Late shipment rate Not fair ( Australia Post Is **bleep** ) but we live rural :(

[base787]

We post our items the next day, some items are taking 2 weeks to be delivered, they postage prices are the highest in the world, and they are slow like a dead snail, but we don't have a choice, i don't think its very fair that  has a new (Late shipment rate)
this really needs amending ASAP.....

[clarry100]

We pushed our handling time out to three days to cover this kind of thing. You may have to go more than that since you are in a rural area. So far it's working.

[harley_babes_hoard]

Most of us have pushed our handling times out to 3 or 5 days to allow for these stupid ebay estimated time frames and AP delivery times. I still post the same or next day it just gives me a bit of breathing room.

[bettyboopsadaisy]

I don't really understand what the problem is here.

There is a distinction made between 'shipment' and 'delivery' times.

I have read somewhere lately in ebay's policies, that as long as the seller 'ships' or posts within the handling time they quote in their listings, delivery times are not something we have any control over and therefore will not receive defects for if the item does not arrive with the buyer within ebays estimated delivery time. (Of course the seller has to be able to prove when they posted the item, by ensuring that the item has tracking.)

So, unless the seller has an separate issue with posting within their quoted handling time, why is there a need to extend that handling time?

[pennyforum14]

For those of us who ship by large letter it is a real problem, because the only way to get tracking on a large letter is to register it which pushes the price up to almost parcel rates (and if the weight is over 250gm, parcel rate is actually cheaper). I photograph every item atthe PO counter, with the postage sticker and postmark stamp visible, but eBay is yet to accept that for proof of postage (although Paypal does).  In fact, eBay don't acknowledge letter rate postage as a valid postage option at all.

We don't ship by letter rate to save ourselves money, we do it to save our customers money.  If you are buying an item that is small enough to be sent as a letter and costs only a few dollars, you are not going to want to pay $8 postage just so the seller can provide eBay with a tracking number. 

eBay needs to recognise letter rate as a valid postage method and one which is designed to provide the best customer service for the buyer.  They also need to understand that showing buyers unrealistic delivery estimates is not doing anyone any favours.  It just sets the buyer up for disappointment and the seller for undeserved defects. 

I must have completed the "tell us what you think" survey at least half a dozen times by now and each time I have stressed that eBay needs to provide a mechanism for sellers to upload photographic evidence of posting for large letters.  I'm not holding my breath.

Furthermore, if the customer doesn't leave feedback, that says to me that they were not unhappy with the transaction.  If the buyer has not expressed dissatisfaction, the transaction should not even be assessed for on time delivery.  They are just creating issues where none exist.

[phorum_junkie*]

AP's postage is certainly not the most expensive in the world. For sending a parcel with tracking you will pay more in the UK and it is travelling a relatively small distance compared to even within the same state in Australia.

Considering that they make it the same price to deliver up to thousands of klms if you are posting something under 500g or that fits in a satchel/box I don't consider it all that expensive.

The vast majority of my parcels are delivered very quickly, a time that is fast enough for buyers to mention it in feedback.

As long as tracking is entered when a parcel is posted then there will be no consequence for late deliveries other than that what a buyer may say in feedback or rate the DSR which has always been the case.

[rocket2retro]

Yes as the question asked of the buyer (and the answer that determines whether a seller gets a defect) is 'Did the item arrive on or before date/month/year?'. It doesn't matter when you posted it -only the arrival date that counts.

[*tippy*toes*]

You should consider giving up your premium badge. It really means nothing in the big scheme of things. I chose to dump it and it has made absolutely no difference to sales. In fact, I'm probably selling more now since I dumped it. I am also in a rural area and blew my handling time out to 5 days. Ever since then, I have not had one single person ask where their item is.

I still aim to post same or next day (very occasionally it's 2 days if my regular job interferes). The only messages I get from buyers now is, thanks for getting it here before the first estimate date and how impressed they are. 9 times out of 10 my items arrive before the first date, even to WA (I'm also in NSW).

Most people here who extended their handling time extended it to 3 days and are seeing the same results as me. I chose 5 because being rural, it gives me that bit of extra breathing space. We all know that buyers see those estimate dates as gospel, so we have to work with that to get the best results.

I know as sellers we shouldn't have to do this, but with the "new improved" defect system, what choice do we have?

[clarry100]

Yes indeed that is the question Retro.

But if you use tracking and get a lodgement scan inside your stated handling time then whatever your buyer says about late arrival time/date will not count against you. And if any defect is recorded in this circumstance then it will be removed by ebay, but you would have to call them and present your tracking evidence to have that done.

Australia Post is currently the only carrier where ebay can automatically "see" into their tracking system so this automates the system, but only if you use AP. If you use another carrier you may have to call ebay to show the tracking evidence so any recorded defect point will be removed.

It's a very diffent story for those of us who use large letter, which we do.

What we have done is to push our handling time out to 3-days but still mail on the same day wherever possible.

So far neither of our stores has received a single NO answer from any buyer so our late delivery rates are on 0.00%.

In fact the "fast postage" feedback comments have gone up, if anything, as most things arrive well before these silly ebay estimates.

Yes we lost the little badge but we cannot attribute any loss in sales to doing this.

[lane-ends]

It is not about late delivery, that just triggers the shipping time to be checked.

Is not about late shipping either, it is about having proof of shipping. ie if you dont have proof then there is an assumption you are at fault.

Ebay do not say seller sshould not use letter rate, they dont say they should not street box lodge parcels, in fact it is in their recommended procedures. So how can they justy defect sellers for something when they haven't done anything contary to Ebay policies.?

Bottom line is they want sellers to have point to point tracking as that is what buyers will like. Unfortunately they are not honest enough to come out and say so, they are just trying to use backdoor pressure. 

Simple fact is not all sellers can get to PO in office hours. That is old school, and against all the reasons for AP and ebay develping online prepaid postage systems. They are out of step with themslves.

Just to make it worse the defect allowance of 5% is pathetically small, One late batch can take you from zero to over the limit .

Heading down to join the queue at PO for single sales which may have next to no profit makes the whole exercise not worth it. Making proof of shipment deadline has taken priority over every other aspect..its just plain out of proportion. I can ship quicker if i dont have to do this. eg miss last post friday and sunday, just so I can get it scanned on monday. So thats three posts later than need be just to prove its shipped on time. Buyer could have had the item by the time I got proof of shipping in that example.