Sellers need to blame themselves for issues encountered from USPS shipping delays!

[powell-memorabilia]

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.   

[no_zero369]

@glasser wrote:

"Let me say this again. Sellers DO have some control over the "buying experience" and CAN (if they wish) manage buyer expectations as to delivery.  So one is welcome to shift the blame to the USPS as they are an easy fall guy or one can adapt their selling to manage in the crisis in a way that is to the seller's benefit.  I'd rather be proactive as I think it has a better return than finger pointing. er, at least in my view.  I guess everyone is free to disagree.  Just saying."

OK. but most people didn't know there was USPS crisis until items were in the mail and stalled. There was no notification of pending delays. Once issue known people can take steps, like I have. Telling buyers I will ship UPS and FeEx. If they really want USPS and I don't recommend it, they need to aware it could take a month.

FYI, I still have a package mailed 12/5 that has not moved beyond first distribution center. How would I have known that was happening?

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Well if one provides the kind of customer service laid out in post #49 from the jump off point, then the buyer expectation is managed.  My point is that perhaps this crisis is a wake up call for many to look at their procedures and provide top-level customer service as a proactive risk mitigation/avoidance technique. 

So one didn't have to "know" there were delays.  In fact, if one was monitoring the progress of their packages they could have seen the delays happening in real time and then the sellers had the option to react to that or not.  But with a "ship it & forget it" mentality a seller would never monitor the progress of their packages and would never have the chance to take corrective actions.

It is easy to point the finger of blame at someone else, it is harder to take a look at one's operating methods and be willing to accept change to adapt to changing situations.

[deryakaraca]

I don't blame myself for USPS shipping delays as I am not in control of the USPS. My shipping rates went up Oct 18 - Dec 27 to account for increased volume. USPS charges a premium, but does not have to deliver on that premium service. I sent packages Dec 21:  First class mail was delivered to customer in California Dec 23 (yes, 2 days for 1st class mail 3,000 miles away), but the Priority Mail package delivered only Dec 28 (900 miles away). Go figure. How is this in my control? Takes USPS days to scan packages...sometimes packages not scanned until they reach destination hub...again, how is this my fault and within my control? Perhaps I can complain to the post office, showing them that I paid for premium service, but based on delivery results, not getting it. Go to a private service and not support the Government one, perhaps another alternative as well.

[no_zero369]

@deryakaraca 

I think the point is that you have no control over the shipper but, through your actions or inactions you have some control over buyer expectations.  In the end it is a buyer who gets frustrated because their package hasn't arrived that files an INR case.  If that frustration can be managed and mitigated, then the seller "wins!"

[*smedley*]

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@no_zero369 wrote:

Yeah, ok.  My bad.  Help me out next time with a footnote or use some emojis?  I couldn't hear your voice inflection....😋😁

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that's what "got it..." expressed...

[*smedley*]

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@dbfolks166mt wrote:

     Yes both UPS and FedEx are having their own problems  

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one bit of info that a lot of people are unaware of...

UPS and FedEx, as well as Amazon, contract the USPS to carry a portion of their deliveries...

from a couple of holiday season working at the USPS i can tell you that those 3 entities combined were responsible for at least 1/4 of the work... Amazon would deliver between 15 and 30 pallets daily to the small post office where i worked, and each pallet could have 50 or more boxes and a couple of hundred bubble mailers...

[dbfolks166mt]

     The biggest difference with Amazon is for about 60-70% of their sales where they, unlike eBay, own the shipping process and have their own warehouses and delivery trucks. If things are running late it is Amazon who notifies you not the direct seller. Late Amazon shipments are usually the result of third party sellers or where the delivery is rural and Amazon has to drop the package with USPS for the final mile of delivery. 

     I just placed an order with Amazon and the delivery date is somewhere between February 3-18. 

[zayo2723]

Yeah I did all of those things (checked tracking daily, did multiple missing package requests, contacted buyer, etc) and guess what? I still had no control over USPS and still received refund requests.  

This is so disingenuous to claim any of us have any control over USPS or could make them do anything. Sure I admit the mistake was choosing to use USPS but unfortunately after I had already made that mistake it was too late to do anything. 

