Estimated Delivery Time and Defects

[belantti_hair_and_beauty]

This is becoming an issue that I find hard to deal with...

I have spoken to a few customer service reps over the last few weeks and the issue that I have is I sell a lot of items £10 and under (60%) and 40% 10 and over the cheaper items I send using 2nd class delivery and because Royal Mail have been inconsistent I have sent up my delivery policy as 3 days handling time and 2-3 days delivery time which gives me 5-6 days for the customer to receive it just so I cover myself from defects

But what I do is post every day just so I have a few day's buffers

And what I have noticed is the system will give an estimated time of 2-3 days or 3-4 days even though when I look at the listing from the customer end it shows as 5-6 days so when my item gets delivered on the 5 days I get a defect and because it's not tracked but only scanned as delivered I have to kind of fight with customer service to get the defect removed (call them up)

When speaking to customer service they have to say my estimated time is based on my average delivery time (2-4) days which defeats the object!

Is anyone else having issues like this?

[ojewellery]

Are you posting in a post box or going to a post office?

If you are trading as a business now, would it be worth considering using click and drop and sending RM24/48 from a post office rather than 1st/ 2nd class.

It gives the advantage of the collection scan into the system so shows proof of postage and means the dispatch scan counts as dispatch on time for seller metrics.

[magpiecorner1]

Well, not helped by eBay.  One ofmy listings today had 2 day despatch and 2nd class mail.  eBay deems this a 3 day delivery service.   But if someone had bought it this morning, the delivery date shown to the buyer before buying was Saturday 11th to Monday 13th.  Now, considering Special delivery is a one day guaranteed service, RM has a delivery date of 13th, if a same day despatch.   

Which means eBays estimates are lies.  

I can't see the point, I offer first class and special delivery on the same listing, so timewise it would appear plain stupid to the buyer to pay for a quicker service when the cheapest service apparently gets there in the exact same timescale, with no consideration of despatch times.  Presumably because for years we have posted same day or next day.

All that will happen is unhappy customers.

Incidentally, the work around is to post straight away but not mark as posted until the date eBay show as the last day of posting.  For a buyer, receiving an item before it is posted is simply the best example of under promising and over delivering.  And sending first class is even better.  

[belantti_hair_and_beauty]

I go to the post office daily even on Sundays, If I use RM24/48 then for 60% of my items its not worth selling as I will be losing profits 

[belantti_hair_and_beauty]

Hmmm, issue is I will have to make it as dispatch as I use eBays system for my postage which does it automatically 

[ojewellery]

@belantti_hair_and_beauty   Can I just check we're comparing the same thing.  Royal Mail offer so many services it can get a bit confusing.  They have a basic business equivalent service to 1st and 2nd class they call RM24 and RM48 available as letter, large letter or a parcel service.  All with optional signature upgrades.  This offers a collection scan (critical for showing ontime dispatch for business' selling on platforms such as eBay) and the majority of time a delivery scan - increasingly with GPS map.  They then offer a service very similarly named RM24tracked and RM48tracked which is available in large letter or parcel size but is quite a bit more expensive.  It does offer extras like changing/ nominating a delivery point, emails to customer and full tracking from collection.

I use RM24 for most items and I'm sending large letter size.  I'm VAT registered so have the advantage I can offset the VAT.  Looking at the VAT inclusive price for RM24LL including surcharge for fuel its approximately £1.47.  A first class online large letter stamp is I believe £1.45.  So very little difference, except as a business you get that critical collection/ drop off scan.  I'm guessing second class vs RM48 is very similar.

If you become a royal mail business customer you can get free post sacks, tags, and thermal labels too.

[poppiescards]

I created a new listing last night ... 4 days handling and posting via Royal Mail 2nd class, and Ebay were giving an estimated delivery date as Tuesday 14th - Saturday 18th!!!  Tuesday????  So I changed it to 5 days handling so that it then said Wednesday.

This interference is absolutely ridiculous!  This LIE by Ebay helps no-one!  Like you, I want to allow for delays in transit and strikes ... I'd rather my customers be pleased to receive their order earlier than expected (happy customer) than later than expected (annoyed customer)!!!

Ebay clearly have no intention of fixing this issue because they have been over-riding sellers settings for months!  That's why many sellers are now looking at other selling platforms ... they're getting fed up with having to deal with the mess that Ebay create!  😡

[poppiescards]

And just to add ... the reason why it is ridiculous for Ebay to consider the past performance of a seller's dispatch time when giving estimated delivery dates to their customers, is because ... what if their circumstances have now changed??  And they can no longer post the same day or next day?  Maybe they have a new job, are now caring for a relative, are ill themselves ... or can no longer get to the Post Office every day like they used to?  THAT'S why it should be up to the seller to decide their estimated deliver dates, not Ebay!! 

[the-nutwood-collection]

If you're handing the packets into a post office and receiving an acceptance scan, late defects should disappear within a few days.  The only defects you should receive are when the buyer has marked the delivery as late when giving feedback or when an INR has been raised.

Alternatively, you can import your eBay orders into Royal Mail and manually mark the items as despatched on the 'despatch by' date.

