postage delays...when life takes a front seat...

[lotsamagsnbags]

Hi - I'd like to think others occasionally have instances where life gets in the way of ebay........my youngest was ill last week and my posting got delayed - like a day....... I think I mailed the majority of buyers with an apology.

one buyer bet me to it so I explained and now they keep pestering me where is it, where is it,

I know that australia post are behind well here with sydney deliveries anyway... as I have no parcels for days and then 5 at once.  I've had deliveries as late as 7:30pm and in some areas they have parcel contractors on saturdays which is not the norm.  I've explained this, and said please email if still not arrived by ....  date.

what do others do/say  in this situ?  this particular parcel is a satchel however an older version (still valid) had no tracking no. as was posted in a red box.  in retrospect I should have sent express, but was as there was no handy yellow posting box it wouldn't have been quicker...

am sure this person will neg me ... they wound quite young and unforgiving...!  part of selling I guess...

btw - I've been on the other end and had buyers say their brother has died or they have cancer....I usually give them the benefit of the doubt and wait  a while for payment.. usually checking their feedback

[phorum_junkie*]

Buyers are not interested in life getting in a seller's way and if I was only going to be one day late sending I wouldn't draw attention to the fact by contacting the buyers.

I usually post the same or next day but have a handling time of 2 days in my listings so no buyer has any reason to complain.

If I were going to send an email apologising for late delivery I would not mention anything about a sick child, an expiring relative or needing to take the goldfish to the vet, I would merely say that due to circumstances beyond my control I would be X days late in posting. As a buyer I would accept that, any mention of personal circumstances would annoy me intensely.

[onekiwi0]

goldfish to the vet!! thanks PJ

yes understood - no I didn't go into unneccesary detail. 

as luck would have it they emailed last night to say it had arrrived.  I looked to delete my thread but couldn't see how. 

[digital*ghost]

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@lotsamagsnbags wrote:

what do others do/say  in this situ?  

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I agree with PJ for the most part - if there's an issue with a sale involving personal circumstances, I will generally just send a message that lets them know the situation (eg delayed postage, incorrect item sent etc) and what I have done / will do to rectify or compensate for it, if necessary, with apologies for any inconvenience and an invitation to contact me if they have any questions or concerns. I will only go into further detail about the cause of the issue if the buyer's response asks for more information or just gives me the impression it would be of benefit to them.