Also I dont sell as a business or anything so this isnt like I'm operating my ebay activity as a business, I just sell my own property that I no longer want or need and its frustrating having to pay to give my stuff away for free instead gaining a little extra money like I thought would happen when I decided to sell. I guess my solution is to just not use ebay anymore, I can find safer ways to sell off items I no longer want in the future. I'm not going to just give stuff away and ebay doesnt have a way to prevent that.    

[stephenmorgan]

Sorry I do no not write as eloquently as you to express my point of view.  

I actually agree with most of the original post and you posts.

I do not agree with "Sellers need to blame themselves for issues encountered from USPS shipping delays!"

A similar statement could be used for anything in life.

Example, what if you had sales pending and then eBay has a system crash before you were able to extract the information needed to process the orders.   Do "Sellers need to blame themselves for issues encountered"  because they should have known that computers crash all the time?  It is the seller's fault that a buyers money is tied up within eBay and you can refund it or ship the order?  

If you are using the eBay Shipping Tools and the item does not arrive by the delivery date as the eBay shipping tool determined, how is it possible eBay could ding you and force you to give a refund?  eBay clearly understood this and they have made several announcements over the past few months that they would remove Negative Feedback if it was because of a Shipping Delay.  They have also adjusting estimated delivery times.  By negating the Negative Feedback and adjusting the delivery times they are demonstrating they accept some responsibility, yes?

When I ask how is it possible "eBay could ding you and force you to give a refund" I am not saying it has not happened.  I am asking because I disagree that they should be doing this.  They have been supportive by negating the Negative Feedback and adjusting the delivery times so why not supportive of a late delivery that is clearly in the system as still in route? 

As far as the red font comes across as argumentative, aggressive and shouting, I never heard of this.  I know typing in all Caps could be considered shouting.  I only used red to differentiate between your writings and mine, nothing more.  I have seen it done this way with other discussions , but I never knew using red had some underlying message.

[no_zero369]

@zayo2723 

I'll say this one more time in an attempt to help enlighten and then I won't reply further to you.

This is so disingenuous to claim any of us have any control over USPS or could make them do anything.

No one is saying you have any control over USPS shipping activity.  What were are saying is that your do have some level of control over buyer expectations.  Best advice is to do all of those things to limit INR cases.  No one is saying that it will eliminate all of them as some buyers can never be pleased, but that is why you have contingency plans.  Accept what you have control over and exercise that control.

Also I dont sell as a business or anything so this isnt like I'm operating my ebay activity as a business,

Well from this chair right there is a HUGE issue.  It is time to put on the big person pants and realize that regardless if you THINK it is just a hobby you are running a business!  But hey it is every person's right to ignore that fact and ignore the things they could do to operate their business and avoid "giving stuff away." 

Look, I get so excited by this because I started out like you.  Problem was I had listed items that required signature confirmation on the tracking, i.e. valued north of $750.  I was shocked at the ways I could lose everything, was disgusted with the MBG process and fearful. er, that was until I got an education and accepted that I was in business and needed to run things like a business.  The first and toughest pill to swallow was to accept that "returns happen" in retail selling.  When a return is requested, I am going to lose money.  How much money depended on what actions I take.  Learning to what options were available, how to provide customer service and when funds from a sale were really "mine" were all pieces of running my "hobby business."   So if I can learn to adapt, I am sure you can too.

Maybe with an open mind and some specifics as to the situations where you "gave stuff away" the threads could help you make a few changes?  It certainly is everyone's prerogative to not take things serious and to use these threads to whine and cry about perceive injustices.  But to quit just because one was uneducated as to how they could have structured their selling?

So yeah, if you have a mindset that eBay needs to protect you, rather than having a plan to take care of your self, then......  IMHO  if one made some changes they could have success here.  I've seen it and I've done it.  Are you willing to step up to the plate?

Shall we talk about solutions?

[no_zero369]

@stephenmorgan 

Good luck with your selling.  I think it takes a humble attitude and an open mind to accept change, the need for change and adapt to changing circumstances.

[calntom]

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@dbfolks166mt wrote:

     The biggest difference with Amazon is for about 60-70% of their sales where they, unlike eBay, own the shipping process and have their own warehouses and delivery trucks. If things are running late it is Amazon who notifies you not the direct seller. Late Amazon shipments are usually the result of third party sellers or where the delivery is rural and Amazon has to drop the package with USPS for the final mile of delivery. 

