Tracking Indicates Late Delivery is Bogus

[excaliburcomicshop]

Lost my top rated status ever since eBay institued these shenanigans regarding late shipments. Just to clarify for anyone not familiar. It used to be that if you had a handling time of one business day, as long as you printed your shipping label or uploaded tracking info within that time frame you were not charged with a late shipment. So if you do everything right, and the post office decides to give your package a tour of the country before delivering it one state over (yes this has actually happened to me) the you weren't held accountable for a late shipment. 

The way it works now is that even if your label is printed on time, if the post office doesn't scan it right away then it can still be marked as a late shipment if it misses the delivery date. Now if you have your packages picked up by the mail truck, or drop them off at the PO without taking them to the window to be scanned, they might not get scanned in until they reach the sort facility the next day. Congratulations, you did everything right but now you just made a late shipment according to eBay.

I just recently contacted USPS customer service because a buyer hadn't recieved their item on time. The screen cap below is the reply I got. It says the only guaranteed service is express mail. So, eBay holding a seller accountable for late deliveries on items with no guaranteed delivery date is utter nonsense. 

Also, below is the screen cap of my late shipment report just to show that it's never my buyer's claiming a late delivery.

This is utter nonsense and it needs to stop

[detroittech313]

This is ABSOLUTELY not the case.

I just LOST my top rated seller status because the post office has delivered a few packages "late" by Ebay standards.

I ALWAYS get an acceptance scan...even if I have to go multiple times OR to different post offices.

I was informed by Ebay customer service reps that if a package is delivered late, it counts against the 97% metric.

Sellers are punished if the post office delivers packages "late" by Ebay standards.

Ebay is making a terrible move with this.  Sellers can control when they take their packages to the post office, they can't control what the post office does with them. 

[authentic*vintage]

Do what I did. Add a day to your handling time, print out a scan sheet for multiple orders, and ship according to your old handling time anyway. I do NOT, will NOT, and canNOT stand in line at my PO - because I work 44 miles away! Seriously? - my scan sheet goes in the box with my packages, along with a nice note on the scan sheet on occasion that shows appreciation to my carrier for the job she does.

[gmores]

Just ran into this myself. Package acceptance scans are clearly outside of the control of any seller that actually sells more than an item or two. In looking more closely at tracking info I find some initial scans done in another state. First Class packages seem to be the worst.

Ironically, while discussing this scam with an eBay rep we looked together at one 'late' delivery and then I pulled up the customer feedback thanking me for 'quick delivery'.

I've set all my small items to 'Economy' shipping but that may not totally help as eBay still shows 'Expected' delivery coast-to-coast as 6 days maximum.

My other response is to try and move as much of my business off eBay to my own website as possible.

[glamourglasses]

My store was on vacation and I still got dinged for late shipping!

[dtexley3]

---

@glamourglasses wrote:
My store was on vacation and I still got dinged for late shipping!

---

There are current threads regarding the ADDITIONAL steps you should take to protect your store for vacation.  You should read those.

[support-manufacturing]

Yep,  coming to an end of 2017 and still the same.  I currently haee a shipment travelling from USA to Russia with an eBay estiamted delivery of Dec18 to some date in January 2018,  guess what its already on my late report.  It was sent out within 1 business day so ahead of my handling time -  we have no chance

[baantiques]

I've got a three day handling period.  I only have a couple late packages, and most buyers seem to be accommodating.

I have noticed, however, that there is an increasing tendency for buyers to file INR if it hasn't arrived by the arbitrary due date.  I try to put that off as long as possible, especially if the tracking indicates it's on the way.  One guy wanted a refund because the tracking showed it bouncing around, so I said I'll wait one more day, and the next day it was delivered.  I've had to refund a couple, and then the item was delivered.  I'll send a message asking them to pay, and if they don't respond, they go on my black list.  In my opinion if a buyer asks for and receives a refund for INR, and then it gets delivered, they are obligated to pay for it.  Ebay should make them.

[support-manufacturing]

Seems to be getting worse,   December 2017 and USPS scans are taking longer and longer to show up causing the highest ever month of said late shipments.  I am doing nothing different from the years gone buy.   Sell one day ship same or next day in most cases and its taking 1 to 5 days to show anything then suddenly delivered.    Its not a eBay problem just unfair they are using it again sellers and confusing our buyers with estimated dates that are not real

[c86pccooling]

I think everyone should put an E-Petition together to sort this out and get TRS discount back to 20%  then go to the papers providing there's enough signature.  I am sure the bad PR should be enough to make them change their mind especially if enough people get on board. 

[dreamingparts]

Even when you ship same day, if the PO takes a extra day to get to the destination, Ebay charges you with late delivery. Now it seems Ebay knows more than the Post Office.

[spiderwarepc]

Add me to the list that is extremley upset about losing top rated status. I was shocked when I noticed, as I am extremely OCD about my entire eBay business. I work a day time job and ship each and every single night and the packages go out each and every day. I am above all metrics to become top rated with the exception of packages being scanned in by the post office. So I called customer service. I couldnt choose any account categories so I contacting about a question about my bill since I lose my dicounts as well. Had a feeling I would be transfered after they took my info, but the rep never spoke back, just a blind transfer. The next rep told me I was doing wrong (and treated me like I was doing bad things). I was completely nice, calm, and collective. She did offer to go through and verify the shipments, but honestly whats the point any more. Maybe I can be a bit more relaxed and not really care about maintaining a standard that is just not that fun trying to maintain.

I work my rear end off just to be repremanded....

[cleanpromart]

YES!  It is a completely bogus system.  I recently had a shipment go to Guam before it went to the correct destination in California from Memphis. I shipped every item on the list the same day I received the order.  Once it's in the hands of the USPS it's a **bleep** shoot.  eBay should look at the tracking information and see how many delays the Postal Service creates in a shipment before they post a late shipment rating! I've not had even one customer complain about a late shipment because they are intellegent enough to read the tracking information.

[cleanpromart]

YES! I totally agree with you. It is a completely bogus system. I recently had a shipment go to Guam before it went to the correct destination in California from Memphis. I shipped every item on the list the same day I received the order. Once it's in the hands of the USPS it's a **bleep** shoot. eBay should look at the tracking information and see how many delays the Postal Service creates in a shipment before they post a late shipment rating! I've not had even one customer complain about a late shipment because they are intellegent enough to read the tracking information.

[cleanpromart]

Who with a real business has time for that?  The late eBay late shipment system is totally blind and unfair..  I recently had a shipment go to Guam before it went to the correct destination in California from Memphis. I shipped every item on the list the same day I received the order.  Once it's in the hands of the USPS it's a **bleep** shoot.  eBay should look at the tracking information and see how many delays the Postal Service creates in a shipment before they post a late shipment rating! I've not had even one customer complain about a late shipment because they are intellegent enough to read the tracking information.

[cleanpromart]

YES, I totally agree with you.  I know of no one with a real business who has time for that scanning **bleep**,  It is a completely blind, bogus and unfair system. I recently had a shipment go to Guam before it went to the correct destination in California from Memphis. I shipped every item on the list the same day I received the order. Once it's in the hands of the USPS it's a **bleep** shoot. eBay should look at the tracking information and see how many delays the Postal Service creates in a shipment before they post a late shipment rating! I've not had even one customer complain about a late shipment because they are intellegent enough to read the tracking information.