If you list free shipping to Canada do you get automatic 5 stars in DSR?

[cdlover66]

Posting ID.

If you list free shipping to Canada, but someone from the US or Sweden buys from you and they have to pay shipping, do you still get 5 stars if they leave FB?  

I would say that I sell 40% to Canada, 40% to the US and 20% to Europe and Asia.  I cannot afford to have free international shipping.   

[mr.elmwood]

They pay for shipping, they can rate it.

[reallynicestamps]

On some items I have Free Shipping to Canada, $0.00 shipping to USA and a Flat Rate (usually about $8 since the items are Light Packet)  for overseas buyers.

About 60% of my sales go to the USA.

I get the 5 stars only on Canadian purchases, but I am not charged any shipping FVF on the US and overseas shipping rates.

[pierrelebel]

From eBay's Help pages:

Offer free shipping. If we can confirm that a buyer chose your free shipping option, you'll automatically receive a 5-star shipping and handling charges rating, plus you'll attract new buyers, and your listing may receive more visibility in search.

http://pages.ebay.ca/help/feedback/detailed-seller-ratings.html

[rose-dee]

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@reallynicestamps wrote:

On some items I have Free Shipping to Canada, $0.00 shipping to USA and a Flat Rate (usually about $8 since the items are Light Packet)  for overseas buyers.

About 60% of my sales go to the USA.

I get the 5 stars only on Canadian purchases, but I am not charged any shipping FVF on the US and overseas shipping rates.

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I'm a bit confused (not an unusual state for me these days).  Wouldn't you escape FVFs on US and overseas transactions anyway if you only showed free shipping to Canada?  My understanding was that FVFs on any transaction are based on the first domestic shipping cost shown in the listing. 

If you indicate $0.00 shipping to the US (i.e. free shipping), you should get the automatic "free shipping" 5-stars for those transactions too, shouldn't you?  Why offer free shipping to the US otherwise, aside from being a really nice seller?  

[pierrelebel]

"if you only showed free shipping to Canada?"

This thread deals with the 5 star availability with "free shipping"

FVF on shipping is another story.  Listing "free shipping to Canada" if a seller lists on eBay.com will not work for that purpose.

"domestic" means the shipping charge on the site where the item is listed.  If listed on eBay.ca, then "domestic" means "free shipping within Canada".  If listed on eBay.com, then "domestic" means "free shipping to the USA".

[brandeentertainment]

Free you get 5 star 1 penny and they can rate you but Depending on what you sell you can make 5 star a regular thing now matter what

Example

I sell DVD's Ship Free to Canada AKA Included in PRICE

Ship Canada

50-100g- $1.51

100-200g - $2.49

So I minus that off what I charge US Seller so that they can now see they are always charged less then actual shipping

Ship USA

50-100 G /$2.99 - $1.51///Final Shipping charge after Free domestic rate subtracted=$1.48

100-250 G/$5.53 - $2.49 ///Final Shipping charge after Free domestic rate subtracted= $3.04

So basically for international buyers i always have a little bit of the shipping hidden in buy now price to make shipping seem cheaper..

Of course i mess my shipping as I don't use template so many new listings get a flat rate of $4.5 to the use but this is for an example of how to make it work for you

[brandeentertainment]

US buyer NOT seller

[rose-dee]

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@pierrelebel wrote:

"domestic" means the shipping charge on the site where the item is listed.  If listed on eBay.ca, then "domestic" means "free shipping within Canada".  If listed on eBay.com, then "domestic" means "free shipping to the USA".

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But then wouldn't 'reallynicestamps' get an automatic 5-star DSR rating if shipping is shown as $0.00 for US on such listings (that is, listed on .com with $0.00 shipping cost)?  In other words, show free shipping to Canada when listing on .ca, and free shipping to the US when listing on .com. 

I thought I understood the free shipping options vis-a-vis DSRs (and FVFs), but now I'm not so sure...

[pierrelebel]

Two different systems with sometimes different results.

[rose-dee]

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@pierrelebel wrote:

Two different systems with sometimes different results.

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Sorry, I realize this string started on the subject of DSRs, but 'reallynicestamps' brought up FVFs on shipping as well, and now I'm trying to get the details sorted out.  

Are you saying that if a Canadian-registered seller lists an item on eBay.com showing $0.00 shipping (free shipping) and it's purchased by an American buyer and sent to a US address, the rules regarding 5-star DSRs and FVFs are different than if the same item were listed by the same seller on eBay.ca with free shipping and sold/shipped to a Canadian buyer?  I wasn't aware of this, and am trying to understand the difference.  Thanks! 

[pierrelebel]

"he rules regarding 5-star DSRs and FVF"

You have to take it one at the time.  It is very easy to confuse the two programs. They are not related.

