Estimated delivery dates (yes again)

[darth_baggins]

I know this has been done to death and eBay staff just repeat the 'working as intended' mantra but this simply can't be right.

I bought something from a seller I get supplies from more than a week ago and it's still not arrived. I realise delays are inevitable at this time of year but I thought I'd just check the EDD and I'm gobsmacked by the disparity between his and mine.

Ordered on November 27, seller has a 1 day / same day handling time and posts 1st class, yet the EDD for my order is December 5th - 8th.

I compared one of my listing to his.

Seller - as above - same day dispatch before 3:30pm, sent 1st class. EDD is December 12th to 15th, so basically at least a week to arrive.

My listing - five working days handling time and I send 2nd class. EDD is December 8th to 13th. So eBay as usual are telling buyers they may get the item before I even have to post it.

So a seller with same day dispatch and 1st class post gets longer EDD than a seller with 5 day dispatch and 2nd class post.

I know they're supposed to be 'dynamic' but there's just no way that this can be described as 'working as intended'.

[modelrealm]

Absolutely ridiculous just received email from eBay regarding service metrics "item not received" is high- the reason being Ebay giving false estimates to customers then encouraging them to open a case. Download the service metrics and 11 of them have delivery confirmation but stil counted as not received as a case was opened. My latest estimated delivery dates given out by ebay are the day after my dispatch date. The service I send by is second class so never going to reach my customers by the latest date. I post on time by the service I state and the dispatch time I set. I don't need these estimated delivery dates made up by ebay telling customers to expect it before I have even dispatched it. Why can't ebay advise the customers of the sellers dispatch date. Would make more sense after all they advise the seller when to dispatch by. 

[theelench]

Which is precisely why I ended all my listings on 30/11/23.

With the run-up to Christmas, RM having 'difficulties' here, there and everywhere on a sort-of rotating basis, likely knock-on effects to other delivery companies and the likelihood of bad weather just adding to the already high possibility of your "Metrics" moving into the danger zone. 

That a 'high possibility' existed before any of the above had become a serious threat is due to ebay stacking the odds against sellers in advance, with almost impossible to achieve FDDs now being the norm throughout the year.

There's little point in playing a game that there's no chance of winning, especially when "the house" is betting heavily against you and shortening the odds to make sure you don't.  

[best-range]

Just checked the EDD's on few bought items, yet again ebay is stating the RM48 2 class if posted the next working day that is Tuesday the 2nd Jan will be delivered either same day as posted or the next day !!! - making the 2 class service (RM48), that is 3 business days service faster then the paid for Next Day Express delivery !

ebay, there is no such delivery service that exists in the UK that delivers items same day as posted except by private drones !!! - maybe ebay can start their own drone courier delivery service & deliver it themselves to meet their own impossible EDD's ???

 This ongoing fiasco is causing harm to seller's accounts & giving impossible to meet expectations to buyers, it's not working "as designed" at all, please fix it instead of continuously denying anything is wrong.

How much longer we all need to suffer this ongoing incompetence ?

[modelrealm]

It's truly remarkable how eBay's Estimated Delivery Dates (EDD) seem to be working according to their own design and not necessarily in sync with sellers' timelines. The listing clearly states, "Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing," but the discrepancy in delivery expectations continues to be a challenge.

These false and misleading dates are causing sellers all sorts of grief from customers, primarily because eBay communicates to customers that the latest they will receive their item is a day after posting. This expectation misalignment often leads to customer frustration, which we, as sellers, then bear the brunt of.

Why should i keep shifting my approach to combat this situation by explicitly stating a more realistic estimated dispatch time . This adjustment aims to counteract the sometimes unrealistic dates set by eBay, which often mislead customers.

It's essential to underscore that if I choose to post early, that's a bonus for the customer, but I'm not willing to keep adjusting my dispatch/handling time. I state my dates, and I request respect for those timelines without unnecessary adjustments.

The frustration stems from eBay conveying to customers that they will receive their orders either before my dispatch date or at the very latest, the day after dispatch. Let's be realistic – free economy postage via Royal Mail is not a one or two-day service, especially during peak periods. In the lead-up to Christmas, we witnessed delays reaching a staggering 26 days for a 2nd class large letter.

The question arises: despite dispatching on time and diligently uploading tracking information, was I covered by seller protection? Unfortunately, the answer is no. Feedback removal? No. Service metrics coverage? Again, no.

The seller assumes responsibility, yet navigating the intricacies of eBay's delivery expectations can be challenging. It's time to reconsider and adapt to a system that better aligns with the realities of shipping, providing customers with transparent expectations and sellers with the protection they deserve.

[bluechargedirect]

I appreciate there seems to be little point talking about this but jst thought Id quickly share the laughable situation we have today.

Came in today and we are short staffed (illness). So we set cut of to 5am and set about hell for leather to get the weekends order out (not the sort of volumens we used to deal with so not too concerned but playing it safe).

