topic Re: DSR's - Sellers get 1/ 2 because AusPost takes too long to deliver ?? FAIR GO! in Selling

DSR's - Sellers get 1/ 2 because AusPost takes too long to deliver ?? FAIR GO!

toro_traxmaster — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 00:56:34 GMT

Is eBay even considering looking at / revising the system for Buyers who want to leave a 1 / 2 in DSR, or Neg FB ?

I post out the day after payment. Sometimes AP does great - like 1 - 3 day deleivey time. Other times, to the same destination 5+ days .....or more. eg over Xmas. How is it Fair or reflective on the Seller to get a 1 / 2 for postage time? Surely, a Buyer should be required to show that they have communicated any concerns to the Seller before leaving a Neg or low DSR's.

Afterall, eBay has guidelines for Buyers as to how to detirmine a score - problem is what buyer reads them?

Re: DSR's - Sellers get 1/ 2 because AusPost takes too long to deliver ?? FAIR GO!

craycrayshoelady — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 01:41:17 GMT

I think the wording is the problems.
"Postage Time" can be interpreted many ways. It should be "Handling Time". Delivery is not something within a sellers control, and eBay should stop estimating the time it takes for a parcel to arrive to a buyer.

Same goes with "Postage & Handling Charges". It should really just be "Handling Charges" considering postage prices are set by Australia Post, not the seller. I used to charge UNDER what AusPost was charging and still got a 1/2 start because the buyer thought it was overpriced.

DSR's are a joke.

Re: DSR's - Sellers get 1/ 2 because AusPost takes too long to deliver ?? FAIR GO!

peppersistersfashion — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 02:48:18 GMT

This topic has come up many times on board and I have contacted customer service about it and I've found in Nov/Dec last year eBay actually adjusted and took off low rating on mine as they have proof that I posted the same day or the next day.

Might help but I have a paragraph on all my listings, not sure if buyers read it but I've had no 1/2 ratings on postage for months & I post from Perth.

"BUYERS PLEASE BEAR THIS IN MIND WHEN LEAVING 'POSTAGE TIME' STAR RATINGS FOR SELLERS - YOU'RE RATING HOW QUICKLY I POSTED YOUR ITEM NOT HOW QUICKLY (OR SLOWLY) AUSTRALIA POST DELIVERED IT."

Re: DSR's - Sellers get 1/ 2 because AusPost takes too long to deliver ?? FAIR GO!

clarry100 — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 03:07:39 GMT

The other thing you might find you get slugged for is when a buyer pays using echeque.

These take 5/6 days to clear and obviously delay shipping until they clear.

Mostly these are new buyers and they don't have a clue about the clearance time on their echeques.

We just get hit for postage time.

I would like to block buyers who want to pay by echeque but don't think you can.

Re: DSR's - Sellers get 1/ 2 because AusPost takes too long to deliver ?? FAIR GO!

digital*ghost — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 04:18:08 GMT

There is nothing eBay can do about people who don't pay attention to what they're doing, and/or decide to rate on time it took to receive as opposed to time it took for the seller to post.

It doesn't matter that the DSR on FB profiles says "Postage time", this is what it says when someone goes to leave feedback:

It is very clear to me, and the average eBay I suspect, what the rating is asking for, but many people have no idea when an item was actually posted because receiving an item is the first "real" indication from the seller that their purchase was acknowledged / handled, they don't take any stated handling time into account, and just have the notion that a domestic purchase should arrive in a couple of days, and if it doesn't, it's gotta be because the seller delayed postage.

I know that eBay send auto-generated emails at certain points in a transaction, but most buyers know they're auto-gens, and many also know marking an item as posted doesn't make it so (instances where tracking numbers can prove date and time of lodgement notwithstanding).

I know my practices aren't for everybody, for reasons of practicality or otherwise, but I send a message to most of my buyers as soon as possible after payment that advises of exact postage date, which means that they get real confirmation within a very short time (rather than up to several days later) that their order has been acknowledged and is genuinely progressing. If payment is via eCheque, I make it very clear the item will be posted when PayPal clear the funds and provide the estimated clearance date. I've been doing it that way for 4 years, and postage time is the one DSR I have never had a low rating for. (I'll get one now, most likely )

Incidentally, you can't block eCheques on eBay, but you can if you accept it on your own website, and maybe some other ecommerce sites.

Re: DSR's - Sellers get 1/ 2 because AusPost takes too long to deliver ?? FAIR GO!

wehavethatau — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 04:30:47 GMT

The system is flawed, but more importantly, unnecessary.

I have some customers make instant PayPal payments to then message me 2hrs later complaining that their item has not been received. I cant stop this unreasonable person leaving a low rating.

Some people will give you a low rating for no other reason than the fact that they just can.

Re: DSR's - Sellers get 1/ 2 because AusPost takes too long to deliver ?? FAIR GO!

harley_babes_hoard — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 05:27:44 GMT

My last neg from some fool who thought I am australia post and deliver the mail myself, mind you it took 5 days for his echeque to clear, which was also my fault.

