Item shows shipped but actually isn't!

[mpit7628]

Hello folks.  I was just curious as to whether any other buyers have had a problem with sellers showing items as shipped shortly after purchase but then receive a shipping notification from Global Shipping that they have just received the item in their warehouse days and days after purchase.   I purchased an item  from a seller on November 29th which showed it was shipped shortly there after but then just today I received a message from Global Shipping that the item had just arrived at their warehouse 11 days  after purchase.  The estimated time of delivery from the purchase date was between Dec. 9th and the 16th, not at all possible now when it is sitting in Kentucky as I type this.  This is not the first time this situation has come up and it seems somewhat a sneaky thing to do.  Sellers have to realize that at this time of year buyers are looking for Christmas presents and any delay in shipping means after Christmas presents.

[dmil8030]

Hello 'mpit', 

Wow, you bought through the GSP a second time?  Pheew, you're courageous! 

But okay, to your query, -- when you pay for an item and then minutes later it appears marked as 'shipped', that is because the seller just printed off the mailing label.  

It might be 2 in the morning on a Sunday, but if that is when the seller is getting her packages ready to go, it will show in your Purchase History as 'shipped', even though it has not left her house.  (It may not leave her house for weeks if the seller is new and does not know about paypal's 21-day-hold on new sellers.)  

As you know, that 'mark as shipped' system doesn't fool anybody, because all a buyer needs to do is check the tracking number to verify that it has not gone anywhere.  In this case, the presence or absence of the GSP has nothing to do with it.  A seller puts things in the mail whenever she decides to do it.  Most get their items out right away but there will always be slow shippers for whatever reason.

On the bright side, your item is on its way.  You will get it eventually, assuming it does not end up in Japan or somewhere first.   At this juncture if you buy anything in the anticipation of a pre-Christmas delivery, you will be gambling, -- not so much on the seller but on the postal systems.  Heavy volumes of mail mean delivery delays, and Canada Post even has a notice about this on their tracking page.  

In your case, if you plop the tracking number the seller gave you into the USPS page it will tell you when the seller actually got it in the mail:

https://tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfirmAction_input

So when you finally having to contemplate that "shipping time" DSR, well, the seller will know what to expect.  I would suggest not mentioning anything that even hints at the GSP, however, because negative comments and low DSRs relating to GSP items can be swiftly removed, -- one of the reasons some sellers simply adore that program.

(Never mind that the problems people complain about wouldn't be there if there were no GSP,  but . . . )

You are right that your parcel will not likely arrive by the 16th, and clearly the 9th has come and gone.  It should get here in time for Christmas, however, and if you have any late arrivals you may have to quickly buy a 'fill-in' gift from a local shop and then when the mail-order parcel arrives, make it a 'post-Christmas postal'.  Everyone likes presents and it might even be fun for the recipient to receive a late surprise.  

Well, try to make it fun, anyway.  Haha, you might have to. 

Best wishes.

[mpit7628]

Thank you for your great response. The last two items I purchased I purchased in November thinking this would leave me plenty of time to get the items in in time for Christmas. I guess us buyers are at the mercy of the sellers when it comes to shipping. Two of the last few items I have purchased were from sellers who were very slow in shipping. One seller took 17 days to ship and that item is in Ontario according to the tracking on the shipment, the other seller took 11 days to ship and that item has just left the Global shipping centre in Kentucky. I have never experienced such tardy shipping on eBay before and lucky me, two just before Christmas. One item was for me and so I'm ok with that, the other was for my sister and I have already bought another gift just in case. One positive out of this is that I won't have to worry about buying a birthday present for her for April. Happy Holidays every one!

[femmefan1946]

but then receive a shipping notification from Global Shipping that they have just received the item in their warehouse days and days after purchase.  

Yes the seller shipped pretty soon after printing the USPS label which notified you it was on its way.

And it took a few days (even without weekends and public holidays) to arrive.

Then it moved from Kentucky to wards Canada, usually within 24 hours (again not counting weekends and public holidays) but the tracking is not particularly easy to see.

Nonetheless, it is on its way.

I usually allow 20 days for any item to be delivered  from the USA or Canada. I'm still waiting for a book from Amazon paid for on Oct. 26. (Yes, I asked for a refund. )

I think the cutoff date from Canada Post for mailing to the USA was November 26 for arrival by Christmas.

If Canada Post (the usual delivery service) can't deliver it, they leave a notice in your mailbox about where and when you can pickup.

That's usually the local PO, and you will need gov't issed photo ID and proof of address.

And it the item is late, open an Item Not Received dispute and get your payment back. If the item arrives after you are refunded, neither the seller nor the GSP wants it back.