Seller using DHL shipping but claiming USPS 1st Class.

[suzanne_np]

My item was listed as using USPS 1st Class mail and estimated delivery date was 5/27.  There were like 40 of the same item for same price but all with later estimated delivery dates so I chose this seller. After buying, the buyer messaged me with the tracking # and said it is via DHL, instead of inputting it into ebay (which was kinda weird). When I looked it up on DHL site the new Expected Delivery date was June 1st. My shipping was free so I'm not completely mad about it but i would have paid extra if i knew that delivery would have been almost a week after the estimated date. The seller did not state anywhere in their listing that they used DHL, but said USPS instead, which was ~3days (why ebay calculated the earlier date). When I contacted them annoyed they said they weren't responsible for shipping times and DHL is a 3-8day service. If sent on 22nd it will now be 10days shipping time, but thats w/ weekend so guess it'll be w/n the 8 bus days.  I expect free shipping to take longer but First class is almost always within 3 days, very misleading. I also always add a couple days to the estimated date ebay provides, but to add 6days seems ridiculous to me. As I understand there isn't an option for sellers to select DHL as their shipping method but they should inform potential buyers in the description to add 5+ business days (which is actually a week because 1+ weekend is involved) to the estimated date because they use DHL instead. EBAY PLEASE ADD THE DHL SHIPPING OPTION so buyers are correctly informed!! Or make sellers include that on their Description! 

*EBay Best Selling Practices states Sellers should select the shipping service that "best matches the shipping service" they offer.

Which "helps set buyer expectations about when the item will be delivered."

** Ebay please facilitate this honest selling practice!

[phcd1]

If it's not there by the last estimated date, simply open an INR case on eBay based on the last estimated delivery date on the listing. He will likely have to refund. The seller could have used "Economy Shipping" or "Standard Shipping" which does not designate the shipper (and also keeps sellers out of trouble). Many people have reported winning SNAD claims on mislabeled shipping methods. I'm not condoning that, it's just a statement.

[Anonymous]

It is a bummer when you find out a seller is using a shipping method other than the one stated in the listing and it ends up with a later-than-expected delivery date.

I take it your seller is actually located in the US and is shipping the item domestically, correct? 

So that would be mean they're using DHL e-commerce parcel service.  According to DHL's website, they "work with the U.S. Postal Service to pioneer its Workshare program, which allows private logistics companies to receive discounted postage for presorting shipments and inserting them deeper in the mail stream. The program has since spawned a new category of shipping providers—known as “Workshare partners”—which rely on the USPS for final delivery. Today, DHL eCommerce maintains our longstanding Workshare partnership, having created and perfected a process that combines our efficiency with the USPS’ reliable delivery to over 154 million addresses daily."

So since eBay doesn't have the option to display "DHL" as a carrier, and DHL partners with USPS in their domestic deliveries, that might explain why the seller chose to display "USPS First Class" as the shipping method.   As phcd1 stated in the post above, it would probably be wise if they simply selected "Standard shipping", or "Economy shipping" if it's uncertain which specific carrier will be used to ship a particular item to a particular destination.