Vacation question? Can I change the handeling time on my listings so I don't ship late?

[chloe_aka_curly]

 I am a single mom with 2 kids trying to go on vacation and show them there is a life and world out there besides E-bay. Lol! My dillema is if I put the store on vacation I don't sell anything while I am gone. And that is QUITE the hit to a single mom's paycheck. 😞 So I was wondering...

 What if I change the handeling time on all my listings to be for when I return? How would that effect my seller status and discounts? Would I still be able to keep my shipping & seller discounts once I returned and reset my handeling time back to 1 day? Has anyone else done this & how did it work out?

 I don't want to loose the discounts. I can't loose the discounts! But at the same time I really do not want to return home broke. 😞 If I have to put it on vacation and temporarly hide my listings then I have to do what I have to do...

 Thanks in advance for any ideas! 🙂

[laylajames9]

You can bulk edit your handling time using the bulk editing tool.

You will not receive the TRS+ 10% FVF discount on items that do not meet the handling time requirements.

[livadia]

@chloe_aka_curly

How long will you be gone?   Are your items all fixed price BINS or do/will you have auctions running?  Will you have access to your eBay account while you're on vacation?  How many items are you talking about that would be for sale during this time?

This thread might also be useful to you:  https://community.ebay.com/t5/eBay-for-Business/How-and-When-To-Use-Your-Store-Vacation-Settings/ba-...

[chloe_aka_curly]

A lot of fixed priced. I can end the auctions. I don't have many of those.

 I am thinking just over a week. I try to factor weekends and postal holidays for vacations whenever possible to reduce the time i'd have to put it on vacation. So if I am on my way back I can go ahead and reopen it for a little while, when I am gone if it is the weekend and not be "punished" as much so to speak for taking time off with my family. 😞

 I really wish E-bay would give sellers 1 week a year for vacation so long as they give notice to their buyers. JUST ONE WEEK where late shipments did not count while they were on vacation so long as their accounts were in good standing and so long as they gave proper notice to their buyers. Maybe even make an extra click through for buyers to double check and click a box to make sure they are aware the seller is away and that they and are okay with the excess handeling time. It would be SO easy to do! 

 Being self employed I don't get vacation pay. 😞 I LOVE e-bay, I LOVE the flexibility it affords me most of the time. I NEED that as a single mom! Not many jobs offer that. But when it comes time to go on a REAL vacation for a few days I feel like I have to choose between work/paying bills and my family. 😞

[dtexley3 · Accepted solution]

If you DON'T extend your handling time you will find, as many have, that you lose your TRS status due to late shipping.

Update your handling time to cover the vacation using the bulk tool as above, and then change it back when you return.  I've done this several times and it has never affected my TRS status.

[chloe_aka_curly]

 So if I alter the handeling time before I leave I do not get the discounts while I am gone. But when I come back and re-alter them back to 1 day then my discounts will reinstate like nothing happened? And there are no further lasting repercussions?

[dtexley3]

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@chloe_aka_curlywrote:

 So if I alter the handeling time before I leave I do not get the discounts while I am gone. But when I come back and re-alter them back to 1 day then my discounts will reinstate like nothing happened? And there are no further lasting repercussions?

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Are you talking about the 10% discount for TRS+?  If so, then yes, once you reinstate your original handling time the items will return to TRS+ status. 

TRS+ is a listing status that applies to items sold by a TRS user that chooses to offer 1 day handling and so forth.   As long as a seller has TRS status, they can choose to have a few, some, or all listings to have settings that get TRS+ status on the listing.  They can change which items qualify at will with no limitations.

[luckythewinner]

Also be aware that extending your handling does not necessarily change your buyer's expectations.

If your listings contain language about your shipping time ("I ship items next day", "I ship promptly upon payment", "ships immediately", etc.) and this conflicts with your altered handling time, you may still run into issues with unhappy customers.

[chloe_aka_curly]

 That sounds like a workable plan! 🙂 Thank you!!!

[chloe_aka_curly]

 I do have "I ship fast" in some of my listings. I will take the time to message each buyer and double check if they are okay with the extended handeling time and give them the opportunity to change their minds and recieve a full refund if they are not okay with it.

[laylajames9]

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@luckythewinnerwrote:

Also be aware that extending your handling does not necessarily change your buyer's expectations.

If your listings contain language about your shipping time ("I ship items next day", "I ship promptly upon payment", "ships immediately", etc.) and this conflicts with your altered handling time, you may still run into issues with unhappy customers.

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Not only that but the estimated delivery date shown to buyers is based on the seller's shipping history. If they usually ship in 1 day that is what will be used when calculating estimated delivery.

If handling time is pushed out to 4-5 days or more (can't remember which) then there will be a flag on the listing that there is a longer handling time.

If you put your store on vacation without hiding your listings that will add a banner at the top of the page letting buyers know you are away. That can also help with buyers' shipping expectations.

Within the vacation settings you can set up an auto-response in case you receive eBay messages that you can't respond to while you're away.

[livadia]

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@chloe_aka_curlywrote:

 I do have "I ship fast" in some of my listings.

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Actually, I think a statement about "shipping fast" is part of your listing template.  In the couple of listings I looked at, it was front and center as a headline in your listing.  The promise of "fast shipping" is also mentioned in your eBay  "About Me" profile. 

Might want to change both of those  -- or put a temporary notice on each of your listings that mention you will be on vacation from X to Y so your usual shipping time will be lengthened, and all orders received will be shipped out on Z date.

HTH

[dtexley3]

In the vacation settings there's also an option to send a message to buyers, you can use that to send them a note that you are on vacation and will ship on return.  This will help let buyers know you aren't blowing them off, the vast majority will have no issues with you being on vacation for a week.  (Of course there's always one or two...)

[buyselljack2016]

Not only that but the estimated delivery date shown to buyers is based on the seller's shipping history. If they usually ship in 1 day that is what will be used when calculating estimated delivery.

This is so very true. I believe that I read here on the boards where that was denied, but it is a fact.  If I sell on Friday/Saturday/Sunday with 2 day handling listed.... ship by Tuesday..... eBay shows delivery on Wednesday for many locations that could not possibly get the item the next day.  I typically ship next day, or same day, if the purchase is made early, so without a doubt they use the "seller's shipping history".

Flag came up at 4 day handling point when I was testing delivery estimates.

[lintbrush*]

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@chloe_aka_curlywrote:

 I do have "I ship fast" in some of my listings. I will take the time to message each buyer and double check if they are okay with the extended handeling time and give them the opportunity to change their minds and recieve a full refund if they are not okay with it.

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Taking the time after the fact to contact your buyers to let them know of extending handling isn't going to fly.  They didn't take the time to buy to want to cancel because your handling time is contradictory to your "I ship fast" statement - even despite the big Vacation Banner which you can put on your listings.

In all honesty, more than a week to ship seems risky because of buyers' expections.  While you won't take a hit on tracking upload and on-time shipping metric, you might take a hit on your feedback.  

If you sell steadily, will you be able to handle packing a week's worth (or more) in a short time?  What if unforseen circumstances make your time away longer than anticipated?

Also, your timing is important.  If you plan on going away Monday, what do you do with someone who buys on Saturday but doesn't pay until Tuesday?  

If your time away is really going to be over a week, you may want to hide your listings for the first few days at least.   4 day handling can make for antsy buyers.  10 days might drive them over the edge 

Think big picture.  I'd rather lose a few days of sales than potentially jeopardize a year of sales.