TERRIBLE SHIPPING

[danvanw-62]

I like the products but all the sellers, like my current issue, I ordered a small book Sep 5 and still dont have.  Terrible shipping problems with every order I try and get through Ebay - have to back to Amazon and dont want to but this is so stupid to wait over 2 weeks for a book.

[touchdownarkansas]

Amazon's shipping isnt that great. And even if it is delivered in 2 days what good does it do when the box is crushed, the contents are damaged or already expired or whatever. I have had SO many issues with Amazon and I used to buy hundreds of dollars worth of stuff from them every month. I don't do that anymore. I also would not count on their customer service.

[goldguy22k]

If you bought a book, then it is likely that the seller shipped it via Media Mail with the USPS.  Media Mail is a highly discounted method of shipping bookes etc., and as such it gets low priorty in the shipping system and often takes a while.

When buying on eBay one thing to check is the estimated delivery dates.   eBay usually fills those in based on the sellers handling time and the average number of days it takes to deliver, based of the type of shipping the seller proposes.   Some sellers have same-day or 1-day handling time, some much longer 5+ days!  

Then check the shipping tab and see if the seller is shipping via Media Mail.  I have had books delivered in a couple days via media mail and as long as 10 BUSINESS days (2 weeks)!  So the way an item is shipped can make a big difference.

That is why I often offer "expedited shipping" as an option on many of my listings.  That way if a buyer wants it faster, they can get in in 2-3 days for a small additional charge.

So in the long run, saving a few bucks on an offer often doesn't pay off.  One gets what they pay for and "cheap" often times means slow.