Is this something new?

[westernstargifts]

I recently purchased an item on eBay which hadn't arrived after 3 weeks.  I sent an inquiry through eBay messaging asking confirmation of the date shipped.  The seller replied within 24 hours and all is well so far.

Then tonight I received an email from eBay outlining all of the ways in which eBay offers buyer protection and how "they" cover the cost if a transaction goes bad.

Is sending this email to buyers who ask a question something new that eBay now does every time a buyer contacts the seller for any reason?  I selected "other" because I didn't want to open a case or dispute which now, it seems, they call a "request".

I have received my item but it arrived late

If an item was shipped much later than promised, eBay considers it “not as described”. Contact the seller via My eBay and select item not as described. We will track the resolution and help if you ask us to step in.

I copied the excerpt above from the email.  What does "arrived late" have to do with the time it takes the seller to ship?  If the item is shipped within the specified time period and still "arrives late" is that the seller's fault?  If the seller marks the item as 'shipped' within the specified time period how does eBay determine that the seller 'actually' shipped within that time other than through tracking?  If tracking is not used could eBay determine that the seller must have actually taken longer to ship than stated and hold that against the seller?  Are they saying that a buyer can have the item and get their money back too if it doesn't arrive within eBay's unrealistic estimated shipping time?

All of these questions came to mind as I read through the email.

[dutchman48]

It is nothing new and not all buyers think the way you do, and as I do.

It is just another way Ebay can shaft the sellers and support impatient buyers or scammers.

[rose-dee]

Wow, reading your post I'm just flabbergasted.  

This is new -- it's eBay basically prompting buyers to open cases for lengthy delivery times (not dispatch time by seller), and also encouraging buyers to equate late delivery with the description of the item (ridiculous!).  That has never been done before.  Yes, buyers had the option of opening an INR case, but not an INAD case because the postal system was slow.  

I still do occasional buying on eBay too, and I think it would take a very sophisticated buyer -- or someone who sells on eBay as well as buying -- not to fall into this trap and inadvertently punish their seller.  It will also be a magnet for scams. 

All of the questions you posed are completely valid -- and very worrisome.  Considering an item that arrives late, through no fault of the seller, as "Not as Described" is one more step in boxing in smaller sellers (most of whom have no control over shipping services) so that those defects will mount up.  What's the point of even paying for tracking if the delivery estimates set by eBay turn out to be inaccurate and the buyer gets to open a case?

I'd like to relate a buying experience I had recently that could now be considered "Not As Described".  I purchased an item from a U.S. seller using GSP shipping that I couldn't find elsewhere, so I grit my teeth and paid the rather high GSP shipping cost.  This was a small item, under $50, but it was perfect for my needs.  

It took almost a month to arrive.  I noticed it had gone through Pitney-Bowes facility in Mississauga, Ontario, not the "hub" in Kentucky -- at least the return address was P-B in Mississauga.  The box was also Pitney-Bowes' own box, absolutely no return address information or packing slip from the seller.  The item was just plunked inside the box.  

What's going on there I wonder?  If I were to open a case for INAD because of the long delivery time, I wonder if the fact that the GSP was used would protect the seller?  

Perhaps this tactic on the part of eBay is really meant to encourage U.S. sellers in particular to adopt the GSP. Was your seller in the U.S.?  If not, and if this is connected with an attempt to push the GSP on U.S. sellers, then we Canadian sellers are going to be along for the scary ride whether we want to be or not. 

Where such moves on eBay are concerned, I am always looking for the bigger motive behind the curtain.  EBay doesn't make these changes on a whim.  Watch out for the Spring Seller Update, I'm sure they'll have more surprises in store to put pressure on the little guys.  I'm beginning to feel my days here are numbered anyway. 

[pjcdn2005]

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@rose-dee wrote:

Wow, reading your post I'm just flabbergasted.  

