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Holiday Shipping - eBay protecting us if USPS is not open on 12/24?

So we were just unsure of how to handle Christmas Eve this year, since in most cases if the holiday falls on a Saturday it's observed on Friday, or if it falls on Sunday it's observed on Monday.

 

We decided to call USPS and check in with eBay, and it seems like we're getting some conflicting information so I'm not sure if this is going to be a problem.

 

USPS had said to us that on Friday, most locations will be offering delivery, but not pick up and most post offices will be closed for drop off, although it's up to the local Postmaster for a final decision if they would like to stay open.

 

Then when I called eBay, the rep didn't seem sure, but checked the knowledge base and didn't see anything that says Christmas Eve is not a normal shipping day.

 

I asked what could be done to help if the local post office is not open and he didn't seem too committal with a resolution, and basically said just print the labels on Friday and ship when possible. 

 

We're not sure how to proceed in this case. If they are not open, what actions could we possibly take? 

 

The next step is we will try to get a hold of the local postmaster to find out exactly what the plan of our local PO is. But this situation is very confusing. 

 

Reference: https://www.usps.com/holiday/holiday-schedule.htm

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Re: Holiday Shipping - eBay protecting us if USPS is not open on 12/24?

Hi @zamo-zuan thank you for your post. We are aware that some post offices and areas will have reduced hours or pick up on December 24th. For sellers impacted by shorter hours, you will be protected for late shipment as long as the package receives an acceptance scan by end of day Monday, December 27.

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Message 9 of 32
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Re: Holiday Shipping - eBay protecting us if USPS is not open on 12/24?

bring it up on community chat...not like it help but make it aware i guess

The great truth is there isn't one
And it only gets worse since that conclusion...
...There is something about the rigid posture of a proper, authentic blind
As if extended arms reached to pass his blindness onto others.
Message 2 of 32
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Re: Holiday Shipping - eBay protecting us if USPS is not open on 12/24?

Use the tools that eBay makes available: To avoid being expected to ship on Friday, you can briefly extend your handling time by 1 day, or use a 2-day "Time away" to block sales and enjoy the weekend.

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Re: Holiday Shipping - eBay protecting us if USPS is not open on 12/24?

Reference:  Postal Service Closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day 

 

WASHINGTON, DC — Post Office locations nationwide will be closed on Christmas Day, Saturday, Dec. 25, 2021, and New Year’s Day, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022.

 

All Post Office locations will be open, and regular mail delivery will resume, on Monday, Dec. 27, 2021, and Monday, Jan. 3, 2022.

 

Some Post Office locations may have extended hours leading up to the holidays, while others may have limited hours on Christmas Eve, Friday, Dec. 24. There are currently no plans for limited hours on New Year’s Eve, Friday, Dec. 31. Customers are advised to always check with their local Post Office for hours of operation.

Message 4 of 32
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Re: Holiday Shipping - eBay protecting us if USPS is not open on 12/24?

The usps website when doing a pickup does NOT have Dec 24th grayed out (not a working/pick up day) so therefore, it is open in most areas. I'm sure they allow the 'smaller in the woods' type ones close (and some are independent) but most will be open and it IS a working day. 

Message 5 of 32
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Re: Holiday Shipping - eBay protecting us if USPS is not open on 12/24?

Based on past experience, some of the ones that are open will have abbreviated working hours.

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Re: Holiday Shipping - eBay protecting us if USPS is not open on 12/24?

 

 


@pburn wrote:

 

Some Post Office locations may have extended hours leading up to the holidays, while others may have limited hours on Christmas Eve, Friday, Dec. 24. There are currently no plans for limited hours on New Year’s Eve, Friday, Dec. 31. Customers are advised to always check with their local Post Office for hours of operation.


This is the part I'm getting conflicting information in, as the person I spoke to said what I had stated in the OP. Then in the reference link, I'm not sure if our area is considered "limited" or not as the website only shows the hours for the current week.

We haven't been able to get any official word from our local PO yet. They're not even answering the phones.

 

@stainlessenginecovers wrote:

The usps website when doing a pickup does NOT have Dec 24th grayed out (not a working/pick up day) so therefore, it is open in most areas. I'm sure they allow the 'smaller in the woods' type ones close (and some are independent) but most will be open and it IS a working day. 


In our experience this doesn't mean much as even on non-holiday days we have daily pick ups scheduled, that does not guarantee the pick up will arrive (we had to drop off ourselves 2x in the past week).

 

It also doesn't take in to consideration the hours of service.

 


@nobody*s_perfect wrote:

Based on past experience, some of the ones that are open will have abbreviated working hours.


