delays to UK buyers

[rainbow71113]

is anyone else have problems since October getting their packages to the UK in the timeframe allowed by ebay?  I have 4 defects already and one US buyer even mentioned how fast I shipped (they can see the post office date on the envelope) but I got the defect because it wasn't delivered in time- most of these were over the holidays as well.  I may have to stop shipping to the UK if this keeps up. 

[pjcdn2005]

I'm not aware of any of mine that have been late although others have mentioned the same problem. The estimated delivery time for the UK and some of the European countries does seem to be too short with some of the mail service options. You might want to check to see if you would have a longer estimated time if you changed some or all of your stated services to the generic economy international shipping rather than letterpost. Light packet and small packet seem to have a longer delivery time than letterpost but if you are having problems with those as well, you might want to change them too.

Also, it seems that the eta on the order details page is shorter on the listing page so that can cause the time to be even shorter.

There are a couple of other threads about this that might give you more info.

http://community.ebay.ca/t5/Seller-Central/Ebay-s-estimated-delivery-time/m-p/323962#U323962

http://community.ebay.ca/t5/Seller-Central/Anyone-else-notice-that-New-Year-s-Day-wasn-t-factored-as...

[rainbow71113]

thanks for the info, I have already started changing most of my listings to light packet/small packet and the ones that gave me the defect were all small packet ones.  Glad I'm not the only one, maybe ebay should recalculate their estimated arrivals, but then they probably don't care if we get defects, their solution is to send tracked and charge buyers over $50 a package

[reallynicestamps]

Since both Small Packet and Light Packet have numbered labels (even though the numbers are pretty meaningless), could I suggest adding those numbers to your Feedback for the buyer along with the date you ship?

I find this is a comfort to nervous buyers.

Are you putting blue Air Mail stickers on your packages. Even if your printed shipping labels are for Air services, get some from the PO and add them. It makes it look as if you are making the effort.

Tracking is expensive and would not help the defect problem since your items are arriving. It's just that your customers, like mine, are precise people who tend to follow instructions.

And eBay is asking them to rate you on something you cannot control.

EBay is wrong. EBay should not be applying a defect for something out of the seller's control.

[rainbow71113]

I'm doing stamps (obviously since I bought some from you...LOL) for light packet and small packet and in the past I did try to use the light/small packet numbers and got a negative from a buyer saying I provided false information and that the tracking didn't work. This negative was eventually removed for other reasons but I stopped doing that. My packages all have airmail stickers and do not bend right on the address area so the post office can't really say they don't see it.  I have to say most of my buyers are fine, but like you say, if it says did you get the package on the 10th and you got it the 11th, most buyers will say no, it only makes sense...the only reason we know different is we see the impact of what no means.  The average buyer hasn't got a clue that ebay is faulting us especially when they leave glowing feedbacks and think that's the only thing really impacting the seller. 

[dutchman48]

But that is what Ebay wants. Then they can say the buyers did you in, we (Ebay) did nothing.

The old grey mare ain't what she used to be and should be put out of her misery

[hlmacdon]

Tracking would help, since you do not get a defect if the package is shipped within your stated handling time, based on the acceptance scan of the package at the post office. The disconnect here is that the vast majority of Canadian small businesses/individuals that deal in lower asp or physically small items use non-trackable services, so they are at the mercy of the buyer who chooses to answer if the item arrived on time or not when leaving feedback. On the one hand ebay is right in that it is the seller's choice not to offer trackable services and therefore they assume the risk of the defect, but on the other hand ebay is wrong in that tracking is simply not a viable option for most Canadian sellers outside of high asp items or items shipped within North America.

As far as shipments to the UK, there are no specific issues. Delivery times are a roll of the dice as customs clearance times are not guaranteed, nor are the delivery times for small and light packet, and they sometimes end up going surface rather than air as they get treated as lettermail.