eBay

paperchimes · ‎06-04-2023

A buyer ordered two blu-ray cases from me on May 18, which I shipped the day after, on May 19, in two separate envelopes by lettermail as I did not offer combined shipping and did not have an envelope that could fit both and still be able to send by lettermail.

On May 29, I got a message from the buyer telling me that he received one blu-ray case only and asking if I shipped the other one separately. I confirmed that that was the case. Three days later (on June 1), I got an angry message from the buyer asking me why the second one still hasn't arrived. The latest expected delivery date set for his order is June 13 so I replied to his message gently reminding him of that and asking if he could kindly wait some more.

On June 3 (TEN days before the expected delivery date set for his order), I received negative feedback from this buyer confirming that he received both blu-ray cases but that "Seller should have acquired the appropriate size envelope and shipped both Blu-ray cases together. Separating the order caused unnecessary delay and anxiety! The items arrived five days apart."

I don't see how this is just as I am not required to send both items in one shipment, especially since I never offered combined shipping in the first place. My only responsibility is to delivery both items by the expected delivery date, and both items were delivered way ahead of time.

Did I deserve this negative feedback and if not, is there any way I can get it removed? I don't think this buyer can be reasoned with as I had already communicated to him the gist of the above when he contacted me.

I always patiently wait a month or more and way beyond the latest expected delivery date when I purchase things shipped by lettermail because I know that delivery times can be very unpredictable and I think it's the kind thing to do; I don't understand why some people don't have the curtesy to harbour even half that amount of patience when they purchase from me.

ricarmic · ‎06-04-2023

The more stuff you sell, the more likely unfair feedbacks will be left. (I didn't think my negative and neutral was fair either).

The good news is that from an "ebay performance perspective" negative feedbacks don't hurt you, and it didn't cost you any money.

The important thing IMO is that if you reply to the feedback, simply professionally state the facts that the items were shipped at the post office on the same day in separate packages and that for some reason they were delivered to the buyer a few days apart. Don't say anything about the buyer, and/or vent about the unfairness of the feedback.

Anyone that you'd like to have as a buyer, if they happen to read the negative feedback won't be bothered by it because it's fairly clearly an off the wall kind of comment. If I read the comment it would NOT have any effect on my purchasing, however, if you vented back about the buyer being stupid or crazy or whatever, then your response is what would make me reconsider whether I'd buy from you. A professional, facts only reply would support the fact that you're there when the buyers need you, in this case there really isn't anything done wrong.

rocketscollectibles · ‎06-04-2023

I personally very very rarly contact my buyers after their purchases, but this is a case where i do. If it was a single order. I think that knowing their items are shipped into separate packages is an important information to share and that they should know. Especially with untracked shipments. And exactly to avoid your situation and your buyer feelings. I always write the same similar 'Hi, thank your for your purchases. Due to size and/or value of your order, items will be ship into two different packages. They should arrive on the same day, but in some cases may arrive on a different one'. Won't say the feedback is deserved, but indeed you lacked sharing an important information to your buyer.

I don't think they go against any rule there. They share their experience. And even if they overreact. It's still kinda legit to me. You place an order and randomly receive only half of it. You need to spend time contacting seller, wait for your other items, it create frustration, etc. Indeed its a negative experience. All this is avoided if you contact your buyer at the moment of the purchase. You show leadership, careness, and put your buyer in security. Here you left your buyer in the dark.

I don't think it would be remove but you have nothing to lose to contact ebay on facebook or twitter and share your point of view. Everyone say that it's the best place to request feedback removal.

paperchimes · ‎06-04-2023

@rocketscollectibles wrote:
I think that knowing their items are shipped into separate packages is an important information to share and that they should know.

But the thing is, I never offered combined shipping, and the customer was charged full shipping cost for each blu-ray case, so they shouldn't have assumed to receive a combined shipment and if they did, that's not my fault. If I had offered combined shipping and ended up sending the items in separate shipments, then of course I would have thought of contacting the customer to let them know that.

Thanks for your input regardless!

ricarmic · ‎06-04-2023

@rocketscollectibles makes a good point.

I actually send "form messages" to all my buyers and I customize them as appropriate.

I always make sure to emphasize shipments that have been shipped in two separate packages (most of my stuff is free shipping so it isn't clear to the buyer how it will be shipped) so that the buyer knows they'll receive them separately. I also have situations where someone buys something in time for the morning run and again inbetween so their 2nd purchase goes out in the afternoon run.

paperchimes · ‎06-04-2023

There have been many times when I bought two blu-ray movies or two DVDs from the same seller at the same time and they always ship them separately and don't tell me so, and I never expect to receive them in one package because I know that it's difficult to package two such items in one envelope and still be able to send them by lettermail.