I wish ebay would do away with DSR's they are just unfair

Re: DSR's - Sellers get 1/ 2 because AusPost takes too long to deliver ?? FAIR GO!

easywaydvds — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 04:02:39 GMT

Yes i have noticed that. My dashboard says my postage time is slow, the majority of my items were posted same day if purchased by 3 pm. They were always posted that day and lodged with the post office and a tracking number was given to the buyer, so no way should they be low. I see with now have the privilege of another postage rise to go with their fantastic service. Lucky us 😕 lol

Re: DSR's - Sellers get 1/ 2 because AusPost takes too long to deliver ?? FAIR GO!

ajarnjenny — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 04:16:45 GMT

Yeah, but some bases you just can't cover. I sold an item last Friday afternoon at about 4.45pm and received a pm on Monday morning at about 11.30 am, asking where it was, I didn't answer immediately because I was at the PO posting the thing.

When I did mark it as posted and answered the message, she replied back that I had ''1 day handling time' in my listing!

Re: DSR's - Sellers get 1/ 2 because AusPost takes too long to deliver ?? FAIR GO!

easywaydvds — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 04:24:13 GMT

Omg lol you just can't win hey. 😕

Re: DSR's - Sellers get 1/ 2 because AusPost takes too long to deliver ?? FAIR GO!

digital*ghost — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 05:12:20 GMT

@ajarnjenny wrote:
Yeah, but some bases you just can't cover. I sold an item last Friday afternoon at about 4.45pm and received a pm on Monday morning at about 11.30 am, asking where it was, I didn't answer immediately because I was at the PO posting the thing.

When I did mark it as posted and answered the message, she replied back that I had ''1 day handling time' in my listing!

I know there will always be the odd, exceptional person who either doesn't get it or is just plain vindictive no matter what you do, but the whole point of the message is so that buyers don't need to wonder and/or message to ask. Especially when a sale comes through on a Friday evening and post won't be 'til Monday (or even Tuesday when it's a long weekend - there's one in SA this weekend, but I doubt most interstate buyers would know. I didn't even know until it came up at the PO today, LOL - Adelaide cup day).

So, I message as soon as I can after payment and say "I'm posting on X day", and provide the reason if there's a delay due to public holiday etc. - I really love pre-emptive tactics, and use them wherever possible; it's one of the reasons I leave FB after payment.

Of course, some people still send little messages before I can send mine - one of my pet peeves is the "message to seller" function at checkout used to tell me when to leave feedback and/or post the buyer's item, some of them are a bit rude and have inspired fantasies of deeply sarcastic replies (thankfully I've been able to hold my tongue so far, though).

Re: DSR's - Sellers get 1/ 2 because AusPost takes too long to deliver ?? FAIR GO!

robinsonmarineparts — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 06:59:18 GMT

Luv it.

I sold an item one night, the customer paid for the item with express post, the following day i'm getting emails as to why they hadn't received there item.

You really have to wonder about some people.

Re: DSR's - Sellers get 1/ 2 because AusPost takes too long to deliver ?? FAIR GO!

babylonfuture — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 13:56:00 GMT

On my main account (business, this is my personal one) I avg 4.9 stars for shipping. All my letters/parcels are sent via Aus Post. I think it really depends on the day it is sent. If posted on a friday.. they will generally get it early to mid week. If on a monday - lot of places by friday.

One way to help with your score perhaps is to ship it *today* but only mark it as posted the following day - may help.

Also are posting over the counter or via red post box? Mail is picked up from one of my po's at around 2 - 3pm - maybe that makes a difference as RED BOX's are done generally after 6pm - not sure if that effects things or not.

Sometimes peiople do forget that there are weekends and public holidays (in different states) which can effect mail flow.

Also over the next few months and over the year Australia Post will be delaying general mail up to 1 day , so what once took 2 days, will take 3 days (example)... wonder how that will affect my ratings and feedback.

Re: DSR's - Sellers get 1/ 2 because AusPost takes too long to deliver ?? FAIR GO!

retailtherapist_8 — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 20:11:58 GMT

There are people who should just NOT buy online. They need the instant gratification or "fix" from purchasing something and just have to have it NOW. These people belong in B&M stores. 🙂

Re: DSR's - Sellers get 1/ 2 because AusPost takes too long to deliver ?? FAIR GO!

clarry100 — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 20:40:32 GMT

We have seen the notices on the side of the street red boxes change from 6pm to 5pm just in this past month here on north side Brisbane.

Re: DSR's - Sellers get 1/ 2 because AusPost takes too long to deliver ?? FAIR GO!

zeroninetyone091 — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 21:49:46 GMT

This situation was driving me crazy. So this is what I have done and now seems to work.

Asked at local Post Office when was the local pick up time.

Waited for the driver and being very polite asked what actually happened after he picked up. I discovered that any pick up after 2pm was held overnight at the local depot and then sent to the sorting office the next day. There are three pick ups for our post office a day.

No pick up Saturday and Post Box's cleared early Sunday afternoon.

When I asked about express post he became very uncomfortable with my questioning and would not commit.

I now ensure I post before 12.30 across the counter not the post box each day. ( Except Saturday.)

I also have increased my handling time to three days to combat eBay's incorrect posting guidelines.

I now receive positive feedback re shipping times.

Crazy I know but works for me.

Re: DSR's - Sellers get 1/ 2 because AusPost takes too long to deliver ?? FAIR GO!

aeronauticacreativereplicas — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 22:16:26 GMT

That's fab advice thanks. I had a major problem dispatch a sale by sea freight to the UK in November. Ebay puts estimated delivery time as 4 weeks!!!! What???? Over Xmas???? Hideous UK Customs clearance timing???? Even the AP website does not give an estimated delivery time for sea freight. Consequently, I had to refund the buyer after his lodged a 'case' but the buyer then refunded me when it arrived in late January. it's a joke.