Speaking of Guaranteed Delivery...

[nawlinsron2]

How many ebay delivery trucks have you spotted lately?

[brian@ebay]

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@penguins_dont_fly wrote:

Hi brian@ebay

I have a question.

Before GD, my listings showed 3 day delivery with Priority Mail and 1-2 Days with Priority Express (I offer both).

Now that I'm in GD, all of my items show 4 Days ... on both options ... including Express ...  😞  So my items do not show when a buyer uses the toggle 😞 😞

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Hi @penguins_dont_fly, that's really strange. I'll send you an email so I can get more details, so keep an eye out for it 

[penguins_dont_fly]

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brian@ebay wrote:

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@penguins_dont_fly wrote:

Hi brian@ebay

I have a question.

Before GD, my listings showed 3 day delivery with Priority Mail and 1-2 Days with Priority Express (I offer both).

Now that I'm in GD, all of my items show 4 Days ... on both options ... including Express ...  😞  So my items do not show when a buyer uses the toggle 😞 😞

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Hi @penguins_dont_fly, that's really strange. I'll send you an email so I can get more details, so keep an eye out for it 

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brian@ebay

Received and Responded

[rainbowcolorz]

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brian@ebay wrote:

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@ittybitnot wrote:

Don't forget if the stuff does not arrive in time it is YOUR fault for choosing the carrier.  Even if the buyer chooses the carrier it is your fault for going along with it.  

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Hi @ittybitnot, I need to clarify that eBay will cover the shipping refund, voucher, or return shipping label if an item with Guaranteed Delivery is delivered late. eBay will also remove any negative feedback related to a late delivery. Sellers that use the handling time option just need to ship the item out withing their stated handling time. If this requirement is met, eBay will take care of the rest! (I do need to mention that through 2018, eBay will cover the shipping refund, voucher, or return shipping cost even if the seller doesn't meet their handling time).

@nawlinsron2, eBay is guaranteeing that if an item isn't delivery by the guaranteed date, we will compensate the buyer from our own pockets. I encourage everyone to carefully read through the Guaranteed Delivery FAQ for more details.

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Well, all of this sounds too good to be true (Judge Judy comes to mind) and I al still on the shelf about GD.  I oped out the other day because I am just not sure if this will work for me or not and I don't know how to figure it out.

I only had 1 pkg that eBay determined did not meet "their shipping/delivery standards" for which I received a ding on my DSR (back when we could run reports for them), even though my buyer gave me 5 stars, including item received on time.  I do not recall any info at this time about the actual scan on that package since it was a very long time ago.  

Can anyone please tell me what, if anything, I should be concerned about if I choose to go back and opt IN to GD?  

I already agreed to Free Returns. 

Thanks kindly.

[gracieallen01]

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brian@ebay wrote:

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Hi @generaluser3, I'm happy to clarify that we've already announced that we will continue covering late deliveries after 2018 if the seller meets their handling time. Through 2018 we will cover any late delivery. I also want to mention that we do not have any plans to end this program.

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Just curious, Brian T.

Many things happen that are not planned - take ebay, for example.

Does this mean that ebay had plans to end all the other things that have been discontinued, 'modified', ended and such?  Does this mean that it won't be obsolete at some time in the future, that it will outlast ebay?  ebay hasn't had a problem introducing metrics that are to ONLY be used as tools to help sellers - never against them - until the following Seller Update, when the results are added to the list of no-nos (often retroactively), among other things.  How will is this be different?

And what of the buyers that become accustom to this 'consideration', like with the money back guarantee, the free shipping, and other perks that ebay has touted for their platform, under the guise of 'Industry Standard', how will ebay console them?  Also, what will ebay do FOR the SELLER, when buyers become more disgruntled?

[nawlinsron2]

Easy...if someone clicks that 3Day toggle, you won't be shown UNLESS you offer optional Express Mail or 2 Day Fedex, or some other expedited service.
Which of course is a farce, since the CARRIER is now guaranteeing ONE or TWO delivery...
at 2-4 times the cost of "reg" expedited (e.g., Priority Mail) service.

[castlemagicmemories]

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@nawlinsron2 wrote:
GD begs the question...why is that neanderthal "your item has shipped" nomenclature still in existence in response to a label simply being printed?

