eBay

superdupersalesbuyingaccount · ‎01-10-2013

On ebay I only really ship to Canada or US.

Sometimes the mail can take up to a month plus even when it shouldn't. This is true for both going to my place and going from my place and in two different addresses.

NY to BC took 40 days a few years ago, IN to ON about the same last month.

I've got a few impatient buyers who are sending out complaints about non-delivery within 3 weeks, and it looks like they aren't even reading my replies, where I suggest that, because they have the right to force a refund within 45 days, we should wait until Day 40 or so in case the mail is delayed.

I sell mostly low-value stuff, so I don't mind issuing refunds, but I'd like to avoid getting negged. What's the best thing to do here?

i*m-still-here · ‎01-10-2013

You've mentioned mainly items you're receiving?

Are you also talking just about items shipped from Canada to the States?

If so, then as a seller you can email your buyers after shipping notifying them that their items will take longer than usual because they're coming from another country etc. etc.

BUT, if your items are really taking that long .................. 40 days!........ then you've got a rough road ahead of you as a seller on ebay.

You must live in the North somewhere?

If it's really taking that long you'll have a lot of cases and probably NFB too.

i*m-still-here · ‎01-10-2013

Just to add.......... if it's taking that long you might be able to save yourself with Expedited shipping.

I don't know, but something sounds off and the only thing I can guess at is that you live way up North.

Is that the case?

pierrelebel · ‎01-10-2013

"the only thing I can guess at is that you live way up North."

Item location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

i*m-still-here · ‎01-10-2013

superduper........... if you are shipping from Toronto then you are doing something super wrong.

Items shipped from that city do not take a month except on very rare occasions.

dutchman48 · ‎01-10-2013

I just got negged by a buyer that I did refund as it has been 5 weeks. They just don't care any more. And he was not a newbie!

superdupersalesbuyingaccount · ‎01-10-2013

Items I am shipping. Buyers don't get negged.

And no, most items take about a week or two.

However, there's been two incidents in the last couple years where items I have recieved have taken that long.

The point of the question is that I have an impatient US buyer who doesn't even respond to my replies and make threats about forcing a refund and negative feedback. He hasn't even refused what I've been proposing - refund before paypal deadline. I'd like to avoid this, and beyond not selling in December, what can I do? Sometimes mail from Can to US *can* take up to six weeks or whatever. It's just how the mail works.

pierrelebel · ‎01-10-2013

"what can I do?"

Different sellers have different approaches to the question. Please take a look at:

http://community.ebay.ca/topic/Seller-Central/Should-Ask-Buyer/3000007924

superdupersalesbuyingaccount · ‎01-10-2013

Oh, I'm sure I'm getting negged, but there's nothing I could possibly do here. This is eBay. I don't take it as a personal affront. Or even a proper evaluation of my business practices. I'm sure we're all here just because there's no better alternative.

On this account or other ones I've only ever had a non-received item case not result in a neg once. This doesn't make a lot of sense, since you can't feasibly track low-value items. Instant negatives for non-receiving regardless of how proactive the seller is seems to incentivize sellers to simply ignore buyers because there is nothing they can do to not get negged. It seems like it's a big enough penalty to have to hand the money back including the money I ate mailing the item and the value of the item.