     I just placed an order with Amazon and the delivery date is somewhere between February 3-18. 

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We live within 50 miles of a couple of Amazon Warehouses in the DFW area. If the item is sold by Amazon and Ships from Amazon and they have it in one of the local warehouses, we get it next day and sometimes, same day if ordered in the morning. Could also be sold by 3rd party seller and housed in one of those warehouses (FBA) and we get the same delivery service via Amazon delivery truck or a Amazon contract delivery service. 

If the package is coming from an out of state Amazon warehouse, it just depends on what carrier Amazon chooses as far as when it will get here. They do tend to use UPS quite a bit.

The 3rd party sellers on Amazon that do their own shipping (FBM) are in the exact same boat we are here at eBay. My Amazon store has been on vacation for weeks due to the business model needing a lot of USPS 1st Class package shipments. It just would not work with USPS and I knew that.

I can't even imagine living on the east coast or midwest and having USPS packages consistently going through distribution centers in MI, PA, NJ, NY, IL etc. I know it has been a nightmare for a lot of sellers. 

[no_zero369]

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@calntom wrote:

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@dbfolks166mt wrote:

     The biggest difference with Amazon is for about 60-70% of their sales where they, unlike eBay, own the shipping process and have their own warehouses and delivery trucks. If things are running late it is Amazon who notifies you not the direct seller. Late Amazon shipments are usually the result of third party sellers or where the delivery is rural and Amazon has to drop the package with USPS for the final mile of delivery. 

     I just placed an order with Amazon and the delivery date is somewhere between February 3-18. 

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We live within 50 miles of a couple of Amazon Warehouses in the DFW area. If the item is sold by Amazon and Ships from Amazon and they have it in one of the local warehouses, we get it next day and sometimes, same day if ordered in the morning. Could also be sold by 3rd party seller and housed in one of those warehouses (FBA) and we get the same delivery service via Amazon delivery truck or a Amazon contract delivery service. 

If the package is coming from an out of state Amazon warehouse, it just depends on what carrier Amazon chooses as far as when it will get here. They do tend to use UPS quite a bit.

The 3rd party sellers on Amazon that do their own shipping (FBM) are in the exact same boat we are here at eBay. My Amazon store has been on vacation for weeks due to the business model needing a lot of USPS 1st Class package shipments. It just would not work with USPS and I knew that.

I can't even imagine living on the east coast or midwest and having USPS packages consistently going through distribution centers in MI, PA, NJ, NY, IL etc. I know it has been a nightmare for a lot of sellers. 

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@calntom 

I can appreciate the reasons why you shuttered your AZN store.  Doesn't appear AZN allows the same kind of communication tools as eBay and thus trying to manage buyer expectations would be difficult or impossible?

[stephenmorgan]

If you do not mind, could you explain how "If there wasn't a tracking update in 7 days, I filed an inquiry with the USPS."  and how  the "inquiry created a tracking scan, which appears to have extended the 3 week protection E-Bay offered"

Thanks

[calntom]

Amazon does not want sellers communicating to buyers unless the buyer initiates contact first. There are also a lot of AMZ buyers that have messages toggled off (blocked) and then the buyer sends a seller a message and when the seller responds the buyer never sees the message. If you add [important] as the first text in the message, it is supposed to override the block and I have had some success with that. 

I have been reading the AMZ boards and Amazon actually has been sending some messages to buyers stating that "they think your item may be lost and to ask for a refund". They are basically telling the buyers to contact the 3rd party sellers and ask for refunds. 

If you use AMZ "Buy Shipping" and the item does not arrive or is really late, you have to instruct the buyer to file an "A to Z" claim and then AMZ is supposed to cover the loss because Buy Shipping was used. Though this is problematic because Amazon has a tendancy to go ahead and take the refund money out of the sellers account anyways and then the seller has to file an appeal to get their funds back.

AMZ should be telling the buyer to file an A to Z Claim instead of contacting the sellers and asking for refunds.

If sellers here think there are major problems, they ought to experience the nearly non-existant seller support and policies over on The River. Nothing but a cluster*%#*. 

[monster-deals]

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@xpertcarpet74 wrote:

I fully agree it’s unreasonable to wait a month or more for an item. 

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Not really.

Reasonable is rather subjective.