Where a seller is registered is irrelevant.

Where an item is listed (eBay.com or eBay.ca) is relevant.  The site where the item is listed becomes "domestic" (regardless of your location)

DSR rules are relatively simple: you offer "free shipping" and you get "5 star" if the buyer was not charged shipping.  Now, you may offer "free shipping" domestically and a small charge outside the domestic market.  In such instance, the buyer is free to rate you on "shipping charge" as the buyer sees fit.

For FVF purposes, it is different.  If you offer "free shipping" domestically (first shipping option) and the shipping charge is clearly shown in the shipping section of your listing to the location of your buyer, then no FVF will be charged on the shipping charge.

I wish I had more time to elaborate but Mary just called me for dinner (chicken pot pie tonight!) .

[rose-dee]

Thank you Pierre for the elaboration - I think I've now got it.  

Enjoy your chicken pot pie!  I'm making ratatouille with wild rice and fresh haddock for us -- one of the perks of living near the sea in N.S. -- I like the availability of fresh fish and seafood everywhere.  Interestingly, fresh east coast cod is starting to show up in the stores again although the cod fishery is nothing like it used to be.  But I digress... 

[raanana]

Offer free shipping and still have less than 5 in DSR s/h charges,similar with shipping time (1 day s/h as per ebay). Had a similar issue few month back,ebay customer service couldn't help me.

Few days ago somebody rated me well bellow 5 (for some time I was able to my check my DSR after each feedback left,so know exctly who it is).

A buyer got a postcard in almost  mint condition within less than a week.By end he downrated me very low on everything.Why ? Have no idea,no  problems received a good feedback,but very low DSR  (?!) probaly alway not happy pesonleaving same DSR" to all sellers.

 Not sure how is it possible to leave low rating for free shipping ,will contact ebay on Monday,but pretty sure it is  useless,as always.

[rose-dee]

From Pierre's post:

[...] and the shipping charge is clearly shown in the shipping section of your listing to the location of your buyer [...]

I'm wondering if this may be the reason you didn't get the auto 5-stars on that particular transaction.  Where was the buyer located?  Was he possibly using an eBay site that didn't display the free shipping?

EBay has been so glitch-riddled over the past few months that it's hard to know what causes these issues.  EBay's CS usually doesn't know more than we do.

[pierrelebel]

" Not sure how is it possible to leave low rating for free shipping"

If "free shipping" was offered in the listing and the buyer received "free shipping" that buyer cannot leave DSR for "shipping charge"

He may leave DSRs for shipping time.

[raanana]

A buyer is in Canada.

How he was able to rate me on shipping,have no idea.I know 100% who did it and 100% it was on shipping charge (you could se how it changes for 3 and 12 month)

It's not a first time ,when I was able to see it.Last time I contacted ebay,the only "we are sorry to hear" was the only answer.

Will try to contact ebay on Monday.

As for shipping time I offer 1 day s/h which should be rated  5 stars (as per ebay),this particular card was delivered by CP in 5 bus.days,which is normal.

For no reason I was downrated on everything,I know that there are some people who never leave 5 star and can live with that (thoug it's related to discounts on FVF),but downrate on something that should be 5stars (as per ebay) just isn't right.

[maggiebvintage2010]

You need to have tracking along with 1 day shipping.  Here's a link with all the details:

http://pages.ebay.ca/help/policies/selling-practices.html#5startime

Many buyers do not read the information about how and what to rate, they just shoot off their feedback and do not understand the real impact it could have on sellers.  Then there are the passive-aggressive ones who have to get their *itch out.  Nothing you can do about it, don't take it personally, just move on. 

eBay knows the feedback system is flawed, and maybe one day they will get around to fixing it - that is after they have "fixed" all the things that were working well.

[rose-dee]

Yes, indeed.  All very valid comments!

And here's one particular part of those requirements that's easy to overlook, and that may be difficult to achieve when shipping to some parts of the country (let alone outside Canada) unless you're using Xpresspost:

"Tracking data must show the package as having a status of "delivered" with a delivery date within 4 days of payment clear."

What it boils down to in my mind is that those automatic 5-star DSRs for shipping time are really only possible on items of higher value, going by the most expensive shipping means to places that aren't far flung, for parcels that you get out the door almost immediately.  So not as easy a grade to make as it may appear.

(I think it's easier to concentrate on getting the "free shipping" automatic 5 star DSRs).

[maggiebvintage2010]

Yes, I reread that yesterday, and it seems that has been set up very specifically for US domestic transactions, where 4 days is probably achievable for same day shipping with tracking.  Notice that is doesn't even mention 4 business days.  Perhaps this is something eBay could fix for Canadian sellers.