@lsb.123 wrote:
I live in a fairly remote area and do a lot of ebay shopping. Generally if I, say, order on a Friday, I will have the item by the end of the next week, sometimes earlier. Lately "aussie stock" (won't buy from china) seems to take forever. When check the tracking, Australia Post have issued the tracking number but they don't seem to have the package for quite a few days later, hence its taking 2 weeks to get here (not Australia Post's fault). How can I guard against this as its really annoying that they haven't really sent the item when they say they have.
This is most definitely not unique to ebay.
This is common across a lot of online sites.
What you will see happen is often in your email (or on your My ebay section), you will see that a tracking number has been generated.
That just means that the seller has entered postage details into the system, generated a label. It doesn't mean the label is on the package and the package is in the little hot hands of Australia Post.
What happens then is perhaps next day or a day or two later, you'll see another email that will tell you the time the parcel was received by Australia Post.
That is the one you have to look out for because that means your item is then in the postal system. It is no longer with the seller.
You've got a few things going on in your opening post. Firstly, the seller isn't saying they have sent the item when they really haven't. They are simply uploading what the tracking details will be once the item is lodged at the post office.
You're asking how you can guard against it. When you buy something on ebay, you can usually look up handling details. The seller will say they post next day or within 3 business days or whatever.
You can watch that tracking number. Wait for that notification that it is lodged with Aust Post, see if that fits the ad.
It isn't 100% accurate though as some sellers may post in a box instead of over the counter.
But your sure fire check is the delivery date. No matter what the tracking shows, if that item arrives within the expected/advertised range of delivery dates, then you really haven't got a cause to complain.
So I think your best bet is to check that out that delivery window. If it doesn't suit, don't buy. You can also check out feedback and if a seller is continually slow to post, that will usually get a mention.
If an item does show as having been received in good time into the Aust post system though, maybe grant a bit of leeway if the delivery is delayed a few days as that is out of the hands of the seller.
