eBay

gifts_of_elegance · ‎10-26-2014

I sold a pair of earrings yesterday. Today the purchaser asked about the shipment. I replied that we do not have Postal Service in Canada on Saturday or Sunday but I will ship tomorrow (Monday). Buyer replied that my site states that item will be shipped day after payment is made and she paid yesterday so she wants to know if this was a mistake because shipping is still not shown. She also let me know that she was hoping to receive it by the end of the week because its a gift. She obviously did not see the ETA as 6 - 11 business days.

Purchaser has 0 feedback and is in New York. Surely she knows there is no mail service on Sunday, even if she is new at eBay. I wrote her that we should cancel the transaction as I cannot guarantee delivery. I refunded the payment.

This is a no win situation!

gifts_of_elegance · ‎10-28-2014

@73rhc wrote:

"I guess she didn't communicate enough. Other than saying that there is no postal service on weekends!!!!"

Do not assume I did not communicate enough. You have no way of judging.
Yes, there is no postal service on week-ends. The outlet might be open but the mail is not going anywhere until 3 PM on Monday and then its taken to the main Post Office. It goes from there after 5 PM Monday to the sorting facility in Mississauga which means its still in Canada on Tuesday. I am not assuming, I double checked to see if this has changed.

I have used UPS twice for over-night delivery. It cost $53 for delivery of a necklace and it did NOT get there until FIVE days later (both times). The excuse was that it was held up in Customs. Week-ends or holidays were not included. UPS did not refund shipping charge because they claimed it was "beyond their control".

For me to take it to the postal outlet and call it "mailed" would be as accurate as your wife telling you that your dinner is cooking on the stove when she knows full well that the stove is not working. Its not "going the extra mile". That is a "brush off" to make yourself look good.

The item in question is a pair of Christian Dior Earrings sold for $135 and it was intended as a gift for the buyer's boss.

"Are you still insisting Canada Post mail moves on the weekend? Is this why they have business days? Why would Canada Post offices be closed on weekends if mail is moving? Why would their sorting facility be closed, nothing moves when they are closed, unless they have some secret weekend facilities I don't know about. Lawtons and Shoppers Drug Mart are not Canada Post, just because they have a Canada Post inside, doesn't mean they operate the same as Canada Post offices. The workers at Canada Post inside a Lawtons or Shoppers aren't even employed by Canada Post, and do not receive Canada Post wages, they are employed by Lawtons or Shoppers."

So you believe that everything shuts down on Friday afternoon and then picks back up on Monday morning???? How would you ever get home delivery on Mondays? There are weekend pickups. The sorting facilities work continuously.

"By charging high shipping costs, you risk losing buyers, not everyone is interested in paying for faster expensive shipping. There should be cheaper and faster shipping available, so they can choose, unless it is an expensive item, then of course tracking is needed."

Do you live in Canada? Have you shipped anything recently. We already have high shipping costs. Again, if you read my post, communication. If the buyer wants it that fast, you give them the option of faster service, but at the higher cost. Please explain where you ship from, that you can get "cheaper and faster"?

73rhc · ‎10-28-2014

"For me to take it to the postal outlet and call it "mailed" would be as accurate as your wife telling you that your dinner is cooking on the stove when she knows full well that the stove is not working. Its not "going the extra mile". That is a "brush off" to make yourself look good."

The item would be mailed. As for a dinner "cooking" on a broken stove, would be just another lie!

melissasminis · ‎10-28-2014

''So you believe that everything shuts down on Friday afternoon and then picks back up on Monday morning???? How would you ever get home delivery on Mondays? There are weekend pickups. The sorting facilities work continuously.''

I don't get home delivery, I have to pick up my items from the post office, which isn't open on saturdays or sundays. Just because mail comes on monday, doesn't mean they worked all weekend to get it to you on monday. If they are working on weekends, why does Canada Post tell everyone they are closed, why are the post offices closed? All government businesses are closed on holidays and weekends.

''Do you live in Canada? Have you shipped anything recently. We already have high shipping costs. Again, if you read my post, communication. If the buyer wants it that fast, you give them the option of faster service, but at the higher cost. Please explain where you ship from, that you can get "cheaper and faster"?''

I have been shipping packages for over 10 years, about 3-4 times a week. I didn't mean offer cheaper faster service (this would be impossible with Canada Post's high shipping costs). I meant both options should be made available, a cheaper service, and a faster service (at a higher cost of course), so the customer can choose, unless it is an expensive item, in which shipping with tracking is necessary.

gifts_of_elegance · ‎10-28-2014

The results are the same.

The "mailed" item would not be going anywhere until mail service resumes and the meal would not be cooked until the stove was fixed.

73rhc · ‎10-28-2014

"I don't get home delivery, I have to pick up my items from the post office, which isn't open on saturdays or sundays. Just because mail comes on monday, doesn't mean they worked all weekend to get it to you on monday. If they are working on weekends, why does Canada Post tell everyone they are closed, why are the post offices closed? All government businesses are closed on holidays and weekends."

They are closed to the public!!! But the system is still working. I knew this, but to confirm, I called a friend of mine. He is a letter carrier for Canada Post. He confirmed that the sorting facility, here, only closes from Saturday at 4:00 pm and then reopens on Sunday at 7:00 am. That's it. They have day, evening and midnight shifts!!! Why would they work evenings if the mail is delivered during the daytime?

73rhc · ‎10-28-2014

No, not the same. One is a lie and the other isn't.

