Neutrals!

[sakic92710]

Sick & tired of getting neutrals for something I DO NOT control - postal service efficiency!  Why do sellers always get the blame for that?!  

[1tuna]

because you disparage the USPS and are from CA.   thats why it happens

[stainlessenginecovers]

Because from a buyer standpoint; they pay $X to have an item by the last estimated delivery date and if they don't get it by then, it's the Sellers Fault. Buyers want to vent and feedback allows the perfect avenue for that. 

Neuts really aren't so bad- you can comment simply "we are so sorry, we did ship quickly but are at the mercy of delivery carriers'. This way, anyone sees that, will see your response as well. Professional, apologetic etc. 

[skeletonstore]

Because of the amazon effect. The post office is a union run floundering company having severe trouble attracting quality workers.  They cultivate a lazy assortment of people who aren't even qualified to be a broom technician.  For weeks all I've had are subs who do not even deliver any mail and especially do not pick up outgoing packages.  Post office management said to mark off carrier pickup even for 1st class.  I had to ask the carrier to take my packages yesterday.  Meanwhile amazon is getting packages to their customers sometimes in 1 day from a prime warehouse.  They deliver 7 days a week, holidays etc.  The most office is only now changing their estimates on shipping times for 1st class from 3-5 to 2-5 but they say not every package will be handled this way.  They don't really clarify.  Priority used to cross the country in 2 days if it went to a major hub.  Now it takes what 1st class used to.  There is no class with the post office.  What's worse is the monopoly they have for people not dropshipping out of prime warehouses.  1st class can get around $6 now!!!  Flat rate priority envelope cost me $7.8 yesterday.  This is all outrageous and part of failed logistics.  It's a dying system.  They're now using hubs and everything is slow.  Too much analytics.  Common sense tells me eventually amazon will own ebay and post office.  

[skeletonstore]

1 thing you could possibly do is set handling time to 1 business day.  It might buy you a little leeway.  You could also lower expectations by offering free economy shipping and send with a more premium service(like it matters in price), that way the will be exceeding buyer expectations.  

[stainlessenginecovers]

Changing handling time to 1 day would do absolutely nothing. If you want an effect, change to 5 business days. 

Also, pricing from Priority to 1st Class Pkg is min $8 to $3. This could be quite significant, so not sure why that is offered or stated 'like matters in price'. That's almost a 300% difference in price. For a $20 item free shipping would mean miles in difference in price. 

[divwido]

Consider two things.

First, how you are shipping and how long it will take.  Are you conveying that data to your buyers?

Second, keep buyers in the loop.  If something goes missing or vanishes for a while-I talk to my buyers.  I tell  them what I see, what I'm doing about it and let them know I'm on top of it.

They are unhappy for two reasons-it took a long time and no one seems to know or care.  They don't want to have ask you, they want it done and they want to know you care if it arrives.

[ittybitnot]

Why do sellers always get the blame for that?!  

@sakic92710 

eBay's stance has most always been that 'the seller chose the carrier, so it is the seller's fault'.  

They never mentioned that the buyer chose if choices are provided, or using a different one is more expensive, etc. 

[skeletonstore]

Same day shipping with a late cut off time compare to 1 day with an early cut off time could mean the difference if customers are nitpicking 1 day.  

I'm not a fan of free shipping but we're forced to use it.  I remember last year 2 cans of mold release weighed like 5 lbs and HAD to go UPS.  That was a hefty shipping charge %.  first class items are a hard sell if you're trying to keep the price under $10. Frankly I want ebay to add a surcharge for 1500+ mile journeys.  The price jumps significantly.  The only solution I would have is to offer the item $14.97 best offer and sort the nonsense out.  Medium flat rate is killing me these days.  It's $15. It pushes the price too high.  Heavy objects are a bad sell unless they're expensive.  I do think offering economy generic and shipping faster alleviates the problem he has. I have no faith in anything the post office does.  

[coolections]

Maybe put in large bold letters reminding buyers your items are shipped from Canada. Let them know it will take 2 to 3 weeks to arrive. At that point potential buyers will agree to live with that or just hit the back button.

[1tuna]

just curious here.......how did your original message get edited?I do not see anything that says edited or from the mods

I thought the comment about the USPS was a bit harsh but am not sure why its not there anymore

it actually was not harsh bit I do like the USPS

[redmodelt]

You can edit your own message if done so right after posting. If the message(s) had been done by eBay, there would be a notation under the time stamp with "mod" in different color letters showing it was edited by them. By clicking on the down arrow over the time stamp, open a window allowing you to edit, report etc. But you only have a short window to do so, just like this edit. 

[pburn]

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@redmodelt wrote:

You can edit your own message if done so right after posting. If the message(s) had been done by eBay, there would be a notation under the time stamp with "mod" in different color letters showing it was edited by them. By clicking on the down arrow over the time stamp, open a window allowing you to edit, report etc. But you only have a short window to do so, just like this edit. 

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@redmodelt 

But do you see that your Message #12 clearly shows that you have edited your post? The OP's original message does not show that same notation. I believe that's what @1tuna is commenting on.

[redmodelt]

Guess we can let @1tuna comment. I don't see any edits in the OPs original post from the time I first opened this string till now, looks the same. ?

[craigstevensstudio]

someone with common sense would make "SEPARATE "  feedback, one for the seller one for  shipping company.  (that way the buyers can easly separate the feedback.