Ebay delivery estimates,

[pacotrading]

On the Subject of Ebay delivery estimated dates, and Oz posts woeful delivery service, bought some small items the other day on Ebay and got a conformation email from the seller, item is sent, but also had this note in the email and i thought it sums it up well.

***IMPORTANT NOTICE*** ebay is now having you grade us on WHEN your item arrives. we are not Australia Post and find this very unfair. please help support us by first checking the date stamp on your package. if we posted on the day of payment, or next business day, what happens with Australia Post is out of our control. please consider clicking 'YES' even if your parcel is a few days late.

[davewil1964]

I just use this, when I think it prudent -

G'day <buyers first name>,

Thank you for your very prompt payment. I posted your item this afternoon. Aust Post has been a bit slow lately getting items to <your state>, so your item may take longer to arrive than the estimate that eBay puts in the listing. It may well arrive quickly, but just letting you know that it could take longer than the estimate. The question you get asked about delivery time when you are leaving feedback is not a survey. eBay now automatically defect sellers if the answer is 'No'.

If you have any issues whatsoever, please don't hesitate to contact me by replying to this message, or selecting the "ask about using my item or ask seller a question" option, before leaving feedback. Thank you for buying from me!

Cheers,

Which another seller suggested quite a few months ago.

[phorum_junkie*]

Dear Buyer

Thank you so much for your prompt payment, only 6 days - awesome. Unfortunately although I lodged your parcel at the PO within 10 mins of your payment arriving they told me the matter transmitter was carked (again) so your parcel will not arrive in 0.0009 seconds but may take anything up to two weeks as I believe other areas are reporting difficulties also. Better to have it arrive safely with the postie than through a faulty MT with half an antique Waterford glass vase attached to the head of a Bratz doll.

Again my apologies

Your Fav ebay seller.

[skyrider12-au]

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@davewil1964 wrote:

I just use this, when I think it prudent -

G'day <buyers first name>,

Thank you for your very prompt payment. I posted your item this afternoon. Aust Post has been a bit slow lately getting items to <your state>, so your item may take longer to arrive than the estimate that eBay puts in the listing. It may well arrive quickly, but just letting you know that it could take longer than the estimate. The question you get asked about delivery time when you are leaving feedback is not a survey. eBay now automatically defect sellers if the answer is 'No'.

If you have any issues whatsoever, please don't hesitate to contact me by replying to this message, or selecting the "ask about using my item or ask seller a question" option, before leaving feedback. Thank you for buying from me!

Cheers,

Which another seller suggested quite a few months ago.

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Seems to me that you don't like your stars getting trashed because of Ebays  estimates. Some buyers just can't  come to terms with late deliveries, no matter what the excuse, and consequently answer truthfully when asked if the item arrived with-in the time frame.

I don't trash stars myself because I know the difficulties in predicting Aus Post, and I will tell porkies if I know my purchase was posted during the seller's handling time. Nothing will change by blaming Aus Post or the buyers for trashed stars - the blame lies.with Ebay...

[lyndal1838]

Have you ever considered offering some constructive help instead of slagging off other posters?

[thecatspjs]

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@pacotrading wrote:

On the Subject of Ebay delivery estimated dates, and Oz posts woeful delivery service, bought some small items the other day on Ebay and got a conformation email from the seller, item is sent, but also had this note in the email and i thought it sums it up well.

***IMPORTANT NOTICE*** ebay is now having you grade us on WHEN your item arrives. we are not Australia Post and find this very unfair. please help support us by first checking the date stamp on your package. if we posted on the day of payment, or next business day, what happens with Australia Post is out of our control. please consider clicking 'YES' even if your parcel is a few days late.

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I have never, and will never, send something along these lines to buyers.  

Think its inappropriate and unnecessary. 

I will stick to my theory that excellent customer service that is focused on meeting customer expectations through the aspects of the sale that are within my control, is preferable and will get you better outcomes than an approach that appears to be  driven by a sellers fears and/or complaints about the very services they use to sell and get goods to a buyer. .  

[justajunk]

I wouldn't include any message like that whatsoever. You don't really want to plant the idea in a buyer's head that they can defect you if they want. It gives them all the more power if they are picky and dislike the colour of something, so feel the need to slag you however they can. I'd say that it also comes off as a little underhanded to suggest that buyers lie about whether something arrived in time. It's not the equivalent of grand larceny of course, but you're still asking them to be dishonest about the transaction, which (as a buyer) wouldn't rub me right even knowing full well (as a seller) where you're coming from.

Just blow out your handling time so things have a better chance of arriving within the estimate. That's worked okay for me so far...

[davewil1964]

My trashed stars?

I think I have ONE 4.9 on this account, from a limited base; the rest  on my other accounts (which sell about 600 items a year) are all solid 5s.

I usually only use that message when sending to WA, NT or North Queensland.

I can understand you wouldn't understand about selling or buying on eBay, so I forgive your typical lack of any shred of factual information.