Postage and late delivery

[hardware.supplies]

Sorry if this has already been covered but I’m not sure I’m doing the right thing here.

I have always posted my orders with stamps and it was going fine. Small number of complaints but generally satisfactory.

My seller rating was Top Rated.

 Recently my seller rating dropped to Above Standard due to late deliveries.

 So I have started to purchase my postage labels from eBay. (within the last week)

 Since doing so my later deliveries are going up. 

My packages are getting scanned in at the post office on the same day out at least the next day (in line with my settings)

Here is what I’m wondering -

Is the worsening late postage just a lag, catching up with previous orders and also, by buying postage labels off eBay does this protect my rating as long as I I do everything on time.

I tried customer service but I didn’t find them helpful out understanding.

 Any advice will be appreciated and thanks

[evamarievinyls]

I'm in the same boat.  Christmas is my busiest time.  I'm a top rated seller with 100% feedback and no issues at all throughout the year.  November December and in come the INR's.  Royal Mail are to blame, late deliveries all the time.  I do have some returning customers who understand the problems with RM but then I have some new customers who thinks I'm just not sending.

I send most orders RM 2nd class so receive a tracking ID which I then have to cut and paste into the order as eBay seems to have stopped doing this.

I've just extended my dispatch time to 15 days so I'm covered for any lates.  It's shocking really, I've paid for a service and they are taking 2 weeks to post.

My question is the same as yours IF I PURCHASE POSTAGE THROUGH EBAY, WHICH I'VE ALWAYS DONE.  AM I COVERED ON WITH THE INR REQUESTS.