POSTAGE TIMES FOR ITEMS SENT AS LETTERS VIA AUST. POST

[simply-seeds-at-planet-plants]

🤔Well, it seems that Aust. Post is now intending to only deliver 'letter' items 3 times a week. 

Of course, many items are sent as 'letters .. seeds, postcards, stamps, fabric squares, seed envelopes, zip-lock bags, etc & also CD single & double sized boxes meeting AP specs. are also sent as 'letters' if the contents fit the box & weight allowances.

Most Sellers would have noticed for some time that 'Sorting' letters has been occurring only 3 times a week for a while .. and I confirmed this with my local PO, when I noticed in tracking ages ago, 'letters' weren't moving 'as usual'. 

Apart from continuing higher prices & less service from AP, I'm trying to get answers to this:

💥IS eBay going to adjust their 'Expected Delivery Dates' to match this NEW delay in delivery dates ready to hit Sellers?

💥Are Sellers going to get 'defects' for these delays out of our control?

💥Are Sellers expected to just increase OUR 'Handling Time' for items listed for postage as a 'Letter' or 'Letter with Tracking' when the delivery/transit times are AP's?

If any Sellers or Buyers has answers, please reply.  😁

So far, I haven't been given an answer by EB. 😖

[simply-seeds-at-planet-plants]

Well, we don't. Nth NSW & 10klms out of town. I fought 4yrs to get an AP mail delivery that was supposed to be here but wasn't, rather drive 20klms to p/u mail. We still don't have any parcel delivery or couriers.

* My handling time for postage is ample - 5 days in most cases for seeds or items. Other listings have longer for seedlings/plants. I usually get orders posted within 2 days.

* I'm sick of being hassled for late delivery when it's AP's fault &/or getting that reflected in the 'scores' left.

* AP themselves told me letters are sorted every 3 days & also get redirected multiple times if backlogging is noticed in major sorting centres along the way. That's often reflected in their own tracking info.

* NOT all areas get deliveries every day - our rural area has 3. AP is progressively introducing that everywhere, according to their own news releases.

[simply-seeds-at-planet-plants]

Thank you! 

* My handling time for postage is ample - 5 days in most cases for seeds or items. Other listings have longer for seedlings/plants. I usually get orders posted within 2 days.

* I'm sick of being hassled for late delivery when it's AP's fault &/or getting that reflected in the 'scores' left.

* AP themselves told me letters are sorted every 3 days & also get redirected multiple times if backlogging is noticed in major sorting centres along the way.

* NOT all areas get deliveries every day - our rural area has 3. AP is progressively introducing that everywhere, according to their own news releases.

[simply-seeds-at-planet-plants]

It wasn't the local PO. It was a Supervisor I spoke to in AP in Melbourne. AP is now only releasing these changes in their own press news, ie: making deliveries 3 x weekly standard, due to majority of 'mail' being email. They also redirect 'letter' mail multiple times if back-logs are occurring & that's easy to see reflected in their own tracking info.

* My handling time for postage is ample - 5 days in most cases for seeds or items. Other listings have longer for seedlings/plants. I usually get orders posted within 2 days.

* I'm sick of being hassled for late delivery when it's AP's fault &/or getting that reflected in the 'scores' left.

* AP themselves told me letters are sorted every 3 days & also get redirected multiple times if backlogging is noticed in major sorting centres along the way.

* NOT all areas get deliveries every day - our rural area has 3. AP is progressively introducing that everywhere, according to their own news releases.

[simply-seeds-at-planet-plants]

Well, I've had even tracked items disputed by buyers via EB! I only EVER use tracking envelopes or Reg. Post to avoid dishonest requests for more of what was purchased. NOW, I get disputes because buyers request AP 'leaving it in a safe place' & it's 'not delivered'. Listings note 'it's at your own risk'.

* My handling time for postage is ample - 5 days in most cases for seeds or items. Other listings have longer for seedlings/plants. I usually get orders posted within 2 days.