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https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/YOUR-ITEM-HAS-SHIPPED-please-share-your-opinion/m-p/27941651

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Bidding-Buying/YOUR-ITEM-HAS-SHIPPED-please-share-your-opinion/m-p/279...

These threads are from January.  Ebay has been working on this to be more in line with other shipping notices.

tyler@ebay

Sorry for the tag but this has come up from time to time since January.  You have been just great working on this, but I wonder if there is any news from the Department that is handling this.  Thank you, Tyler!

[castlemagicmemories]

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@penguins_dont_fly wrote:

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@nawlinsron2 wrote:
Intansient/intractable...tomato/tomatoe

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I believe the word you are looking for is intransigent.

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That's it!  Beat me to it!

[aruyt75]

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brian@ebay wrote:

Hi @scalemotorcars, that's correct. After 2018, if an item is delivered late AND the seller doesn't have an acceptance scan within their handling time, they will be responsible for the shipping refund. While it's not very common that an item is delivered late and an acceptance scan is missed, this is still something sellers should consider when deciding to remain in the Guaranteed Delivery program or opt out.

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It actually happens quite a bit, at least for me and my local PO's.  I've run auctions where I end up shipping a bunch of stuff at once, but only a percentage of the packages get scanned.  Missing acceptance scans are actually fairly common.  Most of my packages are First Class, which the delivery times can vary wildly.  So, missing a scan, and "late" delivery (I'm not sure how that is even possible with FC packages, considering absolutely no guarantee is made for that service) is almost certainly possible, even probable for many coast-to-coast shipments.  

Of course we can opt out, but I'm sure that would hurt visibility.  I just think it's unfair for eBay to "offer" this guarantee when the vast majority of shipments being done by USPS are not guaranteed in any way.  Amazon can do what they want, because they have their own delivery fleet.  eBay sellers are beholden to shipping carriers which do not guarantee delivery dates in most cases.  Then we have to hope everything gets scanned properly, which many times doesn't happen either.

[roadking5555]

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@rainbowcolorz wrote:

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brian@ebay wrote:

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@ittybitnot wrote:

Don't forget if the stuff does not arrive in time it is YOUR fault for choosing the carrier.  Even if the buyer chooses the carrier it is your fault for going along with it.  

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Hi @ittybitnot, I need to clarify that eBay will cover the shipping refund, voucher, or return shipping label if an item with Guaranteed Delivery is delivered late. eBay will also remove any negative feedback related to a late delivery. Sellers that use the handling time option just need to ship the item out withing their stated handling time. If this requirement is met, eBay will take care of the rest! (I do need to mention that through 2018, eBay will cover the shipping refund, voucher, or return shipping cost even if the seller doesn't meet their handling time).

@nawlinsron2, eBay is guaranteeing that if an item isn't delivery by the guaranteed date, we will compensate the buyer from our own pockets. I encourage everyone to carefully read through the Guaranteed Delivery FAQ for more details.

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Well, all of this sounds too good to be true (Judge Judy comes to mind) and I al still on the shelf about GD.  I oped out the other day because I am just not sure if this will work for me or not and I don't know how to figure it out.

I only had 1 pkg that eBay determined did not meet "their shipping/delivery standards" for which I received a ding on my DSR (back when we could run reports for them), even though my buyer gave me 5 stars, including item received on time.  I do not recall any info at this time about the actual scan on that package since it was a very long time ago.  

Can anyone please tell me what, if anything, I should be concerned about if I choose to go back and opt IN to GD?  

I already agreed to Free Returns. 

Thanks kindly.

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So as noted above, eBay will remove any negative feedback related to late delivery and cover the cost of shipping refund, voucher, or return shipping costs.

Is eBay going to also take care of the DSR's along with the negative? seems reasonable...even though we can't tell now since they got rid of that seller tool. (DSR report)

Maybe it's not directly part of the seller metrics but it is a visable part of the sellers profile AND is still considered an important visual for the buyer and according to eBay effects palcement.

According to the lastest eBay User Agreement effective June 21, 2018

"We strive to create a marketplace where buyers find what they are looking for. Therefore, the appearance or placement of listings in search and browse results will depend on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to:

- buyer's location, search query, browsing site, and history;

- item's location, listing format, price and shipping cost, terms of service, end time, history, and relevance to the user query;

- seller's history, including listing practices, Detailed Seller Ratings, eBay policy compliance, Feedback, and defect rate; and

- number of listings matching the buyer's query. "

[castlemagicmemories]

I just can't understand GD; the carriers themselves do not guarantee delivery.