Moreover, if I had paid full shipping cost for each item then I expect to receive each item separately, because if the seller is combining the shipments then I would have expected them to give me a shipping discount.

rocketscollectibles · ‎06-04-2023

You kinda assume because you know your items can't be shipped in a single package, that everyone should know. Shipping cost being combined point that items will be combined, but shipping cost not being combined isnt pointing that items won't be combined. Items can add shipping cost even if they are combined. Most people placing a single order of multiple items will assume that they'll be packed together. Simply and logically because it's a single order. Lot of people literally buy multiple items from a same seller at the same time because it's more convenient and to receive their items together at the same time. I see your point of view but the problem i see is that you assume that what you know, everyone should know. Your packages are untracked and your order is splited, you're leaving your buyer in the dark by altering the order and not telling him.

ricarmic · ‎06-04-2023

Just to be clear, I'm not saying you did anything wrong.

You did happen across a difficult buyer.

The "tell them the're coming in two parcels" is simply a suggestion as to a process that MIGHT have avoided the buyer reacting the way they did. Forwarned is forearmed sometimes.

It doesn't stop buyers who're having a bad day or whatever leaving a bad feedback, but it might just have been enough to stop it, then again it might not have, there's no way to know.

My favourite personal recollection/example is a fellow that sent me the most angry feedback and message, he was apparently a writer for papers etc in my field, connected to a number of societies etc and was going to report me to all these. I responded in a professional, polite way offering to work with him to make things better (I keep a set of pre-written messages I've created over time so that I'm responding factually and not emotionally when this stuff happens). The next day I got a most apologetic message advising that he happened to open my package on the day his partner lost their job and other life challenges hit that day which I forget now and he apologized for the harsh response. We positively worked something out, the feedback was revised and he ended up satisfied with the result. We never know what's happening on the buyers end outside our own transaction.

paperchimes · ‎06-04-2023

@rocketscollectibles wrote:
but shipping cost not being combined isnt pointing that items won't be combined

It certainly doesn't point to that items WILL be combined either, so the customer should keep an open mind about what to expect rather than get angry at the seller for not combining.

@rocketscollectibles wrote:
you assume that what you know, everyone should know

No, I don't assume that everyone should know what I know, I just assume that they wouldn't automatically assume others (i.e. me) to think exactly like they do either and get mad and leave negative feedback when they realize that's not the case, especially when I responded to their first message right away very politely telling them that I did send in separate packages.

rocketscollectibles · ‎06-04-2023

I just assume that they wouldn't automatically assume others

When placing one order, assuming it's one order, it's just the logic. When you ship one order in two packages, you're altering the order. A buyer can't know if the info is not shared and it's untracked. It's simple to understand. I'm not saying the negative is deserved, i'm saying his situation is understandable. And easily couldve been avoided.

Not sure why you posted to have opinions tho, you seems to have a uncontestable idea of the situation already.

doc_scribe · ‎06-04-2023

@paperchimes wrote:

Did I deserve this negative feedback and if not, is there any way I can get it removed? I don't think this buyer can be reasoned with as I had already communicated to him the gist of the above when he contacted me.

I always patiently wait a month or more and way beyond the latest expected delivery date when I purchase things shipped by lettermail because I know that delivery times can be very unpredictable and I think it's the kind thing to do; I don't understand why some people don't have the curtesy to harbour even half that amount of patience when they purchase from me.

Did you "deserve" negative feedback for this? Of course not - welcome to the wide world of sometimes impossible-to-predict Buyer expectations*. As others have noted, simply reply calmly and factually with a measure of contrition, and move on. There's always a chance, however remote, that your Buyer will feel like a heel and withdraw this petty smack.

General Tip: Whenever I have a couple of CDs, DVDs, or Blu-rays that would be too thick for lettermail if stacked, I will go out of my way to pick up a bubble envelope in the 9" x 12" range so that I can ship them flat, side-by side within a thin cardboard sandwich...together.

* Just try describing a flawless disc in a pristine inner caddy that has a tiny dent or some other irregularity in its outer cardboard SLIPCOVER.

pjcdn2005 · ‎06-04-2023

You could try reporting the buyer for expecting something that wasn't promised in the listing. (both items shipped in one envelope) It's possible that ebay will take the feedback down for that.

https://www.ebay.ca/help/selling/resolving-buyer-issues/report-issue-buyer?id=4084&st=3&pos=1&query=...

femmefan1946 · ‎06-04-2023

But the thing is, I never offered combined shipping, and the customer was charged full shipping cost for each blu-ray case, so they shouldn't have assumed to receive a combined shipment and if they did, that's not my fault.

