eBay

pierrelebel · ‎08-25-2016

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/canada-post-union-cupw-strike-mandate-1.3735203

The biggest union at Canada Post says it has filed a 72-hour notice of job action, but is willing to withdraw it if the Crown corporation agrees to an extension on negotiations.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers has a strike mandate that is set to expire at midnight eastern time on Thursday.

The union says that in the notice it sent to management it listed its anticipated job actions but has stopped short of members walking off the job.

momcqueen · ‎08-25-2016

As a precaution, I've extended my handling time. Effective about an hour ago, as fast as I could get to my actual desktop computer. A mobile device does not support complicated moves like Bulk Edit.

momcqueen · ‎08-25-2016

Now this!
Canada Post, CUPW agree to mediation after union files strike notice
'Sometimes you need to shake things up,' minister says as union accuses Canada Post of stonewalling

http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/business/canada-post-union-cupw-strike-mandate-1.3735203

momcqueen · ‎08-25-2016

Was this not the exact measure the federal government proposed 60 days ago to which CPC agreed and the immediately union refused? I'm feeling like I'm being toyed with both as a Canadian e-commerce consumer, and as an online seller.

cumos55 · ‎08-25-2016

Just when you think nothing more can happen...... today

It gets more stupid by the hour..... ......

bestchoicebrand · ‎08-25-2016

I've cancelled my store subscription, months with very low or no sale doesn't make sense anymore.

I will use only auctions or promotion listing in the future.

Shipped one package today, postal worker reassured me that it probably will be delivered on time, will see about that.

momcqueen · ‎08-25-2016

In reality, nothing should derail before Monday. I'll be using CPC expedited parcel or Xpresspost until then. From my location in Winnipeg, international items clear customs by the evening of day two, so that's fine as well.

But this uncertainty is TERRIBLE for business. Online shoppers avoid shopping when they don't think there's a hope in getting their order before another month has passed.

musicyouneed · ‎08-26-2016

Hi mj, are you staying open? What did you put your handling time as? I agree that this uncertainty is killing the online seller. I put my store on vacation tonight but may open it up for the weekend. The weekend is when I do most of my sales.

ypdc_dennis · ‎08-26-2016

@mjwl2006 wrote:
Was this not the exact measure the federal government proposed 60 days ago to which CPC agreed and the immediately union refused? I'm feeling like I'm being toyed with both as a Canadian e-commerce consumer, and as an online seller.

No. Last time it was an offer of binding arbitration.

femmefan1946 · ‎08-26-2016

Meh.

I'm betting on the 2011 action.

CUPW had 11 days during which rotating strikes closed some areas between one shift and an entire day.

The postal system was disrupted, but the mail went through.

Management consulted their cardiologists.

Then management locked out the workers for 12 days , closing down the entire postal system

And Parliament ordered the end to the lockout and put an arbitrator in place. (That had its own fallout.)

We can close all our Fixed Price listings with a click.

And reopen them within 60 days with another.

Meh.

momcqueen · ‎08-26-2016

Thank you, ypdc_dennis. It's all coming back to me now. The Minister offered binding arbitration because mediation/conciliation had not achieved desired results. I called it "an offer they couldn't refuse" at the time, all The Godfather-like. And it was refused by the Union. Then CPC revoked the lockout notice and sat down again for another 60 days of "intense negotiations" which led us here. Plus or minus a step.

I've added ten days handling time, musicyouneed. I think it's probably twice as much as is necessary but there are a few specific dates in September (back to school and birthdays) where my ability to quickly take international orders into the USA will be compromised. I want to set realistic expectations.

Rotating strikes seem fair. It circumvents the status quo and makes a point, but also doesn't destroy the postal system. Canadians can still use it. As an eBay seller, however, I'm looking for assurance from eBay that delivery deadline expectations around Late Shipment defects will be managed.