Yeah, and that's also a source of the confusion. As for the last 3 years, our PO was only open until 1 on Christmas Eve, and we had to drop off (they did NOT do pick ups on those days). And that was not in this rarer situation where Christmas falls on the Saturday.

 

Wish there was a clear answer from USPS, as New Years Eve they're clear about, but Christmas Eve is up in the air for USPS. And I'm not sure if eBay will assist if there's issues with Christmas Eve with our PO. 

Message 7 of 32
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Re: Holiday Shipping - eBay protecting us if USPS is not open on 12/24?

Have you talked to the post office itself? Mine currently has a sign on the door listing its operating hours/functions for Christmas Eve so people don't even have to ask.

Message 8 of 32
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Re: Holiday Shipping - eBay protecting us if USPS is not open on 12/24?

Hi @zamo-zuan thank you for your post. We are aware that some post offices and areas will have reduced hours or pick up on December 24th. For sellers impacted by shorter hours, you will be protected for late shipment as long as the package receives an acceptance scan by end of day Monday, December 27.

Message 9 of 32
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Re: Holiday Shipping - eBay protecting us if USPS is not open on 12/24?

I post on the community chat today , seeing this is a shipping board, is ebay aware USPS is added a $15 charge/fee/shipping on package's over 30" April 3rd, 2022, also $4 on packages over 20". This will be a business KILLER for me, hard enough to raise shipping rates 10% each year BUT no way to recover after a 150% increase, I'm looking at a 60% drop in inventory.

Message 10 of 32
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Re: Holiday Shipping - eBay protecting us if USPS is not open on 12/24?

This is indeed the Shipping board; however, this particular thread is about postal service over the Christmas holiday.

 

Perhaps it would be better to start a separate thread that would address your issues. I wouldn't expect eBay Community Team members to respond in any constructive way to questions about USPS rate hikes, though, since eBay has no control over those.

Message 11 of 32
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Re: Holiday Shipping - eBay protecting us if USPS is not open on 12/24?

1st time I've seen a team member response to a board, and I do have a thread open yet no comment for a team member

Message 12 of 32
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Re: Holiday Shipping - eBay protecting us if USPS is not open on 12/24?

I'm printing labels now and I see that December 24th is not currently an option for USPS labels on Ebay, but it should be. It has December 23, December 27, and December 28 as the options. I anticipate sending out packages on the 24th but as of now that date is not available for USPS shipping labels. I hope that will be changed.

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Re: Holiday Shipping - eBay protecting us if USPS is not open on 12/24?


@br9333 wrote:

I'm printing labels now and I see that December 24th is not currently an option for USPS labels on Ebay, but it should be. It has December 23, December 27, and December 28 as the options. I anticipate sending out packages on the 24th but as of now that date is not available for USPS shipping labels. I hope that will be changed.


And another post about this:

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Shipping/Printing-A-Label-not-allowing-me-to-choose-Dec-24th-EBAY-FIX/...

 

@br9333

@simply-the-best-for-you 

 

Here's the issue with this velvet@ebay and tyler@ebay - if sellers want to ship tomorrow 12/24 and choose the 12/27 date, the holiday surcharge isn't applied even though it's still in effect 12/24.

 

Sellers purchasing labels today can choose the 12/23 date and ship on 12/24, but sellers purchasing labels tomorrow will only be able to select the 12/27 date. If they ship tomorrow with 12/27 labels then their packages will probably get picked up by the APV system for the holiday surcharge which is going to result in tons of micro charges and confusion through MP when sellers (inevitably) don't realize why they're being charged.

GLORIOUS!

March shipping tip: Size matters. Enter accurate package dimensions on the listing form and the shipping label.
Message 14 of 32
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Re: Holiday Shipping - eBay protecting us if USPS is not open on 12/24?

Thank you, I had not seen this post.  

 

If you choose today's date & ship tmw, I think the pkg will be late per Ebay & it will affect your metrics.  Additionally, many PO's (not mine) are sticklers about it having the right date on the label.  

 

I don't understand why Ebay feels the need to do anything.   Tomorrow is a business day, not a holiday.  Simple.  My PO is open & my carrier (who I communicate with directly) has already confirmed that he is working & doing pick ups, just like normal.   


Ebay needs to make 12/24 a shipping date b/c it IS a shipping date.  Anyone who's PO is closed early or whatever, can choose the appropriate date for them.  But for  most of us, it's just a normal working day & the PO is open normal hours & the carriers are working normally. 

This one goes to Eleven - Nigel Tufnel
eBay Community Mentor
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