Shipping times to US buyer

[rarebird1976]

How do you get US buyer to understand that it take two weeks on average to receive a Parcel. They think the parcel should be there in a few days as if it were shipped in the US. They also don't notice they are buying from a Canadian Buyer. How can that be pointed out.....Sold on both e-bay.com and E-bay.ca and they still think they are buying domestic

[coxengines]

Let them know when you email them the shipping notification.

Seems to work for us. I can post our shipping email if you need a suggestion.

Bernie

[femmefan1946]

In my feedback, left right after I print out my shipping label, I say "Thank you for your prompt payment. Item sent Canada Post 7210XXXXXXXX Air Mail.

On my invoice, in the Message box, I say. "All items sent insured by Canada Post. Normally this takes 9 business days in North America."

My PP notice of shipping is signed "Femmefan1946 Ottawa CANADA"

I only get those "where is it?" notes occasionally, but then the nice thing about selling books is , most of my buyers can read.

My response gives the shipping invoice number, the website for Canada Post, a reiteration of "9 business days" , the date when 9 business days will be up (for today it would be July 27, a promise to put the enquiry in my BF file for Day 30 after payment, and apologies for his upset. Yeah, it's downright smarmy.

If CP or the buyer don't show delivery by Day 29, I am back in touch and offering a refund.

An actual refund is extremely rare. I believe that only one parcel has actually been lost since I started selling in 2001. I also believe I have refunded on several that the buyer would not admit that he had received. That's on his conscience, not mine.

Again, I sell books. The tetchiness of the buyer may depend on the category.

[westernstargifts]

Let them know when you email them the shipping notification.

Seems to work for us. I can post our shipping email if you need a suggestion.

Bernie

That's the one I use (varied slightly). And it works!!...:-)

[craftycatsattic]

My shipping notification says something to the effect of "Your eBay item has been shipped from Canada. Please look inside for important details".

Then the notification explains the average shipping times.

If they email and ask, I always first respond with "I know it can be worrisome when items don't arrive when we expect them to. According the my records, your item was ship on xx/xx/2010."

Then I explain it's coming from Canada and explain delivery time.

It almost always works. The only time it does not is when it takes more than 2 and half weeks, then the buyers get nervous.

[snoopwiz]

Some good advice above. Although we use CP small packet service for less than 5% of our items, we take the first step in "managing our buyers expectations" within the text of the auction description, then again when we email them with the "item shipped" confirmation email. Have never had a complaint about shipping time.

Here is an example from a recent auction.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=230492103395

[weedsellit4u]

Hi All,

I get complaints and lowered TSR's and lower discounts all the time because USA buyers and over seas buyers blame me for the poor service of CP, Customs and their own postal service.

I ship, at worst, the next business day and often the same day. I put shipping times in my listings, and my confirmation shipped email so I am not sure what else to do. I even add "Judge me on how fast I get it to Canada Post not how fast they get it to you".

eBay's practice of basing the sellers discount on something out of the sellers control is unfair!

The buyer does not care where its coming from he only knows what he perceives. If he thinks shipping time is slow then he marks it that way no matter what we put in our listings or emails.

eBay needs to loosen up the number of low shipping times for Canadians when it concerns our discounts.

There that's my rant for the day!

[coxengines]

I get complaints and lowered TSR's and lower discounts all the time

Then there is something wrong with your business model.

We ship 98% outside of Canada including 50% International and don't seem to have the same issues.

Every month we receive the 20% discount; never missed a month.

Bernie

[marcopoloca]

I agree whole-heartly.

ebay should not blame us for something that we have no control.

all the suggestions work somewhat, depending on your clientel; if they are the mature type they'll understand, but if you get many young folks like we do, they don't read anything and only judge you from the outcome (received time) 😞

Hi All,

I get complaints and lowered TSR's and lower discounts all the time because USA buyers and over seas buyers blame me for the poor service of CP, Customs and their own postal service.

I ship, at worst, the next business day and often the same day. I put shipping times in my listings, and my confirmation shipped email so I am not sure what else to do. I even add "Judge me on how fast I get it to Canada Post not how fast they get it to you".

eBay's practice of basing the sellers discount on something out of the sellers control is unfair!

The buyer does not care where its coming from he only knows what he perceives. If he thinks shipping time is slow then he marks it that way no matter what we put in our listings or emails.

eBay needs to loosen up the number of low shipping times for Canadians when it concerns our discounts.

There that's my rant for the day!

[dipmicro]

You need to manage customer expectations and make them feel they are in control because the difference between happiness and frustration is the difference between the expectation and reality.

My answer to "when should I receive the mail" to my international customers is 2-6 weeks, which is grossly exaggerated for the most countries and above average for the rest. These numbers are also reflected in our descriptions.

You may also want to offer two shipping services - one standard airmail (e.g. Small Packet by CanadaPost) and another premium one as option (e.g. Xpresspost). While 99.9% of customers will pick the cheaper one, they will feel they are in control and by declining premium service they lower their delivery time and tracking number availability expectations.