But as we now know, those measures are only applicable to TRACKED packages during a certain time frame. It's the untraced lettermail we actually need to worry about. Offering to remove defects on tracked packages during a strike/lockout is like putting rainwater on sale during a downpour. Not that useful.

momcqueen · ‎08-26-2016

I won't be closing. I have a contingency plan in place but, let's be honest, sales are grim. No one wants to spend their money online when they are worried they might not see it for another month. The extended delivery estimate (due to likely postal disruption) is a total buzzkill for most buyers.

i.am.vivian · ‎08-26-2016

@mjwl2006 wrote:
I won't be closing. I have a contingency plan in place but, let's be honest, sales are grim. No one wants to spend their money online when they are worried they might not see it for another month. The extended delivery estimate (due to likely postal disruption) is a total buzzkill for most buyers.

Do MOST buyers actually notice that? They don't read anything else. LOL! 🙂

The strike would come at a perfect time for me with a vacation but I am worried about those who really need the sales to get by. Not enough jobs in the country and if they can survive with this it is the greatest thing but then people with good paying pensioned jobs are seen to cause these problems the CP union won't get much sympathy. Hopefully it won't be a complete shut down and won't last long either. September is an expensive month for so many people.

momcqueen · ‎08-26-2016

I know, right? I think they do notice it. Or eBay does. During the very isolated few times I've had the handling set to extended amounts, sales came to a screeching halt, only to resume a bit once my handling time went back to normal. Whether that's a result of buyer preference or eBay Best Match results, I cannot really be certain.

dutchman48 · ‎08-26-2016

No, what was originally proposed was binding arbitration which the union refused.

I just noticed this was already stated, oops

momcqueen · ‎08-26-2016

The latest:

http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/business/canada-post-strike-monday-mediation-1.3736716

Canada Post countdown underway even as two sides in mediation
Job actions Monday unlikely to be full-blown strike

momcqueen · ‎08-26-2016

I'm not at a desktop to check Announcements: has there been any official word from eBay as to how we're protected this time?

pierrelebel · ‎08-26-2016

The latest announcement from eBay-Canada:

http://announcements.ebay.ca/2016/08/26/7894/

"eBay will monitor the situation and will implement measures that correspond to the severity of any work disruption. eBay will ensure that sellers are not penalized for the delayed arrival of shipments originating or terminating in Canada: eBay will monitor and remove defects associated with shipping delays caused by any Canada Post disruption."

rose-dee · ‎08-26-2016

@pierrelebel wrote:
The latest announcement from eBay-Canada:

http://announcements.ebay.ca/2016/08/26/7894/

"eBay will monitor the situation and will implement measures that correspond to the severity of any work disruption. eBay will ensure that sellers are not penalized for the delayed arrival of shipments originating or terminating in Canada: eBay will monitor and remove defects associated with shipping delays caused by any Canada Post disruption."

Yes, well, eBay can make this statement, but I'm afraid it doesn't provide me with enough assurance not to close down my store, and it doesn't do anything to help buyers.

Unfortunately as before they are only making notices available for Canadians to see (on the .ca site), who by and large will already know there's a postal disruption. This does nothing for Canadian sellers whose buyers are mainly outside the country.

How will a U.S. buyer react when a seller suddenly advises them that the item they've just purchased may not arrive within a reasonable time, or can't be shipped at all? As a buyer, I'd be unlikely to return to buy later even if the seller offered an immediate refund for that reason. Then what's the point of staying open anyway? To upset and disappointment my buyers? To sell, just to give them their money back? Or to sell items that either never arrive, or arrive days or weeks after eBay's delivery window, and risk defects?

No thanks, I think that would be a serious disservice to my customers, especially when I'm well aware of the situation in advance. I have no other options available but Canada Post, and cannot afford tracking on most of my items. I'm certainly not going to add insult to injury by expecting my customers to pay for tracking on deliveries that may still be very slow. It isn't their problem to solve for me, so I'll be closing.

pierrelebel · ‎08-26-2016

I did not wait for eBay's announcement to put my store "on vacation".

Did that yesterday as soon as the strike notice was issued by CUPW.

momcqueen · ‎08-26-2016

eBay really needs to clarify this statement: "
Should a work disruption occur, eBay will ensure that sellers are not penalized for the delayed arrival of shipments originating or terminating in Canada. eBay will monitor and remove defects associated with shipping delays caused by any Canada Post disruption."

They make it sound like all sellers are covered against all instances of defects when, in reality, the last time that protection was very much limited to a fraction of sellers' orders within a small window of time.