@haylz-21,
In a perfect world, everything posted would be scanned at each stage - certainly at the point of being handed over for delivery.
Every purchased item would be dispatched that same day.
eBay buyers would be notified immediately.
The notification would indicate (correctly) that the item has been shipped, not merely that a shipping label has been generated.
Thereโd be no delivery hiccups - no mail strikes, no volcano debris, no bad weather, no fire, no carelessness, no theft, no COVID, etc.
I have learned to take the imperfections of reality into considerationโฆ
- Posted items are not always scanned at even the important stages. I had parcels in my AP app still showing as not yet delivered months after they had arrived, and items whose only scanned events were โon board for delivery todayโ and โ deliveredโโฆ with no hint that they were ever posted!
- While some purchases are despatched same day, it isnโt always the case. If buying on eBay, we canโt assume itโs so. Look at the sellerโs handling time for an indication. Even outside eBay, I donโt assume same-day despatched; for example, I recently ordered an escape-proof cat harness, and wasnโt surprised that it took 2 or 3 days to be despatched.
- If you need something by a certain date, online buying poses risks. Always look at the EDD (Estimated Delivery Date) shown on an eBay listing to know the eBay-generated delivery date range, and especially note the latest EDD rather than the earliest. Buttress that date with at least a few more days because delays can happen. If that timeframe is too late for you, then only buy in the knowledge that the item could very well LEGITIMATELY arrive past the time when you needed it. Time-sensitive purchases may mean looking at a local business with stock to hand, where you phone up in the morning and specifically ask if the item can be sent express that same day.
- eBay code has items showing as โshippedโ when the label is generated within eBay. It doesnโt mean the itemโs actually been shipped. This is especially problematic when it comes to Chinese eBay sellers who have partnered with logistics companies where AP postage information can be generated immediately while the goods havenโt even left China.
- Some sellers donโt mark the item as posted, even when it has been. This is particularly the case when itโs being sent untracked.
- If shipping information is entered manually, and thereโs even a single digit wrong in the tracking number, obviously the tracking wonโt updateโฆ I had this happen just last week (extra 9 in the tracking number).
- My advice about delivery dates isโฆ only start to be concerned once the EDD is up. At that time, I check tracking, or possibly contact sellerโฆ and if no delivery after a week, thatโs a reasonable time to open an INR claim. If the item turns up after that, I can always resend payment.
