Can you really trust "Canadian Seller" with shipping details like this?

[sonometrics]

There are times when I search ebay for items located in Canada.   I recently found a vendor that supposedly is in Canada, and visited their store.   All items have a small Canadian flag on the photo, with the text "CA Stock Free Shipping".   Ok, I browsed through the store, selected about a dozen items, total was about $160.

I placed the order Nov 2, 11 pm.  Ebay says the order was "shipped on Nov 4, Canada Post Regular parcel, with a CPC tracking number (all items have the same tracking number).

The seller has 644 followers, 98% positive feedback. Location - China.   All items (that I bought) say "Location Toronto, estimated within 4 - 13 business days".

Ebay says the order was shipped Nov 4 (which was wrong - only a tracking number was generated that day).

Today, ebay tracking details says this:

===========
Nov 16, 2021 8:34pm
Shipment picked up by Canada Post
MISSISSAUGA, ON L4W 1S2

Nov 16, 2021 6:54am
Item arrived
LONDON, ON

Nov 16, 2021 1:14am
Item processed
MISSISSAUGA, ON

Nov 9, 2021 6:08am
Electronic information submitted by shipper

Nov 4, 2021 6:30am
Tracking number provided
=================

The events of today are, as you can see, somewhat confusing.  Item was in London as of 6:54 am, but also picked up by CP at 8:34 pm (it is 8:26 pm as I type this).

Expected delivery Nov 18 (thursday).

It seems to me that if these items really was in Toronto, then the seller did nothing between Nov 3 and Nov 15 (10 days) and then handed the shipment to CP just today.

Otherwise, if these items came from somewhere else, likely outside Canada, then getting them into Canada in 10 days is really great performance.

[femmefan1946]

Never look at tracking.

Look at the estimated delivery date.

Inbetween is out of the seller's hands.

But in this case the seller bought a label on Nov 4. which is a Thursday.

He warehouses in Toronto, although he is registered in China.

• All your items have the same number because they are all in the same box.
• No, he is not required to discount shipping - that would be nice  but is not a requirement.

The 6th & 7th are a weekend

On the 9th, Tuesday, Canada Post recorded the tracking number.

The 11th was Remembrance Day.

The 13th &14th are a weekend.

On the 16th Canada Post recorded the shipment-- in two different cities  at unusual times. Although Mississauga and London are fairly close to each other. Which sounds like a fatfingered human typo to me.

More important.

Your purchase has been in transit for  seven business days.

EBay gave you a window for delivery.

Has that window closed?

If it has, which seems unlikely,  you can open an Item Not Received Dispute and if the seller cannot prove delivery (not shipping, delivery) you will be refunded.

[msau4301]

I too have bought a few times here from sellers showing they were in Canada but actually shipped from somewhere else. We can't lump everyone into the same category of course, some are better than others but all of my items arrived to me within the time frame they put in the listing. I got nervous the first time around since I thought my item was coming from Calgary but tracking showed it left New Zealand! my concern was mostly would I be hit with duty/import charges. I contacted the seller who said not to worry, he had several warehouses but my item would not have any extra fees (it didn't). I have seen those Canadian flag sellers also and they make me suspicious (I don't think most of us here flash the flag in our listings!) but I figure as long as I get my item, often harder to find stuff, on time at the price I thought I'm a happy camper!

I like to "buy local" when I can but when I can't if I can find it, afford it and get it, hurray!

[sonometrics · Accepted solution]

Well, the items were delivered today.  So all is well.

International Ebay vendors work in mysterious ways...

🙂

[5419robin]

I think I have your answer.  Bulk shipping. They assemble, package and label your order in China;  including  generating a Canada Post label [ Nov.4].  Bulk ship to Toronto: which explains the 12 day time lag. Then turn the package over to Canada Post for delivery [Nov 16]. To get them to Toronto in that short a time, in the current shipping climate, is impressive. They may even have come by air. However, the answer to your initial question is that their 'store' is only electronically in Canada; no more than Canadian sellers who list on ebay.com. are in the States.

[reallynicestamps]

@5419robin 

Interesting idea.

And a good comparison with the many Canadian sellers who are able to use chitchatexpress or stallionexpress to ship for Canada-based sellers from the USA at cheap USPS rates.

But once again-- a good reason why buyers should not watch tracking.

It doesn't make it move faster.

It doesn't prevent damage in transit.

And it causes a lot of anguish when it seems counter-intuitive.