so that you are coming in an hour earlier or staying an hour later to pack those items you have sold that day for shipping.

[dcmerc2012]

Or....

People could learn to actually read the shipping information on items they purchase.  It is clearly marked that items purchase have up to a four day handling time, therefore **bleep**ing and moaning about it is unjustified if one purchases an item with said shipping requirement clearly stated.

[fern*wood]

 I also get annoyed from time to time at one of my buyers but seeing a seller write:

"Now I do realize that most buyers are dumber than dishwater..."  really sounds bad.

I've read that feedback & dsrs are still used to some extent with placement of your listings, but they are not used in your monthly evaluations.

[chrysylys]

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@dcmerc2012wrote:
and did a feedback revision request,

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When I see revised FB, it makes me think the seller is trying to mainpulate their FB.  I'd rather see the Neg or Neut which I feel are more genuine and honest than 'Revised'.

[partial*eclipse]

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@dairywyfewrote:
I didn't know you could get a negative (low) mark on the DSR for shipping time... if you shipped within your stated timeline?

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You sure can.  The only time you're protected against a low DSR for shipping time is if you qualify for the automatic "5" rating.  

You'll automatically receive a 5-star shipping time detailed seller rating if:

• You specify either same business day or 1 business day handling.
• You upload US Postal Service, UPS, or FedEx supported tracking information by the end of the next business day (Pacific Time) after the buyer's payment clears. For same business day handling, upload tracking within 1 business day. A business day is a normal weekday. Saturdays, Sundays, and major holidays aren't business days.
• Tracking data must show the package as having a status of "delivered" with a delivery date within 4 days of payment clear.

http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-practices.html

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

Just wow, SMH. 

Perhaps you could consider that the buyers are not dumb, that you are unclear. I opened one of your listings and did not see anything in the description about delayed shipping. If the delay is hidden in the shipping tab where buyers may not do mental gymnastics and figure it out, maybe they're not the problem?

When you point fingers at others remember how many point back at you. 

[chrysylys]

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@the*dog*ate*my*tableclothwrote:
I opened one of your listings and did not see anything in the description about delayed shipping. If the delay is hidden in the shipping tab where buyers may not do mental gymnastics and figure it out, maybe they're not the problem?

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Hey Dog, at the top of the Card Case thing .....

Delivery:

Estimated between Wed. Mar. 21 and Wed. Mar. 28

Includes 4 business days handling time after receipt of cleared payment.

OP, lose the bit about 'cards pictured not included'.  Don't show things in pictures if they're not included.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

Anything important or out of the ordinary should be put in the description. OP is complaining that buyers don't understand her handling times. Since I predate the shipping tab by years I often forget to open it up. I guess that makes me dumb too.

If what the OP is doing is not working, maybe they need to try something else?

[goodluckselling]

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@dcmerc2012wrote:

You can't if it is an international shipment, but can on domestic shipments. Also, ebay doesn't take into account handling time when puting their automated "delivery time" on the purchase page, which is not really fair.

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Yes they do.  But if you ship earlier than your handling time states the clock starts when you ship and the buyer receives a message from eBay stating your item has shipped and here is your new estimated time frame for delivery.

[dairywyfe]

Very interesting... I didn't know that... thanks! 🙂