I have just noticed that the orders that are coming in now RM48 have a delivery estimate of Wednesday / Thursday. Orders we received on Friday have a delivery estimate of Wednesday to Monday (15th)!

So we have a situation where we need to prioritise getting out orders received today (that we didn't offer to send today) over orders we received on Friday that we did offer to send today (in fact a lot shipped on friday). 

All working as intended!

[merlinwholesale]

anita@ebay

I have a simple question.

You state   'PLEASE ALSO NOTE THAT ESTIMATED DELIVERY DATES ARE ESTIMATES'

Why then do you ask OUR customers if their item arrived by Ebay's estimated delivery date? And then penalise us in our service metrics if our customer answers NO?

[goingfishinguk]

I've actually sussed this all out.. eBay's EDD were programmed by Horizon 😉

[messier44000]

---

@bluechargedirect wrote:

I appreciate there seems to be little point talking about this

That is because we are getting used to patronizing scripted answers from you know who

[merlinwholesale]

That says it all! 😂

[vintagechinashop]

I have one postage policy on all my listings 

I sold 4 items on Sunday all with the same postage policy. 2 were estimated to be posted 5 working days after sale which is correct as I have my despatch set that way due to my working commitments.  2 however are showing with an estimated posting date as 3 working days but the postage policy is exactly the same. 
like you I'm being asked to prioritise items sold on Sunday over items sold on the previous Friday 

there is absolutely as we all know no way that these estimated dates are working the way that it should yet we keep on being fed this line  I'm lucky I only have about 15-20 parcels to do per week but I hate to think how sellers who have many more items to send can possibly keep up with these estimates. It's complete fantasy 

[best-range]

Ebay is now promising SUNDAYS ! deliveries for economy 2 class post, RM48.

Please eBay, Royal Mail dont delivers 2 class economy post on SUNDAYS ! 

This is on top of the already reported promises of same day deliveries as dispatch day for 2 class post !

Nowhere on that page it states that those are wrong "estimates",  it's says "running behind" instead.

 "working as intended" indeed......

[susapric-68]

Did royal mail just bring in Sunday deliveries for parcel Tracked 24®  and Special Delivery Guaranteed with click and drop? That would be enough for ebay to add sunday as an option

[best-range]

---

@susapric-68 wrote:

Did royal mail just bring in Sunday deliveries for parcel Tracked 24®  and Special Delivery Guaranteed with click and drop? That would be enough for ebay to add sunday as an option

---

This most expensive service is only available with RM business accounts for RM24 Tracked & Next Day Express Special delivery plus there are additional conditions to be able to use that service.

I doubt many sellers are using it becuase of costs, maybe as an additional paid for service but not as a "free p&p".

This service is not available for 2 class, RM48 or RM48 tracked economy service.

I use 2 class economy (RM)  & post mix of large letters & sm. parcels, so ebay should not advertise Sunday's deliveries on my listings as it's simply not true.  This is a new glitch.

[modelrealm]

Continuing this discussion to address the concerns around eBay's estimated delivery dates, which are causing issues for both sellers and eBay's overall business. How many of you are happy with the dates that are given out?

In standard shipping practices, the dispatch date is the starting point for estimating the time it will take for the item to reach its destination. It wouldn't make sense for a delivery estimate to be before the dispatch date, as the item has not yet been sent for delivery. If a company states a 5-day dispatch time but actually dispatches the order earlier than the stated time, it's generally a positive experience for the customer. Dispatching the order earlier than promised can be seen as good customer service, as it ensures that customers receive their items sooner than expected.

This may lead to increased customer satisfaction and positive reviews for the company. Many customers appreciate quick order processing and shipping times.

If a company consistently provides inaccurate or misleading delivery estimates, it can lead to customer dissatisfaction and a loss of trust. Inaccurate estimates can create unrealistic expectations, and customers may be disappointed if their orders do not arrive within the stated timeframe.

In such cases, customers might experience frustration and may reach out to customer service for clarification or express their concerns or for first time buyer not return to the site. You cannot lure a customer in based on false and misleading information.....To avoid such issues, responsible businesses should ensure that their marketing, including delivery estimates, is accurate and reflects their actual capabilities.

What information would you want from the delivery estimates? Maybe the best approach is to offer ebay some ideas solutions as its clear from the chat with ebay last week that they shut a post down with the "working as designed" and offered not further comment. 

I would like to see an update to the order confirmation set to the customer stating my dispatch date. The same date that ebay provide to me to tell me when to post by. I would then like to see a simple "the service you selected is RM48 estimated delivery 2-3 working days after the dispatch date." please note working days are typically Monday to Friday. For any more information regarding your delivery please contact the seller. Simple straight forward and above all acurate. If they receive the order early they are going to be happy. If they receive it late dissapointed lack trust and not a great example to new customers who probably wont return.

[theelench]

I agree with every word you say but it's all (and more) been said before in the previous 93 replies to this thread, in numerous other threads on this and other boards and in Monthly Chats over many months.

