Late Shipment Rate Calculation

[clarry100]

I know it should not be bothering us since it is ZERO, but just wondering a bit about this calculation.

It says 0 out of 156 transactions.

The reporting period is 1-Sep-16 to 30-Nov-16 (3-months).

There have been quite a few more than 156 transactions in this time, or is this just the ones where the buyer chose to answer the arrival date question when they leave feedback?

We send almost all by large letter untracked so even getting a single NO answer now will see us jump to 0.6% or so. Kinda more than 10+% up the scale just from a single negative answer.

[thecatspjs · Accepted solution]

eBay: "If you post on time and upload validated tracking or your buyers tell us the shipment was on time when they leave Feedback, you're all set".

As you don't upload tracking, I would assume the report reflects buyers responses to the shipped on time question "Did the item arrive on or before xxxxx"

You would have to have several buyers mark No to this question to lose Top Seller Status as there is a 5% buffer.  

Seems like needless pondering about a scenario that will have no impact on your selling status if it occurs. 

[queenslander]

I have 2 defects for late shipping Buyer bought and paid for 2 items then saw another 2 finishing 3 days later. I suggested would wait and send all together if successful buyer to save postage costs. Buyer did win and I sent the two others free postage all tracked in the same pack. Parcel arrived but Ebay pinged me two faults for late sending I rang up and explained.  No my fault so no removal of defects. Do the right thing by a Buyer and get faulted for it. SELLERS Cannot Win On Ebay with these rules.

[clarry100]

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@thecatspjs wrote:

eBay: "If you post on time and upload validated tracking or your buyers tell us the shipment was on time when they leave Feedback, you're all set".

As you don't upload tracking, I would assume the report reflects buyers responses to the shipped on time question "Did the item arrive on or before xxxxx"

You would have to have several buyers mark No to this question to lose Top Seller Status as there is a 5% buffer.  

Seems like needless pondering about a scenario that will have no impact on your selling status if it occurs. 

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Oh you are absolutely correct Cats...

To cross the 5% buffer, as you suggest, would take 8x NO answers given the currect transaction rate of 156.

Probably most unlikely.

My question was more about wondering where they get the 156 number from out of general interest.

[clarry100]

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@queenslander wrote:

I have 2 defects for late shipping Buyer bought and paid for 2 items then saw another 2 finishing 3 days later. I suggested would wait and send all together if successful buyer to save postage costs. Buyer did win and I sent the two others free postage all tracked in the same pack. Parcel arrived but Ebay pinged me two faults for late sending I rang up and explained.  No my fault so no removal of defects. Do the right thing by a Buyer and get faulted for it. SELLERS Cannot Win On Ebay with these rules.

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Understand this yes...

We have quite a few listings where we allow our buyer to make a choice of colour mix on some of our range of craft flowers.

There are far too many possible colour combinations to put them all into variations.

If they select the option to choose their own colours then in the description we say to either leave us a message to seller during checkout or send us a message to tell us their colour choices.

It's not uncommon for them to forget to leave a message.

But of course the shipping clock is ticking from the minute they pay so then we have to frantically run around trying to contact them to get an answer. Very often it results in a phone call, if their number is listed correctly.

But if we can't get a response within a day or two we let them know that we will have to send their order out with a random colour selection. So far, doing this has not resulted in any bad feedback luckily.

In a few cases we have gotten a response something like "Oh thats OK just send a random selection of colours". This is one of the options to choose from the listing by the way. Doh!

[*tippy*toes*]

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@queenslander wrote:

I have 2 defects for late shipping Buyer bought and paid for 2 items then saw another 2 finishing 3 days later. I suggested would wait and send all together if successful buyer to save postage costs. Buyer did win and I sent the two others free postage all tracked in the same pack. Parcel arrived but Ebay pinged me two faults for late sending I rang up and explained.  No my fault so no removal of defects. Do the right thing by a Buyer and get faulted for it. SELLERS Cannot Win On Ebay with these rules.

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I had a buyer this week bid on 3 items. 2 were finishing the next day, the other finishing in 6 days. I sent a message saying not to pay until I'd sent a revised invoice or they'd pay too much postage. I also said it was fine to hold off paying until the last item had finished so everything could be sent together. I said I'd be at work when the first 2 auctions had finished, so if they wanted to pay for those earlier, I'd send an invoice as soon as I got home.

I was on my break at work when I got notification that the 2 items sold. Less than a minute later I got notification that they'd been paid for. WTH???!!!! Why do I bother?! Not long after I got home from work I got a message. She'd only just seen the message and asked to hold off sending the first 2 items that she'd paid for.

I replied that I can't do that as I'll be posting outside my handling time and if I do that, eBay will give me a defect on my account, which can affect my selling ability. I said instead of refunding the excess, to not pay for the last item until I've sent an invoice with the postage removed. 10 will get you 20 that she pays before the invoice. I wasn't prepared to get a defect to keep her happy. This is a low feedback account, a single defect could kill me.

I'd also told her that most sellers are happy for you to finish buying before paying, that way everything can be sent together and you can save bucket loads on postage. I pointed out that sellers can easily see that you've bid on multiple items and when they finish. If you're ever unsure if a seller is happy to wait, send them a quick message saying you're interested in a number of things, is it OK if I hold off paying until I've finished buying. She's got low feedback (yellow star) and was grateful for the advice.

[dazzledayz]

The answer to this late shipping defect on multiple purchases is simple:

Make sure you insist on the buyer NOT making payment until they have completed their full selection.

eBay make their calculation based on the payment date plus your handling time.

I'm quite happy for items to sit on the unpaid list until the buyer is ready for invoice.

ebay aren't too interested in multiple purchase as they lose on postage fees so they give you no tools and no breaks.

It's virtually impossible to do multis on the mobile app and that should be noted in any offers to buyers.

They should use the app only to "watch" then complete purchase from a desktop.

[helenm777]

I have also found that the Ebay Phone App requires the buyer to Pay for items immediately and have have spent a lot of time refunding the buyer and then getting postage credits back from Ebay.

Sometimes they buy one thing one day, then another the next day all paid for including postage.

I was certainly not aware that Ebay would not remove late postage defect in this case,

I was away on holiday and items still sold, Holiday mode on and I sent all buyers messages that shipment would be on my return. All were OK with that. When i noticed a Late Shipment defect from Ebay I called them and he happily removed the Defect by checking on messages between me and the buyer!

I would ask to speak to a supervisor about getting a late postage defect when it is clearly not the Sellers fault by Combining post for customers over a couple of days.

[queenslander-one]

Lucky you the Moron I spoke to said No and Refused to Transfer me to their Supervisor Just Hung up

[davewil1964]

It is probably not a good idea to be aggressive; or to disparage the person on the other end of the phone.

Your choice, but you have demonstrated where that gets you.