* I'm sick of being hassled for late delivery when it's AP's fault &/or getting that reflected in the 'scores' left.

* AP themselves told me letters are sorted every 3 days & also get redirected multiple times if backlogging is noticed in major sorting centres along the way.

* NOT all areas get deliveries every day - our rural area has 3. AP is progressively introducing that everywhere, according to their own news releases.

[springyzone]

I too have read that letters are heading for 3 days a week delivery. I am not sure if it is in my area (Metro Melb) or not as we don't get that many letters.  But I am pretty sure the postie at least does parcels every day. He has a scooter that has a good sized cart.

I'm going to admit straight up though that buyers will expect their goods by the estimated dates.

Just about every other website you buy from these days is getting items to the buyer within the week. Maybe that is because they are parcels or because a lot of different couriers are used, I don't know. But people are not used to long delays. I bought on ebay last week and the item was here from interstate within days (Bought 7th, delivered 11th).

If you feel your handling time is ample, yet the goods are often arriving after the estimated date, to the extent it is becoming a problem for you, then I think you will need to increase that handling time to push the estimated dates out further. You need to work within the prevailing conditions.

Customers will look at the ad and expect that the seller can fulfill the conditions, including ETA.

Customers will get a bit anxious if things don't arrive on time, they will think of your service as 'slower than expected' and mark it as such.

[paper-jack]

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@simply-seeds-at-planet-plants wrote:

...

* I'm sick of being hassled for late delivery when it's AP's fault &/or getting that reflected in the 'scores' left.

.....

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Then there are those who mention "fast delivery" in feedback - I may be fast in getting an item to the post office but can't take credit for fast delivery or be held responsible for late delivery. 

I receive a lot of paper mail from around the world (nothing to do with ebay) and have noticed that APO date stamp items when they get into their system on arrival in Australia, which is a really stupid action on their part as the date I receive the item can be as long as 10 days after that APO stamp. 

Would be nice if Australia Post was still a service.

[springyzone]

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@paper-jack wrote:

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@simply-seeds-at-planet-plants wrote:

...

* I'm sick of being hassled for late delivery when it's AP's fault &/or getting that reflected in the 'scores' left.

.....

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Then there are those who mention "fast delivery" in feedback - I may be fast in getting an item to the post office but can't take credit for fast delivery or be held responsible for late delivery. 

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I think when customers say this, they are giving credit as well to the seller for posting it off quickly. Back in the day on ebay, many sellers would not post for a week or so. It can't get to you at all until it is posted.

It's true that the seller has no control over Auspost or the courier once it has been posted, but I find that on the whole, most of them are pretty efficient. I think Auspost even ramps up the service before Christmas.

My guess is this would be a bad time of year, too, to disappoint customers as far as delivery times go as many are waiting on items that are to be gifts. Probably doesn't apply to seed sales as much though.

[gutterpunkz05]

As per my original post.

If items are sent tracked, within handling time, and there is 1 valid tracking event  (lodgement),  then it does not matter when or if the item is delivered.  I think there is also a proviso that tracking is uploaded prior to any dispute.

If the item is lost in transit, stolen after delivery,  or just delivered late .  Ebay foot the cost of any refund and  seller defects for late shipment do not apply and any such defect will be auto removed.

Yes, I use tracked letters for some items,  tracking info  confirms that AP letter sorting operates at least 5 days per week  (have even had tracking notifications on  Saturdays)

Even if letter deliveries reduce to 3 days per week, it is unlikely to make a change to  operation of sorting facilities.

 I am aware of backlogs in parcel  sorting, which has required  transfers between sorting facilities.  However  I  doubt this is the case with letters, which as you note are in decline, and as you claim sorting is only operational 3 days per week, there is an obvious solution to resolve any backlog issue, without the need to transfer items between facilities.

Just to add.

If as you claim items are being shipped with tracking, then when  items are left in a safe place, it is considered and shows as delivered, and therefore ebay seller protection applies.