This is new -- it's eBay basically prompting buyers to open cases for lengthy delivery times (not dispatch time by seller), and also encouraging buyers to equate late delivery with the description of the item (ridiculous!).  That has never been done before.  Yes, buyers had the option of opening an INR case, but not an INAD case because the postal system was slow.  

No it isn't ebay prompting buyers to open cases for lengthy delivery times and they are not saying that a nad can be opened  just because the postal system was slow.  They are saying that if the seller sends out the items later than their stated handling time, it may be considered a nad item.

From the OP....

I have received my item but it arrived late

If an item was shipped much later than promised, eBay considers it “not as described”.

I hadn't heard about ebay sending messages like this when a buyer asks an "other"  question so I don't know what that is all about but shortly after the last update went into effect I do remember reading about the "nad if sent out late". 

All of the questions you posed are completely valid -- and very worrisome.  Considering an item that arrives late, through no fault of the seller, as "Not as Described" is one more step in boxing in smaller sellers (most of whom have no control over shipping services) so that those defects will mount up.  What's the point of even paying for tracking if the delivery estimates set by eBay turn out to be inaccurate and the buyer gets to open a case?

eBay is not saying that a nad case can be opened just because the eta was wrong. But when a buyer purchases an item and expects it to be shipped within a certain time and it isn't....it's possible that the delay could cause the item to arrive so late that the buyer no longer needs it. Should they still have to keep it or have to pay for it to be returned?  In that situation, the original delay was caused by the seller so ebay is saying that the buyer should have options in a situation like that. It doesn't have anything to do with pushing the gsp or with getting rid of small sellers.

I'd like to relate a buying experience I had recently that could now be considered "Not As Described".  I purchased an item from a U.S. seller using GSP shipping that I couldn't find elsewhere, so I grit my teeth and paid the rather high GSP shipping cost.  This was a small item, under $50, but it was perfect for my needs.  

As explained above, this would not be considered not as described unless the seller had caused the original delay.

It took almost a month to arrive.  I noticed it had gone through Pitney-Bowes facility in Mississauga, Ontario, not the "hub" in Kentucky -- at least the return address was P-B in Mississauga.  The box was also Pitney-Bowes' own box, absolutely no return address information or packing slip from the seller.  The item was just plunked inside the box.  

GSP packages for Canada first go to Kentucky, then to a distributing center in Ontario and are sent on from there. I don't know if there is a similar distribution center in western Canada but I do know that many packages go to 2 different 'hubs' which is part of the reason why delivery can be so slow.

[rose-dee]

Well, whether it's dispatch or shipping time hardly matters in practice, as we sellers know.  

If buyers already can't appreciate the difference between the time it takes a seller to ship and item and the time it takes to actually arrive (as evidenced by their use of the shipping time DSR), how are they going to distinguish it when offered the option of filing a SNAD case?  

In my view this gives buyers two ways to complain about something that they usually perceive to be the seller's fault, even if it isn't.  I'd be surprised if eBay will be able to check every case to see precisely when the seller shipped -- there is really no way they can confirm that anyway, as the OP mentioned. 

As far as the double-hub GSP shipping goes, I'm not surprised.  What did not impress me was the fact that it took almost a month and that my item was simply thrown into a Pitney-Bowes box -- no proper wrapping, no protection, nothing from the seller.  This is one more way to automate and separate the buyer/seller relationship, and I don't like it. 

[westernstargifts]

Free shipping

Canada

Economy Shipping from outside Canada

Estimated within 7-16 business days

The item was purchased from a U.S. seller.  Global shipping was not used but there was another label attached over the sender's custom label.  In the top right corner it said it was shipped from an area code which was different than the seller's postal code in Kentucky.

As copied above, the estimated delivery time is 7 - 16 business days.  It was shipped on Feb. 2 and arrived on Mar. 2.  I made the inquiry on Feb. 26 which was the 18 business day.  Maybe that is why I received the email from eBay.