eBay should start their own mail service

[coolthings123]

I think eBay should create their own parcel delivery service.  I believe if they were held to the same standards they set for the sellers, who have absolutely no control over an item once handed off to Canada Post "etal", they would soon realize their expectations regarding delivery times are in many instances not based in reality. 

[marnotom!]

eBay's delivery estimates are based on information provided by the carrier.  If Canada Post's delivery standards--as unrealistic as they may be sometimes--suggest that an item will take 5 to 7 business days to reach its destination, that's more or less the information that eBay will provide in a listing where calculated shipping is employed.

[coolthings123]

That is all well and good but ebay holds sellers to these "unrealistic as they may be sometimes" Canada Post delivery standards when it is totally out of the control of the seller.    ebay equates not delivered on time to not shipped on time.  If I ship an item and upload the tracking number within the two business day window I have specified, then in my view, I have shipped on time.   It is totally unfair for ebay to hand out not shipped on time, for lack of a better term "demerits" , when the issue is clearly with Canada Post or whatever carrier being utilized not having met their delivery time estimates.   

[marnotom!]

Apologies.  I interpreted your post to be a reference strictly to the estimated delivery times, not handling times set by the seller.

[cumos55]

All we have to do is look at how Canada Post tracking and other handling of a parcel is viewed on eBay.

eBay also has rules for parcels that do not have tracking.

I once had an eBay Customer service person tell me that the expected delivery date can be adjusted by eBay....  This happened to me  and eBay's estimate for delivery date was a mess compared to what Canada Post said....

This same person said they do not follow Canada Post tracking of a parcel as it is presented on eBay

[cumos55]

Something new for eBay to know.......

Amazon has launched its two delivery stations in Winnipeg in time for the holidays.

[clemowbooks]

They have one.

It's called the GSP.

Actually they have two, including the recently introduced International Shipping Program, which combines all the worst parts of the GSP with the worst parts of postal delivery.

How many complaints about late deliveries have you had in the past year? In 2019 (pre-pandemic)?

What percentage of sales is that?

Between five active accounts (two are not run by me) our INR disputes run less than one percent of sales. And we rarely track. YMMV.

[pjcdn2005]

@coolthings123 

"If I ship an item and upload the tracking number within the two business day window I have specified, then in my view, I have shipped on time. "

eBay also views it as you having shipped on time. If you have received a late shipment ding and you have tracking showing that you shipped within your handling time you should appeal it.

https://www.ebay.ca/help/selling/selling/seller-levels-performance-standards?id=4080&st=3&pos=1&quer...

We'll only consider a shipment as late if:

• Tracking shows the item was delivered after the estimated delivery date, unless there's an acceptance scan within your dispatch time or there's confirmation from the buyer of on-time delivery
• The buyer confirms the item was delivered after the estimated delivery date, unless there's an acceptance scan within your handling time or there's delivery confirmation by the estimated delivery date

[parts_and_diecasts]

you should move closer to the mainland so you can get access to cheaper and faster freight forwarding services like Chit Chats

can't double dip, you want the low cost of living (Maple Ridge) or the low cost of shipping (Vancouver Mainland)? can't have both

[coolthings123]

Where do you think Maple Ridge is located?  You should check a map.    It also has nothing to do with freight forwarding services.  It has to do with eBay penalizing sellers over the performance of Canada Post.  A seller has no control over the performance of Canada Post and yet eBay will put a strike against the sellers' "Late Shipment Rate" if Canada Post doesn't deliver the package within their arbitrary delivery standard window.  I simply do not believe that is fair since it can potentially has a detrimental effect on the seller if the rate  threshold established by eBay is met.  

[coolthings123]

Just got off of chat.  Their solution being "you should find a faster more reliable delivery service than Canada Post."   What a great suggestion.  Where do they hire these people.  

[marnotom! · Accepted solution]

Well, that’s pretty much the solution, though, isn’t it? As you say, the seller has no control over the performance of Canada Post. However, the seller can choose whether they use the service or a different one. Canada Post isn’t the only game in town.

[coolthings123]

No.  That is not the solution.  You are missing the point.  It doesn't matter whether you use Canada Post, Fed Ex or the Wile E Coyote delivery company.  Once the parcel has been put into the system by the seller it is out of his/her control what happens with respect to when it finally reaches its destination.   Sure, each company has its own delivery standards and hopefully it doesn't happen very often, but there will be delays.  My point is that ebay should not penalize sellers when they have shipped a package on time and through no fault of their own the delivery company drops the ball.  

[marnotom!]

A good seller probably wouldn't continue to use a carrier where delays "happen very often".

My understanding of the Defect System is that it's there to record trends or persistent shortcomings.  A few defects are not going to hurt a seller's standing on eBay.  If a seller is always shipping late or missing the delivery estimates, that's when they're going to get on eBay's radar.

[coolthings123]

Unfortunately, again, I think you are missing the point.  Good sellers won't be good sellers for long if eBay has the policy that late delivery equals late shipping and give defects.  If a seller ships on time with Canada Post (a fairly reputable shipper, don't you think?), and for whatever reason there is a problem in the Canada Post pipeline which causes a delay in delivery, I don't think the seller should get a demerit/defect or whatever you wish to call it for something that is totally beyond his/her control.   You say "a few defects are not going to hurt a seller's standing on eBay."  That may be well and good but the seller shouldn't be getting anything that is a detriment if it is undeserved.  

[pjcdn2005]

 As I explained in my earlier post, you don't get a ding for late shipping as long as tracking shows that you shipped within your handling time.  If you don't have tracking you will only get a ding if when the buyer is filling out feedback, they answer the question that the item arrived late.

[coolthings123]

Thank you.  That is what I tried to do when I went to ebay chat.  They checked it and advised me tracking indicated there was a late delivery.  I advised them tracking also said I shipped it on time.  This fell on deaf ears.  

[marnotom!]

Are you really shipping by Regular Parcel when you could be signed up with Canada Post's Solutions for Small Business Program and using Expedited Parcel instead?

[bpl521_sell]

..or even SnapShip (Canada Post) typically get expedited parcel for the same price as regular parcel