My heart goes out to sellers significantly impacted by USPS shipping delays. I’ve had my share of worry about lack of scans at the post office, items stuck in limbo, potential INR’s, etc.. However, It is time for sellers to stop whining about the USPS and delivery delays. We’ve all had the opportunity and vent, but now is the time to act like functioning adults, take responsibility for our mistakes, and move on.
Let’s not pretend that sellers shipping mid-November and onwards didn’t understand that there might be issues with shipping delays. Come on – the first COVID lockdowns weren’t that long ago, and we all knew that B&M retail was taking a huge hit this year, and that the USPS/FedEx/UPS would be slammed. Me, I got a bit greedy – shipped media mail when I should have upgraded to priority, used the prepaid drop box instead of waiting in line for an actual scan, and waited a few days longer than I should have to put my store on vacation mode. Those mistakes are on me, not on my buyers, not on eBay, not on the USPS (no, I don’t want to join your sure-to-never-launch class action suit).
The same sellers that are adamant that they “own” their selling, and outraged that eBay would dictate MP, are now crying that eBay is siding with buyers on items that have been “lost” for several weeks and didn’t make it in time for Christmas? If you own it, own it. If not, take whatever comes your way, and stop complaining. Life happens - deal with it.
eBay is the facilitator – but we own our performance. We choose the carrier, we decide when to sell, we control pricing. If you can’t deal with it, absolutely, shut it down until the situation is accommodating to your selling constraints. Come on – let’s grow up, learn from our mistakes, and come back better than before.
