Hi buriedbybooks,

In reviewing not-received claims escalated by buyers, we will take into account the shipping method used by the seller...we understand that some methods (Media Mail among them, as you note) have some variability to them. So the three-day delivery "cushion" is a rule of thumb that we will adjust based on shipping method.

Our intent with this new resolution system is not to reset the thresholds used to evaluate seller performance. In fact, moving to the new system will give eBay customer support agents more latitude to find not-received claims in the sellers favor--as long as the shipping method and a reasonable shipping/handling time estimate are in the listing.

Clay
eBay resolution team

And to have a seller's search standing, discounts, Seller Performance score destroyed by the performance of the postal service is beyond comprehension.


EXACTLY! We can't control how long USPS takes to deliver! And what about international shipments???? Anyone whose ever sold international knows that a customs office can and do sometimes hold items for several days =(

If tracking indicates that the item should arrive within the delivery estimate plus a reasonable amount of additional time (3 days in most cases), the buyer will be told to wait and the seller will not be held accountable
Not to mention that USPS does not offer tracking. They only offer Delivery Confirmation - the PO is not required to scan these in at each delivery point so tracking via DC# is reliable. Also USPS website only updates the DC information once a night, if that.
.
.
T.V. - Why do you think they call it programming?

And I will reiterate that a 3 day cushion is not sufficient.

5 business days (ie. a week) would be far more reasonable and is what the competition does.

It is the standard.

If the PO misroutes a Priority Mail package, it usually takes them longer than 3 days to get it delivered to its correct destination.

Also, I am extremely concerned that my Seller Performance can be ruined because I have Item Not Received claims closed against me due to postal delays. I have NO control over the package once it leaves my hands.

I have NO issue with sellers being held accountable for lost packages. That is consistent with the law and current Paypal policy. I vehemently disagree with being held accountable for something I can't control.

Yeah - I don't get this either. I've had Media Mail take up to 5 weeks to go halfway across the country - and not even in holiday seasons. Two+ weeks is not unheard of. Parcel Post as well. Additionally, this last Christmas, I had one Priority Mail package take 13 days. Thankfully, it arrived on 12/24 (it was a gift for someone's husband, so just made it). Does this mean I would "be held accountable?" And if so, what happens when the package DOES arrive.

Furthermore, USPS does not offer tracking - it's delivery confirmation. Many packages get scanned at drop-off and again at delivery and no where in between (this also happened with the Christmas package referenced above). Why will eBay be setting "buyer expectations" that it is tracking?

And tied to that: international doesn't have tracking for First Class International. And not even for Priority International Flat Rate boxes or envelopes. How will that be handled? Will they automatically be assumed to be lost? And to avoid having eBay rule that it is taking too long on international, will there be a requirement that Priority Mail International then be used (but of course, not any of the flat-rate options)? I thought eBay was trying to get sellers to adopt cheaper shipping options.

Thanks.

Hi lurch-deeann,

Good follow-ups.

In the event buyers contact eBay to complain of a not-received item, our intent is to give them some indication of if/when it will arrive. Note that in some cases, this will enable eBay customer support to steer claims away from sellers, if we can reassure the buyer that not enough time has elapsed.

In the new system we're also trying to preserve flexibility for lower-cost shipping options that have variability in delivery time. This includes Media Mail and other forms, as well as location variations such as if the buyer/seller is in Alaska/Hawaii or cross-border.

We won't evaluate handling time automatically; instead if a buyer contacts us with a complaint we'll take a look and see if the item reasonably should've been there or not.

Please note that we will continue to monitor data like feedback and the detailed seller rating related to shipping time--sellers who have unusually low scores may get some attention. No change to this policy though...it's as we've been doing for a while now.

Bottom line, as you guys allude to, the best up-front step you can take is include in your listing enough information to set buyer expectations about how long your handling time is and how long the item may take in transit. This can help stop buyers from contacting eBay in the first place. We also recognize that on occasion items just take longer than normal--this is why in some cases in the new system we will refund the buyer and not hold the seller at fault.

Thanks for trying, Clay.

Setting my buyer expectations is increasingly MORE difficult because I have to overcome messaging from eBay itself that promises a different delivery time frame than reality provides. Buyers are already shown the estimated delivery time in their EOA emails, Order Details screen etc. All of it reinforcing an impossibly optimistic delivery window for sellers who use slower USPS services.

Based on the sheer number of compaints and the current staffing levels, I'm not confident that human beings with common sense will be reviewing these disputes for 'delayed' shipments. That and my 6 years of dealing with EBay's CS staff.

What I'm still not understanding is why sellers are being held financially responsible for transit delays.

What about UPS exceptions: Inauguration Day in DC, thunderstorms in the Midwest, blizzards in Chicago???

Will trading advisories be taken into account?

Sellers are already punished for carrier performance with the DSR for shipping time. It is constantly and consistently being misused to reflect delivery time. Now we're being told that if a package is late, the buyer will get a refund and the seller will be liable for it?

Not only that, but be unlucky enough to have several late packages and the seller will see his or her account standing, search visibility, discounts, etc impacted in a negative manner for something over which they had ZERO control.

domestics*diva, if you generate a SCAN form, the carrier will scan it on pickup and you'll get an acceptance scan into the USPS system. You will probably, but not always, get intermediate scans as well.