OMG!! ebay is showing AIRMAIL transit time to Australia for SURFACE MAIL!!!

[dhslk]

Hello. I sold a duvet set to Australia today and the buyer chose Canada Post Small Packet Surface mail as their shipping choice (Small Packet Airmail was also available). Whenever an Australian customer  chooses surface mail, I contact them to make sure they noticed that transit time is very long (typically in the 8-10 week range in 'real life' and usually at least 2-3 months on ebay's estimate), and give them the opportunity to opt for airmail. I have been shipping there for almost 20 years via Small Packet, so please don't chime in with 'advice' about this shipping method.

I just went to the listing and saw that ebay is putting the AIRMAIL transit estimate in both the airmail AND surface mail option, stating that surface mail will only take 1-4 WEEKS, rather than 1-4 MONTHS!!!

This is ridiculous and opens me up to INR almost 3 months early!

I haven't checked, but assume that this is SITE WIDE. Am I now going to get a bunch of Internationl orders with completely incorrect info added by ebay!?

Anyone else experiencing this? Is ebay capable of doing nothing right?

[mrdutch1001]

"so please don't chime in with 'advice' about this shipping method."

so please do not expect anyone to comment...

therefore, you will need to take it up with eBay customer service.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@dhslk wrote:

Hello. I sold a duvet set to Australia today and the buyer chose Canada Post Small Packet Surface mail as their shipping choice (Small Packet Airmail was also available). Whenever an Australian customer  chooses surface mail, I contact them to make sure they noticed that transit time is very long (typically in the 8-10 week range in 'real life' and usually at least 2-3 months on ebay's estimate), and give them the opportunity to opt for airmail. I have been shipping there for almost 20 years via Small Packet, so please don't chime in with 'advice' about this shipping method.

I just went to the listing and saw that ebay is putting the AIRMAIL transit estimate in both the airmail AND surface mail option, stating that surface mail will only take 1-4 WEEKS, rather than 1-4 MONTHS!!!

This is ridiculous and opens me up to INR almost 3 months early!

I haven't checked, but assume that this is SITE WIDE. Am I now going to get a bunch of Internationl orders with completely incorrect info added by ebay!?

Anyone else experiencing this? Is ebay capable of doing nothing right?

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jasmen@ebay 

With small packet surface, due to eBay built in timelines, often INR's etc become a problem because items routinely get delivered beyond the 2 month timeline. I believe this also makes it impossible for buyers/sellers to leave feedback plus transaction details can disappear. ALL contact is required for making any claims. (Applicable if/when 3rd party insurance is purchased)

On a connected note, eBay provides an estimated transit time for Small Packet Air to USA/Internationally whereas when you check the CP website none is given. Where is eBay getting transit times for technically untracked services? USA display comparison attached.

Small PacketTM - USA Air - $15.36

Tracked PacketTM - USA - 8 business days - $22.72

-Lotz

[marnotom!]

@lotzofuniquegoodies

The delivery standard for Small Packet Air USA is on this page:

https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/business/shipping/international/compare/small-packet-u...

[clemowbooks]

Don't offer Surface Mail.

The time it takes at the best of times and these are not the best of times is greater than your buyer's patience.

The USPS dropped Surface Mail entirely a few years back.

Canada Post hasn't yet, but should.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@marnotom! wrote:
@lotzofuniquegoodies

The delivery standard for Small Packet Air USA is on this page:

https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/business/shipping/international/compare/small-packet-u...

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Conservative at best. Optimistic at worst. The tracking from Calgary to LAX for customs is 5 to 7 days. At some point in time the CP tool stopped showing a transit time. If you are in rural location in Canada pkg will take even longer to get to its first hub. In past research testing this, there was little in the way of variation for transit at both ends of process. Put another way its a generic average. Also of note eBay does not build in time for customs delays. The system mentions it on the front page but does not show on the back page when a buyer does a query for  their official shipping "estimated eta". In speaking to another seller who had issued a refund for a late letter to USA. Item arrived in 3 and half weeks. Would have been nice if eBay had included something to streamline the process to re-bill the customer when the customer wants to re-pay.

-Lotz

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

@marnotom! 

Delivery standards are for items sent between most major urban centres and depend on origin, destination and other factors. Actual delivery times may vary, other terms and conditions apply.

Not all Canadian sellers are in a major urban centre.

-Lotz

[marnotom!]

I'm seeing two distinct charges for Small Packet Surface International and Small Packet Air International on your listings now.   I hope they're correct!

[jasmen@ebay]

Hey @lotzofuniquegoodies our estimated time frames come from historical data from one location to the other!

[pjcdn2005]

jasmen@ebay 

Is it possible to address  @dhslk comment that surface to Australia is showing a similar delivery time as air mail.   I checked shipping time to a few countries and  that seems to be the situation for all international destinations.  In fact, the shipping time being given is slightly longer for air mail than by boat.  Obviously it takes much longer by boat.

Screenshot from one of the op's listings

 
With a 1 business day handling time it shows estimated delivery with small packet international ground to Australia as 7-16 business days. 

The EDD with small packet international air is 7-17 business days. 

Canada Post gives a general estimate for small packet air international is 6-10 business days if the item is shipped from a major Center.  That seems overly optimistic and does not include time for processing in customs so EBay's estimate in this case seems reasonable.

But CP's Small packet international ground estimate is 4-12 weeks.  That's not even close to ebays 16 business days estimate.

The time estimates from Canada Post can be found at the following link.

https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/business/shipping/international/compare.page?#!navtabd...

Since there is no tracking  on the small packet services, eBay would not know when a package arrives in another country or have actual 'historical data' as to when those packages arrive at a buyers location.   In that case, shouldn't eBay be using Canada Post's longer ground estimates?

[jasmen@ebay]

@pjcdn2005 thanks for the tag, there's not much I can do other than pass along the feedback so I will get this in the right hands. Thanks for your time! 

[pjcdn2005]

Thank you.

[brettjet38]

"so please don't chime in with 'advice' about this shipping method."

Evidently, cause you know the way you are offering shipping is "Questionable" at best.

"Whenever an Australian customer  chooses surface mail, I contact them to make sure they noticed that transit time is very long (typically in the 8-10 week range in 'real life' and usually at least 2-3 months on ebay's estimate), and give them the opportunity to opt for airmail. I have been shipping there for almost 20 years via Small Packet,"

Congratulations!!!!!

...there, no advice on shipping as you wanted.