Selling issues and questions

[benhogan2014]

This topic can cover selling on ebay, returns on ebay , shipping and delivery on ebay.  So I think it is appropriate to this board because my problem seems to be under the umbrella of selling.

1.  Buyer purchased quantity 2 of 2 different items for a total of 4 items on December 27 (Friday) 

2. eBay guaranteed delivery promised the buyer that they would arrive on Tuesday December 31 

3. Stated Shipping was by first class mail

4 items were shipped across country literally 2400 miles

The buyer opened a case to return the items due to "arriving too late" and requested a return which was automatically accepted.  I was surprised by the arriving late comment and thus checked the shipping and tracking. I had one day shipping and never in my history of over 21 years of selling on ebay would I ever expect a package to go across country and be delivered in one day.  (purchased Friday, shipped Monday expected delivery Tuesday)  Honestly I am not even sure that I could do express shipping and get it there that fast.

 But the problem is the package is not scheduled to be delivered until today.  He didn't even get the items before he asked to return them because they are late.  PLUS he only asked to return half the order. (2 items out of the 4 he purchased and are in the package)  I wonder if he thought he was opening a guaranteed delivery claim.  I don't know how the return shipping works for that.  As it stands, he is responsible for return shipping costs.  He hasn't emailed me back.

I have a habit of shipping on Saturdays so in this case, I did ship the package early but with the holiday and who knows what else, the package did not arrive on time.  It happens …  But I still don't get how the guaranteed delivery was so fast.  (and would never had a chance of making it if I had not shipped it on Saturday)

Did ebay move  the guaranteed delivery date based on my habits?  I've specifically asked ebay this question several times and was told that they do not change the estimated or guaranteed delivery date.

So fast forward to today.  I purchased an item today that is to be shipped by Priority mail.  The guaranteed delivery date is Tuesday January 7.    The seller does not have same day shipping so the first business day for shipping would be Monday.  Again, what is up with this "overnight guaranteed delivery" for packages?  Unless that seller ships today or tomorrow  it is highly unlikely that a package will arrive here on Tuesday.

I'm not trying to guess if this seller will ship before the one day but I certainly don't think that the guaranteed delivery dates should be only 1 day after shipping.

Of course, when I called Ebay customer service they told me that the Post Office provides those dates.  And he also said that he has packages arrive overnight all the time (even across country)  I'm not sure I am believing that.

What do you think?

What is with these strange guaranteed delivery dates?

[corvettestainless]

Guaranteed Delivery is a mess and was never originally suppose to be for 1st class. The program states' expedited' shipping methods, but 1st class is chosen by accident often. I've had items go from Cali to FL in 2 days (1st Class) and Priority in 3 Days, and I've had items go from Cali to AZ 1st class and take 5 days. 1st Class means 'if there's room on the plan/van/truck  so it should never be picked by ebay for this. 

Did you ask the buyer what their intention was? If they opened a return, authorize it and have them return for refund. You will only be refunding for the order they did (2 items), so when they arrive, refund. 

[myboardid]

I have had packages cross the entire country and be delivered in one day.  I have had packages sent to the next town over take 10 days. 

Guaranteed delivery is supposed to be based on your normal shipping time.  eBay is picking up the tab for the return because they are the one who made the guarantee.  Unfortunately, you are the one who has to refund for the items.  And frankly the buyer used this as an excuse to change his mind about the items he bought from you. 

This is one of the things, among many, that eBay has done in the name of customer service for buyers that truly hurts sellers. 

[fashunu4eeuh]

I believe eBay's Guaranteed Delivery program was instituted in response to Amazon's Prime program. Ebay wants to say that its sellers can compete on shipping times. However, Amazon has fulfillment centers and is set up for 2 day shipping because it has the items in its possession, unlike eBay. So we see wildly optimistic delivery times for the GD in many cases. 

[yankeeseats]

NO! ebay guarantees delivery ebay can eat this loss. and NO he can't return only half the shipment.  I would do nothing except call ebay...this is their problem. according to the program buyer gets item for free and the refund should not come from you.

[golfingaddict]

I think ebay has lost it.

Today I have four orders that came in (should ship Monday)

With one day handling, they say they are going to be delivered on Tuesday.   WA to OH, WA to KY, WA to CA

And one says it will be delivered on Wednesday  WA to WA  (ironic huh?)

[yankeeseats]

https://www.ebay.com/help/buying/shipping-delivery/buying-items-ebay-guaranteed-delivery?id=4641

but I haven't found anything on the seller's responsibility yet. unbelievable IMO

[golfingaddict]

@myboardid 

So you wouldn't have a problem with ebay giving one day delivery estimates to your buyers across the country?

Seems to me that ebay has a problem with their delivery estimates.

1 day delivery by first class mail is not happening.  Never.. Not even close.

[fashunu4eeuh]

@yankeeseats wrote:

“NO! ebay guarantees delivery ebay can eat this loss. and NO he can't return only half the shipment.  I would do nothing except call ebay...this is their problem. according to the program buyer gets item for free and the refund should not come from you.”

To clarify, the buyer might be able to return half the order. If the listing was for a lot or set, then the buyer would be required to return the whole order to get a refund, but it sounds as if this was not the case. It is possible for one or more items to be returned. Multiple items purchased via a variable or multi-quantity listing or multiple individual items purchased in the same checkout can be returned as one or more pieces of the original order. Link to policy below.

https://www.ebay.com/help/buying/returns-refunds/return-item-refund?id=4041

“Can I return more than one item from my order?
Depending on the listing, you can return one item or multiple items...”

[myboardid]

Oh, I definitely have a problem with it. It is not normal delivery time, it has just happened a few times. eBay's estimates are wildly unrealistic. I send a note with the tracking number to each buyer when I ship, and I put a sentence in the note about eBay being wrong on their delivery estimates most of the time. My buyers are, for the most part, very reasonable about their expectations.

[johnrj1226]

@benhogan2014 

Wonder why the  last  2 items we purchased this week show an ESTIMATED  delivery date of Monday January 6 on both the tracking and item listing.  Both being shipped by First Class Package one ordered on Jan. 1, coming from Mesa, AZ to GA and the other on Jan 2 (shipping from Houston, TX to Mineral Wells - near Ft. Worth to our daughter).