Buyer Requests I hold item

[avenueshopswapsell]

A buyer purchased an item, completing the check out process on Dec 25th.  He then sent a message asking not to ship the item until Jan 18th as he is on vacation and is worried he won't be able to claim the package from a community mailbox and it will be sent back.

Seems ok to me, but I have never had this request before.....seem ok to you?

[sylviebee]

Yes.  I just held an item for a buyer on vacation as well.

Seems fine.

[mr.elmwood]

Anything a customer wants is good by me.

[Anonymous]

Yeah it is okay.  I have 2 buyers in Australia that always buy items from me in mid December and asked me to hold them until after January 4 or 5 every year and it is 5th year in a row.   They didn't want their items sitting somewhere during the Christmas peak.

[dgour98]

I had a buyer ask to ship to another address instead of his place. It is probably an ebay no-no but i did anyway. It was gift to his girlfriend and wanted to surprise her.
I think as long as communication is made within the ebay messages system i have proof and backup if anything goes wrong.

As mr.elmwood says, anything a buyer wants go for it. If he/she is happy so am i.

[pacificwinds6875]

Totally reasonable request but here is the warning: come Feb.2016, your DSR for Shipping Time will be dinged!

Thanks EBay for giving us grief when we offer and deliver great customer service - IT'S A BIG BONE OF CONTENTION with me!!

I do it all the time for 3 really faithful customers and already have received 11 Late DSR's or 11 items for 4 customers.  Took me hours to get those removed (well some of them that I could PROVE) via emails showing the customer asked me to wait.

I have now composed a great letter to my regular customers that like to do this explaining - DO NOT PAY YOUR INVOICE until you are finished shopping with us.

[avenueshopswapsell]

Now what??  I received a late shipment ding, my first and only...

Is it worth spending time on the phone to get it removed?  I have the email in which the buyer requests that I hold the item.

[wmlkelley]

EDIT:  Just read the whole thread so now a post that might count.

I'd call them (Ebay).  Any dings on a seller's account lately really makes you pay.

[avenueshopswapsell]

Yep, I called, they removed it no problem.

[mcrlmn]

I got one yesterday for an order of 3 coins to the U.S..

The order was held from shipment because the buyer decided to add 2 more and get free shipping on those coins also.
I only charge S&H on the first item purchased in an order.

Unfortunately he paid for the first 3 coins and last 2 coins separately, and eBay's "Estimated delivery" times to the U.S were different.

So he dinged me 'late' for the first 3 coins, though giving me 5 stars for shipping time on all 5 coins, and "Excellent seller, fast shipping. Highly recommend to all!" for the later 2 purchases.
Even though all 5 coins were shipped together.