My whole point here is that you shouldn't tell a buyer that there is no mail service on weekends in Canada. Maybe it would be better to tell them that in your area, it isn't available. I mailed out an item this past Sunday. Tracking info showed it 3/4 of the way, on Monday afternoon. This may never happen, but the next time that buyer gets something from a Canadian seller, who gets them their item posted on the weekend. And they do receive it within their unrealistic timeframe. Then you look bad. My two cents. Take or leave it. Don't care at this point. But it seems awfully easy to blame the buyer, all of the time. Whatever!

holdmygold2 · ‎10-28-2014

Was this for the $150.00 earrings?

With sales as much of struggle as they've been (and even if that weren't the case), I would have salvaged the sale.

Not too hard to do.

In fact, with tracked packet or expedited Stratford to NY is very fast and the item could well have arrived on time.

The last thing I would have done would have been to refund without the buyer's pre-approval.

That kind of thing really them off.

melissasminis · ‎10-28-2014

''They are closed to the public!!! But the system is still working. I knew this, but to confirm, I called a friend of mine. He is a letter carrier for Canada Post. He confirmed that the sorting facility, here, only closes from Saturday at 4:00 pm and then reopens on Sunday at 7:00 am. That's it. They have day, evening and midnight shifts!!! Why would they work evenings if the mail is delivered during the daytime?''

We are the public, not being open to the public means they are closed, can't pick up packages, can't send packages.

The OP wouldn't have a tracking number to provide the buyer for reassurance because she was unable to ship the item until monday morning because the post office was closed in her area, she wasn't making excuses like you've said many times, she was stating facts.

If because I ship one business day after payment is made makes me a bad seller, than I would be only one among many bad sellers here on ebay. You must think people who ship 2-3 days after payment must be really horrible sellers. Some people are simply not able to ship same day or next day, and they state this in their listings for the buyer to see. I am not willing to drive 45 minutes each way to my nearest Lawtons on a saturday or sunday to ship a lower value item, it's not logical. I'd spend more on gas than the item is worth. Especially knowing it isn't going anywhere until monday morning.

There are 1-2 days shipping options with Fedex on weekends, but this is an expensive option most people are not willing to pay.

''Maybe eBay is not for you!!!''

How do you come to that conclusion from what I said, because I disagreed with you? Ebay works well for me, that's why I sell here. My customers are happy with the service they receive, why you think it's not for me, not sure.

''I never said that I knew exactly what city or town that she resides. She could have been from Toronto or from Dryden, for all I knew. You said that you live in rural Nova Scotia. So go on down to the local library and ask to see a book that they have, called a world atlas. Look for Ontario. Very Big!!!!''

Why does it matter what city, so you can look up all the local postal outlets?

''Are you try to tell me that you can overnight anything to the US? Really???''

No, not what I was saying at all. I was saying you can't compare shipping time from New Brunswick to Quebec, and shipping from Ontario to New York, it takes longer of course to ship from one country to another because of customs. You can overnight to the US through a different carrier though it is expensive, and this is not the service the buyer paid for, and not at all what I was saying.

''Your lashing out at me is a little weird, if the truth be told.''

Wasn't lashing out or getting angry at you, was disagreeing with you.

gifts_of_elegance · ‎10-28-2014

No, it was $135 including FREE shipping. I cancelled because she was upset that I did not ship on Sunday. I'd rather loose a sale than deal with an unreasonable buyer.

gifts_of_elegance · ‎10-28-2014

Yes, tracking showed movement on Monday but not for Sunday.

The Kudus I accidently put on your post was meant to be the opposite. I was trying to reverse the finger.

73rhc · ‎10-28-2014

I really hope you can understand my post this time and maybe let it go.

"The OP wouldn't have a tracking number to provide the buyer for reassurance because she was unable to ship the item until monday morning because the post office was closed in her area, she wasn't making excuses like you've said many times, she was stating facts."

Please take the time to read the posts, once again. 3 of 4 post office outlets in her area are open weekends. Therefore, she could have mailed the package and SHE WOULD HAVE A TRACKING NUMBER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"We are the public, not being open to the public means they are closed, can't pick up packages, can't send packages"

Once again, reread. Even if the post office is closed and that there is no delivery, doesn't mean that the postal systems comes to a halt. If you believe this, I suggest that if you ever see a government vehicle on the road, on a weekend, call the police. It surely was stolen and cannot possibly be out on gov't business.

"Why does it matter what city, so you can look up all the local postal outlets?"

I feel that I have to repeat several times with you. And that's okay, if that is what it takes for you to undertand. Here we go again.

Big city, big chance of weekend pickup. Small city or town, small chance of weekend pickup. So this is why it matters where she resides.

"How do you come to that conclusion from what I said, because I disagreed with you? Ebay works well for me, that's why I sell here. My customers are happy with the service they receive, why you think it's not for me, not sure."

Not because you disagreed with me. Because of your answer in your post. Go back and look at it.

73rhc · ‎10-28-2014

Like I said. Whatever. Don't care. Maybe you got attitude, if you were this way with your buyer. I don't need nor care about kudos. Yes kudos with an "o"!!!

73rhc · ‎10-28-2014

"Yes, tracking showed movement on Monday but not for Sunday."

Of course, I posted it around 3:30 in the afternoon. I never said there would or should be movement on Sunday. But the tracking page shows the date and time it was shipped. And that's Sunday! So where's the problem? If the buyer sees this, they know it's on it's way.