We got to go back Marty! Back to the future!
Summary: The discussion revolves around issues with eBay's estimated delivery dates (EDD), which seem inconsistent and potentially misleading to customers. padanpcparts raises concerns about eBay showing delivery dates that fall before the stipulated dispatch date, causing confusion and dissatisfaction. jonatjonatjonat argues that the term 'by' in dispatch instructions allows flexibility, implying items could be sent earlier. Other participants, including bzmotman and theelench, share similar frustrations with unrealistic or varying EDDs, which lead to buyer misunderstandings. There is a consensus that eBay might need to reconsider its communication regarding delivery estimates to improve both seller and buyer experiences.
Come on E-bay, this is just silly:
Dispatch by 17 Aug at 11.59pm BST
Make sure you send your order within the dispatch time you specified in the listing.
Estimated delivery date shown to buyer: 15 Aug 2026 - 18 Aug 2026
darth_baggins
·3 weeks agoI'm just looking at something listed as being in China. Today is the 20th. The EDD is the 24th August to 2nd September and the item has a three working day handling time, the delivery service is SPEEDPAK Economy.
There's very little chance it would arrive by the end of the EDD and zero chance of it arriving by the 24th.
It's broken but eBay insist it's working as intended so there's little we can do about it.
theelench
·Aug 18, 2026 at 7:48 AM · EditedAs a buyer and someone who used to sell here I'd like to add this comment.
When I sold ebay would regularly tell my buyers that their purchase would arrive the day after they paid plus 2/3 days. (so buy on the 1st and ebay would tell the buyer delivery would be 2nd - 5th) That was with a 2 day dispatch window and RM 2nd class postage.
Now as a buyer they are still telling me the same. Next day delivery + a day or 2.
NONE of my recent purchases has arrived next day (whatever postage the seller the seller used). ALL arrived 2 or 3 days after purchase.
That ALL arrived within the seller's + RM's stated delivery window and NONE arrived on the first day of ebay's estimate proves to me that ebay is WRONG / the seller is correct and I don't care what ebay says. They are lying to me and every other buyer that they give inaccurate / impossible estimates to.
I know to believe the seller from previous experience. Many buyers do not and expect what ebay tells them. Ebay's policy can only cause un-necessary problems for sellers. One reason I stopped selling here.
padanpcparts
OPAug 16, 2026 at 5:47 PMHa! Right on cue got back from my weekend to this lovely message:
Hello have you sent this order out yet or shall I contact eBay for a refund ?
the_brick_lodge
·Aug 16, 2026 at 12:33 PMPersonally I think eBay needs to change this
the_brick_lodge
·Aug 16, 2026 at 12:39 PMDon't know where the rest of my post went.
Posted to buyer doesn't update until delivered with 2nd Class and with the delays plus eBay's very short ETAs buyers simply think you haven't bothered to post the thing.
But I doubt eBay will change it, nor care about our issues or indeed the buyer experience.
vintagejeanscollectoruk
·Aug 16, 2026 at 6:26 AMGot an order Thursday night, buyer paid for special delivery. I post Friday 6.04am.
A few hours later (fri 8am ish) I log into ebay and check the tracking, it says arrives TODAY!
born-2-stitch
·1 month agoSorry but need to ask how do you find the estimated delivery time to the buyer?
boundarycoins
·1 month agoIf you’re on the app just click on the order it’s shown on the first page. They have been kind to me on this one, it’s usually a lot tighter for me as well.
boundarycoins
·1 month agoThe frustration with it is if the same order came in on Saturday evening that estimate would probably be the same if not worse despite the fact it can’t leave until the Monday. Yet if it came in on Sunday the estimated delivery date might extend by another day depending on some dynamic that I have never been fully able to understand.
jonatjonatjonat
·1 month agoIt shows within any Order Details page. Go to your Orders page - click an order number you'll get something like the below.
c_of_e84
·1 month agoEbay does say reduce your handling to one day to boost your sales, doomed to fail huh...............
jonatjonatjonat
·1 month agoIt really isn’t that silly though is it.
You have to despatch it BY 17th Aug so depending on the postage that might get there by 18th. But you could have shipped it today which meets the BY requirement.
padanpcparts
OP1 month ago · EditedCome on man, that is a real push. Yes, it is utterly ridiculous! We all know this means the dispatch day IS the 17th August, not before. They are giving an estimated delivery date to customers before the dispatch date. There is absolute NO defence of this at all. None.
jonatjonatjonat
·1 month ago · EditedAll of that is a load of nonsense. The only point you might have is the 18th Aug could do with padding a bit (though I don't know what postage you are offering so its hard to say)
by absolutely means the order could be despatched earlier than the 17th - so 15th is a perfectly valid estimate.
You are just looking for things to be annoyed by. Perhaps its the heat. it'll have cooled down by Saturday though. Oh wait. Does that mean it won't cool down until Saturday?
padanpcparts
OP1 month agoYour making no sense at all Jonat. Perhaps it is the heat. I'm annoyed that E-bay are quoting an estimated delivery date to my customer before the set dispatch day which is Monday 17th August. I haven't set it as maybe it will sent before if i feel like it. I have clearly marked all my listings as to be dispatched on Monday. . Seems straightforward to me but you seem intent on defending E-bay on this one. Not sure why. This has a knock on effect on customers being able to raise 'Item not received', cases before the delivery window I have set has ended, and on the time frame for forced refunds. It's a huge problem that has been ongoing for some years now.
jonatjonatjonat
·1 month ago · EditedLook I’ll warrant the 18th is a squeeze (but again I do not know the postage method you are quoting) but why you believe the word BY in an instruction means it absolutely 100% will go on the last day is beyond me.
The word you’d want in that scenario would be on. Despatch On 17th August.
padanpcparts
OPAug 16, 2026 at 5:46 PM · EditedOK, then E-bays wording needs changing. Because they use 'By', when sellers are setting that as their dispatch day. Still E-bays fault, still the same problem. Are you purposefully being obtuse?
jonatjonatjonat
·Aug 16, 2026 at 6:25 PMNot at all. I'm just reading English as written. Also, believe it or not, in this big wide world, some people may have other interpretations other than the gripe you posted.
A handling time IS NOT (in my opinion) a defined time frame to state you will ship all orders in 3 days time exactly. It's a time frame within which you as the seller will ship the item. That might be 5 minutes after the order, it might be 2 days, 23 hours and 55 minutes. Understood? You can have your own definition if it so please - but that is mine.
bzmotman
·Aug 17, 2026 at 10:23 PMWhat I don't understand about EDD is the complete inconsistency.
Sold to Hull tonight paid at 2008 EDD Aug 22 - 24
Sold to Blackburn tonight paid at 1956 EDD Aug 19 - 24
Both have despatch by Aug 20 & are 2nd class untracked. So how come my EDD window first date is 3 days less for Blackburn? Yes I know its an estimate & yes I know he should expect it by Aug 24 but most Buyers seem to look at the first date & say that's when it should arrive. So its impossible to send before tomorrow (18th) & Ebay are suggesting next day delivery for 2nd class untracked -pigs might fly. Royal Mail don't suggest that so why do Ebay?
Why don't they understand that feeding junk like this to buyers just generates dissatisfaction with the seller & the site.