[wyntersemporium · Accepted solution]

I look after my mum, and sometimes I'm so tired to even do eBay. I had a few on Thursday when it said it would get to buyer on Saturday. Mine were set for 5-6 days I send via Royal Mail click n drop where they collect from the door. It's not a business account with Royal Mail either, but they scan every item on the door step which can either be 1st/2nd/ RM24/48 signed for so I get the GPS coordinates for.

[belantti_hair_and_beauty]

Hi,

What is the charge for this service per month/Year?

How many items per month or spend on postage do I need to have to get a business account?

[susapric-68]

Think it's 1000 a year min and there's no charge. It's cheaper than normal post office prices and if you do RM24/48 you get delivery coordinates and a number that ebay accepts as proof of delivery. 

[peterhw100]

I am an ebay customer and see the other side of this issue.  I am waiting for a delivery NOW.  I ordered & paid for the goods on 20th July 2023 with an estimated 2-3 days delivery.  My order status was update almost immediately with good dispatched on 19th July (yes 1 day before I placed the order).  I was rapidly told the goods were in transit yet the revised delivery went out to as far as August 2nd. Just nonsense replies from vendor - but they state the good are dispatched from the UK but could not give any response for the obvious contradictions.  They also state goods usually take 5-8 days (still advertising 2-3 days) . Today (25th - i.e. 5 days from order) I now have a YODEL tracking # and goods expected tomorrow.  It would seem there was never any intention (or presumably ability) to deliver inside 2-3 days (the goods small, cheap item - i.e. could easily have been 'posted' via Royal Mail).  Very frustrating and annoying.  Mishaps happen - no problem - a clear and obvious explanation together with apology would be perfectly acceptable.

[wyntersemporium]

I've had on my deliveries. Take a buyer, bought Monday afternoon (Royal Mail picked up 11.30am) eBay suggested that a second class large letter would arrive on Wednesday.

[bravergrace]

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@peterhw100 wrote:

  I ordered & paid for the goods on 20th July 2023 ... My order status was update almost immediately with good dispatched on 19th July (yes 1 day before I placed the order).  

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The seller can't "backdate" the dispatch date shown on eBay, so this means that the seller must be registered outside the UK (unless there's a glitch in the eBay system).  That doesn't necessarily mean that they aren't dispatching from the UK, but if the item is very late, it could be so.

[peterhw100]

Many thanks and understand the seller probably outside the UK.

I got 'cheesed off' when the initial delivery was 3-5 days then I see the day before, then a revised latest date into August etc.  The item turned up yesterday (25th July) - just on the 5 days.  Just seemed poor communication.

Thanks

[bennotbill]

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@bravergrace wrote:

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The seller can't "backdate" the dispatch date shown on eBay, so this means that the seller must be registered outside the UK (unless there's a glitch in the eBay system).

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There is a current post with someone reporting US times appearing over their items. On their transactions times varying from 11 hours ahead to 10 hours behind. So good chance of yet another "glitch".

US time showing on all UK transactions this week

Marco says........

I've reported this to our IT team, and as soon as they get back to me on this, I will post back here to update you.

[peterhw100]

bravegrace - thanks for the response. Got me thinking ---- I placed the the order at 20 Jul 2023 at 3:31 PM (UK Time).  As I understand Time zones range from -12 hours to +12 hours which would suggest  that there is nowhere in the world that is 15 hours less than the time of order.  Weird one and never got a response from the vendor despite asking the question (how could it be dispatched before it was ordered)

[scootsarb]

I got given a late delivery defect for an item I sold on Christmas Eve.

I offer 2 days handling time and then 3-5 days postage.

I am still baffled to how eBay can expect me to post on Christmas day (25th) or Boxing day (26th).

Also to mention, after chatting with an agent on 3 different occassions they say those 2 days are counted in the handling time. Even though I posted out AND entered tracking info on the 27th. So silly.

The first agent said the defect would be removed, I waited the 72 hours (+ 3 more days) and it was still showing on my account so contacted a 2nd agent who then told me the first agent made a mistake and the defect would not be removed.

I still have the defect but am waiting for the response from the 3rd chat. Hopefully my evidence I supplied can solve it and remove the incorrectly given late delivery defect. - Also to mention, In the defect report it says ""If you dispatch on time and upload a validated tracking number, or your buyers tell us their items were posted on time when they leave Feedback, you've got nothing to worry about."", the buyer left me positive feedback with the comment "delivered on time". 

[peterhw100]

Interesting observation - wish you all the best in resolving.

Whilst generally speaking delivery times are good and adhered to it does
appear that eBay provides an update saying despatched when it appears not to
be the case.

I suspect a despatch label is printed (or similar) when a request is
generated by the vendor.

The goods may NOT actually be despatched for several days later.

I suspect this occurs with a number of overseas shippers where the item(s)
are shown as despatched but no further tracking information for several
days.

Eventually the goods arrive with the 'delivery agent' (Mail or Courier) who
advise of receipt and delivery then continues as expected.



Regards

Peter H. Williams



113 Skelmorlie Castle Road

Skelmorlie

Ayrshire

PA17 5AL



<-> TEL:- 01475 529946

Mobile:- 07773 348117

Skype:- peterhwuk