And people shouldn't run red lights even at three in the morning with no traffic around.

But they do.

Rocket's response "Mailed May 19. Arrived June 1 and June 3." seems reasonable to me.

It's business,not personal.

BTW, having the dates indicates that you used a tracked service, which may discourage some scammers who know that LetterMail is untracked.

flipistics · ‎06-04-2023

@paperchimes wrote:
There have been many times when I bought two blu-ray movies or two DVDs from the same seller at the same time and they always ship them separately and don't tell me so, and I never expect to receive them in one package because I know that it's difficult to package two such items in one envelope and still be able to send them by lettermail.

Moreover, if I had paid full shipping cost for each item then I expect to receive each item separately, because if the seller is combining the shipments then I would have expected them to give me a shipping discount.

This is one of the reasons I have free shipping in my lettermail store. Some DVDs (particularly box sets) may need to be sent in two bubble mailers and others you can fit two in the same mailer. It's impossible to intelligently have a combined shipping policy. With free shipping (price built in), there's no preconceived expectations.

I don't contact the buyer to let them know a shipment is split up or combined, but when split up I do put a piece of paper in each bubble mailer letting the buyer know what is supposed to be in each of the mailers. So far I haven't had any issues.

As for your situation, try to get the feedback removed, but if you fail just reply in a short and professional manner. Something like "The order was shipped in two packages which arrived a few days apart but within the expected delivery window. I'm sorry for the confusion and hope the product meets your expectations."

paperchimes · ‎06-04-2023

@rocketscollectibles wrote:
Not sure why you posted to have opinions tho, you seems to have a uncontestable idea of the situation already.

Well, I didn't, as I didn't understand this customer's anger and frustration, but your explanation has helped me a lot with that, although I still don't understand why someone would remain angry and vindictive enough to leave negative feedback even though I always responded to his messages right away politely explaining the situation, as I'm always super patient and supportive with small sellers especially when they're polite and responsive like that.

mcrlmn · ‎06-05-2023

Combined shipping should be a given. Go buy an envelope or whatever else you need.

marnotom! · ‎06-05-2023

@mcrlmn wrote:

Combined shipping should be a given.

You’d think, but even The River doesn’t always combine shipping. Quite often my A* orders of multiple items get split into two or even three shipments.

ilikehockeyjerseys · ‎06-05-2023

https://www.ebay.ca/help/selling/selling/seller-levels-performance-standards/appeal-defect?id=4871

-Go to that link, scroll down to 'contact us'.

-Explain clearly that you received a negative feedback, and you would like eBay to remove it because you feel it violates their feedback policy.

-Be clear that you are not asking for information on their policy. You already understand you can contact the buyer for a revision. You are asking eBay to remove it because you feel the buyer left you feedback that violated eBay's feedback policy.

-Include the order number, the username, copy the feedback.

-Explain that they made TWO separate orders on different dates. Because these were separate orders, they shipped separately, as should reasonably be expected with two separate orders.

-The buyer left you negative feedback upset that their two orders did not ship together. This was outside of your control because the buyer did not place the orders at the same time. This is not a fair subjective comment about the transaction. The buyer complained about something outside of your control.

They will almost certainly remove it. You may have to contact them multiple times because sometimes the person reading it will just paste in a stock message about feedback revision policies.

On a side note, I sometimes ship lettermail orders in more than one package because without taking a risk and exceeding the 2CM thickness, the most DVDs/Blu-rays that can be shipped together via lettermail are 2. If someone orders 3-4, parcel is still way more expensive than two bubble mailers via lettermail. The thing about Canada Post is that two pieces of oversized lettermail sent at the same time can arrive days apart. Don't ask me to explain why, that's up to the magic of Canada Post sorting. I will usually send the buyer a quick message to let them know that their package will arrive in two bubble mailers, and could possibly arrive on different days. I don't think I have ever had a single person complain, and I have probably had to do it 100+ times.

ilikehockeyjerseys · ‎06-05-2023

If he sells media, it would be a good idea to keep a few larger bubble mailers on hand to combine shipping. He will save money, he can lower shipping costs for his buyers, etc.

With that said, the buyer ordered two items separately on different days so they shouldn't have reasonably expected them to be combined. It's good for sellers to manually combine when they notice this, but it shouldn't be held against the seller if they don't.

There are also limitations with lettermail about how much can be combined.

I understand that the seller giving the buyer the reason that they didn't have a large enough bubble mailer likely came off as unprofessional, but the buyers neg was still unwarranted given they were two separate orders and the seller presumably answered their messages and didn't leave them hanging not knowing why they only received a single case.