Estimated Delivery Date Keeps Changing - Misleading/Disingenuous

[esalesforce]

I purchased an item with the last estimated delivery date of June 10, 2023.  I took a screen shot of my orders after the purchase was shipped showing this.

Now, after the date has passed, eBay has changed the estimated delivery date to June 12, 2023.

This is very misleading.  If eBay can't stand by this date, I wish they would not include it, instead of misleading the customer and changing the dates.

It's also slightly underhanded to try and pull one over on the customer, and the only way that I know that it was done is I took screen shots of the order, which I've included below.

I need this part, and have had to order another one from somewhere else because it is time-critical for one of my customers, and now I can't file a "haven't received item" claim with eBay because it keeps pushing the date back when the delivery date is missed, and telling me to wait for it to arrive.

This is unacceptable, and I'm disappointed that this has happened.  I didn't think eBay was underhanded like this.

[ebooksdiva]

eBay changes estimated dates of delivery according to the shipper’s change of estimated dates. I see this with USPS as well. 
Have you gone to the FedEx website to compare it? 
I always go by the shippers website for tracking for more accurate information because eBays lags most of the time. 

[nobody*s_perfect]

You do know what "estimated" means, don't you?  Try to be patient; today is Sunday, so the estimate has been adjusted by just one business day.   According to the tracking info at the FedEx site, it left California, probably on a truck, on Tuesday June 6. 

https://www.fedex.com/fedextrack/?trknbr=399242703828&trkqual=12025~399242703828~FDEG

[martin2001]

isn't it interesting, that an updated “estimated” date  is always later than the original estimated" date"?

No need to defend ebay,  It is obvious, they are trying to lure people to buy on the platform by promising what they have no power to influence.

[esalesforce]

Yes, the FedEx website says that there is "No scheduled delivery date at this time". 

But that is not the issue.  If there is no estimated delivery date, then eBay shouldn't guess at one, or in any case provide a date, AND THEN CHANGE IT.  That's ridiculous on its face.

Below is a screen shot of the FedEx page.

[esalesforce]

Yes, I know what "estimated" means, but eBay sets policy based on their "estimated" date, including the timeline for making returns and determining who pays shipping costs, etc.  This date is formally tied to their procedures, so the actual date does mean something. 

I have been patient.  My point is that it is better to not provide a date than to provide one and keep changing it.  I would be fine if they provided an estimated date and left it as such, but they keep changing it, so it is in fact meaningless.

[wastingtime101]

Do you still have your original order confirmation email? What date (or date range) is shown in that email?

I've purchased items with an estimated date range, but on the purchase history page which you screen capped above, it will show the shorter end of the date range at first, but could change to the later end of the date range if carrier is taking longer.

Either way, key word is estimate.

If estimate gets pushed out, that also pushes out your window to file a non-receipt claim.

But what I suspect was the actual case here is there was an estimated date range you haven't shared with us so really nothing is changing for the claim window which works off the latest estimated delivery date (or actual delivery date if there's a delivery scan).

In fact, I just looked at the exact listing from your seller and I see an estimated date range on the listing @esalesforce. So what was the original date range on the order confirmation email?

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@esalesforce wrote:

Yes, I know what "estimated" means, but eBay sets policy based on their "estimated" date, including the timeline for making returns ...I have been patient.  My point is that it is better to not provide a date than to provide one and keep changing it. ....

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The timeline for returns is based on the actual delivery date; that's clearly stated in every listing.  An estimate is a best guess based on the available information, such as the average of historically how long delivery for a specific service has taken between two points. It is appropriate to update an estimate  as additional information becomes available, even if that's "Oops, not there yet."

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@martin2001 wrote: ... they are trying to lure people to buy on the platform by promising what they have no power to influence.

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Surely every user understands that eBay has no control over the carrier operations, weather, road conditions, and other potential causes of delivery delays.

[dogsp · Accepted solution]

Yes, but they have no right to change it. When an item does not arrive within the estimated range, then that package is LATE.

I suspect sellers are manipulating these dates in order to cover their tracks and avoid complaints from customers regarding slow, unprofessional service.

Naturally, I realize that this is only speculation...

[siralleycat]

It's not eBay, it's the post office. Almost all of my recent orders have arrived later than what was stated when I purchased them. Trump and Musk have fired or laid off so many workers, and meddled in the operations, nobody knows what anyone else is doing, and everyone is behind schedule.