[futuretomorrow]

Is there any reason eBay opted me into the program when I refused on the phone with a US representative and never opted in elsewhere? What company goes from weeks of "You qualify for the Guaranteed Delivery program!" to silently adjusting my settings in the middle of the night with zero notification of having done so?

You guys did it before with another feature I'm struggling to remember now, so it's clear this is a pattern where eBay forces sellers into programs and then later plays the innocent card and states "You can always opt out". Really? 

Why be dishonest and change my account settings in the first place?

[futuretomorrow]

This is exactly how I discovered on Friday, June 15th, 2018 that eBay had silently signed me up when I refused on the phone previously. Have you checked your listings recently? 

I use scan forms, in consideration of other customers at the USPS. This means that some packages don't always get scanned until final delivery or a major hub and I have had two odd packages in the past that were never scanned once, but showed up at both honest customers homes and on time. Oddest thing I ever witnessed, both in the fall of 2017.

I have also had packages stuck at the USPS in Manhattan (you're going to love this) because they had more mail for businesses than customers and those business pieces took priority over even priority mail pieces. Now imagine that's a customers first class package, not even priority, stuck in that mess. This simply can't end well for eBay if they've made no special arrangements for "guaranteed delivery".

Dear baby Jesus let me get a full-time job soon. Mentally, I just can't take the abuse anymore. 

[twnpopcards]

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@scalemotorcars wrote:

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brian@ebay wrote:

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@ittybitnot wrote:

Don't forget if the stuff does not arrive in time it is YOUR fault for choosing the carrier.  Even if the buyer chooses the carrier it is your fault for going along with it.  

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Hi @ittybitnot, I need to clarify that eBay will cover the shipping refund, voucher, or return shipping label if an item with Guaranteed Delivery is delivered late. eBay will also remove any negative feedback related to a late delivery. Sellers that use the handling time option just need to ship the item out withing their stated handling time. If this requirement is met, eBay will take care of the rest! (I do need to mention that through 2018, eBay will cover the shipping refund, voucher, or return shipping cost even if the seller doesn't meet their handling time).

@nawlinsron2, eBay is guaranteeing that if an item isn't delivery by the guaranteed date, we will compensate the buyer from our own pockets. I encourage everyone to carefully read through the Guaranteed Delivery FAQ for more details.

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Thanks for the clarification but I would like to add that this only works as long as you have the carrier scan the label within your handling time. Its no different then the requirement for TRS. And yes I read the part about 2018 exception but in 2019 its going to matter.

I ship everything I sell the same day or next. I have 100% on my Tracking Uploaded on Time metric yet I have a 1.8 Deficit on my Late Shipment rate because USPS is NOT required to scan my delivery confirmation label until its actually delivered.

Now to be fair most of the time they do. But busy local terminals will often pass that task to the main shipping hub. So if you want to make sure your covered you will need to stand in line and watch them scan every item. Even better get a scan sheet so you can prove you shipped it on time. 

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I do not know if anybody has addressed this or not,  but per USPS policy the counter person or the mail carrier is REQUIRED to scan all the items when they are received, not wait until they get to the sorting facility.  Some of the Postmasters are choosing to ignore this but a few well filed online complaints will take care of this in most cases, except maybe in the rural areas.  

If you have multiple packages I would recommend that you use the scan sheets as then the carrier or counterperson only has to scan that sheet and all the packages are automatically scanned as received by the USPS.  I had issues with this way back when and had watched an EBay webinar with USPS supervisors and they said that every package should be scanned at each location it is accepted at, period.  An average package should have 6-7 scans by time it is received by the buyer.  

I used those comments in my online complaints about the fact the Postmaster at my local PO was refusing to allow carriers to pick up packages, even if they were scheduled pickups and was also refusing to have anything scanned except when delivered.  His constant refusal to change cost him eventually as less than a month later there was a brand new Postmaster at my local PO who was more than happy to make sure everything was scanned properly.  It is still working smoothly today, almost 4 years later.  So if they refuse to scan them, talk to the Postmaster and if he is no help, file the online complaints every time they do not scan them.  They must reply to every complaint and at some point it is easier to just do it than to keep responding to the complaints.  Those complaints also effect the Postmasters annual Bonus, so they do pay attention to them.