Unfortunately ebay is still playing Deaf and Blind to all reason and logic and is only marginally better than Dumb as it just uselessly repeats its mantra of "Working as intended".

[modelrealm]

I completely understand where you're coming from. We've been hashing out these discussions for a good few months now, and eBay's response has been pretty consistent – a firm "working by design, end of discussion."

But here's the thing, deciding to stop these talks might inadvertently signal acceptance or lead to yet another post popping up. eBay seems keen on wrapping these discussions up conclusively, emphasizing their designed operational framework.

Nevertheless, it's crucial for us to persist in expressing our concerns and suggesting practical solutions.

Even if it feels like we're hitting our heads against a wall, I've started sending a standard email with every order, letting the customer know the dispatch date and the chosen delivery service. I make a point about the sometimes inaccurate delivery estimates from eBay, highlighting that it's beyond my control. It's an extra step in my day that I'd rather not take, but if it means providing an honest statement and preventing disappointment and dissatisfaction, it's worth a shot.

[litp*records]

---

@best-range wrote:

Ebay is now promising SUNDAYS ! deliveries for economy 2 class post, RM48.

Please eBay, Royal Mail dont delivers 2 class economy post on SUNDAYS ! 

This is on top of the already reported promises of same day deliveries as dispatch day for 2 class post !

Nowhere on that page it states that those are wrong "estimates",  it's says "running behind" instead.

 "working as intended" indeed......

---

So as soon as you've sold something, you're immediately running behind..great isn't it!

I suggest bulk editing your dispatch time, change it to something like 10 days that will reset the EDD algorithm.

Sunday deliveries: anecdotally, I sent something to my aunt by RM 48 Tracked (personal account) and it arrived to her 2 days later on Sunday.  Christmas Eve, no less. 

Perhaps it was just for Christmas Eve or perhaps it varies by area...who knows!  

[theelench]

Again I can only agree, "Silence gives consent".

Ebay is keen on repeating that "it's working as designed" and "working perfectly" but has never once answered the questions:

Designed to do what exactly?

Why is it designed the way it is?

Demonstrate mathematically how the "Dynamic Calculation" produces answers at variance to everyone else's?

Only ever silence from ebay because, IMO, there are no answers to give, there is no "calculation", the whole thing is a 💩 and always has been.  Possibly the only answer to "What and Why" is the hope that enough sellers will be frightened into using quicker delivery services, yielding more fees from ebay's skimming P&P costs.  Or ebay hopes to get additional fees because sellers "fail" under the Service Metric and they can then charge 4% extra for their lousy service.  Either way, another underhand cash grab by ebay.

I haven't gone as far as emailing buyers yet but, although I've never bothered before, I now make sure to message them thanking them for their order on the day they pay and again (same day or next day) letting them know the exact date and time their parcel was accepted at the Post Office.

That way, hopefully, they will realise that I did my part and posted promptly, always within my dispatch window and that ebays Fantasy Delivery Dates are either just that, fantasy or worse, deliberate lies.

[litp*records]

---

@theelench wrote:

Again I can only agree, "Silence gives consent".

Ebay is keen on repeating that "it's working as designed" and "working perfectly" but has never once answered the questions:

Designed to do what exactly?

Why is it designed the way it is?

Demonstrate mathematically how the "Dynamic Calculation" produces answers at variance to everyone else's?

Only ever silence from ebay because, IMO, there are no answers to give, there is no "calculation", the whole thing is a 💩 and always has been.  Possibly the only answer to "What and Why" is the hope that enough sellers will be frightened into using quicker delivery services, yielding more fees from ebay's skimming P&P costs.  Or ebay hopes to get additional fees because sellers "fail" under the Service Metric and they can then charge 4% extra for their lousy service.  Either way, another underhand cash grab by ebay.

I haven't gone as far as emailing buyers yet but, although I've never bothered before, I now make sure to message them thanking them for their order on the day they pay and again (same day or next day) letting them know the exact date and time their parcel was accepted at the Post Office.

That way, hopefully, they will realise that I did my part and posted promptly, always within my dispatch window and that ebays Fantasy Delivery Dates are either just that, fantasy or worse, deliberate lies.

---

Frightened to use a faster service?  One that delivers on the same day?  Maybe the bigwigs at Ebay would care to invent one!

Until then, I have set 5 day dispatch time, and I always post exactly 2 working days after the sale. No faster.  Yes, I have everything packaged up ready to send on the same day, but I deliberately hold off sending it for 2 full days after that.   So the algorithm does not shorten my EDDs in future. 

So as I have said many times before, this policy actually causes buyers to receive their items from me later than they'd get them if the EDDs weren't "dynamic"

[the_book_seekers]

The problem is that the system doesn't recognise a change in posting patterns. I moved to a rural area amost two years ago and it was necessary to change my posting habits, but the EDDs have remained the same.