eBay's "Fast N Free" estimation causes lots of confusion

[gizmoclearance]

my seller ID is a top seller.

ebay somehow automatically put a badge "fast N free" on all my listings and suggest items can be delivery in 2 working days.

lately buyers keep complaining items arrived late.

my free postage items are for regular shipping only (1-5 days), I do have express option but that costs extra.

today I have a buyer going extreme. he purchased an item for $13 including postage on Saturday. it's Wednesday today and he's totally pissed off. he says he does not care whose mistake it is but the listing shows he can get it on or before Tuesday.

Australia post picked up on Monday and it's  impossible to deliver on Tuesday for  interstate with regular postage...

I know It's worthless arguing with this kind of as*****. so to save time I just issued a full refund and he shut up.

the problem is ... how to avoid this happening again? 

[iscrap76]

I just looked at one of mine

On or before Fri. 21 Jun.
Estimated by eBay FAST 'N FREE  

which means if someone was to purchase it now and paid they would expect it on or before Friday which would be very difficult as it wouldn't be posted until Thursday.

The only way I know to change this is to have a longer handling time listed, I have 1 business day which is what I assume you also have listed.

[punch*drunk]

It wont show fast and free for all states/locations and if you look at your own listings, you are looking from the same suburb so it will show the shortest time frame.

Is the buyer in the same state as you?

[digital*ghost]

You can opt out of Fast N Free - the logo won't show on listings that would otherwise have qualified, but as mentioned, the only thing that changes eBay's delivery date estimations is handling time. 

Interestingly, I noticed yesterday eBay isn't displaying handling time in the listing anymore. It used to have a line in the postage & payments tab saying something like "seller usually posts within X business days after receiving cleared payment", now all it has is " Estimated delivery dates include seller's handling time". 

[i-once-was-bump]

If you have a handling time or 2 or more days then I don't think the fast and free option will show.

Fast and free only works with 1 day handling (or is it same day handling) so therefore should not show up for anything longer.

[gizmoclearance]

no i am in Sydney and the buyer is in Victoria. it's interstate

I think eBay also ignores the fact no delivery companies work at weekends.. 

perhaps eBay is using the same standard as they do in the states?

[digital*ghost]

Fast and free only works with 1 day handling (or is it same day handling) so therefore should not show up for anything longer.

It works as long as postage is free and eBay can estimate the buyer will receive it within 4 business days, according to eBay, anyway (http://pages.ebay.com.au/help/pay/fast-n-free.html ). That means if I use a 3 day handling time in conjunction with free post, buyers in the same city as me (where standard delivery is generally next day for letters), may well still see the logo. 

[calsof]

Fast and free should really have been worded Fast OR Free.

What it means is that you offer one day handling, free post as well as Express Post. If they pay for Express Post, they get the item in the estimated timeframe. If not, they get it later but free. Of course, that would be too much to change wording and explain for eBay, wouldn't it? ?:|

[digital*ghost]

I have a 2 day handling time, have never offered Express post as an option, but when I have used free post and looked at my own items, the Fast N Free logo appears. 

Express post will usually come up as "Get It Fast" if the buyer has to pay for it. Fast N Free means the free service (whether it's standard or express) is supposed to arrive within 4 business days after the buyer purchases it. Quite often that's the optimum time-frame, though, not the real one, and I think it's a bad move to display it like a promise. Also why I keep my handling time at 2 days - I now get FB comments occasionally about items arriving before the "due date". ;\

[chezzy]

Is there any sure fire way to opt out of this fast n free stuff, I am not even sure I like the free postage option because it is misleading (and I'd rather it say postage included NOT postage is free). Not sure I want to use either at this stage.

I want to keep my listings simple and I can only post once or twice a week, sometimes only on weekends. Should I just stick with a handling time of 5 days and maybe a standard/flat rate fee to 'cover' myself?